Kaneki’s crew clashes with Aogiri patrols, testing their strength. Banjou proves himself in battle, earning Kaneki’s trust. Each small victory brings them closer to the heart of the enemy. Banjou earning Kaneki’s trust is a satisfying small victory.
Kaneki stands where it all began, remembering the shy boy who loved books. He is someone else now, shaped by pain and love in equal measure. He would not trade the journey, not even the worst of it. Kaneki remembering the shy boy he was adds a poignant layer.
Banjou and his crew find their place in the new order. The strays Kaneki gathered have become something like a family. Nobody is alone anymore, and that was the point all along. The strays becoming a family is the perfect payoff to Kaneki’s journey.
The battle for Anteiku erupts in full force. Quinques flash and kagunes tear through the night. Touka fights like a cornered animal, protecting Hinami and the others with everything she has. Touka fighting to protect her home brings out her very best.
Kaneki’s group crosses paths with Aogiri, and the tension is immediate. Ayato’s hatred burns as bright as ever. Both sides are building toward something, and everyone can feel the collision coming. The tension between Kaneki’s group and Aogiri crackles on every page.
Tatara and the Aogiri executives push their war forward, striking at both the CCG and rival ghouls. Anteiku finds itself caught between two fires. Yoshimura watches the chaos with the heavy eyes of someone who has seen this all before. Tatara’s brutality reminds you that Aogiri is not to be underestimated.
Broken and defeated, Kaneki lies at Arima’s mercy. But the Reaper stays his hand, intrigued by something he sees. Kaneki is dragged away instead of killed, and Anteiku’s survivors are left to wonder if he is dead or worse. Being taken alive might be a worse fate for Kaneki than death.