Tokyo Ghoul

Tokyo ghoul is what the name of this popular anime series is, but what is a ghoul?
A ghoul (Arabic: غول, ghūl) is a grotesque monster that resembles a demon. The concept is linked to graveyards and the consumption of human flesh in pre-Islamic Arabian religion. The phrase is frequently used in modern fiction to describe a certain type of undead creature. By extension, the term ghoul is used negatively to describe someone who enjoys the macabre or works in a profession that directly involves death, such as a gravedigger or grave robber.

In this anime series however, Ghouls (喰種グール, gūru roughly translates as eating species) are a cannibalistic and carnivorous humanoid species that can only consume the flesh of humans and other ghouls. They are as near to humans as possible: they have the same physical appearance and intelligence as humans, with the exception of their inner biology, mentality, and diet.

The series starts off with Ken Kaneki, a college student, who gets a date with the lovely and mysterious Rize, he feels its way to good to be true. And it turns out that Rize is a ghoul, who obviously sees him as a midnight snack. Her night plans included him, but not in the way he envisioned. When he wakes up in a hospital bed after the ferocious attack, he realizes that he only survived because a cunning surgeon decided to transplant some of Rize's organs into his body. Kaneki tries to return to his normal life, but is soon tormented by odd new cravings. Kaneki is taken in by Anteiku, the proprietor of a nearby coffee shop, who has promised to help ghouls who are unable to fend and or control themselves. He explores the secretive world of the ghouls with the help of the owner and his coworkers, and struggles to come to terms with his new half-ghoul identity.

The series has some impressive visuals, which are mostly dark and gloomy. The characters are well-designed and distinct in appearance. Tokyo Ghoul is not for the faint-hearted; it is without a doubt one of the most violent and gruesome anime in living history. It's not only the on-screen violence; the show also takes its characters to some rather dark places and puts them through a horrible ordeal. However, on a stylistic level, it resonates, and the outstanding characterization ensures that the series doesn't feel sloppy or forced upon you.

Studio Pierrot produced the first 12 episodes of Tokyo Ghoul, which is based on Sui Ishida's popular manga of the same name. Shuhei Morita (who was once nominated for an Academy Award) directed the series, which aired between July and September 2014. And the last season released between April and June 2018. In my opinion and also a lot of others (based on online reviews) the second season was quite confusing as the story didn't make that much sense until later on. I even had to watch an explanation YouTube video to fully understand what the hell was going on. If you're planning on watching this awesome anime, I suggest you do the same. To for come too much confusion. Overall speaking the series has an interesting hectic plot which made me crave for more lore. The build up, and the character interactions are really good, and it makes the series so much more enjoyable. Especially the crazy characters on the human side make up for the “at first sight big power difference between the species.” further along, you notice that the humans and the ghouls go head-to-head, and the action just gets better and better. If you're into gore, drama and horror, you should definitely not miss out on this amazing piece of animation.

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