The suspense horror/dark fantasy story is set in Tokyo, which is haunted by mysterious "ghouls" who
are devouring humans. People are gripped by the fear of these ghouls whose identities are masked in
mystery. An ordinary college student named Kaneki encounters Rize, a girl who is an avid reader like
him, at the café he frequents. Little does he realize that his fate will change overnight.
(Source: Anime News Network)
``“Anything is okay, as long as everyone is harmless and understands each other.” `` This is the pervading philosophy of our age, rooted in Jacques Derrida’s post-structural philosophy, which has uprooted morality as we’ve known it as but a mere convention of words and attachments to their meanings. Put all of this in the hands of the Japanese and add a dash of teenage angst? You get _Tokyo Ghoul._ While I find it personally gut wrenching and unfathomable to narrate the social injustice of flesh-eating monsters, I nod in defeat as I admit this is a very well written and constructed story, drawing out empathy for me as would anyone living in this age of civil rights. __But please…let’s not eat each other; minorities already struggle with enough inequalities as is.__ (65/100) Ken Kaneki is your average college student. He loves reading, and frequents a coffee shop in the 20th ward with his buddy Hide. He meets Rize, another book-lover who looks like she might have a real interest in him. Mustering up the courage to date her, it starts to look like Kaneki’s dreams will come true when he suddenly encounters a ghoul. From that point on Kaneki’s life changes drastically, as the world of ghouls slowly reveals to him the brutal world blanketed by peaceful Tokyo. Seriously, the first 15 minutes of the show quite lackluster. There’s some weird scene where you see a lot of blood and some boobs, then it just bursts into a scene like the beginning of a romcom or hentai game. After the ghoul encounter, a strange plot takes hold simply by the perspective and the protagonist, and as such we are enticed to explore and understand the underworld of ghouls and ghoulish fiends. Several short story arcs occur over the twelve episode period, ending with what I believe to be a highly aggravating cliffhanger with the obvious intent to stir up our brains until the next season. Though many an anime fan would be drooling here, I have seen this sort of ending literally hundreds of times now. The story was already well composed, yet (as most likely to reserve a big budget for another season) the conclusion audaciously “sells” our protagonist to us at the very end of the season after torturing us the entire time beforehand. I hate this formula from the bottom of my heart because it intends to preserve a series for bigger, more profitable business at the sacrifice of art—precisely the plague of our entertainment industry today. Had the series either reached this point sooner or drawn it out into the second season, I would have given a significantly higher score. And yet, the most fascinating thing entirely about _Tokyo Ghoul_ is how it deceptively leads us to a moral question while we watch people get murdered and eaten like livestock. Through Kaneki’s eyes, we now see the struggle of flesh-eating creatures fording through life symbiotically with humans. We also see another government agency filled with baddies hellbent on wiping out the poor, innocent butchers. It's literally like watching two bullies fight each other. Does anyone else see the reflection of real life here? In the United States, the struggle for minorities is and has always been to have the same degree of equal treatment as your average citizen. To sit where you want; to eat where you please; and to work in a way that fits your highest capacity without being labeled a menace to society. This same struggle occurs among LGBTQ, Koreans in Japan, Japanese in Brazil, non-Muslims in Islamic nations, Christians in China, and even Aborigines in Australia. This list can continue on much longer, too. The catch of _Tokyo Ghoul_ is this: to prove the point, why not pick a topic as gruesome as cannibalism? The series works this point so clearly that we, a moral and just audience, numb ourselves to the reality in cheer for our flesh-eating heroes! The coercion itself is so convincing, that even as I reread over this review I don’t feel the bankruptcy of righteousness. But I have to remind everyone here…this is a series that subliminally condones the idea of eating other human beings, even though it is shrouded with fight scenes and super powers. __Most original character? Tsukiyama by far. Anyone else? Nope.__ (72/100) Just because television screenwriting is running low on new topics does not excuse the use of stock characters! Kaneki’s attitude is somewhat between masochist Shinji Akari ( _Evangelion_) and innocent Allen Walker ( _D.Gray-man_, and even more so by the end of the series.) As a personality I think he’s fantastic, but his lack of originality made him highly likable by a larger group of people when in fact there was no reason to do so for a series this dark. I say this, for example, since Shinji’s originality made him less likable, though his character has been the most popular masochistic prototype for nearly 30 years now. Besides improving a fanbase, how is Kaneki's popularity going to keep things dynamic? I can already predict the degree of problems he will face in season two, since the entirety of his characterization will tread carefully to maximize the number of fans. Our heroine, Touka, remains blatantly unclear and unexplained. Literally the entire season only covers what looks like 1/10 of what she's supposed to be. Whoever finalized the cut scenes decided her back story and degree of purpose is far less necessary than cramming in more *CENSORED* cannibalism and budget-efficient animated fight scenes. The series minimizes her character development so that she can safely stay “okay” and “cool” in our books, as her complicated relationship with everyone else keeps her safe from much criticism. It is obvious that she barely exudes a third dimension at all…it’s all probably orchestrated to draw out a gushy moment for a frenzied fanbase in season two. img320(http://i__.imgur.com/DtNF2KC.jpg) >_"Look girl, you're cute and all...I mean even if you're drenched in human blood. You just gotta stop eating my friends, aight?"_ Meanwhile, it’s characters like Tsukiyama that earn the score for this show. If anything, his personality makes enough of a believable “ghoul” for everybody else. The whole gourmet arc was captivating, and his passion and perversity is unique and compelling. It's even ironic that his demeanor is so empowering that he could draw personality out of Kaneki and Touka. I just hope they don’t kill him off in some pathetic manner to provide sustenance for narutards. Also, not all of the stock is bad either. Nishio rounds out quite well sometime mid-season, as does Hinami. Both of their struggles really struck deeply within me in the same vein that _Tokyo Ghoul_ hypnotizes us to accept and appreciate these characters however disturbing their lifestyle is. __Typically what I would expect of a 21st century animation.