History Characters / TokyoGhoulReQuinx

The Quinx are an experimental group, operating under the authority of Kishou Arima and Akira Mado, and originally mentored by Haise Sasaki. Its members have been surgically modified to give them the abilities of Ghouls, with the stated intention of creating an Investigator that can surpass Arima. However, their lack of accomplishments and inhuman traits have made them unpopular among their peers.

The members of the Quinx Squad, returning from the original series or introduced in '':Re''.

!!!Quinx Team

An experimental group operating under the authority of Kishou Arima and Akira Mado. Its members have been surgically modified to give them the abilities of Ghouls, with the stated intention of creating an Investigator that can surpass Arima. However, their lack of accomplishments and inhuman traits have made them unpopular among their peers.

* PowerLimiter: The Quinx have an installed systems of "Gates", used to regulate the function of their kakuhou. Each Frame unlocks 20% of its function, with their abilities currently set at F2 or 40%. Dr. Shiba warns against unlocking further gates.

[[folder:Haise Sasaki]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/193c4068a059fb490cfcb9fc1542bff4.jpg]]
-> "If the past Me came back, the things I've built in the last two years would all be lost. That's really scary."

A 22-year old Ghoul Investigator and protege of Kishou Arima, currently partnered with Akira Mado. He is an artificial Ghoul hybrid, and leads the Quinx Squad as their earnestwhile mentor. His kind personality causes him great difficulty in managing them, and he is looked down on by his coworkers for being too merciful to the Ghouls they hunt.

In truth, he is the long-missing '''Ken Kaneki'''. Having lost his memories, he has been given a new identity and lives as a human Investigator while struggling to control his Ghoul nature. He is haunted by visions of his past self, and fears what may become of him should his memories return.

