Tokyo Ghoul

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Alternatives: English: Tokyo Ghoul
Synonyms: Tokyo Kushu, Toukyou Kushu: Hibi, Toukyou Ghoul, Kuuhaku, Shuu, Void, Past
Japanese: 東京喰種トーキョーグール
Author: Ishida, Sui
Type: Manga
Volumes: 3
Chapters: 17
Status: Finished
Publish: 2013-07-19 to 2014-12-19

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4.4
(91 Votes)
63.64%
18.18%
14.77%
0.00%
3.41%
0 Reading
0 Want to read
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Alternatives: English: Tokyo Ghoul
Synonyms: Tokyo Kushu, Toukyou Kushu: Hibi, Toukyou Ghoul, Kuuhaku, Shuu, Void, Past
Japanese: 東京喰種トーキョーグール
Author: Ishida, Sui
Type: Manga
Volumes: 3
Chapters: 17
Status: Finished
Publish: 2013-07-19 to 2014-12-19
Score
4.4
91 Votes
63.64%
18.18%
14.77%
0.00%
3.41%
0 Reading
0 Want to read
0 Read
Summary
Explore the world of Tokyo Ghoul with these pros

Ghouls live among us, the same as normal people in every way—except their craving for human flesh.

Ken Kaneki is an ordinary college student until a violent encounter turns him into the first half-human half-ghoul hybrid. Trapped between two worlds, he must survive Ghoul turf wars, learn more about Ghoul society and master his new powers.

Many conflicts and incidents arise involving the clientele of the café Anteiku, where Ghouls gather. Yoshimura, the café's owner, is harboring suspicions about a certain someone. What sort of darkness will that person bring between those who hunt and those who are hunted? This book chronicles six all-new stories from the Tokyo Ghoul universe.

(Source: VIZ Media)
Reviews (91)
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Tokyo Ghoul review
by
jzmcdaisy21125
Apr 02, 2021
STORY 8/10
Tokyo Ghoul has an interesting story. The story takes place in a world where exist creatures called Ghouls, who cannot whitstand food eaten by humans (except coffee), needing to eat humans to survive. Thus, there is a human organization to fight these ghouls, the CCG (Comission of Counter Ghoul), initiating a true battle between races. In this context comes Ken Kaneki, a young university student which suffers an accident and receives transplanted organs from a ghoul, becoming a human-ghoul hybrid, the "one-eyed ghoul". Therefore, Kaneki is in the middle of two worlds, he doesn't feel human anymore and he struggles to fit in the ghoul's community. His effort to reconcile his new life and his old life and prevent as much as possible the conflicts between the two races is admirable and interesting. We end up sympathizing with both the CCG and the ghouls, they all have reason in their own ways and a dark side. Although the story has interesting conflicts and questions which side is correct (Humans or ghouls) and the difficulties suffered by Kaneki, I feel that the second part of the manga becomes kind of boring, focusing on fights between CCG, ghouls and anteiku, and cares less about the relationship between characters or creating new different plots. When it focused more in action scenes, I lost a bit of the initial interest I had. I need to complain about the ending too... Spoilers: it does not end. It has a sequel.. So the last volume is not actually the last volume, and it does not have a real conclusion, which made me a little disappointed.

ART 8/10
Okay, I know art is good and original, specially the manga cover art. I like it, because it is different, but it feels too "scribbled". It is not clean, and when I read fast, sometimes I do not understand what is happening and I have to go back and read again. The anime does not have this problem.

CHARACTER 8/10
At first, the mange seemed to care a lot about the character's feelings and their relationship, which I really enjoyed, but as the story went on, it focused more in action scenes and confllicts and a lot of secondary characters started to appear, which made me confused about who they were. However, Kaneki growing as a character was something really interesting to see, as well as his relationship with his old and new friends. Also, the relationship of humans and ghouls, CCG members and ghouls are all great points of the manga.

ENJOYMENT 7/10
As I've said, I really enjoyed the beginning of the manga. The change in Kaneki's life and the difficulties he had faced. However, after a while the story focused much more in conflicts, battles and action scenes, and not so much about the relationship between characters. The ending also did not have a real conclusion, so it also disappointed me.