__ (80/100) This is pretty much my default score, since unless it has some highly-detailed or elusive quality I cannot really make much complaint. The character designs are beautiful, as is the vividness and choice of colors in animation. In regards to fight scenes, some portions of detailed, smooth motion animation do occur, though the series as a whole focuses more on output rather than eye candy. Some of the artistic choices (such as the final episode) are really well done, but otherwise nothing really stands out to me. __Not exactly my style musically, but not bad.__ (75/100) I hated the OP and ED. I love heavy metal, classic rock, funk, avant garde, experimental rock, and even a little bit of indie rock. For some reason, though, 8 beat alternative like the OP with weak vocals grate on my nerves, as does the 16 beat monotony in the ED. I understand and apologize to many fans of this sort of rock music, but I spend my life warring against this sort of narrow-minded style of writing, as it seems to just focus on being “cool” and “non-invasive.” The BGMs also are not half bad, but it’s honestly the expected quality coming from a show like this. I’d have liked to see more chances being taken, (i.e. its contemporary _Selector Infected WIXOSS_ is an example of great musical architecture). The voice acting is what earned all peaks in this series, though. Tsukiyama’s seiyuu, Mamoru Miyano, has won several awards and has done roles like Okabe in _Steins;Gate_, Kiba in _Wolf’s Rain_, and Light from _Death Note_. His craft shows well here, especially during his great deliberation scene. Touka’s seiyuu Sora Amemiya isn’t half bad, either; I could really tell that the script itself w_as well written in this manner, too. __Watch it, love it, but don’t count on it.__ (81/100) I’m not going to continue blasting the series, as I’m sure I’ve already thoroughly pissed off a good chunk of my readers. I really did enjoy watching this show, even more than many of the ones that I've rated higher. In the right company this series could be great entertainment, though I do not find it to be a good series for couples—unless they want to “eat” each other. Ha. Ha ha. Bad jokes aside, give this show a shot if you’re looking for quality entertainment. __NOTE:__ At the time of this review _Tokyo Ghoul_ is riddled with censorships. Much of the blood and gore is either blacked out or covered up, which to my knowledge has caused a great deal of frustration for thrill-seeking otaku. In reaction, I pay respect to the "quality vs. hedonism” principle, wherein if you cannot appreciate a series like this because of a lack of gratuitous violence, than besides also seeking counseling you might not want to bother watching this.
img(https://orig00.deviantart.net/66fe/f/2018/181/b/b/tokyo_ghoul_score_banner_by_overpowered99-dcfue3u.png) Resting in a stained world is a personal identity, submerged beneath a pool of liquid blood. In an attempt to block itself from the foul air outside, coagulation transforms the pool into a bloody gel, with identity paralyzed against the high viscosity. This standstill of human existence is the exploration accomplished by Tokyo Ghoul. My introduction is an analogical take to the complex knot tied between the identity of those who are ghouls and those who are humans. In the dark side of Tokyo, a subworld of survival and predation swarms the city with horrific infestation. And then there are the humans at the federal agency named CCG who hunts down and investigates the ghouls. Now, the story has issues with the inexistent origination of some plot elements. Along with inconsistent pacing, these two fail to flesh out such a compelling world and leave questions behind. It focuses more on the fragile human qualities and I have to say, it delivers this aspect quite successfully. Suppose you, a rational person like Kaneki, is turned into a murderous monster who have to eat human fleshes for your own survival. This is not just some ordinary psychological acclimatization where everything will be normal quickly. It's a torturous endurance to keep your sanity intact. To keep your human identity alive. To not be viewed as a hellish organism. And the fact that you are thrown into numerous violent bloodsheds forced yourself to ask questions in the gray areas of morality, straining your mental self with excruciating anguish. While other characters may be undeveloped, they serve well to be the resemblances and contrasts to Kaneki. You have ghouls who retain their human values, underpinning a beautiful testament within these so-called demons, and others with unbelievable morbidity who steer away from humanity to become savages. With the CCG investigators who bring in a human perspective, all these sides sum up to an engaging exploration of an inner self who have his identity shattered, a crushed soul attempting to adapt in a divided world. Fragmented emotions imbue a disarrayed sense of belonging in a world masked by darkness. With the art revitalizing on this purplish darkness along with red gores, the tone manages to grasp a thrilling suspense within the subworld of ghouls versus ghouls and ghouls versus humans. The only slight problem is that the animation looks wonky at times but compared to the ones given for the action scenes, that's minimal. It captures the chaotic but powerful fights with well-made choreography, having splendid movements to go along with them. The designs of the ghouls were monstrous, striking fear with their menacing demonism while also capturing their predatory sides. But a great factor that visually expresses the thematic crisis of identity is in the expressions that range from the more horrified to the distressed. Usually backed by the dramatic actions in the characters, it shows the sufferings and tortured emotions from the brutalities they experienced which affected their physical and mental state. Their voices come out disturbingly with intensified sounds and the background music help even further in turning the atmosphere into a troubled one. It is really effectual in raising up the stakes. Considerable impact is felt and the slight uncomfortableness with goosebumps fits the horror side. Lastly, the opening may be a simple one but the sequences are a symbolical reflection of ghouls and humans. Accompanied by a phantom-like yet catchy song, the lyrics unravel the broken human identity, representing the main personal conflicts explored throughout the show. Tokyo Ghoul is a straightforward but intriguing dive into the mind of a boy with a rotting identity. While the lack of character development and some plot issues did lower the quality, overall, all the various perspectives stitch together into a solid psychological story full of thrills and gory visuals.