[[WalkingSpoiler For tropes after chapter 53]], see [[Characters/TokyoGhoulReGhouls Ken Kaneki]].
----
* {{Adorkable}}: He can be adorably awkward on occasion.
** He often visits Arima to give him some books to read. Sometimes in the middle of a meeting.
** When his superior tells him to aim for the sky, he asks for a goodbye hug to conclude his HurricaneOfPuns.
** He makes many cute, awkward expressions whenever lamenting how lame he is acting.
** He has a poster of bananas in his room, of all things.
** He calls his nose a nose Kagune when he goes on the search for coffee.
* AffectionateNickname: Saiko refers to him as "Maman", French for "Mama". Shirazu calls him "Sassan".
* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: Akira mentions that he's "an existence" that other Investigators look down on, tolerated less than the Quinx.
* AmnesiacsAreInnocent: He's far more out-going, playful, and criticized for being too naive especially when compared to the jaded, oft-brutal young man he'd become prior to losing his memories.
* AmnesiacDissonance: Haise eventually realizes that Kaneki may have been an enemy of CCG and feeling conflicted between his present as an Investigator and the attachments of his past.
* AmnesiacHero: Haise Sasaki is an amnesiac Kaneki, missing the first 20 years of his life. While he's pushed aside thoughts of his past and generally feared it, after the Auction he becomes curious about Kaneki and begins attempting to learn more about his past.
* AnArmAndALeg: [[spoiler:Provides a CliffHanger for ch. 50, with Kanae chopping his right arm off below the elbow]].
* AttractiveBentGender: While DisguisedInDrag, there's no denying that Sasaki looks like an incredibly beautiful woman.
* BadassBoast: Parodied. When conflict leads to the team splitting up to investigate Torso, he declares his intention to show them all.
-->'''Sasaki:''' ''"Just watch, you brats! And you too, First Class Shimoguchi! The Serious Sasaki...the [[HurricaneOfPuns SASARIOUS]] will...pull an all-nighter tonight to gather data!"''
-->'''Mutsuki:''' ''(Thinking) "He's losing it..."''
* BadassInANiceSuit: As an Investigator, he goes into the field dressed in a nice suit and tie, facing down Ghouls dressed like an office worker.
* BadassLongcoat: He typically wears a trench coat in the field, but removes it when [[TheCoatsAreOff he gets]] ''really'' serious.
* BadDreams: He implies he suffers frequent nightmares related to his EnemyWithin.
* BagOfSpilling: Zigzagged back and forth. As a result of his lost memories and being dosed with RC suppressants, Sasaki is back to struggling to control his powers and Ghoul nature. However, when he loses control and his old self begins to emerge, his powers are shown to be just as strong and even more fine-tuned than in the past.
* BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind: Haise and Kaneki are fighting for dominance of the mind and body but Haise is fighting a losing battle. The more he learns about Kaneki, the more frequently Kaneki emerges from Haise's mind. He tries to remain willfully ignorant of Kaneki but his job as a ghoul investigator puts him in contact with some of the most important people in Kaneki's life.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: When he actually fights seriously, his unstable nature and former self begin to emerge. It's enough to terrify his subordinates.
* BigDamnHeroes: He has a tendency to arrive just in time to rescue his subordinates, usually slicing up the attacking Ghoul in the process.
* BilingualBonus: Lampshaded by Kanae, who scoffs at the absurdity of having such a name. "Haise" is pronounced the same as the German verb "heißen" when used for yourself ("Ich heiße..." or "My name is...") which in [[WorldOfSymbolism this setting]] is as good as writing in stone that the name is an alias.
* {{Bishonen}}: The ArtEvolution this time around makes him look prettier and he can disguise himself as a pretty girl merely by wearing makeup, feminine clothing, and a wig.
* BlackSheep: He's looked down on by his peers in CCG, to the point of being humiliated in front of a subordinate.
* BladeOnAStick: Yukimura 1/3, his Quinque, is essentially a slim blade with a plain handle.
* BodyHorror: [[spoiler: It seems devouring Eto's Kakuja has had an averse affect on his body. His Kagune appears to of mutated, while his right hand regrew with ''scales'' on it.]]
* BrickJoke: In the opening chapter, he concluded his HurricaneOfPuns by asking Akira for a hug -- which she immediately denies him. After the Awards Ceremony, he asks for another one as a joke....and is shocked when she does as asked.
* BridalCarry: Crossed with ContinuityNod, when he rescues Mutsuki. The framing of the panel, as he carries his wounded subordinate in his arms, recalls his rescue of Touka during the ''Aogiri Arc'' in the original series.
* BrokenAce: Akira refers to him as "The Ace of the Mado group". He hides it well from most people, but he's about a broken as a person can be while still relatively functional.
* ByTheBookCop: When his subordinates ignore protocol, he attempts to quote Article 13 at them. They immediately brush him off.
* CameBackStrong: Dr. Shiba reveals that half-Ghouls become stronger as their bodies recover from serious injury, as a result of the RC cells spreading throughout their bodies. A body scan shows that Sasaki's body is ''littered'' with RC pathways, from all the times he's been injured and regenerated.
* TheCameo: His name appears during the CCG scene in the final chapter of Tokyo ghoul, and his silhouette can be seen on the final page of that chapter. It is our first hint of what became of Kaneki after he was defeated.
