Tokyo Ghoul is an anime series that digs into the gritty, uncomfortable corners of humanity, asking viewers to question what it truly means to be a monster. Based on Sui Ishida's manga, the show opens in a dystopian world where ghouls, humanoid creatures that survive by eating human flesh, live in the shadows, constantly on the run from humanity’s hunter-gatherer mentality. In this dark urban landscape, the story follows Ken Kaneki, an introverted college student who barely manages to survive a violent encounter with a ghoul named Rize. After a horrific accident, Kaneki finds himself transformed into a half-ghoul, his body now forced to function in two very different worlds.
The first season, based on Ishida’s manga, sets the stage for a complex narrative filled with horror, survival, and shifting perspectives. Tokyo Ghoul doesn’t just throw gory violence at you—it intertwines it with deep questions of identity and what it means to live in a society built on the idea of us vs. them. As Kaneki tries to navigate this new, monstrous life, he’s forced to grapple with the fact that ghouls, the very creatures he was taught to hate, are not so different from humans. In fact, they often reflect the darker aspects of humanity: the desire to survive at all costs, the willingness to do anything to protect loved ones, and the ability to justify violence to preserve one's way of life. Kaneki’s emotional and physical struggles become the perfect vehicle for a reflection on what it means to be human, to live in a world that fears the other, and to find one’s place in a society where everyone is trying to survive.
Root A, the second season of Tokyo Ghoul, continues Kaneki’s descent into the madness of the world he now inhabits. The plot of Root A takes Kaneki deeper into the world of ghouls and their conflict with the human world, but also shows a much darker side to his own nature. The season deviates from the manga in several key areas, leading to a more action-driven narrative, and features Kaneki’s eventual conflict with both the ghoul world and the human world that surrounds him.
Kaneki’s Evolution: From Boy to Monster
The thing about Kaneki that really stands out in Tokyo Ghoul is his evolution from a shy, bookish college student to someone who is forced to face the darkness within himself. His transformation is painful—physically and emotionally—as he struggles to accept his new identity as a half-ghoul. Early in the series, he is hesitant, terrified, and unwilling to give in to the ghoul side of himself. But as the season progresses, especially in Root A, we see the slow erosion of the human Kaneki, replaced by someone colder, harder, and more determined. He doesn’t just survive—he starts to fight back, using the very abilities that made him a monster in the first place.
This transformation is not an easy one, and Tokyo Ghoul doesn’t romanticize it. Kaneki’s emotional struggles are depicted in a way that makes his journey feel real and painful. The series forces us to watch as he becomes less human—not because he’s losing his empathy or his sense of self—but because he’s being pushed into a position where humanity feels like a weakness, a liability. The conflicts he faces are often not just with ghouls or humans, but with his own morality. His desire to remain human conflicts with the survival instinct that his new ghoul nature requires. As Kaneki begins to lose himself, it’s hard not to sympathize with him, as the line between what’s right and wrong becomes increasingly blurred.
In Root A, Kaneki’s psychological struggle intensifies. He begins to distance himself from his friends and allies, even from the people who once cared for him. His sense of self fractures as he becomes more ruthless in battle, more willing to embrace his ghoul side to ensure his survival and the safety of those he still cares about. The anime does a brilliant job of showing this inner turmoil without needing to spell it out—Kaneki’s shifting behavior is clear in his actions, in his cold, detached demeanor, and in the way he begins to approach each situation with a new, darker perspective.
The Role of the Ghouls: Monsters or Victims?
One of the most interesting aspects of Tokyo Ghoul is its exploration of ghouls not as mindless monsters, but as beings with their own complex emotions, desires, and motivations. In Kaneki’s world, ghouls are constantly vilified and hunted by humans. Yet, the show also takes care to show that these ghouls are not inherently evil. They are simply trying to survive in a world that is actively trying to destroy them. Through Kaneki’s journey, we’re forced to question whether ghouls are any different from humans who do unspeakable things to survive, like exploiting others or waging wars for resources. There’s a morally ambiguous gray area here that Tokyo Ghoul taps into, and it’s hard not to sympathize with the ghouls, especially when they’re portrayed as victims of a corrupt society.
