Post by Sirius on Nov 14, 2014 22:00:46 GMT -5
The story follows Ken Kaneki, a college student who meets a woman named Rize Kamishiro at Anteiku, a coffee shop. They share an interest in literature and plan a date. While walking Rize home, Ken is attacked by her. Rize reveals that she is a ghoul, a human-like creature that hunts and devours human flesh. As she is about to finish him off, she is crushed by a falling platform. Kaneki is taken to the hospital in critical condition. The doctor decides to transplant Rize's organs into Ken. He then must deal with 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.
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Anime Review: [Warning: Contains Spoilers!]
{Spoiler}
Story-6
Tokyo Ghoul is a story about Ken Kaneki who is suddenly thrust into the world of ghouls, creatures who must eat humans for survival, and he constantly struggles to retain his humanity. Now, the anime decided to do something strange and that is switching around the arcs. I was welcome to this at first but afterwards I felt that maybe it wasn't such a great idea. Right after being shown the grey area of the story, it immediately switches to a later arc in the manga which makes you lose track of the grey portion for a while and question where the story is going. The rushing of the anime doesn’t help either and it causes the anime to feel as if it’s going downhill. Pacing problems also lead the anime to cutting out many explanations and details related to the world in Tokyo Ghoul, becoming a shallower story in general. And another funny thing is that the studio who is animating this decided it was a good idea to mess around with and change every detail, I’m guessing in order to squeeze in as much as they can into 12 episodes. Sometimes for the better, but most of the time for the worse. Some dialogue became cheesier, specific scenes less interesting (partly due to rushing and censoring as well), and the anime overall gives off more of a shounen feel.
Sound - 9
One of the things that the anime has done right. The voice casting is perfect and very fitting of the characters and their personalities. The opening captures the anime and the main character very accurately and is probably one of the best openings of this season.
Art and Animation - 8
The animation for the most part isn’t bad, but sometimes you can spot some sloppy animation or awkward movements. However, the anime is heavily censored to the point where a lot of the time you can’t even tell what the hell is going on, so if you do plan on watching the anime, I’d suggest waiting for the Blu-ray DVDs to watch the uncensored version.
Adaption-6
I've read all 143 chapters of the Manga. The adaption could of been better in my opinion. Certain parts are poorly adapted compared to the Manga witch I had more thrills reading rather than watching.
Characters-6
For the characters, there are 3 notable ones who represent different views in the story. Touka, the hot headed and rash heroine who represents the ghoul’s side. Amon, who believes that the world is corrupted by ghouls and he provides us with the human’s side. And of course the protagonist Kaneki who is the middle ground. We are also introduced to some crazy and wacky antagonists who never fail to entertain.
Yes, for the whole series I felt like Kaneki was completely useless. I have to admit, being turned into a something/someone your not can be pretty scary. Having to adapt to a new life, learning your true self, deciding what life is better. I did feel for him and mean wouldn't you? But I believe he took way to long to develop as a character. If he choose his path at episode 6 or 7 and gave us some action, this series would of been even more great.
The characters probably suffered the worst adaption the most. As I mentioned, the storys took pacing issues witch feel back on the characters the most.
The worst aspect of Tokyo Ghoul are the characters and their development. Frankly I'm not going to talk about any of the characters aside from Kaneki because there is nothing to say about them after 12 episodes. With the characters being so dreadful, the anime relied heavily on the plot and the violence.
But I'll admit... Most of the characters beat Kaneki. Let's take Nishiki for example (I said I wouldn't talk about other characters): He started of being a bully, but as the story progressed he started getting more of a kind nature. But still, the character took to long to develop. I know a lot are going to say "It's only a 12 series Anime. Of course, it's going to take long to adapt"... Wrong. The characters need to adapt in order to keep viewers interested. I've seen plenty of other Anime do this with only 12 episodes, so I'm sure they could of, too.
The killing off of characters was way to fast. I mean that little girls mom... We hardly knew her. "Let's kill off the mom and add some emotional music that will get them in the feelings" never worked. The timing was wrong.