* CharacterTic: Several, mostly picked up from others:
** He tends to touch the side of his face when thinking or nervous.
** His prior mannerisms he learned from those around him up also remain despite his memory loss, like touching his chin when lying like his mom or mimicking Touka's pre-battle stretches.
** When a he's in a tough fight or very stressed out he'll start cracking his fingers like Yamori (and his torturer Tokage) did, which is a ''big'' [[LetsGetDangerous warning]] [[EnemyWithin sign]] that either he is ''not'' doing okay or who's causing this reaction isn't going to be soon enough.
* TheCoatsAreOff: When he breaks out his full strength, he throws aside his trench coat.
* ColdBloodedTorture: Though it all happens off-screen, [[spoiler:Takizawa]] goes through the process of "poking various holes" in him to terrorize the CCG with his broadcasted screams.
* CombatTentacles: He has become exceptionally skilled at using his Rinkaku, and imitates some of the tricks Arima uses with IXA's tentacle form.
* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: Ironic, given he's technically the same person as Kaneki, but Sasaki is considerably different both in personality and character conflict.
* ConsultingAConvictedKiller: He consults Donato, getting valuable insight in the investigation of Torso.
* ContinuityNod: He first met Akira in a graveyard, while she was visiting a grave and discussing her new partner. This is the same way that Akira and Amon once met.
* CoolTeacher: He ''tries'' to be one to the Quinx. On the other hand, he's an extremely popular Guest Lecturer at the Junior Academies.
* CriminalAmnesiac: His amnesia has resulted in him becoming a Ghoul Investigator, with the skill and body count sufficient to have earned him an Award that requires killing 100 Ghouls in a year.
* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: He seems quite hesitant to use his Ghoul abilities, and perhaps with [[EnemyWithin good reason]].
* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: In Universe Example. He admits to not liking Sen Takatsuki's work much, citing the sheer amount of tragedy and despair that occurs. Ironically, Kaneki was an avid fan of Takatsuki's work.
* DeclarationOfProtection: After seeing his EnemyWithin transformed into a helpless child, Haise declares that he will protect him.
* DevotedToYou: Two years later, Tsukiyama and Roma remain obsessed with him while Touka has started a new cafe and continues to wait for him to come home.
* DiseaseBleach: Averted. Sasaki's white hair slowly turns black over the course of the series. By chapter 53, it's entirely black again.
* DisguisedInDrag: During the Nutcracker case, he organizes a plan to have the entire team dress as women. He pulls it off ''very'' well.
* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:In Chapter 53, "Kaneki" explains to him that he wanted to die at V14. That he ''still'' wants to die, asking Sasaki to die in a suitably beautiful/cool fashion so that everyone will love him. Sasaki is fairly horrified by this revelation]].
* DualWielding: During a training session, he demonstrates how to spin a pair of knives in different directions.
* EnemyWithin: Haise is self-aware that his identity was created by the CCG. However, Kaneki is slowly retaking control and the more Kaneki recovers, the weaker Haise becomes. Haise fears a full recovery will kill his identity completely.
* EyeScream:
** After [[spoiler:Takizawa]] gets through with him, his upper face is a bloody mess. It's probably better that there's so much blood that it isn't clear what exactly was done to him.
** [[spoiler: After being captured and imprisoned in Cochlea, the amnesiac Ghoul #240 is seen wearing bandages over his eyes. This is because he repeatedly clawed his own eyes out, to the extent the wounds kept getting infected]].
* FaceHeelTurn[=/=]HeelFaceTurn: He's switched sides as a result of his amnesia, but whether that makes him a hero turned Evil or a villain turned Good is entirely dependent on whether it's being viewed from the side of humans or Ghouls.
* {{Facepalm}}: He does this in Chapter 11, when Shirazu manages to draw attention to them during a stake-out.
* AFatherToHisMen: Arima describes him as the "father" of the Quinx, and he certainly cares for them [[PapaWolf like one]].
* FairCop: He's a sharp-dressed Investigator with youthful good looks. In his introductory scene, a female member of the office staff seems to be trying to flirt with him.
* FireForgedFriends: Juuzou's partner explains that Sasaki and Juuzou became good friends as a result of having to work together on several cases.
* FirstNameBasis: Akira, Arima, and Kuramoto all refer to him by his given name.
* FreakOut:
** When he sees Orochi's face and is called by his real name. This causes him to have a complete meltdown, screaming and sobbing hysterically until he's brought down by an RC suppressant bullet.
** Has another one in Chapter 52, when he hallucinates [[spoiler:Arima]] threatening to kill him "again". He immediately goes berserk.
* FriendshipMoment: Juuzou greets him by rushing forward with arms extended, only to start frisking him. It turns out he stuffs candy into his pockets for Juuzou, and this is how they always greet each other.
* GoofyPrintUnderwear: Boxer briefs with the word "Energy" printed on them. Stolen by Urie and given to Chie as a present for her "model".
* GlowingEyesOfDoom: In the WhamShot of chapter 6, with his face obscured in shadows while his Kakugan glows ominously.
* GrayEyes: Hinting at both his role as a mentor to the other hybrids, and his innocent nature.