OVERALL 8/10
Tokyo Ghoul review
by
LordessMeep8
Apr 02, 2021
Honestly there is so much I could say about Tokyo ghoul. The art the story I specially adore the facial expressions and honestly I like the manga more than the anime, it keeps you entertained and brings new characters while keeping the old ones interesting. Something though that bothers me about it is how they use the plot (spoiler warning maybe) the protagonist called ken kaneki or kaneki is a half ghoul something that is kind of rare. Somebody innocent who has no choice but to eat human meat to stay alive and goes through a lot in the process of entering the ghoul world. However in many animes a characters personality can change by going through stuff and it was no surprise that kaneki would do that to. The thing that bothers me is that the whole plot is that he’s half ghoul but after he gets more used to it and has gone through more things there is a point in change (he also gets white hair here like the edge lord he has to become) basically kaneki becomes. Like a full on ghoul. At that point for me it felt like the plot was lost and the main character became more un interesting and not as unique as he was before. Thats one thing about Tokyo ghoul I can’t deny but there is still so much about Tokyo ghoul that makes it so interesting the side characters are usually the coolest to me all off their stories their personalities and what they mean to the ghouls and to the humans (also kaneki). In Tokyo ghoul the art is something I just need to mention because the expressions and how the body is drawn when they are making movement really feels like they are moving to me. Also the ghoul eyes and extra crazy body mutation superpower tail mbha tail ghoul magic power whatever it is are both important in fighting and artistic. Tokyo ghouls story and ghouls have an ok enough explanation to it and sometimes when you pay attention to the eyes or what they are doing it feels like it makes sense even if it is an anime and ghouls never existed and will never exist. I think Tokyo ghoul is worth watching and even iff you are not usually in to that stufff you should at least check it out!
Tokyo Ghoul review
by
ShaIIot9
Apr 02, 2021

Tokyo Ghoul is flawed. It's inconsistent. HOWEVER, I still found a lot of enjoyment to be had, with a story that eventually touched me despite its big fall midway.

For the first several volumes, Tokyo Ghoul is great. It builds the characters well, explores Ghoul society (which is captivating), has strong emotional storytelling, great art (which does improve) and isn't a black and white story of morals. If the series kept up with this, it could of been great. Unfortunately, it lost it's self and then rediscovered it's self just as it was almost too far gone.

The series took a nose dive during the iconic transformation of the series: black haired Kaneki to white haired Kaneki, a teenager finding his footing to a deadly badass. The massive issue I had with this was it threw away ALL of Kaneki's development beforehand, which now I think about it, is probably the biggest problem with the series. Character development. Kaneki was developing well as a character. His opinions and the change of them made sense, his abilities of a Ghoul developing made sense, and a future badass Kaneki would also make sense if Sui Ishida followed what he set up. Instead, this was all threw away for an instantaneous transformation that in my opinion, was unneeded. BOOM, Kaneki's hair has now aged 70 years, is severely depressed and is now a kung-ghoul-fu master..................?

I speculating this was a result of Sui Ishida's editors wanting Kaneki to appeal to a wider range of readers as this is a shonen manga and characters which fight well and frequently appeal the most. Kaneki was a shy, bookworm before which might of not appealed to some readers.

The series continues to suffer after this. Up to volume 11, there is almost no meaningful character drama, interactions, or even plot development that reaches a conclusion in the series, despite that seeming to be the only thing progressing. I'm pretty sure that all the plot events and character relations that take place in this sequence will be RE-explored in Re (haaaaaaaaa, se-see what I did th-there....) and meet a conclusion or otherwise it was completely wasted as they were not concluded in this series. This is the sequence in the manga when I was beginning to seriously worry about the quality of the series. It was almost reaching bad levels. I mentioned earlier that the big flaw with this series is character development and I feel this portion of the series could of gone towards that. Some characters had relations set up in THE FINAL VOLUME when they should of been set up when they were first introduced. Some characters also had a lack of development and didn't even survive to the end of the series, so they cant be explored again. Unless they actually survived and will REturn in Re (haaaa... Maybe I'm not being a comedic genius and Re actually means returning....)

BUT, BUT, BUT, Tokyo Ghoul saved it's self from disaster in volume 11. Drama returned, meaningful character development and drama returned, the story get emotionally powerful again and thrilling. I was shocked and actually sighed at the events which happened in the final four volumes. The story and characters were still messy, one character acted a lot out of character, but I found a lot of enjoyment out of the final four.

I didn't talk about the art.... Well its great-its beautiful-it get's better through out the series. Some of the fights were difficult to understand at the beginning but they got a lot easier to understand throughout the series.

Overall: I give a 6/10 AND THATS NOT LOW!!!! PEOPLE THINK IT IS BUT ITS NOT!! 6/10 MEANS GOOD IN THIS REVIEW, 5 IS MEDIOCRE, 7 IS GREAT!!! F***K THE MYANIMELIST SCORES THIS IS WHAT MY SCORE MEANS!!!!!

Tokyo Ghoul review
by
lucille01215
Apr 02, 2021
First Impressions

If you are wanting to read an awesome vampire story without the glitter and other pansy stuff, then Tokyo Ghoul has a special twist for the readers. Following our main character, Kaneki Ken, is going to be one heck of a tragedy. This tragedy is about Kaneki, a quiet, book-loving, college student, who gets into some insane trouble and becomes a half-ghoul, after having an organ transplant with ghoul that tried to eat him. Ghoul? Some might wonder, after I mentioned a vampire story.

