Here is what I have been waiting for so long…a view into Kaneki’s thoughts, feelings and motivations. It’s just a tidbit, but damn, it feels good.
The best thing about the original TG and about TG:re, the thing that sucked us all in and kept us riveted, was Kaneki’s tragic story, his emotional responses to them, and his character development. The emotional resonance truly set Ishida’s writing apart.
But the window into Kaneki’s/Sasaki’s inner world was slammed shut by Ishida the moment Kaneki reemerged as Black Reaper, and suddenly he became a complete cipher. We could only view his smooth outer shell and try to read his blunted affect for signs of his intentions, as he showed no evidence of emotion and gave few clues to his thoughts. It was disorienting, mysterious and rather exciting, but it also pushed the reader away from the center of the real action, away from Kaneki’s mind and heart.
Even though he loosened up a little after the fight with Arima and the return of Shironeki, our relationship with Kaneki, like his relationship with all the other characters, remains distant and awkward. We didn’t get to see any revealing conversations between Kaneki and his old friends, some he hadn’t seen for YEARS, even though those talks were needed for closure before the story could move on. (When Tsukiyama and Kaneki barely spoke about the whole Rose Operation before embarking on a new phase in their relationship, I remember thinking “WTF, Ishida!”) We’ve had occasional glimpses of Kaneki’s inner world (especially the brilliant scene with Hide in the middle of the fight with Arima), but we never fully returned to the close emotional relationship we had with Kaneki/Sasaki before Black Reaper.
At least for me, this emotional distance led to a waning of interest in Kaneki himself over time, and by extension, a growing disinterest in TG:re itself. We witnessed some great heart wrenching episodes with other characters (Takizawa’s redemption, Amon’s struggles, Akira broadening her sympathies), but without Kaneki’s true feeling and motivations being clear, it just wasn’t the same. Kaneki is the soul of this magnificent manga, and without a clear connection with him, the entire story felt flat.
But what a difference a few conversations can make, especially when accompanied by beautiful artwork! (I also think the artwork quality has been poor at times recently, but this chapter was stunning.) I’m hoping that Ishida’s just been too busy to devote as much time to fleshing out the story and characterization as he did previously, and that we’re seeing a return to form for my favorite manga ever.
Oh, and thanks, Ishida, for dialing back the changes in Amon’s facial features. He’s more like the lovely Amon we know and love again.
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