# [~~~**This review will contain Spoilers for the show!**~~~]()
I mean everyone knows at this point that the Manga was (slightly) better and this adap was piss poor.
[**_(SPOILER AHEAD)_ STORY:**]()
The story focuses on Ken Kaneki, a human, who turns into a ghoul due to his boner doing all the
thinking during a date and following a girl into a creepy alley way. That girl being Rize, a ghoul,
who gets fucking decked and her organs get given to Kaneki. (therefor turning him into a half ghoul).
He now has to live with the fact that he has to feed on Human Meat or he will fucking die. But of
course our main *hero* is too scared and cowardly to do that, I mean I understand, they wanted to show
that he still has his humanity left and wants to protect both Ghouls and Humans but I felt like that
whole thing went for far too long, there is only so much whining you can do before Survival instincts
kick in.
During the middle episode it is revelead that a doctor is actually producing these human ghoul combos,
they don't really do much with this though until much late (not included in the first season).
There is also Kaneki having to hide from "The Doves", these lads are basically Ghoul Hunters.
The end parts of this show is what TG is known for, white haired Kaneki. After being tortured Kaneki
snaps and unleashes his inner ghoul. I mean the combat is nice and all but after this point Kaneki
gets too serious for my liking.
The first season of Tokyo Ghoul doesn't really get into the *juicy* parts of the series. But you're
better off reading the manga since even this was weirdly paced compared to the manga. They didn't skip
*a lot* of the content (they only did that in the later seasons) but still. Not the best experience.
~~~img420(https://66.media.tumblr.com/c50b374c5088e442c6b667818bd23e10/tumblr_plr0irRqVT1v9w1s9_540.gif)~~~
[**CHARACTERS:**]()
Tokyo Ghoul has **a lot** of characters, here's a few that are memorable.
**Ken Kaneki** - The main character, I already mentioned his origin story. At first Kaneki is quite a
normal lad, though pretty shy and cowardly I guess is the correct word to use. I didn't mind that to
be honest, there are too many shows where the heroes are these extroverted happy machines. I want to
relate to a character xd
**Touka Kirishima** - The opposite of Ken, she is kinda of a tsundere. She likes humans but doesn't
say that and gets all worked up when her true feelings are about to be exposed.
**Kureo Mado** - An insane Dove who will stop at nothing to exterminate a ghoul.
**Koutarou Amon** - His mentor is Mado. Amon is much more strict and work focused than Mado.
And thats about it. Sorry.
~~~img420(https://media0.giphy.com/media/ToMjGpGJ9Culw53Xydq/source.gif)~~~
[**ART/ANIMATION:**]()
The art style is quite good. I can't really say much else about it, its better than usual stuff we
see. The animation is also well made to be honest, the combat scenes are fluid and smooth but apart
from that nothing groundbreaking in my opinion.
~~~img420(http://33.media.tumblr.com/b61c66fbcc75ceb70b48db8b9ac672fa/tumblr_nao13uYrfo1r3rdh2o1_500.gif)~~~
[**MUSIC:**]()
Now, I'll let you in on a secret. I forgoten the OST for this show. I do remember that the OP is
catchy af though.
Probably the most iconic opening right behind AoT.
~~~img420(https://i.makeagif.com/media/9-22-2015/Wmis2d.gif)~~~
[**OVERALL OPINION:**]()
Tokyo Ghoul (Season 1) has a lot of potential. (though me having read the manga I know that its wasted
potential)
They set up the first season quite well but pace it weirdly, the combat was fun when it lasted but its
not enough to hook me into watching the rest of the series. Only a handfull of the characters are
worth paying attention to, the rest are either annoying or the scum of earth.
