Is Tokyo Ghoul Scary?

Tokyo Ghoul is a Japanese horror fantasy Anime series that first aired in 2014. Just like most anime series, it was first a dark fantasy manga. The popularity of this anime has spread over the years across and beyond the boundaries of Japan. Due to the keyword ‘Ghoul,’ many people often wonder if Tokyo Ghoul is scary. 

Tokyo Ghoul, both the manga and anime series, is scary. However, I believe that it’s more action than scary. The series is action-packed but has many bloody scenes. The reason is that it tells the story of human-looking ghouls that feed on human flesh to survive, proving the horrific nature of the anime. 

I’ve been a fan of anime since childhood and have amassed significant knowledge about them. Tokyo Ghoul is also one of my favorites. Due to this, I can share accurate and more relatable experiences on the series.

If you fear blood or violence, then Tokyo Ghoul is not an anime for you. It’s easier to read the manga series, but seeing the story in action might leave mental scars on you. I will explain why I say Tokyo Ghoul is scary and include if it’s dark and suitable for kids. Let’s delve in! 

Is Tokyo Ghoul Dark?

According to Wikipedia, Tokyo Ghoul is a Japanese dark fantasy manga/anime series. The setting and plot of the series have established that fact.

Tokyo Ghoul is a very dark anime series. The anime has a lot of scenes that give its viewers jump scares. Also, the story involves creatures that look like normal humans eating real humans. If you ask me, that’s a dark theme. 

There are so many scenes that establish this fact. An example of such a scene is in Season one of the anime. Here, Kaneki was being hunted by a ghoul while other ghouls watched and placed bets. 

Furthermore, a lot of activities in the series Tokyo Ghoul also depict occultism. The ghouls have red irises and black pupils. As much as I hate to admit it, the makers of the anime series did a great job in displaying details. There were many scenes of ghouls eating humans alive and dead and even fighting over human flesh. In others, there were suicides, characters tossing human bodies about, and blood lust. 

As a result, most viewers have related the storyline of Tokyo Ghoul to Illuminati. Symbols, words, places, and actions have been tagged demonic and evil. 

Is Tokyo Ghoul Scary?

Most people won’t consider Tokyo Ghoul scary, especially if they’ve watched more frightening anime series like ‘Berserk’ and ‘Attack on Titan.’ In addition, some people have no problem with horror movies and are a bit more mentally mature than most viewers. These people won’t consider Tokyo Ghoul scary. 

However, other people are the direct opposite. If you are one, the problem you’ll be facing is the emotionally disturbing part of Tokyo Ghoul. The depression. 

According to official anime sites and a majority of the viewers, Tokyo Ghoul is a scary anime series with a lot of gory, bloody, and horrific scenes. This YouTube video below also includes a scene from it in the Top Ten most terrifying anime scenes.

Other than the blood effects and violence, the background music that plays during fight scenes and other disgusting scenes gets to you. It has a way of making you feel whatever is happening, contributing to the scary nature of the anime. 

There are many scenes of the main character, Kaneki, being tortured severely in different ways. In an instance, parts of his body, like his toes, were being amputated. He was also made to choose between two people who were still terribly killed by the villain. 

Although the series flashed scenes like that for a few seconds on the screen, the echoing screams of the boy passed the message. Those were the most terrifying scenes for me. 

Watching Tokyo Ghoul may give you a few nightmares if you are not strong at heart. However, the anime is very efficient in its scary effects. 

Is Tokyo Ghoul For Kids?

Tokyo Ghoul is not for kids. The series is rated TV-MA. This rating means it is a show for adults and may contain violence and nudity. 

In countries like Brazil, Canada, India, Malaysia, Russia, and South Korea, Tokyo Ghoul is rated 18+. This rating means only adult citizens can watch the anime without being disturbed emotionally or mentally. 

In countries like Australia, Germany, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom, and Portugal, older teenagers aged 15/16 and above can watch the anime series. 

Only a few countries have a rating of 13+ for Tokyo Ghoul. An example of such countries as Italy and Canada (Quebec), although with parental supervision. 

Nevertheless, I rate Tokyo Ghoul 18+. The series is not for children or younger teenagers. Better to play safe and rate it for adults strictly. In fact, only very few episodes are violence-free. 

Furthermore, many viewers have confirmed that Tokyo Ghoul revolves around a lot of adult characters. This statement means a lot of smoking, drugs, and swear words are involved. All these negatively influence the minds of children. 

Adults can watch scenes displaying smoking and not feel a thing. However, this is different for children. 

Also, a small amount of nudity is displayed, like the scene where Kaneki was showering, and the producers revealed his buttocks. There are a few other scenes of exposed cleavage of attractive female characters, and a scene showed a female ghoul eating a human penis. These quick flashes of nudity are disturbing for young viewers. 

Although I have rated Tokyo Ghoul 18+, it depends on the level of your maturity. Even some adults won’t be able to watch Tokyo Ghoul. The reason is that there are a lot of disturbing facts behind the series. Notwithstanding, the conclusion is that kids below 16/18 should not watch Tokyo Ghoul.

If children of certain ages watch Tokyo Ghoul, it may influence them to practice violence. Also, they may begin to show signs of depression that the series exhibited. The anime has a lot of suicide and depression, especially from Kaneki when he found out Rize and doctor Kanou turned him into a ghoul. 

Tokyo Ghoul is a very scary anime for some and is quite normal for others. It all depends on how much you can bear. However, it is not an anime I will recommend for kids. 

Tokyo Ghoul is very dark and horrific for children, no matter how mature they may think they are. Children get most of the destructive behaviors they exhibit from what they watch on TV. Imagine what bad traits they may pick from watching Tokyo Ghoul. Therefore, we must all view it responsibly.

If you are looking to get started with Tokyo Ghoul, check out our complete watch order.