The conflict between the ghouls and humans is not one of good vs. evil—it’s survival vs. survival. In Root A, Kaneki encounters several ghouls who are not inherently malicious but who have been forced into violent actions as a means of self-preservation. Characters like Touka, who initially appears as a cold, aggressive ghoul, are revealed to have their own complex motivations. She’s a survivor who is protecting her own and is caught in a world that wants to see her and others like her wiped out. In fact, many of the ghouls we meet in Tokyo Ghoul are shown to have human-like desires—love, companionship, fear, and the will to survive. They are, in many ways, more human than the people who seek to destroy them.
This theme is further complicated by the human characters, particularly the members of the CCG (Commission of Counter Ghoul), who are tasked with eradicating the ghoul population. As the series progresses, we see that the CCG is not just a group of noble warriors, but a deeply flawed institution that is just as capable of cruelty and manipulation as the ghouls they hunt. The way the show blurs the lines between “human” and “monster” raises important questions about power, societal structures, and the ethical compromises we make to survive.
The CCG and the Hunt for Ghouls
The CCG, as an institution, serves as an interesting counterpoint to the ghouls in Tokyo Ghoul. While we’re primarily introduced to the CCG through characters like the determined and ruthless investigator, Amon, the organization is not depicted as inherently good. They are portrayed as a force of order, but their methods are violent and sometimes morally questionable. Amon, in particular, is a character who is forced to confront his own beliefs as the series progresses. Initially, he’s depicted as someone who is firm in his belief that ghouls are to be eradicated at all costs, but over time, he begins to see the gray areas in the conflict. His transformation is one of the more fascinating aspects of Tokyo Ghoul—his evolution from a man of absolute justice to someone who must question his own role in this conflict is a powerful commentary on the nature of authority, justice, and the costs of war.
While Amon’s arc is significant, it’s not just about him—the CCG as an organization is a representation of the state’s power and the often arbitrary nature of authority. Their unquestioning pursuit of ghouls, their lack of empathy, and their willingness to sacrifice individuals for the greater good all point to the darker side of human nature. The CCG is willing to do anything to maintain control, including using extreme measures to hunt down the ghouls, regardless of the consequences. This brutal, no-compromise mentality mirrors the ghouls’ own willingness to do anything to survive. And just like the ghouls, the CCG’s actions eventually lead to catastrophic consequences.
The Action: Violent, Chaotic, and Meaningful
Of course, Tokyo Ghoul wouldn’t be complete without its action sequences, and Root A delivers them in spades. The violence in Tokyo Ghoul is visceral, chaotic, and often brutal. But it’s not just mindless gore—each fight feels meaningful, a representation of the characters’ internal struggles, their fears, and their attempts to control their fates. The fights are often harrowing, as Kaneki learns to use his ghoul abilities to their fullest potential. What’s especially compelling about the action scenes is how they are intertwined with the themes of survival and identity. Every punch, every slash, every moment of violence is a reflection of the character’s mental state, a visual representation of their struggle with what they’ve become.
In Root A, Kaneki’s actions grow more violent as he accepts his new identity. The transition from a hesitant, unsure protagonist to a merciless fighter is jarring, but it’s effective because it reflects the emotional toll the world has taken on him. It’s not that Kaneki enjoys the violence; it’s that he sees it as the only way to protect those he loves and to find a place for himself in this nightmarish world.
Final Thoughts: A Bleak, Thought-Provoking Journey
Tokyo Ghoul is a dark, twisted journey into the heart of humanity, survival, and the monsters we become when faced with impossible choices. The series masterfully combines emotional depth with intense action, leaving the viewer questioning everything they thought they knew about good and evil. Kaneki’s evolution is one of the most powerful aspects of the show, and Root A delivers on the promise of showing the consequences of becoming a monster in a world where survival is everything.
While Tokyo Ghoul may not provide easy answers, it forces its audience to confront the uncomfortable reality that we are all capable of becoming the very thing we fear. It’s a chilling, brutal reminder that monsters aren’t always the ones we see lurking in the shadows—they’re often the ones we see in the mirror.
