There are many gory, terrifying, and strong characters in Tokyo Ghoul. From Ken Kaneki, to Arima, to Touka — their ghoulish forms could make their very audience cringe with fear!
Tokyo Ghoul is an urban fantasy anime where many people prefer to read the manga rather than just watching the anime. So, upon picking it up, I was mind-blown! It was nothing like the anime!
Since the incredible storyline of the manga is still fresh on my mind, allow me to extract a portion of my mind and present the 25 strongest characters in Tokyo Ghoul.
25Kurona Yasuhisa
As an Artificial One-eyed ghoul twin and former cadet of The Commission of Counter Ghoul (CCG), Kurona is CCG’s next top-of-the-shelf investigator!
When she inherited Rize Kamishiro’s kakuhō, her regenerating abilities rose exponentially along with her Rinkaku Kagune!
Her popularity had a small boost this year because memes like this started popping up.
Before Nashiro’s death, Kurona fused with her twin sister to acquire some Rinkaku Kakuja powers. She needed a power upgrade because she’s fixated to take revenge against professor Kanou.
Along with her SS-rating power levels, it’s no wonder how she acquired considerable strength in manifesting her Kagune Arm when battling against Amon!
24Jason / Yakumo Oomori
Don’t belittle this character just because he’s ranked 24th in this list. His 13th Ward’s “Jason” nickname is clearly a pun on Jason Voorhees, a famous character of the 1980 horror movie, Friday the 13th.
Calling him a madman is an understatement! He is a dangerous cannibal leader who collects torture devices to decimate his “toys”. As a Rinkaku user, he’s also an S-rated ghoul with the ability to mutilate his preys. 😖
Oomori has mastery over Rinkaku Kagune and Kakuja, making them life-threatening weapons.
When Jason went berserk while possessing superhuman strength, he can overpower his enemies even Kaneki during the early stages of the story (Chapter 52)!
23Shikorae / Rio
The damage that Kijira inflicted on Shikorae left the latter’s face mutilated and his mind, unstable. But don’t underestimate this former orphan just because his craziness is hindering his true potential.
Shikorae’s powers stem from possessing all 4 Rc Cell Absorption types: Bikaku, Kōkaku, Rinkaku, and Ukaku.
In addition to being an SS-class Kagune user, he absorbed Dragon Orphans’ cells in the 6-year time-skip to gain an enormous Kakuja with multiple limbs and an incomprehensible strength!
He may be a side character originating from the Tokyo Ghoul: Jail video game. But Ishida found his character arc so interesting that he levelled Rio (Shikorae’s name before his ghoul transformation) up in the manga!
22Hinami Fueguchi
Don’t be fooled by Hinami’s attractive looks! She may be innocent and pretty. However, her strategic thinking and position of power as a commander allowed her to fight alongside the Aogiri Tree terrorist organization.
Known as Number 745 or Daughter in the CCG files, Hinami has been exhibiting Rinkaku and Kōkaku Kagune powers since birth! And by the time of Tokyo Ghoul:re (Chapter 68), she has reached an SS ghoul rating!
Right now, she may lack the fighting experience to go up to SS+. But with her formidable arsenal abilities, she was capable of inflicting wounds even on Takizawa (a former Rank 2 Ghoul Investigator).
21Kaiko
Old, bald, and anemic eyed Kaiko is the Dragon conspirator of the secret V organization.
He’s a high-ranking ghoul claiming to uphold “balance” between ghouls and humans. But underneath, his twisted sense of justice give way for several shady businesses.
One such example is when he drinks RC cell solutions to extend his life. The cost — accelerated aging, hence his old appearance.
But Kaiko is only half-ghoul (and a failed one, too). And to compensate this, he used toxins from Dragon to become 100% ghoul.
He’s already powerful with superhuman regeneration, swordsmanship skills, and a tail kagune. But his 100% ghoul physiology gave him leeway to use Owl-based Quinque, an explosive combat weapon that can fire Ukakus.
20Kuki Urie
Cool-headed, stern, and independent. What more could you ask for from CCG’s ghoul investigator specialist, mentor, and finally, S2 Squad’s leader?
Urie may come off as a greedy Quinx in the beginning. But at Shirazu’s death, his character development started to shine and Urie’s heart softens.
A stark contrast to his soft sides is his hard-core muscular strength, regenerative abilities, and superior senses. But it’s his Quinx physiology that boosts his ranking.
At first, he cannot contain the increasing power of his Kōkaku Kagune as he was formerly human who then became half-human by becoming a Quinx.
