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.