Virtually continuing the story that began in Tokyo Ghoul. This time the white doves, and even human characters get little screen time, with the focus squarely on the ghouls. This follow up looks a little more polished and even stylish in the way it was shot (despite some abrupt editing between transitioning scenes), possibly a larger budget, but then again the film holds back on the CGI (although looking particularly better this time around) and action set-pieces which makes you second guess. There are a couple striking scenes, like the opening introduction of the creepy ghoul villain, the ghoul restaurant horrifyingly in full force and film's final ghoulish standoff. Outside of those moments, everything else felt slow and less memorable. Although I did like the constant interactions between Masataka Kubota and Maika Yamamoto's lead characters. Sure there are high stakes, but its more talky and burdened by emotional weight. In some ways it feels more personal and invested in its character's turmoils than the first film, but less exciting and frenetic in its action-thrills. It still provides a WTF, or brutal moment here and there, but the rush is over in seconds.
Kubota's half-ghoul, half-human character Kaneki feels like he took a back-step and in doing so came across much weaker. It definitely shows in the training scene between Kubota and Kirishima early on. He's still battling his affliction, and scared of transforming. There are moments when you think he would break out. Being pushed to the edge, but his character keeps it in check for the majority of the film. Which for me at times became frustrating. He transforms only once, for around 10 or so seconds and that's at the very end. While his trademark mask isn't even seen. It's Nobuyuki Suzuki who steals the show from everyone as Shuu Tsukiyama. A murderous ghoul with epicurean desires and suave fashion sense. He takes real fancy to Kaneki's scent. Tsukiyama truly camps it up, some moments made me chuckle with his over-the-top mannerisms and I don't know if I was meant to either. After while I found his character's actions began to get tiresome in spots, but his gleeful wickedness eventually turns monstrous when he comes to blows in one very long-winded stash with Kubots and Kirishima. His mask design though is of nightmares, and rarely does he take it off when in ghoul form. The other performance to standout was Maika Yamamoto as Kirishima. She really does hold her own, and even takes on more of a role. I found her to be even more cold, cynical and aloof than the actress who protrayed the character in the first film, but her presence was strong enough I thought the scenes without her weren't as engaging. There was pain and sorrow underneath her hard shell, and you see it, via only small cracks and the growth in her character is very evident by the end. In a way I feel like her character is developed and gets a lot more to do especially in ghoul form, even with less screen time than Kaneki. He feels secondary whenever both are on screen. Honestly Kubota is overshadowed by Yamamoto and especially Tsukiyama in every scene they share.
There are some plot points, and minor incidents from the first film that get expanded in this sequel. The first half is its own beast in setting up the players in the ghoul underworld, but come the second half it seemed to follow the same story route as the first film. This occurs when the ghoul who was the classmate that tried to kill Kaneki in the first film comes into the picture along with his human girlfriend. Then it sort plays out in a typical fashion through to the end. Also there's a surprise reveal midway through the end credits.
Tokyo Ghoul S was a good follow-up, although I think I expected a little more from it, yet the performances mainly shine and I could see myself probably liking it more on a repeat viewing.
Kubota's half-ghoul, half-human character Kaneki feels like he took a back-step and in doing so came across much weaker. It definitely shows in the training scene between Kubota and Kirishima early on. He's still battling his affliction, and scared of transforming. There are moments when you think he would break out. Being pushed to the edge, but his character keeps it in check for the majority of the film. Which for me at times became frustrating. He transforms only once, for around 10 or so seconds and that's at the very end. While his trademark mask isn't even seen. It's Nobuyuki Suzuki who steals the show from everyone as Shuu Tsukiyama. A murderous ghoul with epicurean desires and suave fashion sense. He takes real fancy to Kaneki's scent. Tsukiyama truly camps it up, some moments made me chuckle with his over-the-top mannerisms and I don't know if I was meant to either. After while I found his character's actions began to get tiresome in spots, but his gleeful wickedness eventually turns monstrous when he comes to blows in one very long-winded stash with Kubots and Kirishima. His mask design though is of nightmares, and rarely does he take it off when in ghoul form. The other performance to standout was Maika Yamamoto as Kirishima. She really does hold her own, and even takes on more of a role. I found her to be even more cold, cynical and aloof than the actress who protrayed the character in the first film, but her presence was strong enough I thought the scenes without her weren't as engaging. There was pain and sorrow underneath her hard shell, and you see it, via only small cracks and the growth in her character is very evident by the end. In a way I feel like her character is developed and gets a lot more to do especially in ghoul form, even with less screen time than Kaneki. He feels secondary whenever both are on screen. Honestly Kubota is overshadowed by Yamamoto and especially Tsukiyama in every scene they share.
There are some plot points, and minor incidents from the first film that get expanded in this sequel. The first half is its own beast in setting up the players in the ghoul underworld, but come the second half it seemed to follow the same story route as the first film. This occurs when the ghoul who was the classmate that tried to kill Kaneki in the first film comes into the picture along with his human girlfriend. Then it sort plays out in a typical fashion through to the end. Also there's a surprise reveal midway through the end credits.
Tokyo Ghoul S was a good follow-up, although I think I expected a little more from it, yet the performances mainly shine and I could see myself probably liking it more on a repeat viewing.
