Fans have taken to social media to voice their demands for another Tokyo Ghoul reboot. They even created a Tokyo Ghoul remake petition that already has thousands of signatures.
While reboots often feel unnecessary and redundant, fans think differently about Tokyo Ghoul. They feel that the manga never got a faithful adaptation in the first place.
For those unfamiliar with the series, Tokyo Ghoul is a popular supernatural manga created by Sui Ishida.
Inspired by Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, Tokyo Ghoul has a total of 14 parts. It had a sequel, Tokyo Ghoul:re, with another 16 parts.
Studio Pierrot picked up the series for a 12-episode anime adaptation in 2014. A year later, they released the second season, Tokyo Ghoul √A.
Tokyo Ghoul √A, contains an original anime story that branches from the manga. Although Ishida wrote the second season herself, the story elements are so different that most people don’t consider it canon.
The third season, Tokyo Ghoul:re, is actually the first season of an anime adaptation of the sequel manga. Tokyo Ghoul:re ran for two seasons in 2018.
What is Tokyo Ghoul about?
In case you haven’t seen it yet, Tokyo Ghoul is set in an alternate world where ghosts prey on humans. Ghouls are monsters that look like regular humans, but must consume human flesh to survive.
The story follows Ken Kaneki, an average 18-year-old student at Tokyo University. After a fateful organ transplant, Kaneki is transformed into a one-eyed half-ghost, who must now feed on humans to survive.
Tokyo Ghoul follows Kaneki as he tries to navigate his new life as a half-ghoul hybrid.
Why fans are demanding a reboot
While the differences between manga and anime in a series are common, Tokyo Ghoul takes it to another level. Some events take place in the wrong order, some are rushed through, and others are completely skipped.
Part of this is due to the fact that the Tokyo Ghoul manga has 179 chapters, compared to the anime’s 48 episodes. There just wasn’t enough time to get through the story without cutting and rushing.
In addition, the original story of the second season of the anime makes continuity difficult to follow. To complicate things further, Tokyo Ghoul:re skips the events that happened in Tokyo Ghoul √A, leaving only anime renderings confused.
Differences between the Tokyo Ghoul manga and anime
As mentioned before, there are many differences between the plot of the Tokyo Ghoul manga and anime.
In the manga, Kaneki is forced to walk through a ghoul detector. The detector didn’t mark him as a creep and he passed without a problem.
While this may not seem like much, it’s important to discern just how unique Kaneki’s status as a half-ghoul is.
Another key difference is that in the manga, Kaneki has a habit of touching his chin when lying. The move is subtle and many readers didn’t pick up on it until Kaneki’s friend, Hide, called out.
While it may seem trivial, this little quirk reveals a lot about Kaneki’s character and gives insight into his true feelings. It adds an extra layer of characterization and charm that the anime lacked.
Kaneki’s eventual acceptance of his half-ghoul identity played out differently in the anime, too.
In the anime, Kaneki accepted his character with calm dignity. His black hair immediately turned white, further signifying the change.
In the manga, on the other hand, Kaneki’s transformation was painfully spun out.
He clawed viciously at his face in an outward display of the torturous emotions that arose. His hair gradually turned white as he gradually broke from stress.
These are just a few examples of how the anime differs from the source material. Deviating from the manga isn’t the only thing fans struggle with, though.
Tokyo Ghoul’s animation did not live up to expectations.
Another important point is the quality of the animation during the different seasons. While fans praise the manga for its art style and beautifully drawn scenes, a lack of detail and poor directing plagues the anime.
Some people even compare the animation to a slideshow†
At the time of the third season airing, Studio Pierrot focused a lot of attention on two upcoming series: Boruto and Black Clover. They increasingly outsourced animation to cheaper studios, further deteriorating quality.
Who should restart the Tokyo Ghoul?
Fans have filed multiple petitions to have a major studio pick up the reboot. While the petitions revolve around getting studios Ufotable (Demon Slayer, God Eater) or MAPPA (Jujutsu Kaisen) to spearhead the reboot, other fans are calling on WIT studios, Studio Bones or Madhouse to take it on.
If MAPPA decides to reboot Tokyo Ghoul, it won’t be the first time they’ve recreated a popular series. The studio rebooted Dororo in 2019 and received rave reviews.
Will there be a Tokyo Ghoul reboot?
Unfortunately, the chances of Tokyo Ghoul getting a reboot are slim. The series is not as popular as when it first came out, and sales of mangas have slowed drastically.
Still, with the popularity of reboots like Hunter x Hunter (2011) and Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, it’s not completely out of the question.
Only time will tell if anime studios listen to fan demands. In the meantime you can sign the petition here†
So what do you think? Will Tokyo Ghoul get a second chance? Let us know in the comments below which studio you would like to reboot!
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