It’s only when he mastered Quinque and Ginkui after his first fight that Urie became proficient in containing his kagune.
19Saiko Yonebayashi
Make way for the spunky Rank 2 Ghoul Investigator — Saiko Yonebayashi!
Whenshe made her debut in Tokyo Ghoul:re (Episode 2), she has the ‘highest aptitude among compatible Quinx surgery candidates’. Her red-coloredleft eye is proof of that because it’s the location of her kakugan.
Also remember that kagunes depend on the ghoul’s intellectual capabilities, creativity, and Rc cells. So, judging Saiko just by her twin-tailed seafoam hair, I can tell she’s a very artistic gal!
As a Quinx Squad leader, Saiko’s cunningness, creativity, and Rc cells allowed her kagune to progress magnificently! And that’s why she can manipulate her Rinkaku Kagune according to her own will.
18Touka Kirishima
Touka is dubbed “best girl” and “favourite female character” among Tokyo Ghoul fans. But why is she popular? Is it because she’s a deuteragonist, or is it because she has a strong sense of justice?
In any case, Touka stands out a lot because she’s a character willing to fight the CCG for ghoul mistreatment. Her desire for revenge is what drives her to become stronger.
Her two-winged Ukaku power is her Kagune signature along with her pseudo-electro kinesis abilities, agility, and durability. Many times, she supresses her emotions so she can think and act rationally instead of rushing into a fight.
But when social injustice towards ghouls goes overboard (which it often does), then that’s when she’s going to electrocute her enemies with lightning!
17Donato Porpora
This clever Russian ghoul never gets a break even if he’s incarcerated for nearly 2 decades! Believe it or not, this brilliant-minded man was given the nickname “Priest” by the kids who had been living with him in a Catholic orphanage.
And as the 23rd ward’s ghoul, Donato is formidable because his dual-personality and deception misleads many people (not just CCG investigators).
Even if Donato was found guilty of devouring the orphans, many CCG officials still visit him in prison for classified information. 😨 This guy’s the top of the shelf! You won’t find anything like him.
He already possesses superhuman regeneration and incredible strength. But his life-threatening Kōkaku Kagune that is capable of cloning sets him apart from the rest!
16Koutarou Amon
There’s no doubt that Amon is one of the edgiest characters in the series! In his former life as a human, he was a first-class ghoul investigator partnered with the intelligent and fair Akira Mado.
After failing CCG’s ghoulification experiment, Amon transformed into a One-eyed half-ghoul leaving his kakugan underdeveloped.
Despite his failed status, his ghoul physiology says otherwise. He can regenerate his torso; carry heavy Kōkaku Quinque; and shoot missiles and launch projectiles using his Ukaku Kagune from his grotesque looking Ukaku Kakuja armour.
But his greatest strength was rooted from his RC levels – the very same biological aspects that declared him a failed ghoul experiment. Amon’s an unstable kakuja, which means his high RC cells are uncontrollable and can only be subdued by Dr. Kanou’s drugs.
15Seidou Takizawa
Unhinged. That’s one word to summarize the enormous pain that half-ghoul Seidou went through after Dr. Kanou tormented and transformed him into a One-eyed ghoul.
Professor Kanou and his comrades’ acts towards ghoul torturing and experimentation are inexcusable. But the more they pushed through their evil deeds, the more Seidou’s eyes are opened; hence, why he joined Kaneki’s “Goat” resistance.
Known as Owl in the Aogiri Tree, Seidou constantly struggles with his inferiority complex. He may not be a natural born ghoul, but his real talent surfaces after inheriting the kakuhō of an SSS-rated ghoul — Yoshimura.
Because it’s only an inheritance, Seidou was unable to control Yoshimura’s Ukaku Kakuja in its complete form.
This kakuja may have the ability to make Seidou stronger by allowing him to wield blades; but it takes a toll on his body because his mental state goes berserk in the process.
14Roma Hoito
When Roma said this famous quote from Chapter 135 of the manga, “This world’s a circus. Everything’s meaningless enjoyment.”, I was instantly reminded of Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad.
Apart from being psychotic, flamboyant, and associating herself with the circus, Roma infiltrated café Anteiku for The Clowns!
As Gypsy, she’s an SS-class ghoul; as a member of The Clown, she’s a Kagune Detachment type; but as The Dodgy Mother, her rank was upgraded to an SSS-class ghoul!
This is probably because of the powerful but unknown kagune and kakuja making up her ghoul physiology.
Many fans interpret that she possessed a Rinkaku Kagune because of the tendrils sprouting from her body before she immediately recovers.
