Manga Review: Tokyo Ghoul, Volume 2, by Sui Ishida

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 2015

Volumes: 14.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

 Ghouls live among us, the same as normal people in every way—except their craving for human flesh. Ken Kaneki is an ordinary college student until a violent encounter turns him into the first half-human half-ghoul hybrid. Trapped between two worlds, he must survive Ghoul turf wars, learn more about Ghoul society and master his new powers.

Unable to discard his humanity but equally unable to suppress his Ghoul hunger, Ken finds salvation in the kindness of friendly Ghouls who teach him how to pass as human and eat flesh humanely. But recent upheavals in Ghoul society attract the police like wolves to prey, and they don’t discriminate between conscientious and monstrous Ghouls.

Review:

I can see why people like this series, but it is definitely getting bloody.

Ken is trying to get used to living as a ghoul. Drinking a lot of coffee, as he attempts to keep from eating humans and get used to eating human food like he used to when he finds it repulsive now. He has to get a mask to hide his identity. He’s finding it hard to get used to all the death and the rules, and trying to live his human life as well as his ghoul life now.

Then he really finds out what humans think of ghouls while living as a ghoul when a fellow ghoul’s mother is attacked. The humans are brutal and ruthless, and he has to watch without doing anything.

The mask idea is interesting, and a little horrifying. The human brutality is terrible to see, even if not surprising. This series is dark and violent and terrible, and I’m intrigued, if a little queasy.