Tokyo Ghoul 
Watched 2014
Producers: Studio Pierrot, FUNimation Entertainment
Tokyo Ghoul is a manga adaptation originally written by Sui Ishida.
Let me start by stating I don’t really like gore as a whole. I don’t like films like saw etc. I watched this mostly because my roommate loved it and cosplayed someone from it. That being said, Tokyo Ghoul is a anime which falls under amazing first reason and crap second. The first season is amazing. Its blood and to the point. It follows the manga as well and isn’t afraid to be disturbing and scary. This anime is not for the light hearted, nor for children. There is torture, blood and cannibals. Literally. In this world there are monsters who look like humans but can only survive by eating human flesh. They look human and most blend into human society, however on top of eating humans, they are also super strong and have powers which they fight with. There is an organisation which has been set up to destroy all the ghouls as well.
Our leading man is a high school stu
dent about to turn university called Ken Kaneki. Kaneki is a normal human who loves literature and is in love with someone he see in a local coffee shop. Rise. Kaneki is an thoughtful and kind soul who lost his parents early on and is close to his best friend. Rise agrees to go on a date with him. The two of them having a nice time, except it turns out Rise is a Ghoul and tries to kill Kaneki. She fails because in a weird stroke of ‘luck/fate’ some construction beams fall on them. In the operating room, they decide they can’t save Rise but they can save Kaneki and put Rise’s organs in him. Inadvertently turning into a half ghoul, half human hybird. We watch as Kaneki learns how to deal with his new nature and the ew world he has been thrown into. Including making allies as he goes, and of course enemies.
There is not anything I can think of for this anime which I can say is bad. The amount of gore can be a little off putting but it suits the darkness of the story. The plot is interesting with enough light bits to remind you that surviving in this world is worth it. That being said, for every bit of happiness there is a lot of sadness. The ghoul who are sane go though a lot to stay hidden. Facing being hunted down by the police and also from other ghouls who are trying to overtake the weak humans. Not to mention Kaneki’s sanity slowly fade. The last episode of the season is just like ‘oh no’ as things finally snap.
Season 1 was amazing. Full of plot twists and characters you could feeling fall in love with. And then, they got over confidant. I will accepted the manga hadn’t finished but considering it is now, I feel like season 2 would have been much better received/enjoyed if they had pushed season 2 back a season and actually followed the manga instead of changing the story in such small ways that it left people unsatisfied. The first mistake was Kaneki not half killing Ayato. Everyone was waiting for that scene to happen. And it didn’t. Everything after that was just layer after layer of the same plot but minor details changed. Minor details which were important and took a lot away from the enjoyment factor. Especially when you have to listen someone who is a manga fan rant about the inconsistency.
So I guess I give Tokyo Ghoul silver. I would like to give it gold but season 1 isn’t long enough to leave you feeling satisfied and season 2 is no where near the quality of season 1. Such a shame for an anime which had real potential to be amazing but was rushed and ruined.
Hiddenhearts' Anime Thoughts 