Furthermore, when she tried to obstruct the Goat’s uprising that Kaneki is leading, her actions indicate that she’s a wild card despite her clumsy adorable appearance!
13Noro / Noroi
Talk about psychedelic! I thought there’s nothing scarier than ghouls in this anime. But here comes silent boy Noro (real name: Noroi) — a masked, zombie-like entity who’s bound to appear in audience’s nightmares!
He’s not scary because of his regenerative ability to create kagune-like tentacles from his torso even after his upper half is mutilated. Rather, he’s frightening because of the following:
- his deafening muteness;
- a wicked smile accompanying his:
- decapitated head;
- blind eyes (or eyeless face); and
- a mummified nose-less face (that strongly reminds me of Harry Potter’s Voldemort).
His inhumane character design is engrossingly captivating that I forgot to mention that he’s in his late 50s to 60s! Apart from being a gluttonous and quiet ghoul, he has a large appetite for meat!
12Ayato Kirishima
To put it bluntly, this one’s a pretty boy! His older sister (Touka Kirishima) calls him “Black Rabbit”. And rightfully so because he was born as a full ghoul!
On top of his superhuman senses, he possesses a vermillion single winged kagune that serves as a firearm ammunition storage. As an SS-rated Ghoul, he shows a lot of dormant potential in Tokyo Ghoul:re.
For example, his Ukaku Kagune can take both defensive and offensive forms. All Ayato needs to do is adjust his hardened Kukaku around his arm as if he’s wrapping it. This will ensure a low stamina is consumed while he partially uses RC cells to blasts shards.
11Nimura Furuta / Kichimura Washuu
Furuta is the perfect foil for Kaneki! With his complex character background, it’s no wonder he becomes fans’ favourite villain despite being in the brink of insanity.
Known as Kichimura Washuu (former CCG Bureau Director), Furuta infiltrated many organizations so he can build his alliances from the ground up. His plan in destroying the Washuu’s birdcage even went according to keikaku!
Furuta may be a failed half-ghoul, but he became stronger after acquiring Rize’s kakugan and kakuhō. He’s already a proficient swordsman using his Bikaku-type Quinque sword.
But his physical strength exponentially increased when he used his Rinkaku Kagune to improve his healing abilities. All of this though, is at the cost of a shortened lifespan.
10Tatara
A leader, a public representative, and a torturer for the Aogiri Tree terrorist group — that’s only one way to describe a white haired, red-eyed, and red-masked guy named Tatara.
Tatara despises his oppressors (Takizawa and Houji) who put him through hell during the ghoulification process.
So, aside from his superhuman durability and reflexes, Tatara has the mental capability to produce flames at 4,000 °C to severely torture Takizawa. (Now that’s how you show-and-tell pseudo-pyrokinesis!)
Aside from that, he has no regard for Artificial One-eyed ghouls. When he realized that Kaneki’s eye is useless (saying that it’s “no good”), he immediately discards Kaneki and gifted him to Ayato.
Tatara also possess an unknown kagune that could annihilate several CCG squad investigators while developing a salamander-like kakuja.
9Shachi / Matasaka Kamishiro
We need more appreciation for Shachi — a calm Aogiri Tree member who avoids killing people needlessly! As the former leader of the ghouls in the 6th ward, this is a guy who relies less on his powers.
When he fights his opponents, he dominates the fight not because he unleashed his orca-ensembled Bikaku Kagune. Instead, he applies the hand-to-hand combat techniques he learned from his several years of training with the Xiao Lin monks.
Being proficient in the martial arts gives this battle monk the upper hand. His kagune would, of course, make his ghoul physiologies operate effectively. But instead of consuming his kagune, he depends on tactile battle know-hows.
For example, he may be weaker than an Arata-powered Suzuya. But if we remove Arata from the equation and add the fact that Shachi applies his physical counterattacks, he will destroy base Suzuya.
Shachi is not only well-versed in the martial arts. He also possesses powerful regeneration abilities. As the foster father of Rize, he has incredible superhuman strength to develop effective strategies in enhancing his punches and kicks.
8Uta
No emo guy can sport piercings and tattoos like “No Face” Uta! As the proprietor of HySy ArtMask Studio, this mask designer is sympathetic and the friendliest member of The Clown faction. Despite his sadistic nature, Uta is perceived to be broken rather than evil.
Aside from his tail kagune, Venus flytrap kakuja, and immense regenerative abilities, Uta can clone himself and is a shapeshifter.
He doesn’t just copy other people’s faces, but their voices as well. He could even shapeshift into Arima, the Special Class Ghoul Investigator of CCG!
