Updated October 25, 2022 by Ernie
Tokyo Ghoul remains one of the best anime of all time, although Tokyo Ghoul :re’s anime adaptation may have been a flop, the series still stands strong. Well, you might just want to go directly to the manga for the last season. Anyway, the series had a strong impact on shonen manga as it had a distinct way of storytelling and gave us a narrative that’s fleshed out between two species. We see ghouls and humans fighting each other as one side views them as prey while the other as pests.
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When both worlds collide, a shroud of secrets and personal gains is about to be uncovered. Was Rize’s accident planned? That was the main question that everyone wanted to know. Though already answered in the anime, we still can’t help but be amazed at how intricate the details are. Notably, Tokyo Ghoul is a fan-favorite as even to this day people still gush about how cool it is.
Everyone wanted to buy the manga just to get to find out more! I would too if I had the money… I mean I couldn’t handle the cliffhangers as I needed to know more right there and then! Tokyo Ghoul was a massive success as it garnered awards and placed Sui Ishida to fame.
Its success can be seen as by February 2019, about 44 million copies were sold easily outranking others as the best-selling manga. So, to remember Tokyo Ghoul and all its amazingness, let’s try to dissect the question, why did Kaneki side with Aogiri Tree? Was it for power? Was their side more appealing? Let’s set the groundwork and reach a conclusion.
You might also want to pull up some snacks and get comfortable as we’re going to get detailed with some of the information I’m about to bring up. So go ahead, do that and then proceed with the blog!
Spoilers may be up ahead so…if you haven’t touched a single thing about Tokyo Ghoul and don’t want to get spoiled then check out these recommendations instead, you can always come back here after you’ve seen seasons one and two.
WHY DID KANEKI LEAVE ANTEIKU?
Ken Kaneki: Before Aogiri Tree
After coming to terms with his physiology, Kaneki tries to go back to his old ways (Tokyo Ghoul, Episode 3). A normal bibliophile college student who just wants to finish his studies. However, he hasn’t fully accepted his ghoul side as he profusely rejects human flesh (Tokyo Ghoul, Episode 2). Doing his best to survive with alternate means—anything but human flesh.
Before joining Aoigiri, Kaneki maintained being a shy and reserved person. He does his best to juggle his friendship with Hide, his studies, and his job at Anteiku. He is a very gentle and kind person, the type that would make sure others are comfortable before himself. It was his selflessness that would often get him bullied and taken advantage of.
This was his weakness, when he exclaims that he wants to protect everyone he’s actually projecting that he’s protecting himself so he won’t have to be alone. It’s that level of righteousness that he thinks he has, that leads him to his downfall.
This was also evident when Yamori brought two of his friends during his torture scene (Tokyo Ghoul, Episode 11). He was asked to decide who should live, and being indecisive and unable to answer–Yamori kills them both. Rize pops up frequently in Kaneki’s head–a voice that somehow doesn’t leave him alone. His conversations with her helped him cling to his sanity, aside from Yamori making him count backward from 1000 by sevens.
This was a pivotal scene as we get to see Kaneki be more assertive and selfish. From begging to die now angrily fighting for his survival. In episode 12 of the first season, we see him don his mask and join Eto and the rest of Aogiri.
Check Out: Complete Super Dragon Ball Filler List (OFFICIAL)
Why did Kaneki join Aogiri Tree?
It was obvious enough that he joined Aogiri Tree because he wanted to be strong. He took a shot by joining their ranks to learn more about ghouls and enhance his fighting abilities. At the same time, he gets to learn their cause and keep tabs on them as Kaneki never lost his empathic side. Despite having to kill off his opponents, Kaneki still remained himself–well except for the part where his RC cells act up since he became a kakuja (Tokyo Ghoul √A, Episode 5).
Aogiri Tree is a terrorist organization made up of ghouls that are led by Eto (Tokyo Ghoul re: Chapter 61). Their goal is to create a world where ghouls are no longer in hiding and where they can live openly and freely. They also aim to crush the Doves from C.C.G because their secrets must be found.
But the organization isn’t entirely good since they heavily lean toward the favor of ghouls thus Kaneki never truly sided with them. If you recall, Yoshimura told Kaneki that he was a bridge between two worlds. While he never belonged on one side but he was a being that was able to live on both (Tokyo Ghoul, Episode 3).
Remembering those words, Kaneki knew it was necessary for him to ally himself with Aogiri Tree. We see him clad in black with his white hair and kakugan exposed. Issuing his acceptance of his ghoul side in order for him to find a place in both worlds. With us seeing the view of his back when he walks on over to Eto and Tatara, it seemed like he was turning his back on his ‘human’ side as he found new strength. So, it would very much fit the idea that he joined them for power.
Characters Prominent in Aogiri Tree
Eto
Alias |
One-Eyed-Owl |
Role |
Founding Leader |
Ranking |
S (SSS as One-Eyed-Owl) |
She is the founder of Aogiri Tree and is actually the leader of the organization (Tokyo Ghoul re: Chapter 61). She is a very powerful ghoul but her petite stature makes it seem like she relies on Tatara often. Don’t be fooled… her being the founder is enough for you to speculate just how powerful she is. Not much is known about her but later on, in the series we know are as the daughter of Yoshimura and is a natural one-eyed ghoul.
