While reading Tokyo Ghoul, it was easy to see why it gained so much traction. While the concept of man-eating beings living among their prey isn’t new, Sui Ishida’s work explores humanity through his monsters.
About the Manga
Tokyo Ghoul (2011-14)
Author: Sui Ishida
Genre(s): Action, Drama, Horror
Demographic: Seinen
Theme(s): death; exploitation; the monster within; vengeance
Status: Completed
Volume(s): 14
Trigger(s): gore
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 4 out of 5 stars
Kaneki Ken is a self-actualized ghoul, though his road to accepting his new identity is what makes this series worth reading.
In the beginning of the story, Kaneki was a human. But after a run-in with a ravenous ghoul sends him to the hospital, he becomes a ghoul himself. Kaneki is very hateful against ghouls for an understandable reason: they eat humans despite posing as them. So, its no surprise that Kaneki would come to hate himself for craving human flesh after an experimental procedure made him a ghoul.
What makes Kaneki’s character journey fascinating is that he undergoes a metamorphosis of sorts. His transformation happens physically at first until he finally learned to accept his new physical state. Upon accepting his new life as a ghoul, Kaneki embraces his inner monster to protect the ghouls he once despised.
Kaneki’s protective nature stems from his own childhood. He was abused by his overworked mother. So, he takes it upon himself to care for the vulnerable ghouls by opposing those who harm them. This includes fighting against the humans, not just the ghouls that pose a threat against his loved ones.
One thing I didn’t quite like about Kaneki Ken is the edge-lord persona he adopts. I know that he estranges himself from his friends to keep them safe, but the sudden switch in personality when he unleashes his kagune makes for an awkward tonal shift. Kaneki seems to be in a depressive state as his ambitions slowly consume him. So, in my opinion, making him lose his mind in battle takes away the seriousness of his actions. Readers know that he has trouble with controlling his ghoulish urges; despite embracing his inner ghoul, Kaneki has refused to eat human meat. That inner turmoil had already been established. Making Kaneki lose himself during his battles to mirror the predator of his past, Rize, is unnecessary.
Opposite to Kaneki is Amon, who follows a self-righteous agenda of freeing humans from the ghouls. He is declared dead by the end of Tokyo Ghoul, though he learned to have no actual hatred for Kaneki. Both he and Kaneki are similar to one another, though Kaneki is more interested in bridging the gap between ghouls and humans.
Sui Ishida’s work is well crafted. I do wish that Kaneki’s exploration of humanity was more consistent throughout the series. This approach was seemingly dropped towards the end of the series, which made Ishida’s character-driven story more plot-and-action-driven.
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