Uta once gained the upper hand when he fought Suzuya, who couldn’t even land a blow on his opponent!
And to think, Uta wasn’t even giving his all at that fight! One fight scene also highlights how Uta took the fighting advantage against Yomo.
7Juuzou Suzuya / Rei Suzuya (with Arata)
No one can understand the pain tolerance that Suzuya endured under the hands of Big Madam. But it’s because of these kinds of tortures that Suzuya was declared to be “The Next Arima” of the S3 Squad by Furuta.
Even though he’s not a Child of the Garden like Arima, Suzuya is known to be “The Reaper”. He possesses the auto-equipping Arata to make him agile and powerful like SS or SSS-rated ghouls.
The Arata (or Arata Joker) is a Quinque armour made from the Kōkaku Kakuja of Arata Kirishima (the Corpse Collector and father of Touka Kirishima). The only downside, however, is that it’s eating Suzuya’s life force away whenever he wears the armour.
Suzuya may be smart enough to counterattack a powerful investigator’s tactics like Arima’s. But he needs Arata because he doesn’t have a powerful Quinque.
To go all out and not hold back on a fight tells the audience that Suzuya is relying too much on his battle senses. He is wily but prefers fighting in teams against his opponents because he believes that’s one way to get the upper hand.
6Rize Kamishiro (Dragon Form)
Rize’s angelic beauty is captivating! But unfortunately, her cannibalism knows no bounds. She’s a glutton and was even nicknamed “Binge Eater” because of her voracious appetite for Artificial One-eyed ghouls.
As Futura’s half-sister, Rize’s Rinkaku Kagune can tackle several enemies because of its abnormal regeneration ability to sprout as many as six tentacles!
But Rize is at her strongest when her body was used as a host for Dragon so that her Aogiri Tree tormenters can begin the ghoulification process in Tokyo. If you know about the Hydra dragon from Greek mythology, then Rize’s body was adopted from that concept.
The only difference is this: Rize’s body is literally attached to Dragon’s core. So, no matter how strong she budged, she’s stuck!
What a celebration it is for the ghouls leading this terrifying experiment! Rize’s dragon succeeded in carrying out its tasks: it emitted toxins that horrifically transforms Tokyo citizens into ghouls!
5Kuzen Yoshimura
Who would have thought that Anteiku café’s manager is an SSS-rated ghoul? And to top it off, ghoul investigators dubbed him as the second Owl, or to be more specific, the Non-Killing Owl!
If Yoshimura is still young, he could’ve gained the upper hand when fighting Seidou. After all, this gentle old man still has some strengths left in him to restrain several ghouls classified in the special classes!
Yoshimura is a cannibal whose ghoul physiology is comparable to a tank machine! He possesses four kakuhōs and specialized Ukaku Kakujas that can overwhelm his enemies with synchronous blades and projectiles.
He’s one of V’s best fighters because he fought Shinohara, the Kuroiwa Squad, Suzuya, Houji and many ghouls on his own. With his superhuman durability, regeneration capabilities, and pain tolerance, Yoshimura’s a monster!
Furthermore, Yoshimura faced-off against two investigators of Arata along with several strong ones. When fans saw how Kaneki was defeated, Yoshimura stood up nail and tooth against his enemies. The battle was simply insane despite Yoshimura’s durable ghoul physiology!
4Eto Yoshimura
No one is as deranged in the manga as Eto! As the founder of the Aogiri Tree, Eto is a natural One-eyed ghoul who watched the deaths of multiple Special Class Investigators for years on her own.
She even had the audacity to stomp V agents with no effort and hunger for Kaneki’s eyeball!
Eto can eat regular food, but she is a voracious eater of human meat because of the enormous capacity of her Owl Kagune.
It takes a lot of human cannibalization to sustain Eto’s hunger. Not only does she possess inhuman healing powers, but she’s also able to withstand blows on her abdomen!
Because she’s an SSS-rated ghoul, she’s easy pick in this list. As Kuzen’s daughter, her popularity amongst fans also soared because of her crazy personality, her complex past, and her dormant powers.
She is also able to unleash Kakujas that overwhelms many top-off-the-shelf CCG investigators. As a powerful half-ghoul, her Ukaku Kagune is also one of her greatest assets.
And whether Eto’s kagunes detach from her body or take grotesque forms in her appendages, she has advanced mastery over them!
3Kishou Arima
Arima is dubbed as the “White Reaper” because he has been an undefeated Special Class Ghoul Investigator of CCG for 18 years!
As a failed half-ghoul, superhuman agility and a keen intellect were gifted to him even if it means cutting his life short.
