"The sky next to tragedy is a clear blue"

Tokyo Ghoul:re is probably among the most poetic sequels to anything I've ever read, thanks to the talent of Mr Sui Ishida. While the original was outstanding in its own right, the sequel not only parallels and overall enriches it, it serves as a thematic addition that makes it a memorable work of fiction. Without spoiling anything, it takes the tragedy of the original and expands on persevering through hardships.

One major criticism is the amount of characters, which I can understand, however Ishida intended it to be a manga to digested slowly to appreciate each one's journey and see how they parallel with the protagonists. Do not blaze through this one, the subtleties of constant character development is probably the highest point of the experience.

The other main criticism is how the story ends, or more specifically how things go after chapter 85ish. The poor mangaka was fighting burnout and exhaustion, and said specifically that he wouldn't have the energy to finish. As someone who has dabbled in writing a while back, I can understand what he's talking about. There are a couple spots where his exhaustion really comes out, being the last chunk of Rushima Island and the Clown Arc, but he is able to get it together for the big moments. Considering all of that, the final arc was something that had me on the edge of my seat every week (to the point it was almost obsessive haha). Sure there were some flaws along the way in a writing perspective, but I can't be mad that it ended the way I personally wanted it to. Best I can describe the ending is flawed but beautiful in my personal opinion.

Overall, Tokyo Ghoul has been a major part of my life for the past 6 years and I can't thank Mr Sui Ishida enough for the ride. It helped me through some rough spots and taught me things about pain, loss, perseverance and seeking happiness. Despite its shortcomings in places, it remains my favorite manga of all time.