With its manga selling approximately 44 million copies, Tokyo Ghoul is known as one of the best horror stories (and one of the best stories) ever written. However, it's a known fact that its anime adaptation, capping itself at 4 seasons, did not meet expectations as manga readers were left angry and most left confused between seasons 2 and 3. Some seasons of this anime are better than others, and of the four here are the best ones to watch

3. Route A

Universally panned as a bad idea, the second season of Tokyo Ghoul was hated from the start. From fans wondering why Kaneki allied himself with the organization that tortured him to why Kaneki’s fight with Arima was cut, most people agree that Route A would have been better if it stuck to the original script instead of deviating; which, didn’t seem like a bad idea at first.

People saying that any manga is better than its anime have existed for a long time, so changing the anime away from the manga sounds like a good idea. The problem comes when the original manga is well-written and logical, so any deviations automatically make less sense and infuriate anyone who knows what Kaneki should be doing as opposed to what he is doing.

However, there are some things that this season did well, like how it humanized Touka. Taking her away from the fights she got into in season 1 and making her a normal girl who is worried about college makes her seem more relatable and flips the dynamic that she had with Kaneki during season 1. Also, the raid on Anteiku was done exceptionally well, with well-choreographed fight scenes and emotional moments, such as the infamous “Let’s go home, Hide” line.

Overall it’s one of Tokyo Ghoul’s weakest seasons, which is why it comes in the last place.

2. Tokyo Ghoul :RE Season 1

Picking up where Route A should have left off, the season begins without much context as Kaneki’s new persona, Haise Sasaki, fights ghouls on behalf of the CCG. This season focuses primarily on man vs self-conflict, as Haise tries to come to terms with his past self  and how hollow he feels without a past to ground him.

This season has everything that made the first season of Tokyo Ghoul one of the most-liked anime of the early 2010s, with Route A being its main problem. Going from a storyline that deviated from its original plot to a 2-year time skip and plot that follows the manga with little exceptions leaves the audience wondering what happened to the show.

The fighting is good, the new animation is solid, and the interactions and motivations of the Quinx squad make the anime feel different in a (mostly) good way. Yet the relief isn’t enough to compensate for how underwhelmed the Tokyo Ghoul fandom was with Route A.

That is why the first season of :RE comes in 2nd place.

1. Tokyo Ghoul Season 1

Where Route A went off the rails, the first season of Tokyo Ghoul stayed on and was better for it. Season 1 had memorable fights and characters, as well as dynamics that were complex but easy to care about, such as Hinami and her adoptive family or Touka and Kaneki’s budding relationship. 

With similar themes to X-Men, it’s easy to understand what Sui Ishida meant as the message of Tokyo Ghoul in season 1, even having an equivalent to Magneto’s group in Aogiri Tree and an equivalent to Professor X in Yoshimura.

The fights were well-fought as the ghouls of Anteiku fought for their lives, and it was fascinating to watch Kaneki have to come to grips with his newfound abilities at the cost of his humanity. There is nothing overtly bad about this season

Plus the soundtrack is one of the best ever made for an anime. For those reasons, the first season of Tokyo Ghoul gets first place on this list.

Also be sure to read:

[Top 10] Tokyo Ghoul Best Fights Worth Watching Again

[Top 10] Tokyo Ghoul Best Characters

[Top 3] Tokyo Ghoul Best Seasons

[Top 10] Tokyo Ghoul Best Moments Worth Watching Again

[Top 15] Tokyo Ghoul Best Wallpapers