I’ve been hearing about “Tokyo Ghoul” for a couple of weeks now so I decided to give it a try, I wasn’t disappointed. Tokyo Ghoul is an anime series that was adapted around the manga of the same name. Created by Sui Ishida and serialized in Weekly Young Jump. The series was licensed by Funimation  for streaming in the United States.

 

Episode 1

Higeki (Tragedy)

Tokyo Ghoul opens up with a very gory ( though not explicit ) scene of Rize Kamishiro consuming several dead humans. She is called a “binge eater”, due to her eating behavior. She is interrupted by someone wearing a mask. He claims that  he has orders to “take her alive”. He says that before he does he wishes to take a limb. With pliers in hand he attacks her but she easily evades him and escapes.

We are introduced to Ken Kaneki and his friend Hideyoshi Nagachika nicknamed Hide as they discuss his boring date ideas. We also meet Kirishima Toka who become important later. Hide tries to hit on her as Ken tells him to quit it. A beautiful woman walks into the shop, she has purple hair and glasses.

She pulls out the same book that Ken is reading. He successfully asks her out and she agrees. During their date Ken reveals more about himself, how his parents are both dead. As he walks Rize home they become secluded in an alley way. Ken asks Rize for another date, she agrees that shes “interested” and while giving him a hug she bites him.

She proclaims that she finds him delicious and that she asks him if she “knows” what she likes more than reading. While Ken has utter terror on his face, she says “pulling out all the organs of someone “. He unsurprisingly flees in terror but doesn’t get to far. She throws him through a wall, and tears out some of his organs. While attacking him some of the steel beams fall from the ceiling killing Rize.

The Doctor operating on Ken uses some of Rize organs to save his life. He wakes up  having “lost” his sense of taste. While listen to a television show Ken hears a scientist talking about the eating habits of ghouls. He begins to panic as he eats everything in his house fearing he might be a ghoul. While out in public the following night he begins to have urges to eat humans.

He rushes to his house and sees that his eye is similar to Rize. He attempt to commit suicide but fails. While back out side he smell something sweet. He follows the scent only to find that its a ghoul eating a human and the scent was from the body. As the ghoul offers him a piece, the ghoul is killed by Nishiki. Nishiki attacks Ken and attempts to kill him. Ken is saved by Kirishima who dominates Nishiki in a short fight. Ken beings to panic as his hunger consumes him and Kirishima forces some flesh down his throat.

Opinion:

It’s way too early to determine whether I like this series or not but I really liked this episode. I find the story very interesting especially considering the fact that Ghouls are familiar to the larger society. The society appears to treat this fact as ordinary and doesn’t seem to be afraid to go out in public (even at night).

I want to see more of the fighting to get a greater sense of this series but it seems to be brutal. The tone of the series is perfect, its dark and intense which is completely appropriate. Clearly ghouls can die, but can regular humans kill them and how. More of the story will obviously be revealed later and at the point of this three episodes were released I have some to get caught up.

 

Review Scores: Tokyo Ghoul

Animation: 8

Story: 8

Characters: 8

Overall: 7.7