Ghouls might just be the new fad of vampires. The major similarities are that they both feed on humans, they look like humans, and they have supernatural abilities. Kaneki goes through such a major transformation, and tries to make sense of a new world he has entered, yet doesn’t accept it. Young, weak Kaneki refuses to become a Ghoul, because he wants to be human again. After almost killing a couple of people, he is encountered by a group of Ghouls called Anteiku. Kaneki joins this group as one Ghoul organization that is peaceful to humans. This is also when Kaneki learns that Ghouls have two enemies, humans, and themselves. Now all Kaneki can do is try not to get himself or his loved ones killed, by going through his own transformation.

Unlike Kaneki, this manga shows true promise, in that Tokyo Ghoul is a serious, gut-wrenching manga. What is so great about Tokyo Ghoul so far is that it shows what life would most likely be if there was an unknown race of people among us. Not only that, Tokyo Ghoul vividly shows emotions, pain and suffering, that Ghouls go through every day of their lives because they are different.

The reality within this manga, is that it feels like one can actually see a real person change. They realize what they are but not who. Turns out, change is scary. No one likes it, but it happens. Unpredictable events change us, without warning. This feeling I get makes me feel a part of the manga, because we can all turn into monsters. The best part is that reading this I learn and feel more about what it is like to be hated because of a difference.

Luckily for Kaneki, I want to read about this one wimp main character who is completely hopeless, in hopes of his transformation being awesome. I understand that the bad-ass main character that can beat everything is overdone as well, but this wimp main character “fad” needs to slow down. All I can hope for is that Kaneki, can become better as a Man-Ghoul.

This manga is a wonderfully tragic learning experience.
Tokyo Ghoul review
by
Yokoai6
Apr 02, 2021
At first, this manga may not have the most original concept or story. However, the way it runs is excellent.

The author finished the manga and began the sequel a month later. He likes to play with people like that. It's a direct sequel beginning 3 years after the end of Tokyo Ghoul. Without ruining anything, there are answers and that will put an end to your anger.

The manga is incredible, the characters are very well written, each character is important and has a proper and meaningful development for the story, and none of them are there just because they are there, nor are they useless. The characters have realistic personalities and none of them is just "good" or "bad." Each character is well developed and continues to develop and none of them are completely innocent, just as it is in real life.

I liked the fact that the characters are like this and this manga develops it perfectly.

Ken Kaneki is by far one of the best characters ever developed in history. He's not just the nerd or the cool emo badass. Just like any person in real life, he has secrets that he wants to keep buried and is not willing to accept. It has several stages of development that really make sense in the situations in which it is. Your motives and thought processes are excellently displayed.

Another good thing is how the manga not only feeds the facts. They are prefigured with various references to numbers, tarot cards, symbolism and metaphors, but unless you pay attention to what you read, you will not notice them and you will not be able to enjoy the manga in all its glory. I would recommend not only reading the manga only once, but at least several times to understand what you may perhaps not have understood or not noticed.

Overall it's an amazing manga with beautiful art and history, and the end of the cliffhanger was really the best way to finish the first part.
Tokyo Ghoul review
by
Narudatsu15
Apr 02, 2021
Yes, the manga is way better than the poor anime adaptation. That does not, however, make it the masterpiece that many fans claim it is. "Tokyo Ghoul" is an edgy, gory version of your typical shounen that manages to touch on some more mature themes such as mental illness. It is an entertaining summer blockbuster that will hook readers but will never sucessfully execute its plot.

Story: 6
the story is good, especially during the Aogiri arc, but completely falls apart during the final arc (I know there is a sequel but the issues I had with the final arc did not have anything to do with its cliffhanger ending). The beginning of the manga builds towards the infamous Aogiri arc, introducing us to the world of ghouls while also developing our main protagonist Ken Kaneki's inner struggle between human and ghoul. Not original, but interesting enough to keep people reading in the hopes of an epic climax. And "Tokyo Ghoul" delivers-- during the Aogiri arc we see our main protagonist finally succumb to his inner demons, resulting a badass power-up and a dose of sadism that is refreshing in the self-righteous "good boy" Kaneki. Had "Tokyo Ghoul" then crafted a "redemption" arc in which Kaneki, who has now fully embraced his ghoul side, learns to live as both a human and a ghoul (I know it sounds cheesy but its a hell of a lot better than what we actually got), then the manga's story would have been both solid and complete. No mess of a second half that introduces new characters for the sake of it, pointlessly brings characters back to life, and showcases completely illogical decisions for the purpose of plot (I'm looking at you Yoshimura and Hide). No sequel "Re:" where we introduce even more pointless characters instead of finally developing our original protagonists, bring back EVERYONE from the dead, and basically just rely on pulling people's heart strings in an attempt to cover bad writing. Overall, "Tokyo Ghoul" had the potential to be a solid yet unoriginal story, but became a mess after the commendable Aogiri arc.