He is a genius and a half-human “One-Eyed King” who loves to gamble. He even took a big chance when he saw Kaneki as the next hope to defeat the secret V organization.
This realization came to him when Kaneki scratched Arima and destroyed Arima’s Kōkaku-type IXA.
One trait you can’t miss about him is his near blindness condition. But if his eyes aren’t in this terrible condition, he can single-handedly battle Furuta and Kaneki during the Tokyo Ghoul √A events.
If fighting one-on-one against the reaction movements, tactics, and agility of Shachi, Arima would still win using his Quinque’s offensive power.
Furthermore, Arima is a battle god and a Child of the Garden. He is a master of his Kōkaku-type and Ukaku-type Quinque, which enables him to wield swords, gun-swords, shields, and condensed Rc cells into lightning.
The Owl Quinque that he removed from the Non-Killing One-Eyed Owl (Yoshimura) also proves to be useful; it can shoot missile projectiles out of concentrated Rc cells.
2Nimura Furuta / Kichimura Washuu (Final Form)
Furuta’s final form was revealed at the Dragon Arc of Tokyo Ghoul: re when he battled Kaneki fiercely near one of Dragon’s oviducts. He didn’t expect someone like Kaneki to turn into a dragon, yet here he is in front of his eyes!
During the battle, the cunning Furuta was gaining the upper hand despite not using his Rinkaku Kagune.
But when he unleashed his Dragon-formed kagune, he emitted a massive black kagune that knocked out Dragon Kaneki and his gas mask off from him!
What’s more horrific is Furuta’s merciless capability to slice open Kaneki’s guts and cut his throat down. 😫
Another noteworthy aspect of his final form is Furuta’s love for swordsmanship. He loved it so much that he asked Kaneki to battle him on a proper sword fight.
Kaneki obliged and formed a Quinque Sword from his kagune. But Furuta masterfully wielded a powerful katana that was believed to slice even the strongest ghouls! (The katana was brandished by the secret V organization and given to Furuta after he became the Bureau Chief.)
One of the things that angers Furuta is if his enemies are not in full power mode.
So, when he realized Kaneki is not giving his all in the fight, Furuta released his Rinkaku Kakuja (a power type that reminds viewers of centipede feet and eyes.)
Furuta’s motivation comes from the cocooned Rize, his “precious Dragon”.
It’s obvious from the get-go that this is the source of his strength even if this was not explicitly stated during his battle with Kaneki.
1Ken Kaneki (Dragon Kaneki) / Haise Sasaki
Ken Kaneki, also known as the “Black Reaper,” is the strongest character in the Tokyo Ghoul series. Kaneki was trained by the most gifted CCG agent, White Reaper Kishou Arima himself, and has one of the most astonishing regeneration capabilities.
During the Dragon Arc, when he was trapped inside Dragon’s appendages, he was awakened through mental stimulation.
Dragon fixed all the issues relating to Ken’s ghoul physiology. That’s why he’s an unbeatable monster whose large-scale Dragon Form overtook the 24th ward and Tokyo’s streets.
Not only can he regrow kagune tentacles; he can also create lifeless husks and golems from his body to defend against his opponents!
As an example, he can defeat Furuta with little effort with his full Kakuja alone. He freely manipulates giant blades into numerous shapes and forms because he has advanced mastery of his own Kagune!
Ken also possess an unbelievable amount of Rinkaku Kakuja. When he made himself known as Haise Sasaki, Ken was able to destroy Arima’s IXA and Owl. If Ken did not hold onto this special kakuja, he would have become crazier!
The icing on the cake, however, is Ken’s immunity to ghoulification toxins. Multiple new ghoulish organs sprouted from Ken’s body after he was removed or extracted from Dragon’s body. Hence, his resistance against ghoul toxins is very formidable!
Well, there you have it! I hope you enjoy reading the 25 strongest characters in Tokyo Ghoul. 😁
Which characters are your favourite and who do you think are the strongest amongst your favourites? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!
About Tokyo Ghoul
Tokyo Ghoul (2011 – 2014) is a Japanese dark fantasy manga series written and illustrated by Sui Ishida.
It was the 27th best-selling manga series in Japan in 2013 with 1.60 million estimated sales. In the following year, Tokyo Ghoul became the fourth best-selling manga series in Japan with over 6.90 million copies sold!
The manga was adapted into an anime with three main seasons: Tokyo Ghoul; Tokyo Ghoul √A; and Tokyo Ghoul:re. A couple of live-action films, light novels, and video games were released because of the series’ phenomenal success.
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