Review by Ian Keogh

Tokyo’s population share their city with ghouls, able to pass as human in every respect other than their craving for human flesh. Some hide in the shadows hoping to avoid being tracked down by the CCG, but others have organised themselves into gangs with little concern for human life, and these are the CCG’s greater concern.

Tokyo Ghoul 11 ended with newly introduced investigator Arima’s intention to sort out the ghoul problem in Tokyo’s fourth ward, and the break seemed arbitrary. It was, down to Sui Ishida creating his story for serialisation rather than plotting toward eventual book publication, and in the bigger scheme of things it’s merely a brief interlude.

What seemed to be exactly that in the previous volume now proves something more, as novelist Sen Takatsuki has decided to investigate the world of ghouls, following up on meeting Hina, and arriving unannounced at the CCG headquarters. That’s part of several manipulative plots Ishida sets in motion here, to be played out over the final few volumes. Those who’ve suspected Tsukiayama isn’t to be trusted will have that confirmed, but other aspects of the plotting will take readers by surprise.

Although he doesn’t appear much before halfway, Ken Kaneki remains the character around whom most of the cast revolves, either allied with him or searching for him, and in following those people Ishida offers greater insight into Kaneki. What just seems to be Ishida wandering around the cast is actually meticulously plotted and there’ll be a realisation toward the end that matters were following a path to a decision, or two actually. The consequences play out in Tokyo Ghoul 13.

Fans of ghoul action sequences may be disappointed with a plot-heavy volume, but there are moments of action, and there’s surely been enough over the previous two volumes. Fans caught up in the cast will appreciate how good this volume is.