Tokyo Ghoul (Anime)

Tokyo Ghoul

Tokyo Ghoul tells the story of Kaneki Ken, who barely survives a deadly encounter with Rize Kamishiro, a woman who reveals herself as a ghoul, a human-like creature that hunts and devours human flesh, and is taken to the hospital in critical condition. After recovering, Kaneki discovers that somehow he underwent a surgery that transformed him into a half-ghoul, and just like them, must consume human flesh to survive as well. With no one else to turn to, he is taken in by the ghouls who manage the coffee shop "Anteiku", who teach him to deal with his new life as a half-human/half-ghoul, including interacting with ghoul society and its conflicting factions, while striving to keep his identity secret from other humans.

I felt that the show had a great hook. The situation of Kaneki getting turned into a half ghoul and looses his sense of taste. The scene when he is trying to force himself to eat his favorite food that was bought for him by his only true friend that, who he has been hiding from was done well.

Another thing about Kaneki's initial change that I liked and was well that were the habits that he had that he continued to fall back on. I felt that was realistic, because sometimes when a character suddenly gets turned into another creature suddenly they have all the ticks and habits without anytime  having past even though they are still their old self (in terms of memory at least).

I felt that the creation of the Tokyo in this world was a little weak.  This Tokyo is suppose to be contemporary to ours except that they have ghouls.  This knowledge of these creature is not in anywhere new.  From some of the news programs that we see talk of ghouls is a fact of this world, they even know how ghouls taste buds work just as we do our own. But I was taken aback by the fact at how everyone reacted to any news of a ghoul attack.  Sure it was not anything they had not heard of before, but there no established things that showed that it was a normal aspect of this world. I mean, usually when there was news of a robbery or some danger near my school for example, security would issue a message about a curfew, buddy system, getting home earlier, walking on lighted and crowed street etc. Yet here you don't here any saying "oh, we will have to leave work early because of that ghoul attack downtown. Do you want to walk home together?” 

Or people thinking I need to get my whittle, pepper spray and stun gun or shop putting on sale items that are affective against ghouls, whatever those maybe. Only time we get something like this is from Kamishiro Rize, but we find that was just a ploy, but at least. But what things other than the special anti-ghoul force (doves) and in one episode we heard that people could inform on suspected ghouls and that some hospital test to reveal you to be a ghoul. However, they did also mention that those could be forged. 

Kamishiro Rize aka Binge Eater

I really liked the action and fight scenes besides the ultraviolet color invert for censorship (then why make it at all).

Kirishima Touka

One idea that the show raises that I found really interesting was that ghouls don’t eat human flesh just to be evil but that it is the only thing in existence that allows them to live. I mean humans are able to get nutritions from so many different sources, but this is there only source for ghouls. This basic necessary function to live, they can only get if from human flesh. What happens when there are two living things who are intelligent and can communicate in the same language but one can only live by eating the other?

I had quite a few scenes that I liked throughout the show.  I think initial as part of what hooked me was when Kaneki was being taken to the operating room. You hear a doctor and nurse talking. The nurse don't want to operate but you know when they mention not having guardian approval is not the main problem. Just the audition sound of protest the nurse make, you can just feel that what ends happening to Kaneki is not an accident or was done out of desperation to save him. it sounding that that doctor knew that he was transplanting a ghoul organ into a human.

Kimi & Nishiki

Another good scene was the fight scene when they go to save Kimi's life. The messages of having empathy and that connections can be formed between people and races that can seem to be so apart that they have nothing in common.

A couple (if you will, teacher/pupil) that had good connection and scenes together were Amon and Mado. Although most of the time Mado came across like he was crazy, he was a genius and when he talked he knew what he was talking about. Their relationship and those we see with the ghouls conveyed the idea that everyone forms bonds. Whether they ghoul, or some that society might consider normal. 

Mado & Amon

Hinami's lost of her parents was crushing. But what was incredible about her character and how strong and wise beyond her years and something that is admirable was that she did not become bitter and hungered for nothing for revenge.  In the sewers, she had lost her parents to Mado and Touka to was about to be killed, but she was just in pain and had not tired bitter to thinking all humans were evil and she wanted to kill them all.  It was also hard warmer when we saw that she had inherited both her parents powers, so they both would continue to live in her and protect her. 

Hinami

There is a argue that Kaneki as with Amon when trying to stop from going where Touka and Hinami.  Kaneki comes to the realization that all his life he has been a good person and has done the right thing and yet look at where he has ended up. Amon's argument is that the world would be fine, that there would be no children left behind if all ghouls were gone and that's why he is a dove yet he doesn't see that Hinami, a child too is left alone because of what humans have done. Kaneki can see that he is not the one who is wrong because as a person he was good, he did the right and as a ghoul as well and yet each side ghoul and human reflect each others pain, happiness and bonds and yet they have set out to destroy to each other, without seeing any of these.

One curious thing was that, why did Touka not even think that Amon and the other special forces had family? I mean when she attacked the Amon and the other two they were hanging out together. Yet it is only after she saw Mado's weeding ring that she was like 'oh, they have family too?' I wonder because her initial reaction seemed like she recognized the ring, as if she had seen it before.

These last scenes I didn't like because of what was happening but about the message it was trying to send. Kaneki's torture and realization, I think were quite powerful.  I believe he comes to realize that someone will end up getting hurt or will be at some disadvantage sometimes whether you want it or not.  The scenes were Kaneki was being cut up by Jason and forced to count so that he was always conscious of the pain.   Kaneki had his mother's mentality that it was always better for you to hurt than for someone else.  I think it was good how Rize-san was there to challenge this mentality and it helps Kaneki question, face and grow through his pain.  Kaneki saw how because of her mother belief she ended up not wanting to hurt her sister by refusing to give and instead she ending hurting herself, which led to her death and left Kaneki all alone. 

I liked it that Kaneki over comes his mom’s mentally of it's better for only you to hurt, and Rize-san mentally of just hurting others and formed one that is more balance and healthier.