img(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/16/3c/90/163c906a353f376b99ef668d2c906dc5.jpg) Just a warning, this review contains some slight spoilers about the structure of the show and how certain characters progress (no actual events), so you probably shouldn't read this if you want to go in completely blind. Ah, Tokyo Ghoul. Where to even begin with this one. Some of the most common words I hear about this show are that it's "dark", "badass", and most of all, "edgy". And I think a good way to describe this show is through the meaning of the word "edgy" itself. In my eyes, edginess is used to describe something overly dramatic in a dark sense to the point where it's unrealistic enough to break immersion. Unfortunately for Tokyo Ghoul, despite doing everything else mostly right, it suffers quite a bit from this lack of realism. [__STORY - 6.5/10__](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUhVCoTsBaM) Let's start with some of the good stuff. The story revolves around a society built around humans and ghouls, which are humanoid creatures with weird powers that can only survive by eating people. I know, real pleasant. This dynamic created as a result of ghouls and humans living in the same world sparks some interesting discussions about discrimination, isolation, and best of all, the power of kindness. However, the story often feels forced into going in certain directions, not leaving enough time to properly foreshadow or develop big events. This starts happening especially near the end, and it takes quite a toll on character development. Which leads me to my next point.... [__CHARACTERS - 5.5/10__](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUhVCoTsBaM) This was the weakest point of the show for me, and it's where the flaws in the writing really started to present themselves. Our protagonist is Ken Kaneki, the man who's worshipped around the globe by 12 year old boys and crushed on hardcore by 12 year old girls. Whenever this dude puts on his mask, panties drop so hard that....ok I'll stop. But yeah, this is the guy who gets the by far the most screen time, the most development, etc. He starts out pretty well as a nice kid at heart trying to fight off his harmful urges. So far so good, but there's a certain degree of ridiculousness in the way the show overdramatizes his inner conflict, to the point where I had to suppress my laughter. He keeps struggling with these urges for most of the show, and it doesn't really seem to get much worse or much better. That is, until near the end, where our boy undergoes some MASSIVE changes that are not just forced story-wise, but literally forced out of him by an outside influence. There's extremely little time to actually flesh out his development, and this causes his character to just feel unrealistic and inhuman, which is a shame since they'd been doing a fine job of showcasing his human side before then. As for the other characters, there's really not much to say. There are some nice ghouls, some mean ghouls, some nice humans, and some mean humans. There are also some of these who appear mean at first and later show caring sides, like say, Touka and Nishiki. But none of these are really developed beyond their personality traits. Now don't get me wrong, it's not all bad. The personalities of these characters are well defined and human-like, even in Kaneki (for most of the show). But in terms of development, there's definitely something left to be desired across the board. [__ART - 7.3/10__](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUhVCoTsBaM) The art in the show is the textbook definition of solid. Settings look realistic, fights are smooth and vibrant, and there's even some visual symbolism scattered throughout, which is always nice. Something that especially stood out to me was the art style for the characters. The people/ghouls look reallyyy good in this show. The dudes are hot and the girls are *hot*. That's all I really have to say, no complaints here but at the same time, nothing groundbreaking. [__SOUND - 7.1/10__](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUhVCoTsBaM) Soundtrack's also good. It fits nicely with the tone for each scene, and it never breaks the immersion of an impactful moment or fight. One track that stood out in particular was ["Licht und Schatten,"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S1NmtWDVYk) and it added a nice amount of hype/emotion to every scene it was played in. As far as the opening goes, it's also pretty good, and it's super iconic so there's that. The ending didn't really stand out to me though. And voice acting, well, it did what it was supposed to do successfully, but as I said before some of our characters can be quite the drama queens. [__OVERALL ENJOYMENT - 6.4/10__](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUhVCoTsBaM) As a result of all of this I definitely ended up enjoying the show more often than not. The premise was fun to follow and think about, and the more than adequate production quality helped drive home the experience. Even the characters were enjoyable to watch, but their emotional moments didn't hit quite as hard as they could've if these characters had been written more carefully. So in the end, If you like a lot of dark and heavy drama and you can suspend some level of disbelief in regards to characters, chances are that you'll thoroughly enjoy this.
Before I start I just want to say I will be biased since this show is the one that gotten me into anime and it is very dear to me, I recommend Tokyo Ghoul for the reason of the mental progression of the characters (I am mainly referencing at the MC) and the after effect it can leave on you. For me it was I could feel the pain and loneliness of Kaneki Ken when he first turns into a ghoul and you can see the panic in his face which you can thank the animators for. You can see what a good friend is through Kaneki's best friend Hideyoshi Nagachika or better known as Hide as he realizes what pain Kaneki is going through and mentally supports him without prying into the his problem, giving him space and time to heal mentality and physically, because for all he knows metal beams fell onto him and a girl he was on a date with after Ken asking the girl (who is called Rize Kamishiro) to the bookstore. Rize died from the incident but her organs were intact so they got transferred to Kaneki's body ,as he was barely alive. After that he turned into a 1 eyed ghoul (which is rare) and started to mentally decline into a depressed state where he was stuck in a mental box not knowing how to get out, until he met Touka Kirishimaa and joined a café called Anteiku that is run by ghouls who are interested in humans and how they can fit into society and instead of killing and eating humans, they eat humans that have committed seppuku (you probably get what I mean I'm just not that comfortable typing the word out so I put it in a Japanese way I guess). The way they animated it from the manga was perfect since it embodies the feel and tone the manga gives off also the animation is just... AMAZING I can't complain about it in any way shape or form its just a perfect representation of the manga (even though in my opionion it still is better). The voice actors are phenomenal in there field of work (I am talking about the English version instead of the Japanese since I've only watched it in English but I have heard good things about the Japanese voice actors) so there is no reason not to watch it. I have forgotten to talk about the plot but it has been executed perfectly thanks to the director Shuhei Morita who has also worked on the very successful short film 'Possessions' in 2013 before he worked on Tokyo Ghoul in 2014 which is now his most famed work in his career and rightly so. If you want to get a friend into anime or you want to yourself I Highly recommend Tokyo Ghoul as the first one you watch or if you haven't watched it you should watch the amazing work of Sui Ishida. If you have read all of this I just want to say Thank You since this is my first review so sorry if I rambled on a little bit.
