Series Review: Tokyo Goul

By Sui Ishida 

5 Stars 

Tokyo Ghoul is a dark fantasy manga that explores the boundaries between humans and ‘monsters’ through a compelling and emotionally charged narrative set in a world where flesh-eating humans named Ghouls live, hidden among humans. The story follows a young man by the name of Ken Kaneki, who had undergone a life-changing surgery to save his life, but at what cost? Pushed into this dangerous and morally gray underworld, the story is accompanied by stunning visuals and remarkable emotional depth that tackles themes of identity, humanity and survival, making you question who the real monsters are without playing bias.  

A great read for anyone who enjoys works of Junji Ito, Kafka, Death Note and many of the like. I cannot stress enough that this series and art are truly underrated and overlooked without properly appreciating the thought and messages said between characters. As the series goes on, getting introduced to similar themes and thicker crises leaves readers on the edge of their seats waiting for the next couple of pages. The cover art is absolutely beautiful, and the author also includes a couple of extra sketches or mini-comics unrelated to the series at the end of the volume. There is an anime available, but it doesn’t compel the same emotions or visuals as striking compared to what was written and drawn by the author.  

This is a series I could never get enough of, and for the length of all the volumes combined, 30 in total, it ends on a good note, and characters from the start experience different changes throughout until the end. From battles, heartfelt words and tragic stories carried by twisted characters and underdog favourites, Tokyo Ghoul was one of the earliest and most popular manga that is often overshadowed by the anime, which does not represent the story back to back with the manga. Portraits of realism and conflict that every character experiences just make this an even better read, further understanding the two sides of the same coin: human and ghoul, which Kaneki explores, trying to find where he fits in a world so one-sided and unforgiving.  

By far one of my favourite works by an amazing author; 100/10 all the way. 

Reviewed by Collin 

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