Ending-6.5
As we approached the ending of Tokyo-ghoul, that was the only time I actually felt excited about the show. We only got that 5 minute fight scene and then it ended the series. Let's be honest, it was pretty epic to see that fight. For him to finally accept himself. I'm just saddened it was the end, though.
Overall it was a fairly decent Anime with an okay plot. It's not all that bad, though. I'd definitely suggest watching this as some parts are good. I'd give it 7.5/10.
Story-6
Tokyo Ghoul is a story about Ken Kaneki who is suddenly thrust into the world of ghouls, creatures who must eat humans for survival, and he constantly struggles to retain his humanity. Now, the anime decided to do something strange and that is switching around the arcs. I was welcome to this at first but afterwards I felt that maybe it wasn't such a great idea. Right after being shown the grey area of the story, it immediately switches to a later arc in the manga which makes you lose track of the grey portion for a while and question where the story is going. The rushing of the anime doesn’t help either and it causes the anime to feel as if it’s going downhill. Pacing problems also lead the anime to cutting out many explanations and details related to the world in Tokyo Ghoul, becoming a shallower story in general. And another funny thing is that the studio who is animating this decided it was a good idea to mess around with and change every detail, I’m guessing in order to squeeze in as much as they can into 12 episodes. Sometimes for the better, but most of the time for the worse. Some dialogue became cheesier, specific scenes less interesting (partly due to rushing and censoring as well), and the anime overall gives off more of a shounen feel.
Sound - 9
One of the things that the anime has done right. The voice casting is perfect and very fitting of the characters and their personalities. The opening captures the anime and the main character very accurately and is probably one of the best openings of this season.
Art and Animation - 8
The animation for the most part isn’t bad, but sometimes you can spot some sloppy animation or awkward movements. However, the anime is heavily censored to the point where a lot of the time you can’t even tell what the hell is going on, so if you do plan on watching the anime, I’d suggest waiting for the Blu-ray DVDs to watch the uncensored version.
Adaption-6
I've read all 143 chapters of the Manga. The adaption could of been better in my opinion. Certain parts are poorly adapted compared to the Manga witch I had more thrills reading rather than watching.
Characters-6
For the characters, there are 3 notable ones who represent different views in the story. Touka, the hot headed and rash heroine who represents the ghoul’s side. Amon, who believes that the world is corrupted by ghouls and he provides us with the human’s side. And of course the protagonist Kaneki who is the middle ground. We are also introduced to some crazy and wacky antagonists who never fail to entertain.
Yes, for the whole series I felt like Kaneki was completely useless. I have to admit, being turned into a something/someone your not can be pretty scary. Having to adapt to a new life, learning your true self, deciding what life is better. I did feel for him and mean wouldn't you? But I believe he took way to long to develop as a character. If he choose his path at episode 6 or 7 and gave us some action, this series would of been even more great.
The characters probably suffered the worst adaption the most. As I mentioned, the storys took pacing issues witch feel back on the characters the most.
The worst aspect of Tokyo Ghoul are the characters and their development. Frankly I'm not going to talk about any of the characters aside from Kaneki because there is nothing to say about them after 12 episodes. With the characters being so dreadful, the anime relied heavily on the plot and the violence.
But I'll admit... Most of the characters beat Kaneki. Let's take Nishiki for example (I said I wouldn't talk about other characters): He started of being a bully, but as the story progressed he started getting more of a kind nature. But still, the character took to long to develop. I know a lot are going to say "It's only a 12 series Anime. Of course, it's going to take long to adapt"... Wrong. The characters need to adapt in order to keep viewers interested. I've seen plenty of other Anime do this with only 12 episodes, so I'm sure they could of, too.
The killing off of characters was way to fast. I mean that little girls mom... We hardly knew her. "Let's kill off the mom and add some emotional music that will get them in the feelings" never worked. The timing was wrong.
Ending-6.5
As we approached the ending of Tokyo-ghoul, that was the only time I actually felt excited about the show. We only got that 5 minute fight scene and then it ended the series. Let's be honest, it was pretty epic to see that fight. For him to finally accept himself. I'm just saddened it was the end, though.
