Manga Review: TOKYO GHOUL Volume 5

Title: Tokyo Ghoul, Volume 5

Volume 5 ends the arc with the ghoul known as the Gourmet. Since Kaneki is part-human, he emits a unique aroma that the Gourmet finds particularly attractive and tasty, as we learned in volume 4. Unfortunately Kaneki finds himself the target of the Gourmet’s schemes for a private feast. With Kimi, a human friend, set up as bait, the foodie ghoul lures his next meal into a desolate place where he can indulge in his sick cannibalism without disturbance. Together, Kaneki and Nishio find themselves trapped right where the foodie ghoul wants them. When Touka suspects foul play, she skillfully tails Kaneki and discovers the Gourmet is about to strike again. Can she save them?

Final Word:

This volume really delves into the complexities of human(or ghoul) consciousness. Kaneki realizes that not all living creatures have the same regard for life he does. The Gourmet’s obsession with eating other ghouls stirs emotions within him that he can’t quite come to terms with. Additionally, Touka has a hard time understanding Kimi, who seems to be in love with a ghoul. Regardless of how selfless Kimi is towards ghouls, Touka can’t quite accept that humans and ghouls can co-exist. Furthermore, this volume reveals the physical weakness of ghouls who refuse to feed on human flesh.

I’d like to add add that this is definitely one of the more rushed volumes in the series. The majority of the book includes fight scenes and dialog that are hard to follow. I don’t want to say that Ishida is getting lazy, but I required a lot of flipping back and forth from early on to follow what was happening. The only thing that kept me going was the sheer thrill of ghoul world.

A happy bonus that makes up for this is a mini-story following Rize up until she first lays eyes on Kaneki. Although it is a separate, bonus chapter, it ties in nicely Kaneki’s investigation of her. The bonus story follows Rize and explains why she was seen as undesirable as she moved from ward to ward, looking for a place to call home. This definitely makes up for the rushed feel of the main story and also seems to imply why someone would want to murder her.

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**This item was provided for review.