Art: 8
Not much to say here. The art is very good and improves throughout. Some of the fight scenes are tricky to read but well done overall.

Characters: 6
The main character is interesting but does not get the full character arc he deserves after the Aogiri arc. It feels unfair that his story abruptly comes to a halt and then completely resets for the entire first half of "Re:." It feels as through Usui didn't know how to conclude his story and then just decided to buy time by making an inferior copy of the original that is focused on humans rather than ghouls. Most of the side characters are weak. Tsukiyama, Suzuya, and Hide are the only interesting ones, but they do not get nearly enough screen time or development. Touka is a borderline abusive and decidedly unlikable character. Usui attempts to mend this by providing her with a troubled past and demonstrating her "kindness" by having her eat her friend's human food. Then all of a sudden after emotionally abusing Kaneki for months, she suddenly likes him because "plot." However, Touka's past does not excuse her from being a bitch, and her nonsensically taking kind actions for the sake of plot does not convince the reader that she is a good person. Moreover, she receives little to no development over the course of the entire manga, making her character even more platonic and uninteresting.

Enjoyment: 8
Despite the manga's evident flaws, I very much enjoyed reading "Tokyo Ghoul," especially through the Aoigiri arc before where the story reached its peak. Afterwards, it was entertaining to watch sadistic Kaneki but was less enjoyable since the plot began to fall apart. Certain platonic characters such as Touka also made the plot less enjoyable, especially with the lack of depth in female characters in most anime and manga (Fullmetal Alchemist being the evident exception to this trend).
Overall: 7
"Tokyo Ghoul" is a good summer blockbuster, enjoyable, but lacking brilliant execution of plot and depth to many side characters, of which there are too many.


Tokyo Ghoul review
by
Mystic_Dreamer13
Apr 02, 2021
Personal Rate: 10
Overall Rate based on the different criteria: 8.75 rounded up to 9

Okay, so I'll try to write a short review because I just want to read Tokyo Ghoul Re like... right now.
I came to read this after having watched the first season of Tokyo Ghoul the anime. I was intrigued by the plot and very curious about the original material.

I'm happy to report that while I thought the anime indulged in useless gore and relished in some torture scenes... It's not the case with the manga. That's not to say, it's not violent but we don't dwell too much on the disgusting details of entrails spilling everywhere. As long as the point is made, the story moves on. Usually anime are toned down violence-wise but surprisingly it was the reverse here. Or maybe it's because the blood is in black and white I don't know. I've seen worse though... In terms of useless gore you can hardly beat Berserk, and I'm saying this while liking the series.


Story: 8
Art: 9
Character: 9
Enjoyment: 9
Overall: 9


Story: 8

Interesting universe and conflicts. There is no right or wrong side to this tale and this is what makes a great story. Great twists especially at the end of the series.

What can I say: BEST CLIFFHANGER EVER.


Art: 9

Art is gorgeous and gets better at the story goes on. Action scenes are a blast minus 1 point for being confusing at times. But the art is G.R.E.A.T.


Character: 9

Even the most twisted characters have interesting back-stories. All characters are in different shades of grey
My perception of some characters was changed after reading the manga... especially concerning Kureo Mado, Koutaro Amon and Touka Kirishima. Some scenes are removed in the anime and others added and while it doesn't change the flow of the series at least for the first 7 volumes ( can't compare after, I didn't watch Root A yet), it does change how you view some of them.

Kureo Madeo for instance appears as a self-righteous zealous in the anime while Amon appears collected. In the manga Amon is more emotional and tends to be overly obsessed and self-righteous at least in the beginning of the series while Mado is more reasonable. It seems all the madness was reported in one character in the anime when in fact they were both too obsessed for their own good..; which probably explains why they got along so well.

Kaneki has by far the greatest arc but again he's the hero. Most interesting trajectory and personal growth I've seen in a manga for a while.

But overall, all characters are great. Those who aren't are either inconsequential or are the type you'll be happy to loathe and hate.
Lots of shifting relations and it feels natural too. Not forced.


Enjoyment: 9


Terribly addicting and suspenseful. Couldn't stop reading it at the point of having to stop other activities because I couldn't get it out of my head. I did spoil myself at some point because I was just too curious to know what was going to happen. Some scenes were a bit difficult regarding Kaneki's turmoil so that explains the 9. But boy, was I entertained. It was a blast... Can't wait to read the follow-up series.


Overall: 9

What are you still doing here? Go read it!
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