English Dub Review: Tokyo Ghoul: Re “Those Who Hunt: START”

Ghouls got smarter, so we got Quinxes.

Overview (Spoilers)

After the events of the previous seasons, the Ghoul population has changed. They’ve stopped being as overt about their feedings, and choose instead to hunt smarter. A small group of ghoul investigators, called Quinxes, operate under the training of Sasaki Haise. Each is a normal human who has been implanted with a ghoul’s kagune. Though they don’t need to feed on humans, they have most of the powers of a ghoul. The group has been tasked with hunting down a ghoul that goes by the alias of Torso. Unfortunately, the four Quinxes are a bit unstable, both physically and mentally. Two of the older members, Kuki Urie and Ginshi Shirazu, have decided to take point in the investigation. By take point, I mean they’ve gone off the reservation and are hunting him on their own. While Sasaki and his superior get a verbal tongue lashing from the brass at the CCG, The two loose cannons chase a lead down: based of his predation patterns, Torso is likely a taxi driver. They attack one driver that is a ghoul but isn’t Torso. In order to keep them in line, Sasaki decides to show the two of them up. He’s going with Mutsuki, one of the younger Quinxes, on the hunt. By luck, Mutsuki manages to catch him just before he grabs a new victim…

It doesn’t go well. Fortunately, Urie and Shirazu aren’t far. They give chase on a motorcycle and manage to catch up with the help of an ill-fated squad car. Torso may have some impressive regenerative abilities, but in combat, he’s no match for the two of them. When things look bleakest for the baddie, he’s saved by an S-Class Ghoul known as Orochi. The boys can’t even lay a finger on him. Try as he might, Mutsuki can’t get his kagune to appear. He’s had some problems with manifestation. Right then, Sasaki arrives to save the day with his sword. Though he fights impressively, he seems to be holding back. Holding back from making use of his full powers, and unleashing an evil from within his mind…

Out Take

Okay, let me submit myself for punishment. This is the first I’ve seen of this show. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Fortunately, this season gives off the feeling that it is starting a whole new story, rather than continuing the old. This is because the second season, √A, is an alternate story. :Re picks up from the manga of the same name, which takes place after the original. So, forget about anything you saw in √A. It’s a filler arc. That’s fine by me. I have no clue as to what is going on, and this season starts us off by defining some things for us in a natural way. There aren’t any lengthy explanations, we just see it all in action. Compared to the first, some of the other viewers are saying that this season is more fast-paced, with fewer character developments as of this episode. It seems to be working well. The pacing was spot on for me. It has some mild humor but is mostly action.

The art style is pretty mainstream, but Studio Pierrot doesn’t disappoint in the animation department. They put a good amount of work behind it, and I couldn’t spot a single error along the way. I was pleased that even portions that were just talking felt like they had attention to the details of it all. The action was solid, and kept my interest, even though it was a bit tough to follow at one point. I had to rewatch to understand that Orochi wasn’t Torso, and that Torso simply bolted when the good guys got distracted. It’s there, but it’s subtle and in the background.

The translation is fine. It doesn’t feel like I’m missing anything, but occasionally, the words don’t match up with the mouths properly. Mike McFarland is the ADR Director for this go around, and it feels like he’s doing an okay job of it. I would have liked a bit more emotion out of Austin Tindle at some points, but he seems to be playing Sasaki off as the type that hides their feelings under a gentle facade. However, in one scene, the character is visibly enraged, and Tindle’s portrayal of the lines don’t get that across at all.