Of the notable differences between the Tokyo Ghoul manga and the anime, there is one scene in particular that the latter did so much better than the manga that it is indisputable: Kaneki's torture at the hands of Yamori. This is not to say the manga's portrayal was flawed or even bad, it was simply weaker and less memorable when compared with the anime.
The reason for the Tokyo Ghoul anime's success in this scene owes to a variety of factors that worked together to create a greater whole. One such factor was the decision to extend it by making it a focus of both of the last two episodes -- as opposed to the manga, where there were only three short chapters dedicated to Kaneki's torture. This plays in the anime's favor as it allows for smoother pacing and a more disturbing depiction of Yamori.
Tokyo Ghoul's Ken Kaneki was an average 18-year-old bookworm with hopes of living a quiet life. His entire world would irreversibly change after a near-death experience left him with the anatomy of a ghoul. Ghouls are an exclusively carnivorous and cannibalistic humanoid species, and as such they are limited to consuming only human or ghoul flesh. Ghouls are able to freely manipulate the density and flexibility of RC cells, allowing them to release the cells from their skin and use them as weapons or limbs.
This release of RC cells from the body is called a kagune. After becoming a ghoul, Kaneki found himself with a myriad of new abilities including regenerative powers, a kitsune-esque kagune and superhuman strength. Having been turned into a ghoul through medical experimentation, he would also stand out from other ghouls due to his unique characteristic of only having a single Kakugan -- which would make him a target of the Aogiri Tree. The most sadistic member of Aogiri Tree, Yamada, took an interest in Kaneki and how long it would take to break him. Kaneki was forced to count backwards in intervals of seven from 1000 while Yamori would break and remove Kaneki's digits, arms and legs to watch them grow back.
The Tokyo Ghoul anime phenomenally juggles the perspectives of the many opposing characters; CCG, Aogiri Tree, Anteiku and Kaneki. It capitalizes on this by quickly transitioning between them as the torture begins in Episode 11, switching from Kaneki's POV to the CCG's, back to Kaneki then to Anteiku, back to Kaneki and then to Aogiri. The frequent change in viewpoint makes the audience feel the same anxiety felt by the members of Anteiku as they wondered how far Kaneki's torture had progressed.
The anime was much more meticulous in its choice not to show too much torture at once but rather delay it over the course of many days -- making it all the more difficult to stop watching. This is a significant strength of the anime adaptation as the flow of the scenes becomes binge-worthy. Combined with the brutal audio the sound designers so masterfully chose, the torture becomes an assault on the audience's senses.
A major change between the Tokyo Ghoul manga and anime that contributed to the latter's better flow was the decision to keep Yamada torturing Kaneki during his disassociation hallucination with Rize Kamishiro. The manga has its own interesting way of emphasizing Kaneki's psychological damage that is seen in both the increasingly erratic placement of panels and thought bubbles making Chapter 61, "Glimmer," all the more anxiety-inducing to read. Here, Yamada takes a break from torturing Kaneki, allowing him to dissociate and hallucinate in relative peace.
The anime tweaked this by having Yamada torture Kaneki throughout his disassociation episode, making the scenes all the more dramatic to watch as he is being tortured the entire time. The manga's choice stemmed from the decision to have Yamada execute a mother and child in front of Kaneki -- unless he chose which one was to die. The anime circumvented this by placing Kaneki's hallucination directly after his torture but before the execution (which was changed to a ghoul couple), thus allowing for the sequence of events to feel much more natural, sudden and emotionally impactful. He finally snaps after being forced to witness the execution, as indicated by his change in hair color.
As Yamori reveals his intention to finally devour him, Kaneki boldly jumps free from his chains, leaping over his torturer and trying to garrote him before he is shaken off. As the unforgettable opening theme begins to play, the audience is presented with the coolest and most visually aesthetic fight in the entire anime. As Kaneki attempts a kick, Yamori catches his ankle mid-air. Kaneki reacts by twisting his body a full 360* just to kick Yamori in the face, destroying his leg in the process -- only for it to heal a few seconds later thanks to his unique regenerative properties.
In a spine-chillingly cold voice, Kaneki ghoulishly asks, "You think that after everything else, something like that hurts?" The animation quality during this fight is unrivaled; every single attack thrown by the two is particularly well animated and choreographed, making the final episode even more rewarding to watch closely. Furthermore, the way that Yamori's kagune glows red when swung in a rage is animated beautifully, giving a great deal of insight into how he felt in his final moments. The fight is all the more impressive as even the strikes from kagunes are wonderfully choreographed and animated.
The success of Tokyo Ghoul's first season was well-deserved. Its meticulous use of black, white and red in the color palette of the last two episodes helps invoke the same anxiety and rage felt by Kaneki and Yamori, further leading the audience to lose themselves in immersion. The anime manages to utilize every strength that only on-screen adaptations can: from its fluid animation and breathtaking colors to the unforgettable soundtrack and thrilling sound design, Tokyo Ghoul is a banquet to the senses.
Tokyo Ghoul can be streamed on Crunchyroll, Funimation and Hulu.