Novel Review | Tokyo Ghoul: Days
Tokyo Ghoul is a fan favorite series, able to stand its own against big names such as Attack on Titan and Sword Art Online. Anyone who has ever watched the Tokyo Ghoul anime or read the manga knows that the world the series creates has a lot going on beyond main character Ken Kaneki and thus, enter novel series. Tokyo Ghoul: Days, the first novel in the series, grants readers a glimpse into the daily lives of some of the Tokyo Ghoul characters fans know of but maybe don’t know so well.
One beloved factor of Tokyo Ghoul is its pool of characters, both ghoul and human, all of which have their own unique characteristics and purpose in the frankly stark world the story portrays. As with any story that hosts such a diverse group, it is only natural that there be some individuals who we are left wondering about; Who they really are? What makes them and what motivates them. In fact, many of the characters in Tokyo Ghoul would seemingly benefit from more time in the spot light to shine and flaunt themselves, which is what the graphic novel series tries to do.
This six chapter novel uses each chapter to tell a small story surrounding one or more of the many characters in the Tokyo Ghoul series such as Hideyoshi Nagachika and Touka Kirishima, even introducing a few new faces. While none of the stories are anything to majorly impact the Tokyo Ghoul universe or the main story, they do afford a small look into the lives and minds of some of the sideline characters of the series, fleshing them out and making them a little more real. The stories themselves are however of a wide variety. Be it the innocent tale of Kaneki and Touka taking Hinami to the library where she inadvertently learns about the harsh reality of life as a ghoul or Hide’s early ghoul encounter which could have lost him his life, even the story of ghoulish new comer Ikuma Momochi, who comes to the city to follow his musical dreams, there is a story for every Tokyo Ghoul fan.
The novel is a great break from the graphically intense manga or anime series and it great for fans who are looking for an actual book to read. The book does however break up the monotony of text with relevant illustrations every couple of pages to help draw readers into what’s going on. The cover actually opens up to a fold out page which on one side displays a paint-styled image of Touka and Hinami at the library and on the other, manga-style panels of each of the characters. While the 255 pages of the novel aren’t considered much, its still wonderful to have the artwork so seamlessly integrated into the reading experience.
Tokyo Ghoul: Days is definitely meant for fans of the series. Those waiting for the next season of the anime or the latest manga chapter will be thoroughly entertained, but again, only fans. If you have never read or watched Tokyo Ghoul this is not the place to start. The novel in no way caters to series novices and jumps in expecting that you know the characters and the world and that you’re simply reading to expand on what you already know. Anyone who has no prior knowledge of the series will have a hard time following or even finding interest in whats going on and most definitely not appreciate or even notice the quaint little elements such as Kaneki and Hide’s banter.
At the end of the day, Tokyo Ghoul: Days is an enjoyable novel by Shin Towada and Sui Ishida meant for their fans to enjoy. It is a job well done and any fanboy or fangirl would be lucky to add it to their collection.