The first season of this entire series is somewhat enjoyable; the thrilling action sequences and some of the bone-chilling line deliveries from the voice actors do put viewers on the edge of their seats, sprouting high expectations for the seasons following it. But we all know how that goes... Even though Tokyo Ghoul has major plot holes and unexplained narratives (basically lacking any of the good stuff from the manga), it does manage to end up satisfying viewers as a great standalone anime, especially when comparing it with its sequels. If anything, this anime should really help bring the Tokyo Ghoul manga series to the attention of hardcore fans like myself who want more from the story (which, by the way, is 100% worth reading!!). Besides that, the anime manages to capture the psycho-horror aspect of the story in a very compelling way. __[SPOILERS, KINDA]__ We see the first arc of Ken Kaneki's character depicted pretty accurately throughout this season. When Kaneki, the protagonist, goes through the traumatic after-effects of turning into a ghoul, the viewers are bound to feel its effects as the music and the camera work make it highly disturbing and spine-chilling. When he carries the emotional weight as he tries to accept himself as a man-flesh devouring ghoul, we unconsciously carry the same weight too. The viewers would easily be able to empathize with the character of Ken Kaneki. That goes to say, this only applies to the main character... The side characters have somewhat of a role in the storyline but are pretty much two-dimensional and are not given enough reason (arc development or backstory even) to empathize with them. In fact, that is one of the major problems with the entire series; the characters are not given a fair enough introduction so the viewers won't know why they should care about them at all! Besides that, there's plenty of Safe For Work gore, which is a bit of a letdown considering the __NASTY__ amount of gore the manga contains, but it should do for a first-timer or for people who may not like the heavy violence or bloody graphics depicted in the manga. Personally speaking, I would've liked them to beef up the violence a little more as I believe it to be an unsolicited necessity at the core of any action-horror anime genre. Overall, I think Tokyo Ghoul works as a great standalone anime and a great way to set the premise for those interested in reading the manga themselves. The success of this anime, in particular, is what set Tokyo Ghoul as a household name in the otaku community, and its manga counterpart is what set the bar for amazing action-horror story genres for years to come. This anime should be worth your time if any of this sounds like your cup of tea. :) ___ALSO P.S. 'UNRAVEL' IS BY FAR ONE OF THE GREATEST ANIME OPENINGS EVER... PERIOD.___
This is my first review and I'm kinda dumb but let's go anyway. I haven't read the manga either (soz). Also another note, sorry for the terrible format, as I am just letting my thoughts spill out. I had known about Tokyo Ghoul for many years, even before watching anime, but never felt compelled enough to watch it until I was very bored and a little drunk. I went into this anime with no expectations of it being good and was left with many thoughts, overall a great premise, but unfortunately everything else falls flat after finishing the 12 episodes. In this absolute mess of a review, I will try to spill my thoughts as to why this anime quite honestly, a mess. First, I'd like to talk about one of the few things I actually really enjoyed about this show, that being the overarching premise that the plot tried to convey, a psychological horror story about an average person having their mundane life being swept under their feet, and dragged into constant torment over their new identity. When I first got into the show, I had a genuine interest in the protagonist, Ken Kaneki, but unfortunately I felt the direction of the story fell flat and ruined the premise and Kaneki, especially in the last two episodes. Basically, I felt the show tried way too hard to convey its message, the last few episodes in particular felt rushed and out of the blue, but this may be due to me losing interest and failing to pay attention to an otherwise already convoluted story. The second thing I enjoyed was the art style, there's not much to say about it other than it was enough to keep me watching, although some fight scenes seemed a little rough, I pretty much enjoyed everything else. The OP 'Unravel' kinda slaps too idk tho. What about the characters? Tokyo Ghoul introduces a lot of them during its 12 episode run, and by the time I had finished the show, I could only remember Kaneki and Touka Kirishima. That's not to say there weren't memorable characters however. The ghoul hunters, although utilised poorly in my opinion, were at least somewhat memorable other than that, the rest of the cast seems heavily under utilised and in general, uninteresting, this includes Kaneki and Touka as well. I had previously said that Kaneki's overarching arc interested me in the first half, but by the end I loathed this character and found him to be boring. As for Touka, I disliked her from her introduction and only remember her due to how many times our protagonist calls her name. Touka was uninteresting and felt like a generic female side character with behavioural issues. I'd like to keep this brief, so I'll wrap up this terrible review on an otherwise mundane anime adaptation, I just felt the need to put my thoughts down on why I loathe this show. Had some things been different, I think Tokyo Ghoul would be a brilliant show. A fantastic setting and intriguing premise that sucks in the viewer in, but fails to keep you interested long enough for you to care about anything by the second half. I wouldn't recommend this show to anyone tbh.
