Tokyo Ghoul

By ◯ - Monday, August 25, 2014 - 2 Comments

I'm sure many of you have heard of the anime that features terrible man-eating monsters. Since the anime was announced, the manga has been rising in popularity and now that is airing, its popularity is off the charts! What am I talking about? Of course, it's Tokyo Ghoul!

I'm easily attracted to manga with dark morbid tones and Tokyo Ghoul is no exception. Within an hour or so I finished reading the available chapters and was hungering for more. By the way, this image above is the one that drove me to hunt for what manga it was. Sometimes I see a really cool picture and find out it is an original character... As amazing as the art is, it's very disappointing when that happens. I'm glad it wasn't the case here!

Toyko Ghoul is a manga by Ishida Sui and serialized in Weekly Young Jump. An animation adaptation is currently ongoing. The story revolves around Kaneki Ken, a university freshman. He goes on a date with a lovely lady, Kamishiro Rize, who reveals herself as a man-eating creature called a ghoul and attacks him. Fortunately for him, she is crushed by a falling platform and he is saved. Ironically, this is where his troubles start. Rize's ghoul organs are transplanted into Kaneki and he has to begin to live as half-ghoul, half-human.

Volume 5 cover showing Rize and Kaneki

The ghouls cannot digest regular food, which taste like they are rotting, and can only eat human flesh. Kaneki's first experience as a ghoul was to learn how to eat. I felt it was a harsh condition for him to remain alive and if it was me, I might despair to the point of wasting to death... Kaneki finds his way to Anteiku, where he meets Kirishima Touka, a ghoul who treats him coldly yet helps him whenever he is in a pinch.

Along with the unwanted eating habits, Kaneki also gained kagune. Kagune is a ghoul's predatory organ that functions as a weapon. Since Kaneki received Rize's organs, he inherits her kagune too. I shall not reveal too much but suffice to say it is one powerful weapon.

Touka fighting with her kagune

Other than these "friendly" ghouls, Kaneki also meets those that stir up trouble. These ghouls frequently have opposing views compared to those at Anteiku.

The ghouls' nemesis is the Commission of Counter Ghoul (CCG). After all, one cannot expect to go around eating human flesh without attracting attention. These ghoul investigators are known as Doves and use quinque, weapons made from ghoul's kagune, to fight.

Ghoul investigators Mado Akira and Koutarou Amon

My favourite character would have to be Uta. He owns HySy ArtMask Studio where he customizes masks for the ghouls, as they have to remain anonymous even if they are seen.

His character design is really attractive! As someone who has had multiple piercings (some I've kept til this day), including a facial one, I find him really easy on the eyes. His Kakugan (ghoul's eyes) are always activated. The tattoo on his neck translate to "I can live neither with you, nor without you", which perfectly represents the relationship between human and ghouls. Although he looks scary and used to be a savage ghoul in his youth, I find him pretty nice and really cute!

Uta's masks

By the way, I really like the mask he made for Kaneki! Definitely my favourite in the series!

Tokyo Ghoul is starting to have merchandise as its popularity grows. Right now, there are already mugs, files and keychains... I'm pretty sure we'll see figurines soon!