To add to the discourse on this brutal scene:
Arata and Hikari’s ring caught on Kaneki’s severed arm serves as a sharp reminder to Touka of her parents’ fates. :re is about breaking free from your tragic heritage, but for a brief moment Touka thought that it was impossible to break the birdcage and that the tragedy of her parents had been repeated all over again. Thank goodness she kept on trying anyway! That determination in the face of seeming certain tragedy is how the series suggests we carve the path to brighter futures.
Similarly, the scene is reminiscent of:
Touka always finds herself haunted by rings. Just as Mado’s ring linked to her parents’ ring in her mind and made her realise that she was inflicting the same tragedies that made her life so miserable, seeing the ring on Kaneki’s arm made her believe she was stuck in the tragedy - and that it was her fault, in being unable to save him. Especially since Kaneki said he’d be thinking of her every time he saw it. Yowch.
No wonder this speech-bubble cracking scream. The only other time I recall this technique being used is when Kaneki found out what he did as Dragon. Both of them are suffering so much right now, in this final gauntlet before the peaceful avenue presents itself.