__Pros:__ • A scientific basis for some of the key phenomenons, like the method used to hybridize the main character, as well as the simple things like a flesh & blood diet influencing a ghoul's strength (natural aversion to human foods) • Emotions were portrayed very well, the main character was very expressive and had moments of genuine insanity (i.e. at the beginning with the realization and in the ending with the worm) • The real protagonists (detectives) were not overpowered by ghouls and actually had some "weapons" up their arsenal (as opposed to the classic humans being overwhelmed and having to resort to using some kind of double-agent) • The character's development is well segmented, as to show the "5 stages of grief" that he goes through before reaching that ending, which serves as a prelude to the 2nd season that will most likely use that same formula but in reverse • Satisfying sound effects in some moments (i.e. rain and wind such as in episode 10 during the meeting • Satisfying level of gore • Uncontrollable demon inside archetype __Cons:__ • The main character is very frail and weak, both mentally and physically; as opposed to characters like Naruto or Ichigo who, despite being "consummed", are still strong-willed and physically strong outside of their inner-demon. It can be an intentional character design, but not one that I found enjoyable or well done. He's also very NPC-like until episode 8 where he seems to gain some actual purpose. • The ending was horrible. The main "villains" were introduced way too late (last 2 episodes) and they were completely forgotten barely half an episode later. The attention was turned towards that random Jason psychopath, who had no apparent purpose other than torturing. They could have at least came up with something like extracting Rize. The invasion/battle starts, you see rudimentary fighting, the one-eyed Owl appear for a split second and then it turns into a pseudo-intellectual philosophical breakdown of the main character and turning his hair white. • Fights seemed promising at first but got stale and limited very very fast; characters are hell-bent on using weak punches before finally unleashing their power and even then, their power seems like something out of a 12 years old's drawing book. Weird tentacles that don't have any clear reason for being the way they are, weird colors, and so forth. Rudimentary and rushed. • I did not feel attached to the ghouls at all and I was siding completely with the CCG the whole time. Ghouls were not made to be likeable, but instead pitiful with no redeeming qualities (except the main char's plea and Touko's) • No backstory is offered in regards to the origins of the ghouls, felt like you're missing part of the world building and the character isn't used to address that issue • Trying too hard to turn it into a philosophical evil vs good, victimhood nonsense when it has nothing much to feed off in the first place, very forced • Tries too hard to make the ghouls seem like victims rather than it being a genuine conflict between ghouls and humans (except for the very end) • The show becomes very slow paced from episode 4 to 8 • Abrupt and odd cuts in key parts (i.e. first fight against Nishki and then against Tsukiyama) • Art can be bland and childish at times, animation can be weak • No character was likeable except Amon (young-man detective) • The actual detective work was very rudimentary and just plugged in to put the detectives into context, but with no actual thriller or mystery • Talks about "S" rated Ghouls but nothing much developed on those in-between, might as well just said "the strongest" if we don't get to explore the rest of the rankings • The music is sometimes very unfitting in fighting scenes; the music overpowers the mild combat and creates a feeling of desync between audio and visual (i.e. Mado vs Touka) __Overall__: Good idea, rudimentary lore, odd pacing, weird cliff hangers, disappointing fights. Started off very strong, dipped and then restabilized but at a much lower level than the start. It was "fair" but had a lot of flaws.
