Tokyo Ghoul: A Hunger for Ordinary
Tokyo Ghoul was developed and aired in July 2014 by studio Pierrot. It was originally created in its manga form by Sui Ishida. Tokyo Ghoul follows the story of a male college student named Ken Kaneki and his journey through the Ghoul-infested world he finds himself in. Ghouls, beings that require the flesh of humans to survive hide among the everyday citizens. After a nasty incident, Kaneki finds himself having his organs transplanted and now houses ghoul organs within his body. He desperately tries to fight his hunger hoping to keep some semblance of a normal life, however that may as well be a dream.
This show was the biggest hit back in 2014 and the subsequent years that followed. It made waves for its gritty setting, terror-inducing imagery, and dark storytelling was perfect for the time period. Everyone and their mother loved this show. And so did I. I have very fond memories of watching this. However, I must say that watching it again after exiting those edgy teen years I now realize just how gruesome this show was. Like hot damn! I do not remember it being so violent!
I think it’s all the rom-com and slice-of-life anime that’s mellowed me out. But one thing I can remember from my teen years watching over this again. The story really doesn’t flow well. Don’t get me wrong it’s a great story. But my issue lies when you tell a story and the only way the main character gets stuff done or the plot moves is when “by coincidence” they stumble on the right track.
In the first three episodes, I see this happening. Not when he meets Rize, I honestly thought that one was the most organic. No instead stumbling upon a ghoul feasting only to get almost killed by another ghoul and then saved from a third ghoul that just happens to work at the coffee shop he loves to go to. Which is also run by Ghouls who try to blend in with society.
Coincidence!? I think so… Sadly it really just is. It feels like all these pieces are forced together. They work but the pieces have still been forced. It sounds strange at some points but one must realize. Excellently written characters make things happen, they don’t wait until things happen to them. It’s the same as wanting an ice cream and then an ice cream truck explodes in front of you and you get your ice cream. Whereas a normal thought would be to go to the store and buy one. I hope I’m making sense.
That aside I must admit for something made in 2014 Tokyo Ghoul certainly holds up. It has some great animation that has stood the test of time. And I haven’t rewatched everything, but I do remember parts where the story only gets more dark. Thankfully it never enters a foul territory. It tends to ask some rather hard questions though. Finding an anime these days that tackles hard questions and makes you think is difficult. Most of it is a copypaste formula that never gets made into anything special. And believe me, it’s possible. We use formulas as a building block in a lot of things.
It’s difficult to find quality these days and I’m glad Tokyo Ghoul continues to shine as a beacon of epic proportions that an anime can be. Even though season two is apparently terrible, I don’t know I never watched it.