Warning: spoilers

The Biggest Problem In “Tokyo Ghoul” And “Attack on Titan”

Everyone is a ghoul, and everyone is a titan

Tokyo Ghoul and Attack on Titan are two of my favorite animes. They both fit into the horror anime or dark fantasy genre and have considerable fanbases. Both exist in alternative realities where humans exist along with another human-like species that tries to kill them.

In Tokyo Ghoul, that’s the ghouls, who look like humans, act like humans, and camouflage with human society, but have to eat humans to survive. In Attack on Titan, that’s the titans, who are sub-humanoid, gigantic monsters who terrorize human society and also eat humans in terrifying ways.

The first time you realize someone is of another species in these very violent, gory animes, it’s novel. It’s a shock. In Attack on Titan, the revelation of Annie being a titan is the plot point that ends up being the focus of the first season of the show.

Similarly, Tokyo Ghoul’s revelation of protagonist Kaneki becoming a half-ghoul is similarly jarring and the focus of the first two seasons of the show. Kaneki acts as a bridge that can bring humans and ghouls together.

Human society in Tokyo Ghoul discriminates against ghouls and holds them in contempt because…