___ #~~~- Tokyo Ghoul Analysis -~~~ #####~~~This analysis contains spoilers~~~ ~~~img300(https://i.imgur.com/hAYnUGJ.jpg)~~~ ___ Rose-tinted glasses be damned! There once was a boy who traveled the school halls cracking his knuckles just like Kaneki. Edginess be damned! My fourth time watching this cursed series, an anime I seemingly cannot complete despite being one of my first anime I began with. Inconsistency be damned! Even though it fell off after the first season with one of the worst butcher jobs I've laid eyes upon. Supremely putrid adaptation be damned! Tokyo Ghoul is unforgettable to me, in my heart of hearts, I believe that without it I wouldn't have continued watching anime, nor would I have started reading manga. It was a catalyst, a martyr whom bestowed me a great curse in more ways than one. ___ To reiterate, this was my fourth time watching Tokyo Ghoul. The first time was in 2014, the second in 2016 with a friend, the third also with a friend in 2017, to present day all by my lonesome again in 2022. That's not all, I've also read the freaking manga a multitude of times. In spite of this, a celestial calamity has been appointed to me; a hex which makes it so I fail to finish Tokyo Ghoul whenever I rewatch it. It's occurred so often like clockwork that it's difficult for me to not think it's impossible. In what world does it make sense that a manga I find extra special always seems to end up stopped midway, for me to move onto other works and forget the plot like it never existed. There was a time when I read each new chapter of Tokyo Ghoul like it was gospel, I huffing the fumes like gasoline, I was all in baby. What are the odds I'll move onto another anime/manga midway through again? Hopefully zero, I seriously want to get this out of my head space, it's time to send it to the grave just like my middle school memories, no flowers needed just put it in a hole and cover it with dirt to wither away. Better yet cremate it and put the ashes on your nightstand as a constant reminder to finish what you start. Going into the first episode I was nervous, butterflies were jumbling at different rhythms in my stomach. My heart of hearts, Mr. Brain, knew it was time, yet I was complacent. The though of having to watch the OG Tokyo Ghoul once more, then read the OG Tokyo Ghoul manga, then the sequel manga, followed by the entire amalgamation that turned out to be the rest of the adaptation made me dread the future. Sort of like how one day I'll have to watch all of SAO again to finish it. Tis the horrid fate of a stubborn no-drop dumbass. Once you commit yourself to this fate, your future is bleak. I held my breathe and sunk my hesitant face down below the mysterious liquid. Down beneath was a pleasant surprise, an all too familiar smell, a feeling one can only reach via a link to the past. The view underneath the goopy substance was rose-tinted, it was like catching up with an old friend. Memories surged, some were good, others well less inviting, but all of it felt right. Tokyo Ghoul is an old friend, you don't keep up with as much as you used to, yet once you finally meet again everything comes back in an instant. Consolidating my thoughts on Tokyo Ghoul is an arduous task when it feels like it's stuck behind such a overtly thick lens, how do I traverse this minefield filled mindscape? What do you think dearest reader? The solution is simple, I don't plan to! Part of the joy of watching series from your childhood is remembering the past. That doesn't mean some of my opinions of Tokyo Ghoul have evolved with age, nevertheless that also doesn't mean my general opinion of the series is probably higher because of when I watched it. Teenagers are susceptible horny assholes, I was no different. ___ Tragedy, seeing fictional characters seethe in agony, following their cataclysmic fiascos, ogling as they mutualize themselves further and further into a downward spiral is one of my great pleasures. The way my eyes widen, my heart fastens, my internal temperature rises, and that sneer on my face as I cackle under my breathe, I can't help it. We watch with jubilant smiles on our faces as our innocent protagonist Kaneki Ken befriends the enigmatic glasses wearing beauty, Rize Kamishiro. Rize may not believe in fate but the following moments speak themselves. Under the allure of Rize, Kaneki follows her to a secluded area where she can feast upon him. For shame, Kaneki the strong shall feast on the weak, alas it seems luck fortunes those in power. However what's this? A metal construction beams falls from the heavens to mortally wound Rize. Though, with awfully large wounds himself it would take a- oh, let's put Rize's organs into Kaneki, all fixed doc! And that kids, is how a half-ghoul is born! What does it mean to be human? The theme of humanity versus the monsters that are ghouls is ever constant. Kaneki with this new ghoulish side of him is conflicted, for him to stay human by his definition he must not kill. Yet for a ghoul to live one must devour the forbidden flesh. No more are is favorite foods, any regular food Kaneki attempts to swallow quickly is rejected by a force out his control. There's something he cannot control incubating inside his human tissue. Like a ticking time bomb out of his control the race he used to call his own is filling his headspace as livestock, a voice aching him to eat them. Early on we stumble upon another ghoul eating, Nishiki Nishio. In a hungry state Kaneki finds it tough to control himself, he doesn't have much strength in his body. Nishiki makes quick work of Kaneki and tries to snuff him away, yet Kaneki is able to fight back in a frenzied state. One eyed ghouls are stronger than regular ghouls (of course they are, the power of rarity heh) and nearly snuffs Nishiki by piercing him like a blood filled piñata. Great scene. In this frenzied state he stares upon his best friend whom he saved, yet all Kaneki can think of is: "meat, meat, meat, MEAT!" Thankfully he doesn't succumb to the urge, and is saved by a cafe full of peaceful ghouls named Anteiku. Kaneki learns how to blend into human society, and slowly realizes this messed up situation that is his life isn't changing anytime soon. It would seem a challenger for weirdest guy has approached me, Tsukiyama Shuu, or the Gourmet Ghoul, is an eccentric who acts gentlemanly to lure Kaneki into his battle dome for the sole purpose to Kaneki's flesh. I'd do the same Tsukiyama, can't blame you. Overall this part the OG Tokyo Ghoul is the least compelling part of season one, but it did introduce a great character which is always a plus in my book. After besting Tsukiyama (for the time being) we get to see the alternative protagonist Kōtarō Amon and his twisted mentor Kureo Mado. More tragedy ensues