Tatara
Alias |
Tatara |
Role |
Direct Subordinate |
Ranking |
SS- |
As a direct subordinate of Eto, his power is no joke. Initially hailing from China, Tatara migrated to Japan in search of revenge. He is stoic and loyal to the cause of Aogiri Tree and will trample at anyone who stands in his way.
Noro
Alias |
Noro (formerly known as Noroi) |
Role |
Direct Subordinate |
Ranking |
SS- |
Noro was also a direct subordinate to the One–Eyed King and was even more direct than Tatara as he was assigned to raise Eto (Tokyo Ghoul re: Chapter 55). He is a ghoul with mysterious origins and has freakishly fast regenerative abilities. Even if his limbs and head were slain off, he was able to regain those body parts and continue fighting.
Yakumo Oomori
Alias |
Jason / Yamori |
Role |
Executive |
Ranking |
B |
Yamori was a dangerous man as his sadistic ways stemmed from his own torture. He found the thrill of torturing someone weaker because of his own experience. He was once the one suffering under the hands of a sadistic investigator (Tokyo Ghoul Manga, Chapter 61). He goes by his alias Yamori, which translates to gecko–but I found it fitting because of his full name. He acquired the title 13th ward’s Jason because of his brutality.
Bin Brothers
Alias |
Tail Brothers |
Role |
Executive |
Ranking |
S |
The Bin brothers are executive members of the organization with unique masks that have geometrical patterns. The older twin has spiky hair with his mask not covering his mouth in the manga, in the anime both are wearing full masks. Though both are executives, they often butt heads with Yamori since their ideologies are different. They both died at the hands of Amon Koutarou (Tokyo Ghoul Manga, Chapter 77), leaving a younger bin sister hungry for revenge.
Ayato Kirishima
Alias |
Black Rabbit |
Role |
Executive |
Ranking |
SS |
Ayato is the younger brother of Touka, having lost both his parents to Doves his growing up was filled with turmoil. He was seen wandering all different wards, leaving a trail of wreckage and chaos (Tokyo Ghoul Manga, Chapter 71). Kind of similar to his father when he was looking for power, anyway these events caught the eye of Tatara.
Causing Ayato to join Aogiri serving as an executive. He adheres to their cause and views that those who are superior must be powerful. We see him mock Touka a few times, calling her weak and such. But deep down, we knew that he went away to grieve his loss and gain the power to protect his sister.
Related: 31+ Strongest Tokyo Ghoul Characters (REFERENCES)
Ken Kaneki: After Aogiri Tree
After his alliance with Aogiri Tree, he breaks ties with the organization and surrenders himself to C.C.G. The Kaneki we see in Aogiri is a version fueled by his goal to protect those around him. This time, he does this so they can live in a world with him–not because he’s afraid of being alone. After gaining the strength he needed, Kaneki was now left with a difficult question unanswered. Was this the right decision? We have seen an exchange of ideologies between Kaneki and Amon on whose side is right a couple of times, most of those times Amon’s words stuck with Kaneki (Tokyo Ghoul √A, Episode 11).
His soul–searching continues and decides to retain his human side (Tokyo Ghoul √A, Episode 12). We see him try to reassess his decisions and now, it’s not only Rize that haunts him but also Yamori. Time and time again, he gets visited by ghosts of his past–signifying that he hasn’t quite grasped the realities he made. But, with Hide’s help, he was able to make amends with himself. As Hide reveals that he knew all along that Kaneki was a ghoul and that he was still there with him. To regain his strength, Kaneki eats a part of Hide and then blacks out. This explains his surrender to C.C.G. and the story of Sasaki Haise follows suit.
The last episode of Tokyo Ghoul season 2 brought me to tears as we see Kaneki holding Hide, bridal style, with a white cloth over him. In the background we hear the opening OST Unravel play…and everything else just meshed with the tone. As he surrenders himself, faces off with Arima, and then starts a new life in Tokyo Ghoul :re.
Related: COMPLETE Tokyo Ghoul Watch Order! (OFFICIAL)
Conclusion
Well if you were thinking he joined Aogiri to be strong, you are correct. Although it has already been hinted at since he was weak. Also, we get to compare him to Ayato since he also joined Aogiri Tree with the same pretense. Either way, the answer may have been easy to get. We see it as admirable because of Kaneki’s character development.
We see him as a human, a shy average college student who gets thrown into the mix by becoming a half-artificial ghoul. We witness his struggles, his downfalls, and his traumatic experiences. We fell in love with the character and how he overcame his adversaries. We know him as a catalyst that would see peace for all ghouls and humans.
Not to mention how other characters progressed as well, characters like Amon, Mado, Touka, and even Hinami; their character breakdown was entertaining to watch because of how they were written. Sui Ishida definitely made a banger and now, with his new manga, Choujin X I’m sure it’s going to be epic!
Hope you enjoyed this one! Tune in tomorrow for the next blog!
References
(Tokyo Ghoul, Episode 2)
(Tokyo Ghoul, Episode 3)
(Tokyo Ghoul, Episode 11)
(Tokyo Ghoul, Episode 12)
(Tokyo Ghoul √A, Episode 5)
(Tokyo Ghoul √A, Episode 11)
(Tokyo Ghoul √A, Episode 12)
(Tokyo Ghoul Manga, Chapter 61)
(Tokyo Ghoul Manga, Chapter 71)
(Tokyo Ghoul Manga, Chapter 77)
(Tokyo Ghoul re: Chapter 61)
(Tokyo Ghoul re: Chapter 61)
(Tokyo Ghoul re: Chapter 55)
