In Tokyo Ghoul, the titular ghouls look like human beings, but they're from a totally different world. Ghouls must consume human meat to survive. Ghouls are physically stronger, can regenerate, and have deadly weapons known as kagune. That said, the more a ghoul eats, the stronger its kagune becomes.
Many ghouls eat the flesh of their own kind, and because of that their kagune transforms into kakuja, which strengthens them even further. CCG ranks all of these ghouls based on the threat they pose to them. Some SS ghouls are more powerful than others, but only a few of them can be considered the strongest ghouls in Tokyo Ghoul.
Updated on July 18, 2023, by Ajay Aravind: Tokyo Ghoul is still one of the most popular anime series of all time. With its gritty setting and exciting fights between formidable ghouls, it's no question why fans love the series so much. Since this list was originally published in 2020, we've added a few more examples of the strongest SS ghouls in Tokyo Ghoul.
15 Big Madam
Abilities:
- Bikaku Kagune
- Incredible Strength
Big Madam was first introduced during Tokyo Ghoul's auction arc. It was later revealed that she was the one who raised Juuzou Suzuya as a human pet, torturing him greatly in the process. During CCG's raid on the auction house, she was one of the main targets of the organization because she had been running from CCG for quite some time.
Big Madam possesses a bikaku kagune, which she can use to attack her opponents from long distances. She also possesses a great deal of physical strength, which she demonstrates during the Auction arc. Big Madam isn't nearly as strong as the other SS ghouls, however.
14 Kaya Irimi
Abilities:
- Ukaku Kagune
- Unparalleled Sense-Perception
Kaya Irimi, otherwise called the "Black Dog," used to lead the Black Dobers. She was a waitress at Anteiku before the café went under. As her name suggests, she has a canine-like fighting style. She's like a pitbull on her targets and doesn't let go until they're defeated. She has sharp nails, so she can cut her opponents deep and easily dodge all of their attacks, thanks to her superior agility.
Kaya's ukaku kagune manifests as wings, and her sense of hearing is unmatched, as well. She can tell the difference between two people based on their rhythm and deflection. This is also useful for predicting her foe's next move.
13 Uta
Abilities:
- Shapeshifting & Self-Cloning
- Bikaku Kagune
- Bikaku Kakuja
The CCG knows him as "No Face," but everybody knows that Uta is one of the series' coolest ghouls. He's covered in body modifications and runs the HySy ArtMask Studio. He's also a member of the Clowns. He's one of the strongest ghouls in Tokyo Ghoul, and his skills should never be underestimated.
No Face has a bikaku kagune and kakuja. The kagune manifests up to six tails that can strike opponents from far away. The kakuja morphs him into a venus flytrap-like creature so that he can eat his enemies. Interestingly, Uta also has an unexplained shapeshifting ability. He's even capable of cloning himself.
12 Shikorae
Abilities:
- Bikaku, Rinkaku, Koukau, and Ukaku Kagune
- RC Cell Absorption
Shikorae, otherwise called Rio, was isolated as a kid because of his powers. He used to belong to Aogiri Tree but defected to the Clowns. He was one of the prisoners let loose during the Second Cochlea Raid. Shikorae has ukaku, koukaku, rinkaku, and bikaku kagune.
All of his kagune are impressive, but his ukaku is the strongest. With it, he can manifest wings from his back that can shoot projectiles. It's an effective long-range combat ability. Shikorae can also manifest brand-new kagune from absorbing RC cells, either by eating another ghoul or from his environment.
11 Ayato
Abilities:
- Ukaku Kagune
- Exceptional Strength
Ayato left the 20th ward and wandered around Tokyo, leaving a path of chaos wherever he went. After getting recruited for Aogiri Tree, he became an executive. Then, he joined Goat and served under the infamous One-Eyed King.
Ayato's ukaku kagune allowed him to fire bullets from his wings. He could also wrap the wings around himself as a shield to deflect incoming attacks. Ayato used to be at a disadvantage in head-to-head combat, but he's improved his skills and strengthened his kagune.
10 Noro
Abilities:
- Bikaku Kagune
- Bikaku Kakuja
- Extreme High-Speed Regeneration
Noro was one of the prominent members of the Aogiri Tree and the mentor of Eto. He was a ghoul who possessed a bikaku kagune and kakuja, as well. Noro's regeneration was at a very high level, even when compared to a normal ghoul.
His healing power could heal his wounds within seconds, even if they were fatal ones. Noro's strength was impressive, and he was considered to be one of the strongest members of the Aogiri Tree. Furthermore, he was able to fight against Quinx and Itou Squads all by himself, which shows just how robust he really was.
9 Tatara
Abilities:
- Pseudo-Pyrokinesis
- Mysterious Kakuja and Kagune
Tatara was a member of the Aogiri Tree, as well as one of its leaders. Before joining the Aogiri, he was a member of a Chinese ghoul organization known as Chi She Lian. Tatara possessed an unknown kagune and kakuja, but its abilities were somewhat defined.