as Hinami's father is slain by Mado, followed by her mother in heartbreaking fashion. What makes Mado more human than a ghoul? The ghouls at Anteiku are peaceful, eating mainly those who are already dead as sustenance. They choose to not kill humans and instead want to blend in harmoniously. Everyone needs to eat, ghouls are no different, the sole difference being is ghouls need human flesh to survive. Touka's filled with rage of the news of Hinami's parents being slaughtered and wants revenge. Her parents were harmless yet they were hunted down like scum. Touka couldn't stand the injustice. Which leads us to a great peak of Tokyo Ghoul, episode eight. The first of many interactions between our two polar protagonists, Kaneki and Amon. Kaneki is the only person on the planet who understands the plights of both side of the equation, he could be the catalyst to bring comprehension between the two. The first fight between them is one-sided, but comes with a simple purpose. As Amon pummels Kaneki with no regard, Kaneki continues to get up and not fight back. Kaneki only needs to keep Amon from joining Mado and ruining the chances of Touka beating Mado. After taking a bite out of Amon to gain the power of his kagune, Kaneki tells him to escape before he becomes a killer. Kaneki wanted to spare Amon which tore into Amon's mind to no end. Mado is snuffed out by Touka and Hinami after some traumatizing scenes. In all the value of episode eight comes from the conflicted world views. The peak is when Pierrot kept swapping between to two sides presenting a similar story despite their hatred for each other. The collective of my thoughts all comes to a singular moment in Tokyo Ghoul, the culmination, the pinnacle scene everyone thinks of when Tokyo Ghoul is mentioned. Kaneki's torture and subsequent degression into hell. Kaneki's desperation for salvation comes in form from visions of Rize, the torture shifts his moral compass beyond repair. Kindness is weakness; Kaneki's mother died because she was mentally weak, she should have been selfish and put herself first. Via his psychosis filled mental escapes he continued to vison worse and worse things. Rize challenged Kaneki's nature by the way he chooses to not change, not willing to accept who he really is. Kaneki has the power to change his life and save those he cares for. As the intense stress comes to a boiling point his hair wilts to white and he shatters the chains, neat symbolism. The imagery of all the white flowers finally turning into red ones as Kaneki doesn't choose to accept Rize but to use her power and devours her, once again well done visually. This is followed by the most famous fight, Kaneki v Jason. During this rewatch I found myself preemptively speaking the lines before they popped onto the screen, it's that ingrained in my psyche. The word that pops into my head is classic, never gets old. ___ It's a damn shame there's only 12 good episodes of Tokyo Ghoul. There was no logical reason to derail the story in the direction Root A partakes. It aggravates me to the same degree it did 7 years ago, if not more. The single blessing in disguise from the botched adaptation is it introduced me to the manga, which c'mon the art is other-worldly virtuosic. One would think with the amount of times I've watched Tokyo Ghoul it'd wear down on me, yet rose-tinted glasses aside I believe it holds up very well even as an adult. Hasn't aged much animation wise either, the OST has some all time classics, the OP is one the most memorable OP maybe ever? The ED has a fantastic math rock undertone vibe to it which is my favorite genre of music so major bonus points! Tokyo Ghoul was an integral part to introducing anime to me and shaped who I was back in the 2010s to a certain extent. What does it mean to be human? If being human means growing up and not watching anime, I'm swapping over, Rize gimme your organs! May we further unravel the mysteries and tragedy of Kaneki Ken another day.
I think that in a world where man-eating monsters actually, unironically exist, then Tokyo Ghoul would probably be an apt description of it. There are Ghouls who prey on humans, Ghouls who merely prey on the already deceased, and there's Ghouls who straight-up kill for the fun of it. Something reminds me, you know that meme where it's Eren saying he hates titans then shows him as a titan and it's like Kaneki right afterwards saying he hates Ghouls and later shows him as a ghoul? I don't think Kaneki actually shown a hatred towards Ghouls at all. He's just struggling to retain his humanity after becoming a half-ghoul. This WOULD be a 10/10 for me but I feel that the season ending with Kaneki handing Jason his ass to him and not resolving what's going on with the current arc is a major sour point to me. Maybe it's just a nitpick. Who really knows. Maybe I'm just saying things because I want to reach the word minimum for this. Anyway another minor nitpick for me is that some characters I thought would do more in the series don't really do much at all. Like I was expecting Nishiki to do things after he became a member of Anteiku but no, he did nothing of actual note in this season. Maybe if I ever get to watching the next season then maybe he does more stuff but I don't think I'm hopeful on that front. Speaking of Man-Eating Monsters the Ghouls of Anteiku also got me slightly reminded that if they co-existed in the world of Shakugan no Shana, would, if the Flame Hazes hunted Ghouls in addition to Crimson Denizens, deem them an exception due to the method they do to get their food not being as much as a concern as a normal ghoul? Maybe. Back on topic when the doves are introduced we get to see another side of the story, with Amon being mentored by Mado until the latter's final battle against a revenge-stricken Touka. I think the CCG has a "EGAB" mentality to them since they did mercilessly take down Ryoko, who just probably feasted upon the corspe of those who did the Sudoku. I do acknowledge that the CCG is also unaware of the organizations like Anteiku and probably just think... well, that every ghoul is equal. And after Mado's death we see Amon trying to keep up the legacy of the former since he was a father figure to him. I'd say my biggest gripe is that we don't really know much about the other workers of Anteiku, and when Nishiki joins his relevancy drops down to a near-minimal level. Like we get one line about one of the workers having an infamous past while trying to break up a fight between Touka and Nishiki but that's pretty much it. ...guess what I'm trying to say is Tokyo Ghoul is a show where when a man becomes a monster against his will, he joins a group of monsters who don't kill all while an organization is unaware of the layers of the monster types.