Overall it was a fairly decent Anime with an okay plot. It's not all that bad, though. I'd definitely suggest watching this as some parts are good. I'd give it 7.5/10.
Manga review: [Warning: Contains Spoilers!]
{Spoiler}Tokyo Ghoul is a masterpiece even with its flaws and short comings. It is a dark and gruesome world, where the light can still be found, but it is fleeting. For in a world that is wrong can you really do anything to change it.
Story-10
========
Tokyo Ghoul is about a college freshmen, Ken Kaneki becoming a ghoul due to being the recipient of an organ transplant from the notorious ghoul dubbed "Binge Eater." Becoming a ghoul leads to a series of meeting other ghouls and in some circumstances, getting in difficult situation because of them.
Tokyo Ghoul started out slowly with having short arcs as starters, but quickly began to pick up pace. Bits of information is slowly revealed to you, which is nice compared to when a mass of it is given at once. The tone of the story is serious and has few comedic moments. It is kept at a consistent rate where you won't lose focus of what the story is about, which leads me to say that there are few fillers. When a filler is presented, it is usually to give you needed information before proceeding to the next chapters. Perspective switches throughout the chapters. You get to see a little insight from each character independently and see the story from their eyes. There are 3 main views: your protagonist, Ken Kaneki, the present antagonist, or the investigators/police force. The view from the story is rotated mostly around these perspectives to get a well rounded look at what is happening in each. The story of Tokyo ghoul can be a little misleading at first, but I mainly blame this on bad or inaccurate advertising. I am mainly referring to the fact that Tokyo Ghoul falls under the horror genre, but I wouldn't consider it scary what so ever to be completely honest. The horror is of a more disturbing and or gruesome nature. With that out of the way I can get to actually discussing the story. The story starts off particularly well in my opinion. It establishes a interesting and dark world with many interesting characters. It is also interesting to see Kaneki start to adapt to his new life style and deal with the monster he has now become. If it does have a low point it is probably the area around chapter 30-60. These chapters are still interesting, but there isn't really much of a story going on and it is really just there to build up into what is coming next and is also used to introduce characters and in passing mention important plot points for later on in the story.
Now this is where I get into some spoilers so skip ahead to characters if you don't want any spoilers what so ever. Now where the story really picks up and becomes a amazing example of writing is the introduction of Jason. With Jason's introduction the story takes a even darker turn. This leads into Kaneki's torture scene which changes are main character into a much darker MC. It is hard for me to give this scene justice by writing about it, but i could easily use it as one of my favorite parts of a manga ever. What follows afterwards is a amazing story of Kaneki going on an insane trip of murder and relentless investigation into the mysterious Aogiri Tree as he deals his own interpretation of justice and attempts to fix the world he sees as being wrong. This is also filled with numerous unseen and spectacular plot twists that keep you on your toes and always guessing.
This is going to be a super spoiler so seriously don't read this if you haven't finished the manga I will be discussing my opinion on the last chapter.
And so with the last chapter we the readers are left with many many questions unanswered. These questions could always go unanswered it really depends on the if the author wants to write a sequel or not. He is easily could if he wanted to, but at the same time the ending is so well fitting to the world he created in Tokyo Ghoul. As he said the world is wrong and it shouldn't be surprising that the ending it self is wrong and isn't even a true ending. The world keeps going and that's just the way it is. We may never know why Uta did what he did, what Aogiri tree's ultimate goal is, or if Kaneki who we have spent so much time seeing grow is really died. This was a bold and unexpected choice and I think in the end it might have been the best one, but I would be just as happy and not surprised if a sequel where announced.
Pacing-8
============
The pacing of Tokyo Ghoul is very precise. Even from the very first chapter, the reader is rarely left in a dull moment, and every plot mechanism is advanced in a moderate way throughout the 144 chapters of this manga. If there is a time that you find yourself just wanting to get through the chapter, it is most likely due to the nature of the "thriller' genre that the author has so well incorporated into his work. Furthermore, the battle scenes, as there are many, don't take up a considerable amount of time. Very often, in fact, they are concluded in 1-2 chapters.
