When you see a post about Tokyo Ghoul manga, you may feel that there’s no doubt that the manga version wins over the anime version hands down.

That seems to be the case for the original source whether it’s the manga, light novel, or video game.

Okay, let’s be real here.

It would be great if the anime, not just Tokyo Ghoul anime, is a faithful adaptation of the original source. But that’s just impossible due to the episode constraint. So, it’s not surprising that some parts of the details in the story never made it for the anime version.

The good news is most adaptations are the closest thing you can get to the original source. Even if some of the details won’t be included in the anime version, it’s not going to make the story confusing and any less interesting.

But in the case of Tokyo Ghoul anime, what we got wasn’t just the anime adaptation that was missing many critical parts of the story. We also got a slightly different take too when Kaneki decided to bid farewell to his friends from Anteiku.

Disclaimer about Tokyo Ghoul manga

As you can see here, I just started reading Tokyo Ghoul manga through MANGA Plus. Since the latest chapter of the manga on the app isn’t the same as the latest chapter on the website, I’m a bit behind with the story.

So, what I write here will be based on what I have read so far. And I won’t make a side-by-side comparison either since I watched the anime many moons ago.

I’m not sure why the latest chapter in the app isn’t the same as the one on the website. But I’m guessing that the app will unlock the first three chapters of some of the manga when you’re using the app for the first time.

That seems to be the case for me when the latest chapter of Tokyo Ghoul on the app was Chapter 97. But the latest chapter on the website is Chapter 115.

If you’re thinking about using MANGA Plus to read the manga, then it’s worth the shot to download the app to read the manga.

While it’s too bad that this situation isn’t applicable for the current ongoing manga including the one I mentioned before, at least you can read the revival edition of the manga. After all, these are all the manga that you’re familiar with. Or at least heard of them.

The only exception is Naruto since it’s the only manga that has a daily update as opposed to a weekly update. If you’re interested in reading Naruto, then you should read that first before you tackle other revival edition manga.

Now, let’s go back to Tokyo Ghoul manga.

What you don’t see in the anime

There are way too many scenes that don’t make it to the anime version.

The lack of explanation about the quinque, a brief mention about Arima, and the part where Yomo taught Kaneki how to fight as a ghoul.

But the biggest blunder of all is what comes after Kaneki decided to bid farewell to his friends at Anteiku. This is where the anime differs from the manga.

In the manga, Kaneki didn’t want to return to Anteiku not because he wanted to join Aogiri. The reason why he didn’t want to go back to Anteiku was that he wanted to find Dr. Kano. He wanted to know why he transplanted Rize’s organ to him despite knowing that she was a ghoul.

Rather than dragging everyone in Anteiku with him, he’d rather do it with someone unrelated such as Banjo and Tsukiyama.

That seems to be the focus of the story going forward in the manga version. But this part of the story somehow got swept under the rug in the anime.

As a result, I don’t understand why Kaneki is seeing Rize’s manifestation in his mind in one of the scenes in Tokyo Ghoul:Re. It’s hard to see the reason why he’s seeing Rize in his mind when the anime doesn’t focus on her that much.

For some reason, the anime version wants us to believe that Rize doesn’t matter that much in Kaneki’s life.

But that doesn’t seem to be the case at all in the original story. Somehow, Rize will appear in Kaneki’s subconscious mind once in a while.

Same goes for Hinami.

In Tokyo Ghoul:Re, Hinami mentioned briefly her time spending together with Kaneki after he left Anteiku. But the strange part was I didn’t recall seeing her until the story in Tokyo Ghoul:Re begins.

That part in Tokyo Ghoul:Re makes sense because, in the manga version, she did stay with Kaneki after he left Anteiku.

But the same part didn’t make much sense at all in the anime version since you barely see her after the Aogiri Tree incident.

Am I trashing the anime?

The answer is no. What I’m trying to illustrate here isn’t so much to do with the manga being better than the anime.

Rather, it’s more about wanting the story for the anime version to be on par with the story in the manga.

I won’t deny that the idea of seeing Kaneki taking a different path is an interesting take. But that is if it’s done right.

To be honest, I wouldn’t even know if the story from that point onward is different if the story for the anime version is just as good as the original version. And more importantly, it’s consistent with the story in Tokyo Ghoul:Re.

But that’s not the case at all. What we ended up getting is a story that seems disconnected instead.

Sure, you can argue that Tokyo Ghoul:Re takes place at a later time. So, it doesn’t have to relate to what happened in the previous installment.

And let’s not forget that they have yet to decide whether Tokyo Ghoul:Re will get an anime adaptation or not. So, it’s hard to create an original story that ties back to the event in Tokyo Ghoul:Re.

The last thing they want is to end up leaving the story hanging without a decisive conclusion.

But then again, the story is still about the same characters with the same issue and premise. How can they not relate to one another when the story still revolves around the same people and the same problem?

It feels strange to me for some reason.

It’s still up to you

While it’s true that I did say that you’re better off with reading the manga than watching the anime, the choice is still up to you.

If you’re like me who find the story in the anime confusing and missing so many critical details, then reading the Tokyo Ghoul manga is your best bet.

Of course, that is if you enjoy the story.

But what if you did watch the anime but just didn’t find it interesting? Then you don’t have to unless you’re curious about it.

And that’s okay too. It just means that Tokyo Ghoul isn’t for you.

P.S While my Trigger Locked series isn’t about the main character suddenly becoming a ghoul, it can be an interesting read for you too if you enjoy reading a thriller and suspense novel. And you also enjoy a story that feels like you’re learning something new and it gets you thinking.

If you’re interested in giving my Trigger Locked series a try, you can buy the ebook version directly from me right here:

Buy Trigger Locked Book 1: The Mind Control Assassins

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