English Dub Review: Tokyo Ghoul √A “Hangman”

What seems like a weekly occurrence, I have to tell you that my experience in Tokyo Ghoul is severely limited. I am trying to catch up on the show, but I am only a couple episodes in. Subtitles really inhibit my ability to watch anything, anymore. But I think I actually starting to understand the story of Tokyo Ghoul √A.

Anyway, now that I am figuring out where each person lies, I am actually digging Kaneki. You only really see him for a few minutes in “Hangman,” but you see how much of a powerhouse he is. Naneki and Ayato just stop an armored truck dead in its track so they can rescue Naki, who’s a subordinate of Yamori, yet no one really gives a crap. Get a mission, fulfill the mission, I suppose. For as little as Kaneki is actually in “Hangman,” he still remains to be a huge portion of the focus. And now the twins named Kurona and Nashiro show up again, and I still have no idea what’s going on with them.

Touka is still lamenting about Kaneki skipping out for Aogiri, and seems to be the Sakura of Tokyo Ghoul. She has shown she can’t fight when it comes to Kaneki or her brother, and spends her time lamenting over the fact that the dude she wants is off being an evil badass. This sounds somewhat familiar, doesn’t it? Now, excuse me if I decide to start watching Naruto.

Unfortunately, the police segment is still a mess. Even though it’s well known by now that Akira is the pain in the ass who wants to be further along than where she is, her constant paladin-like demeanor makes me want to punt a child. However, the other subplot was revolving around Hinami. You know something is wrong when a story revolving around a 13 year old, when the overall plot is supposed to be about death and people eating people. Hinami’s story plays up the innocence that a child has when it comes to the dual life of a criminal. Children cling on to what they remember, as opposed to what is going on in the present.

That’s where things are going rather weird for me. A story that is supposed to be a really fucked up plot about superpowered people that eat each other and humans, yet the plot where a child is getting a book signed for her friend is more enjoyable than the plot with the superpowered guy. Come on, guys. This story is fucked up, yet it’s fucked for the wrong reasons. I’m glad I found something this week that I can vibe with and understand. It only took me the better part of three episodes to get to that point. Why the hell that happened is beyond me. The focus is supposed to be Kaneki, let’s see this guy eating some people. Can that happen, please?