Tokyo Ghoul features a variety of unique characters that have resonated with many around the world. The story tells of Kaneki Ken, a student who suffers from an accident and becomes a half-human, half-ghoul. The story follows Ken’s life as he learns to live with this new adjustment to his life.
As Kaneki Ken’s journey begins to grow, there are many people he becomes acquainted with. From the investigator Yusa Arima to Aogiri Tree. Many of these characters are people whom he would not usually meet with, however, with his life-altering changes, he has formed friendships with many. Below, we go over some of the best characters that Kaneki Ken has had the pleasure of knowing throughout the series.
10. Shuu Tsukiyama
Shuu Tsukiyama is a close friend of Kaneki Ken. However, this wasn’t always the case as Tsukiyama had a desire to consume Ken in their early days of being acquaintances. Although they become close, after Ken appears to die, Tuskiyama becomes overcome with grief and not himself. This ends up changing when Kaneki Ken is revealed to be alive, with which Tuskiyama makes it his mission to help him regain his memories.
9. Yusa Arima
Yusa Arima is a Tokyo Ghoul character who has assisted Kaneki Ken in various ways, including the Cochlea Raid. Arima also looks up to Ken, upon seeing their squad leader Kishou Arima, the team needed someone else to take the reins. Because of this, Yusa sees Ken as the potential choice, putting his faith in not just a colleague but also his friend and squadmate.
8. Akira Mado
Akira Mado is a close companion to Kaneki Ken. She is a former Ghoul Investigator and is seen by Haise Sasaki as a mentor figure. Akira has the ability to be incredibly insightful. Something that helps her conduct investigations well. Even after becoming comatose and waking up from it, Akira Mado becomes more open about how she feels about other characters in Tokyo Ghoul. The event was almost an awakening for her.
7. Yoshimura
Yoshimura is the manager of the Anteiku cafe. The character is vital on Keneki Ken’s journey, assisting him with coping and dealing with his fate of becoming a half-ghoul. Additionally, the old man offers great wisdom while serving customers some of his specialty drinks. Although Yoshimura continuously covers for the actions of the Owl, he has a deep closeness to many. Furthermore, he aims to inspire those he sees fit, including Keneki Ken.
6. Kishou Arima
Kishou Arima is the former leader of the characters Keneki Ken and Yusa Arima. He was a Ghoul Investigator for the CCG’s Reaper. He shares a deep connection with Ken, as he helped mentor him into the role of becoming the One-Eyed King, something that would unfortunately happen after Arima’s death when he becomes Haise.
5. Juuzou Suzuya
Juuzou Suzuya is a Ghoul Investigator who becomes the Next Arima after the death of the Kishou Arima. The role declared that Suzuya was the top investigator for CCG and it gave him command of his own squad. Furthermore, when Ken is the One-Eyed Ghoul, he is heavily dedicated to his job as he hunts him down. Both Kaneki and Suzuya come to gain respect for one another, showing that peace between mortal enemies can be possible.
4. Kazuichi Banjou
Kazuichi Banjou is a loyal friend to Kaneki, looking to help him whenever he can. Banjou feels indebted to his friend after he was saved from the Aogiri Tree group. Both Kaneki and Banjou are a lethal pair when it comes to fighting dangerous ghouls looking to cause trouble. However, for the most part, he prefers to remain a pacifist, looking for other ways rather than fighting to hash things out. Currently, he is the leader of the 6th Ward in Tokyo.
3. Koutarou Amon
Koutarou Amon was a Ghoul Investigator who was partnered up with Akira Mado. After becoming a Ghoul, Amon is the first person that Ken encounters. However, rather than prove Ghouls are murderers, Ken does something very different and keeps Koutarou Amon alive. From this moment on, these two characters in Tokyo Ghoul, although not directly friends, share a special bond of respect.
2. Hideyoshi Nagachika
Hideyoshi Nagachika (also known as Hide) is a vital person in Kaneki Ken’s life. Not only is he Ken’s best friend. But he saves the character multiple times. While not in the physical sense. However, Hideyoshi does so by allowing Ken to remember who he is and therefore attain that humanity in him. Rather than fully giving in to becoming a Ghoul. Nagachika has assisted various characters with investigations including Koutarou Amon and Akira Mado.
1. Touka Kirishima
Touka Kirishima and Kaneki Ken are the most bonded out of the Tokyo Ghoul characters. Not only are they in love and eventually get married, but she is one of the first people to teach Ken all about how to be a Ghoul. Furthermore, she is a major part of keeping balance in Ken’s life and she is a big believer in his dream of a peaceful world for Ghouls and Humans. Both Ken and Touka eventually go on to have a child, one that grows up in a world that Ken was only dreaming of when he first met his wife.
That is our list of the best characters in Tokyo Ghoul. There are many unique characters and each has a different connection to Kaneki Ken in some way. While some start as enemies, many grow to love him, respect him, or both.