* HalfHumanHybrid: CCG classifies him as a "victim" of Dr. Kanou's crimes, stating that he should be treated as a human being as long as he lives as one. But should his Ghoul nature emerge, he will be shown no mercy.
* HeroicSelfDeprecation: He definitely feels overwhelmed by his assignment, and difficulty keeping his team in line, something he readily admits to.
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: As in the past, his efforts to fight against Aogiri has resulted in him crossing lines and making callous decisions.
* HurricaneOfPuns: He's extremely fond of word play and silly puns.
* IAmNotLeftHanded: He normally relies on his Quinque to fight, but Akira makes it clear to his subordinates that they've never actually seen him go all-out. Facing Orochi, he decides to do exactly that -- abandoning his weapon in favor of using his [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique kagune]].
* IdentityAmnesia: He is well-aware that he used to be someone different, and admits to being terrified that the happy life he has built and his identity as Haise will vanish should he remember his old self.
* ImCryingButIDontKnowWhy: When he tastes the coffee made by Touka, he begins crying without knowing the reason.
* IHatePastMe: He admits that he knows his EnemyWithin is his former self, but states he wants nothing to do with his past. After meeting Hinami, however, he admits that Kaneki must have been a wonderful person to have people that loved him so much. It's only after this that he finally makes peace with himself, transforming his EnemyWithin from the fearsome Centipede into a white-haired child he decides to protect.
* InnocenceLost: [[spoiler:Kaneki says goodbye to the relatively happy and peaceful time he had as the amnesiac Haise, when he finally regains his memories.]]
* {{Irony}}: Kaneki used to admire Eto, even had a crush on her, but when she goes full {{Yandere}} on him, he's not thrilled in the least.
* KilledOffForReal: In a [[ThatManIsDead metaphorical-sense]]. [[spoiler: After regaining his will to live during his duel with Arima, Kaneki discards his identity as Haise Sasaki. The arc itself ends with him reaffirming himself as Ken Kaneki, now the new One Eyed King.]]
* LivingEmotionalCrutch: Merely learning about Sasaki breaks Tsukiyama out of his depression and motivates him to begin taking action again.
* LossOfIdentity: His greatest fear concerning his memories is that, if he regains them, his current self will cease to exist.
* LockedIntoStrangeness: Downplayed. Despite his hair turning completely white after days of torture in the original ''Tokyo Ghoul'', more and more of his original black hair grows in as '':re'' progresses. Further, when he regains his memories in chapter 53, the dried blood from a head injury turns his remaining white hairs black once more.
* LostInTranslation: Several pieces of textual foreshadowing in the first series were misunderstood by Western audiences and translators, resulting in confusion over Sasaki's identity until the very clear reveal in chapter 7. Readers of the original Japanese, however, were in the know and, unintentionally or not, spread the reveal long before Western audiences were in on it.
* TheLostLenore: Tsukiyama continues to mourn him almost three years later.
* MasterSwordsman: Takeomi describes his swordsmanship as elegant "like water" and expresses the hope that he can learn from him at some point. Notably, he's skilled enough to essentially dual-wield his Quinque and Kagune at the same time.
* MeaningfulRename: It isn't clear who chose the name for him, but "Haise Sasaki" has numerous meaningful readings.
** "Haise" means "Ash" and can also be pronounced as "Grey", the color of his eyes. It's also a homophone for the characters in "the world is wrong", a repeated phrase in the last chapter of the original Tokyo Ghoul, where Haise first appeared.
** Later, Kanae confuses the name "Haise" for the German word "heißen", meaning "to be named", a nod to the fact that the name is a false one.
** The kanji for the "hai" in "Haise", 琲, is found in the kanji writing for kohi/coffee, 珈琲.
** His family name can be translated as "assistant", a nod to his subordinate relationships with Arima and Akira.
* {{Megane}}: He wears enormous reading glasses, creating a strong contrast between his kind personality and Arima's StoicSpectacles. Haise later notices that his eyesight is getting worse.
* TheMentallyDisturbed: He suffers hallucinatory waking nightmares, conversing with his EnemyWithin in a mental space full of symbolic imagery.
* TheMentor: He is officially the mentor of the Quinx, supervising and leading them. He tries to be a good teacher to them, but comes up somewhat short.
* MoralityPet: Arima treats him like one, though it isn't clear how genuine this kindness is. [[spoiler:In Chapter 52, Sasaki has a hallucination of Arima referring to him as a weapon, and threatening to kill him. For Sasaki to have this hallucination at all might indicate that he's more frightened of Arima than anything.]]
* MrFanservice: The 2016 calendar features him in more than one revealing outfit and/or fanservice-y [[BoobsAndButtPose pose]]. Then came Ch. 72, when he tossed off his jacket to reveal a form-fitting black bodysuit. The fandom approved.
* MulticoloredHair: Black and white, in an apparent reversal of usual changes in hair color. When younger, his hair was almost completely white but more black has grown in over time.
* MustHaveCaffeine: He mentions his hobby since becoming a Rank 2 Investigator is to visit different coffee shops.
* MythologyGag: The reappearance of the number 12, referencing ''The Hanged Man''.
* NiceGuy: He's very kind, which is probably one reason he struggles to control his subordinates.