Characters-10
============
Ken Kaneki:
Kaneki is probably the most interesting MC I have ever seen in manga this is even more amazing considering this is a 14 volume series. We see Kaneki as a normal everyday person become a monster. This transformation is at the core of the entire series as Kaneki constantly deals with psychological problems that only worsen as time goes on. Kaneki's downward spiral and the resolution he makes with himself at the end is really what makes the manga. Even with Tokyo Ghoul's amazing storyi I would consider Kaneki's journey the true story of Tokyo Ghoul and also one of the best stories I have ever read.
Touka Kirishima:
The main Female protagonist and a ghoul Touka serves as the Kaneki's window into and as the guide to the life of a ghoul. She starts off the series hating Kaneki and slowly gains more and more feeling for him as the series goes on. by the end Kaneki is the most important person in the world to Touka and this is where her character development throughout the story is rooted. Besides her feeling for Kaneki she doesn't really have much other character development. She like most of the other characters simply matures over time and starts to act more and more like a adult. Her personal growth is shortened because for a chunk of the story doesn't appear very much. While she can in no way shape or form compete with Kaneki as a MC she makes up for it by being a strong female character who evolves in her own way.
Koutarou Amon:
I am given Amon his own personal spot, because his main role in the series is to act as the eyes of the other side. He is the viewpoint of the CCG and the humans of the world. He like most of the characters receives a decent amount of character development and even gets multiple chapters that entirely focus on him. He also acts as a kind of rival to Kaneki as they clash multiple times throughout the series.
Side characters:
I am not going to get very into this part. I could honestly write a entire paper on all the different side characters of Tokyo Ghoul and how they grew and changed over the course of the story. Tokyo ghoul has a larger cast than normal and some how manages to give all of them a purpose and most of them even get character development. This is once again only done in 14 volumes which is a amazing feat.
Art-9
=========
Now don't misunderstand me Tokyo Ghoul has amazing art work...when it works. The author has some problems with fight scenes at times as he wants to show alot of movement and it just ends up making it hard to follow. The author will also occasionally draw a character and it will just look bad. This is however made up for. The artwork is dark and creepy and has a distinct style to it and when the fight scenes are done well they put most other artist to shame. Also I wanted to make a quick mention of the cover artwork for the volumes. while there few I don't really like a majority of them are a beauty with a amazing look and a original design. So in closing if the author had been a bit more consistent I would have no problem giving the art a 10, but even so the art work is still beautiful.
Enjoyment-10
=============
It is very rare for me to run to my tablet after receiving a notification that a new chapter had been posted, but I found my self doing that every time. There are a few slow points that broke up the ride, but they where also very enjoyable, so I have no problems giving a 10. Great read, easily one of my favorite works of literature. It doesn't really try too hard and isn't afraid to venture into paths story writers normally avoid. It also ends with an open ending, leaving opportunity for a sequel if the time comes. The story may end with leaving a bitter feeling in your chest, like it did to me, but that is another reason to appreciate the work as it may very well get you attached to the world.
Overall-10
===========
Tokyo ghoul starts off as a dark story of a descension into darkness and it is given a ending that fits it perfectly. I think it will be a long time before anything as interesting and entertaining as Tokyo Ghoul comes out again. Tokyo Ghoul is a worthwhile read because of the fact that the reader becomes so involved with the individual characters emotionally, and struggles to discern which side of the conflict is fighting for the right reasons. For me this was exceptional because it is synonymous with conflicts in the real world; nothing is black and white. We just have varying shades of gray. I look forward to the author's next work and hope that he decides to grace us with a sequel to this amazing work.
Story-10
========
Tokyo Ghoul is about a college freshmen, Ken Kaneki becoming a ghoul due to being the recipient of an organ transplant from the notorious ghoul dubbed "Binge Eater." Becoming a ghoul leads to a series of meeting other ghouls and in some circumstances, getting in difficult situation because of them.