His kakuja could produce a fire that exceeded 4,000 degrees Celsius, which is pretty potent. He fought against many CCG Investigators which he beat with ease, but ultimately he met his end at the hands of Takizawa. Tatara is definitely one of the strongest ghouls in Tokyo Ghoul.
8 Hinami Fueguchi
Abilities:
- Koukaku Kagune
- Rinkaku Kagune
Hinami is the daughter of Asaki and Ryouko Fueguchi. She served as a member of the Anteiku for quite some time and later joined Kaneki's organization, named Goat. Hinami possesses dual kagune, the first of which is a Rinkaku which she can use for offensive purposes.
The second is a koukaku that acts as a defensive ability that protects her from any powerful attack, such as Higher Mind's blasts. Moreover, she can use both of her Kagune extremely well, which makes her a formidable opponent. To call Hinami overpowered would be an understatement.
7 Roma Hoito
Abilities:
- Rinkaku Kagune
- Kagune Removal
Roma Hoito, also known by her alias "Dodgy Mother," was the leader of Clowns. She might have had the body of a child, but she was extremely dangerous. At a young age, she killed many ghouls and humans, which led to her gaining great notoriety at the time.
Roma was around for quite some time, but there isn't much that was revealed about her. She was the one ghoul that fought against Tsuneyoshi Washuu, who was considered extremely powerful. Consequently, she was given an SS rank. She had a kagune as well as a kakuja which she could detach. Later in the series, she was given a much higher rank by CCG.
6 Donato Porpora
Abilities:
- Koukaku Kagune
- Self-Cloning
Donato Porpora once served as a priest who used to run an orphanage and secretly ate the kids there. This led to him getting caught by the CCG. He was then a prisoner at Cochlea but later escaped during the Third Cochlea Raid. He possesses a koukaku-type kagune that he can detach, making it far more deadly.
Donato is incredibly fast and possesses immense strength with which he can easily decapitate someone. Also, he can clone himself with his kagune, and these clones can work independently. He has been classified as an SS rank by CCG, making him one of the strongest ghouls in Tokyo Ghoul.
5 Seidou Takizawa
Abilities:
- Ukaku Kagune
- Ukaku Kakuja
Takizawa was a former CCG investigator who was later turned into an owl, which led to him joining the Aogiri Tree. Even though he wasn't a ghoul at birth, he was extremely powerful and was the strongest member of the Aogiri Tree. He was so powerful that he could kill even high-ranked investigators in the blink of an eye.
He can move extremely fast, and he possesses impressive regeneration abilities. Furthermore, he was able to overpower Tatara with ease while defeating numerous members of the CCG at the same time. Takizawa is one of the most powerful ghouls in Tokyo Ghoul.
4 Yoshimura
Abilities:
- Ukaku Kagune
- Ukaku Kakuja
Yoshimura was the father of Eto and was also the manager of Anteiku. He was known to the CCG as the One-Eyed Owl and was one of the organization's greatest foes. Yoshimura possessed a kagune and a kakuja, and exerted great control over both.
He was extremely powerful as he defeated several strong investigators in the past. He even ate many other ghouls, which took his strength to another level. Furthermore, he fought against two special classes named Yukinori Shinohara and Iwao Kuroiwa, who had their physical abilities heightened because of Arata.
3 Eto
Abilities:
- Ukaku Kagune
- Ukaku Kakuja
- Kagune Removal
- Extreme High-Speed Regeneration
Eto, also known as the One-Eyed Owl, was the leader of the Aogiri Tree and the daughter of Yoshimura and Ukina. She was one of the most powerful characters in Tokyo Ghoul, and she proved that very often. Eto fought against the likes of Arima and Kaneki throughout the series.
Her regeneration powers were incredible, as seen when she was able to regenerate her body when it was destroyed by Furuta. She was one of the few ghouls that were given an SSS rank by CCG. Eto took the lives of many, which includes Associate Special Class Kasuka Mado and Special Class Urie.
2 Ken Kaneki
Abilities:
- Rinkaku Kagune
- Rinkaku Kakuja
- Kagune Control
Ken Kaneki is the protagonist of the Tokyo Ghoul series. He was once a human that was turned into a ghoul through an operation done on him by a doctor. After this, Kaneki gained great physical strength, endurance, and regeneration abilities which are considered to be unique.
Kaneki even has control over each one of his kagune. He has fought against many strong opponents and has toppled every single one of them. The strength that Kakeki possesses makes him one of the strongest characters in the Tokyo Ghoul series, if not the strongest. Kaneki is ranked as an SS Ghoul, but he is much more powerful than that.
1 Matasaka
Abilities:
- Bikaku Kagune
- Supreme Martial Artist
Matasaka used to rule the 6th ward's ghouls. Most people call him Orca. He's a powerful ghoul who trained all of his subordinates when he led the 6th ward before he was sent to Cochlea. After he got out during the second raid, he joined Aogiri Tree for a short time.
Matasaka was strong enough to defeat Kaneki twice without breaking much of a sweat, which is why he's the strongest ghoul in Tokyo Ghoul. Since he was born a ghoul, his abilities are greater than that of someone who was turned into one. Further, Matasaka combines his ghoulish powers with his martial arts expertise to really pack a punch.