-- 10/10 for unique story and great characters --
It starts simple. Kaneki Ken is an average quiet college freshman who loves reading books and hanging out with his only friend, Hide. The Tokyo they live in is going through a quiet chaos created by human- look-alike people called Ghouls, who live among humans but feed on their flesh. Kaneki doesn't have anyone--no family and only Hide for a friend--which probably makes him the perfect target because nobody will ask about this kid. When he goes on his first date with the girl he likes, he has no idea his life is about to change forever. It is after that night and after he is attacked that Kaneki receives a transplant and becomes a half-Ghoul. He's been human all his life and now one of the basic needs for him to survive has become killing people and eating them. Ghouls cannot eat anything but human flesh; not only human food tastes horrible to them, but it also makes them ill. Ghouls are pretty much hunted by investigators in Tokyo, so Kaneki has to hide his new self, even from his one and only friend Hide. Hide is 'food' now, so what happens if Kaneki starves himself to insanity?
The story starts and expands as Kaneki struggles to keep his humanity through his encounter with different conflicting groups--Ghouls that cannibalize other Ghouls, those who kill humans and eat them more for enjoyment rather than need, humans that refuse to accept Ghouls are creatures capable of feeling as much as humans, humans who hunt Ghouls, and Ghouls that believe humans should all be destroyed. Slowly, the story turns into a character study: How far does it take for the innocent to break?
I started watching Tokyo Ghoul when I kept hearing the title here and there on the internet, and as you can imagine after the first episode I couldn't stop watching (I read the manga only after the series ended.) If you want an Attack on Titan kind of anime with a solid action plot, you might not like Tokyo Ghoul as much. Yes, it has some great action sequences and a lot (and I mean A LOT) of gore and violence-- especially the last two episodes are definitely not for the faint-hearted. But what makes the show especial is the characters. Kaneki is a great protagonist. He is 'real'. I've watched some series with the main character adapting to their new situation so unrealistically fast. Some might see Kaneki as weak for the way he struggles to become a real Ghoul or remain a real human, and how he's trapped between the two worlds without a place or anyone to go to. But those are features that make Kaneki a real, likable character, and make where the plot heads to so very sad, and equally satisfying.
Long story short: Watch Tokyo Ghoul if you love violent, psychological horror stories or/and if you love seeing some VERY good character development.
It starts simple. Kaneki Ken is an average quiet college freshman who loves reading books and hanging out with his only friend, Hide. The Tokyo they live in is going through a quiet chaos created by human- look-alike people called Ghouls, who live among humans but feed on their flesh. Kaneki doesn't have anyone--no family and only Hide for a friend--which probably makes him the perfect target because nobody will ask about this kid. When he goes on his first date with the girl he likes, he has no idea his life is about to change forever. It is after that night and after he is attacked that Kaneki receives a transplant and becomes a half-Ghoul. He's been human all his life and now one of the basic needs for him to survive has become killing people and eating them. Ghouls cannot eat anything but human flesh; not only human food tastes horrible to them, but it also makes them ill. Ghouls are pretty much hunted by investigators in Tokyo, so Kaneki has to hide his new self, even from his one and only friend Hide. Hide is 'food' now, so what happens if Kaneki starves himself to insanity?
The story starts and expands as Kaneki struggles to keep his humanity through his encounter with different conflicting groups--Ghouls that cannibalize other Ghouls, those who kill humans and eat them more for enjoyment rather than need, humans that refuse to accept Ghouls are creatures capable of feeling as much as humans, humans who hunt Ghouls, and Ghouls that believe humans should all be destroyed. Slowly, the story turns into a character study: How far does it take for the innocent to break?
I started watching Tokyo Ghoul when I kept hearing the title here and there on the internet, and as you can imagine after the first episode I couldn't stop watching (I read the manga only after the series ended.) If you want an Attack on Titan kind of anime with a solid action plot, you might not like Tokyo Ghoul as much. Yes, it has some great action sequences and a lot (and I mean A LOT) of gore and violence-- especially the last two episodes are definitely not for the faint-hearted. But what makes the show especial is the characters. Kaneki is a great protagonist. He is 'real'. I've watched some series with the main character adapting to their new situation so unrealistically fast. Some might see Kaneki as weak for the way he struggles to become a real Ghoul or remain a real human, and how he's trapped between the two worlds without a place or anyone to go to. But those are features that make Kaneki a real, likable character, and make where the plot heads to so very sad, and equally satisfying.
Long story short: Watch Tokyo Ghoul if you love violent, psychological horror stories or/and if you love seeing some VERY good character development.