Tokyo Ghoul started out slowly with having short arcs as starters, but quickly began to pick up pace. Bits of information is slowly revealed to you, which is nice compared to when a mass of it is given at once. The tone of the story is serious and has few comedic moments. It is kept at a consistent rate where you won't lose focus of what the story is about, which leads me to say that there are few fillers. When a filler is presented, it is usually to give you needed information before proceeding to the next chapters. Perspective switches throughout the chapters. You get to see a little insight from each character independently and see the story from their eyes. There are 3 main views: your protagonist, Ken Kaneki, the present antagonist, or the investigators/police force. The view from the story is rotated mostly around these perspectives to get a well rounded look at what is happening in each. The story of Tokyo ghoul can be a little misleading at first, but I mainly blame this on bad or inaccurate advertising. I am mainly referring to the fact that Tokyo Ghoul falls under the horror genre, but I wouldn't consider it scary what so ever to be completely honest. The horror is of a more disturbing and or gruesome nature. With that out of the way I can get to actually discussing the story. The story starts off particularly well in my opinion. It establishes a interesting and dark world with many interesting characters. It is also interesting to see Kaneki start to adapt to his new life style and deal with the monster he has now become. If it does have a low point it is probably the area around chapter 30-60. These chapters are still interesting, but there isn't really much of a story going on and it is really just there to build up into what is coming next and is also used to introduce characters and in passing mention important plot points for later on in the story.
Now this is where I get into some spoilers so skip ahead to characters if you don't want any spoilers what so ever. Now where the story really picks up and becomes a amazing example of writing is the introduction of Jason. With Jason's introduction the story takes a even darker turn. This leads into Kaneki's torture scene which changes are main character into a much darker MC. It is hard for me to give this scene justice by writing about it, but i could easily use it as one of my favorite parts of a manga ever. What follows afterwards is a amazing story of Kaneki going on an insane trip of murder and relentless investigation into the mysterious Aogiri Tree as he deals his own interpretation of justice and attempts to fix the world he sees as being wrong. This is also filled with numerous unseen and spectacular plot twists that keep you on your toes and always guessing.
This is going to be a super spoiler so seriously don't read this if you haven't finished the manga I will be discussing my opinion on the last chapter.
And so with the last chapter we the readers are left with many many questions unanswered. These questions could always go unanswered it really depends on the if the author wants to write a sequel or not. He is easily could if he wanted to, but at the same time the ending is so well fitting to the world he created in Tokyo Ghoul. As he said the world is wrong and it shouldn't be surprising that the ending it self is wrong and isn't even a true ending. The world keeps going and that's just the way it is. We may never know why Uta did what he did, what Aogiri tree's ultimate goal is, or if Kaneki who we have spent so much time seeing grow is really died. This was a bold and unexpected choice and I think in the end it might have been the best one, but I would be just as happy and not surprised if a sequel where announced.
Pacing-8
============
The pacing of Tokyo Ghoul is very precise. Even from the very first chapter, the reader is rarely left in a dull moment, and every plot mechanism is advanced in a moderate way throughout the 144 chapters of this manga. If there is a time that you find yourself just wanting to get through the chapter, it is most likely due to the nature of the "thriller' genre that the author has so well incorporated into his work. Furthermore, the battle scenes, as there are many, don't take up a considerable amount of time. Very often, in fact, they are concluded in 1-2 chapters.
Characters-10
============
Ken Kaneki:
Kaneki is probably the most interesting MC I have ever seen in manga this is even more amazing considering this is a 14 volume series. We see Kaneki as a normal everyday person become a monster. This transformation is at the core of the entire series as Kaneki constantly deals with psychological problems that only worsen as time goes on. Kaneki's downward spiral and the resolution he makes with himself at the end is really what makes the manga. Even with Tokyo Ghoul's amazing storyi I would consider Kaneki's journey the true story of Tokyo Ghoul and also one of the best stories I have ever read.
