Tokyo Ghoul: re - Episodes 4 & 5 (Review)
By: EyeSpyeAlex
Missed my last review? Check it out here!
Ghoulishly good spoilers ahead!
The auction undercover mission ends up being more risky than Toru wants. Kidnapped in their cab, Toru awakens as they are being auctioned off to the highest bidder, with the amount increasing as Toru is revealed to be part ghoul. Toru fetches a hefty sum in the hundreds of millions, which delights The Nutcracker. As the Nutcracker leads Toru down to the holding and reception area, Toru escapes. All the while Juzo is preparing for their own auction, which turns into a surprise assault on the unsuspecting ghouls.
What ensues is a bloodbath. Waiting in the wings for the fray to start is Takizawa, a former Investigator turned One-Eyed ghoul. Takizawa wastes no time slaughtering an entire squad of CCG operatives before running off to kill more. The Nutcracker also proves to be a formidable opponent, taking out a whole squad herself. Not to mention the Aogiri Tree members and the Clowns who are ready to take down any Doves, and do so gleefully.The fighting continues on a smaller scale as Torso and Tsukiyama’s (aka The Gourmet’s) assistant fight over who can keep Toru. Tsukiyama’s assistant emerges the victor, but isn’t victorious for long as the Quinx Squad shows up to rescue Toru. Sasaki tells Urie to take Toru to safety and prepares to go head to head against Tsukiyama’s assistant. Sasaki easily overpowers the ghoul, but before he can unleash any fatal injuries, the assistant is rescued by a mysterious ghoul named Matsumae.
Not wanting to miss any of the action due to guard duty, Urie “accidentally” leads Toru down through the basement of the building where they find the ghoul attendees hiding from the fight. They are surprised to find Juzo there, and Urie once again fibs to retain some battle glory. He tells the others that he cannot reach backup due to a weak radio signal, then prepares an onslaught on the unsuspecting ghouls. Urie does a surprisingly good job of taking down the ghouls, but gets cocky when he faces off against Big Madam. In a sneak attack, Urie is critically injured by Big Madam. While that is happening, Sasaki is preparing to face off alone against Takizawa. The episode ends on a cliffhanger, with the fate of both Quinx Squad members unknown.
The Review
These latest episodes leaving me feeling hopeful about Tokyo Ghoul: re. The anime is doing a good job of following the manga, and so far has been a very solid adaptation. I think the reason I enjoyed these episodes so much is because it focused on the best part of Tokyo Ghoul: the action. While I enjoy the drama and relationships the world has created, the reason I’m really here is for the fighting and ruthlessness of the ghouls.
One of the best things about these latest episodes is how brutal they animated Takizawa’s attacks on the CCG. Watching him mercilessly kill CCG operatives while calling their blood jam was so gruesome and so good. Urie’s selfish attitude was also less obnoxious than it has been in previous episodes, which is always a bonus. I think the only downside is the pacing. Reading the manga has made me experience the scenes more quickly than watching them has, so it feels like the episodes are moving slowly.New episodes of Tokyo Ghoul: re air Tuesday’s on Funimation and Hulu.