There are many anime series that have made a big splash upon their release, but the anticipation that accompanied Tokyo Ghoul was on a whole other level. The dark action series creates a rich world where an unsuspecting soul is turned into a pivotal figure that’s caught between humans & demons. Tokyo Ghoul delivers an incredible season of television, but the follow-up sequel series aren’t so lucky.

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Tokyo Ghoul:re attempts to recapture the original series’ magic and push things further, but it proves to be a difficult task. Accordingly, here is which anime is better between Tokyo Ghoul and Tokyo Ghoul:re.

10 Tokyo Ghoul: It’s More Faithful To The Manga

The original season of Tokyo Ghoul has to tackle a lot in a short amount of time, but the focus that it applies to the material that it adapts does it a lot of justice. This is especially important since it’s many people’s introduction to the manga.

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The major hurdle that holds backs Tokyo Ghoul:re is that it adapts so much material in a condensed amount of episodes. The events of Tokyo Ghoul:re may technically match the manga, but they cram so many chapters into a single episode that nearly all of the nuance is lost.

9 Tokyo Ghoul: Re: The Animation

It's worth distinguishing that Tokyo Ghoul was animated by Studio Pierrot, but when Tokyo Ghoul:re came around, the studio had other commitments and it was handed over to Pierrot Plus, which is a considerably smaller operation. Due to this transition and a number of new directors and character designers, there's definitely a new look to Tokyo Ghoul:re.

Related: Tokyo Ghoul: 10 Reasons It's A Must-Read Manga Series

That being said, considering the resources that they had, Tokyo Ghoul:re still looks good and is able to do plenty of the scenes and battles justice. It's a tricky situation, but many production issues were beyond the show's control.

8 Tokyo Ghoul: It Doesn’t Rush The Story

tokyo ghoul hybrid

The scope of Tokyo Ghoul is much smaller than Tokyo Ghoul:re, which the anime is often able to use to its advantage. Rather than sprint through the material like Tokyo Ghoul:re does, this series is more concerned about the story & character beats connecting and actually meaning something. Tokyo Ghoul is a slower series that cherishes tinier moments, but it helps the franchise stand out more than just a typical action anime. Even though there are only 12 episodes in Tokyo Ghoul, the story feels full and like the proper first chapter of this story.

7 Tokyo Ghoul: Re: It Resolves And Continues The Story

Anime Tokyo Ghoul Re Kaneki Lost In Mind

The wait between Tokyo Ghoul and Tokyo Ghoul:re was so long and excruciating that by the time the series came around fans were just eager to get closure. The anticipation towards Tokyo Ghoul:re became even higher when the other series that was made between the two told an original story and only muddled chronology. Despite how the execution may be sloppy, Tokyo Ghoul:re is at least able to continue Kaneki’s story and has two seasons to cover the events of the manga & actually reach the ending.

6 Tokyo Ghoul: The Characters Are Stronger

Anime Tokyo Ghoul Kaneki Mirror Scared

Due to the slowed down nature of Tokyo Ghoul, the anime is actually able to properly devote time to develop its characters. The struggles that Kaneki experiences are obviously central to the series, but this first season also gives attention to those in Kaneki’s inner circle like Touka and Hide. Everyone actually feels like a real character with motivations in Tokyo Ghoul, whereas the dour nature of Tokyo Ghoul:re turns everyone into emotionless stereotypes and loses sight of its cast with bloated additions that don’t offer any new insight.

5 Tokyo Ghoul: Re: Kaneki’s Full Powers Get Unleashed

A lot of the series focuses on Kaneki’s acceptance of his demon side and him not being afraid to embrace the powers that come along with it. In Tokyo Ghoul Kaneki’s importance is made very clear, but when Tokyo Ghoul:re rolls around he’s practically achieved a mythical status. It’s as if Kaneki is a deity for demons. Kaneki’s strength continues to reach crazier places, which culminates in the series’ final episodes which turn Kaneki into a Godzilla-esque dragon that devastates the city.

4 Tokyo Ghoul: The World Is Mysterious And Unique

At the end of the day, Tokyo Ghoul may just be viewed as a bloody action series, but it really does phenomenal work in terms of the world that it builds. There are many series that approach stories that look at hybrid-demons and characters pulled between extremes, but Tokyo Ghoul really fleshes everything out. There’s such a clear infrastructure in place, whether it’s in how the demons hide, their many factions, or the government that opposes them. Even the history and creativity behind the demon’s kagune is fascinating.

3 Tokyo Ghoul: Re: The Stakes Are Higher

Despite any drop in quality between Tokyo Ghoul and Tokyo Ghoul:re, there’s no arguing that the story in the latter is considerably bigger. Tokyo Ghoul:re is able to push the ideas from Tokyo Ghoul even further and while that means resolutions for characters, it also means the fate of the entire world is at risk. Ghouls are a persistent problem in the series, but Tokyo Ghoul:re essentially ushers in the apocalypse and carries a very bleak atmosphere for the final run of episodes. It shows this complex world get pushed to ruin and ponders if there is any hope for survival in a murky future.

2 Tokyo Ghoul: The Action Sequences

Anime Tokyo Ghoul Kagune Prepared

Tokyo Ghoul handles a lot of diverse ideas, but it’s the action sequences that draws much of the audience. There’s a true level of spectacle to the battles that take place, whether they involve demons or humans. There’s such variety present in the elaborate kagune that the demon utilize and it’s very exciting to see these powerful creatures embrace their roots and not hold back. There are some really thrilling moments that hit even harder because of the absurd abilities that Tokyo Ghoul establishes.

1 Tokyo Ghoul: Re: It Expands The Cast Beyond Kaneki

Tokyo Ghoul does an excellent job introducing Kaneki and his allies, but Tokyo Ghoul:re gets even more ambitious with the scope of its cast. Kaneki remains the focus, but the anime learns how to exist without him and brings many more important characters into the fray like Mutsuki, Shirazu, and Urie. Even the treatment of Kaneki’s alter ego, Sasaki, is handled like a unique character. Additionally, groups like Aogiri Tree, Owls, and the organizations such as the Commission of Counter Ghoul guarantee that Tokyo Ghoul:re keeps its cast busy.

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