Touka Kirishima:
The main Female protagonist and a ghoul Touka serves as the Kaneki's window into and as the guide to the life of a ghoul. She starts off the series hating Kaneki and slowly gains more and more feeling for him as the series goes on. by the end Kaneki is the most important person in the world to Touka and this is where her character development throughout the story is rooted. Besides her feeling for Kaneki she doesn't really have much other character development. She like most of the other characters simply matures over time and starts to act more and more like a adult. Her personal growth is shortened because for a chunk of the story doesn't appear very much. While she can in no way shape or form compete with Kaneki as a MC she makes up for it by being a strong female character who evolves in her own way.
Koutarou Amon:
I am given Amon his own personal spot, because his main role in the series is to act as the eyes of the other side. He is the viewpoint of the CCG and the humans of the world. He like most of the characters receives a decent amount of character development and even gets multiple chapters that entirely focus on him. He also acts as a kind of rival to Kaneki as they clash multiple times throughout the series.
Side characters:
I am not going to get very into this part. I could honestly write a entire paper on all the different side characters of Tokyo Ghoul and how they grew and changed over the course of the story. Tokyo ghoul has a larger cast than normal and some how manages to give all of them a purpose and most of them even get character development. This is once again only done in 14 volumes which is a amazing feat.
Art-9
=========
Now don't misunderstand me Tokyo Ghoul has amazing art work...when it works. The author has some problems with fight scenes at times as he wants to show alot of movement and it just ends up making it hard to follow. The author will also occasionally draw a character and it will just look bad. This is however made up for. The artwork is dark and creepy and has a distinct style to it and when the fight scenes are done well they put most other artist to shame. Also I wanted to make a quick mention of the cover artwork for the volumes. while there few I don't really like a majority of them are a beauty with a amazing look and a original design. So in closing if the author had been a bit more consistent I would have no problem giving the art a 10, but even so the art work is still beautiful.
Enjoyment-10
=============
It is very rare for me to run to my tablet after receiving a notification that a new chapter had been posted, but I found my self doing that every time. There are a few slow points that broke up the ride, but they where also very enjoyable, so I have no problems giving a 10. Great read, easily one of my favorite works of literature. It doesn't really try too hard and isn't afraid to venture into paths story writers normally avoid. It also ends with an open ending, leaving opportunity for a sequel if the time comes. The story may end with leaving a bitter feeling in your chest, like it did to me, but that is another reason to appreciate the work as it may very well get you attached to the world.
Overall-10
===========
Tokyo ghoul starts off as a dark story of a descension into darkness and it is given a ending that fits it perfectly. I think it will be a long time before anything as interesting and entertaining as Tokyo Ghoul comes out again. Tokyo Ghoul is a worthwhile read because of the fact that the reader becomes so involved with the individual characters emotionally, and struggles to discern which side of the conflict is fighting for the right reasons. For me this was exceptional because it is synonymous with conflicts in the real world; nothing is black and white. We just have varying shades of gray. I look forward to the author's next work and hope that he decides to grace us with a sequel to this amazing work.
==================================================
"Tokyo Ghoul 2" Anime Start Date Listed:
A new listing has the Tokyo Ghoul anime returning to Tokyo MX for the launch of its broadcast on January 8th. TV Aichi, TV Osaka, TVQ Kyushu, AT-X and Dlife broadcasts will start over the next week.
Tokyo Ghoul: Old Days, prose stories about the past lives of Touka Kirishima, Ayato Kirishima, Kaneki and Hideyoshi Nagachika, is set to be collected December 19th, along with the first collecton of the new Tokyo Ghoul: Re.
Volume 4 of the first TV anime, with episodes 10-12, hits Japan on December 26th.
==================================================
"Tokyo Ghoul√A" Anime Visual
A new Tokyo Ghoul√A visual has gone online, offering the latest look at the Tokyo Ghoul's second anime series ahead of its January return.
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VIDEO: "Tokyo Ghoul Carnaval" Smartphone Game Teaser
With pre-registration opening, Bandai Namco has posted an teaser promo for Tokyo Ghoul Carnaval, a free-to-play collectable card game that also features investigation action in 3D environments, controlled with swipe motion. Pre-registration incentives include a SR Kaneki.
I've been really disappointed with sequels lately, so I won't get my hopes up, but it would be nice to see it continue where it left off.