* NightmareSequence: He has sleeping and waking nightmares where he encounters a twisted version of his past self in Yamori's torture room.
* OddFriendship: With [[ChildEater Donato Porpora]], of all people. He values his opinions, and discusses both cases and personal matters with the imprisoned Ghoul.
* OpenSecret: His identity as an amnesiac Kaneki is pretty well known throughout the Ghoul community. Touka and the others in Re: Cafe knew it all along, but have kept themselves from confronting Sasaki about it.
* NotQuiteDead: Apparently, it takes more than repeatedly running him through and stabbing him through the skull twice to kill Kaneki.
* PapaWolf: Suffice to say, he doesn't take [[BerserkButton kindly]] to his Squad being harmed.
* ParentalSubstitute: He states that because of his amnesia, Arima and Akira are his "parents". In turn, he's called the "father" of the Quinx Squad.
* PleaseSpareHimMyLiege: He pleads with Arima to spare Hinami, before recovering enough to make up the excuse that he captured her and wants "Ownership Rights".
* PowerCopying: He's quite good at copying the fighting techniques of others, along with their mannerisms. Not only has he adopted the {{Character Tic}}s of his mother, Yamori, and Hide but he imitates Touka's pre-asskicking stretches, Tsukiyama's sword kagune, and is observed by a senior Investigator to almost perfectly imitate Arima's moves. [[spoiler:After defeating Eto and devouring her kakuja, he's able to generate artificial eyes and mouths like her.]]
* TheProfiler: Sasaki demonstrated expertise in discerning the characteristics of Ghoul criminals.
* PungeonMaster: He's rather fond of word play and puns, though others don't always appreciate his humor.
* RankUp: In Chapter 32, he's promoted to First Class and the aftermath of Chapter 57 sees him further promoted to Associate Special Class.
* RealMenWearPink: Sasaki is impressively domestic, cooking and caring for his subordinates, and turns out to be extremely skilled with makeup and fashion. He makes no efforts to hide these "feminine" talents, and is a highly-skilled fighter.
* RecruitingTheCriminal: Rather than imprison him in Kokuria for the crime of his mere existence, Sasaki has been recruited as a Ghoul Investigator and allowed to live as a human employee even though he ''is'' [[HalfHumanHybrid technically]] a Ghoul himself.
* ReflectiveEyes: In Chapter 9, there is a closeup of his eye reflecting Touka as he notices her.
* ReforgedIntoAMinion: After being captured by CCG, the amnesic Kaneki was remade as Ghoul Investigator Haise Sasaki. He even ends up fighting a former friend, Nishiki, who expresses pity over seeing what has become of Kaneki.
* RepressedMemories: The end of Part 1 implies that, along with the probably significant mental (and no doubt physical) damage that came with being stabbed in the brain by Arima, Haise chose to purposefully repress his memories after realizing just how much despair and misery his chosen path left him. Certain triggers will cause some of those memories to bubble back up to the surface.
* TheReveal: In Chapter 7, he is confirmed to be an amnesic Ken Kaneki.
* SequelHook: A disjointed "ha i se ..." appeared in final CCG scene in the last chapter of the original ''Tokyo Ghoul'', hinting at his role as CCG's new secret weapon in the sequel.
* ShapeshifterWeapon: Though he avoids using his kagune, he's become capable of controlling the exact shape of his tentacles -- creating three-fingered claws, or sharp blades instead of simple CombatTentacles.
* SharingABody: Haise and Kaneki share a body but neither is happy about it. They are generally fighting for control but situations like Hinami being in danger allow them to temporarily cooperate.
* SharpDressedMan: When working, he dresses impeccably in monochrome pieces -- black dress shirts, pinstripe slacks, light-colored ties, and a white BadassLongcoat to finish off his look. Off duty, his choice of clothing is distinctly less fashionable.
* ShootTheDangerousMinion: Akira shoots him with an RC suppressant to bring him down when he uses his kagune, as per CCG policy. Should these methods ever fail, the standing order is to kill him.
* ShoutOut:
** He wears a tee shirt (and matching ''underwear'') featuring a stylized image of one of the members of the [[JapanesePopMusic JPop]] boy-band ''EXILE TRIBE''.
** He briefly discusses one of Kafka's short stories with Arima in Ch. 8. [[labelnote: Summary]]''A Crossbreed'' involves a man given a strange creature as a pet, half Lamb and half Kitten. The creature is caught between its warring natures, but loves its master and wants nothing to do with either Lambs or Kittens. The master wonders if it might be kinder to kill the poor creature, but keeps it alive anyway because it is his responsibility and gives him comfort. [[/labelnote]]
* ShroudedInMyth: When he first became an Investigator, there were already rumors about him being "[[HalfHumanHybrid different]]" from other Investigators. Akira knew of him even before meeting him for the first time. However, since then he's pretty much become the guy his coworkers look down on.
* ShutUpHannibal: [[spoiler:In Chapter 53, Sasaki has finally had enough of being tormented by his EnemyWithin and strangles "Kaneki" while telling him to shut up]].
* SkilledButNaive: He's a highly-skilled Investigator, but criticized by his peers as extremely naive. Akira even warns him that this will be his downfall.
* SlasherSmile: He gives one in chapter 7, when his old personality starts coming through.
* SmartPeopleWearGlasses: He wears glasses while reading, and has numerous bookcases in his room.
* StealthPun: He's been awarded the Kinmokusei Medal, named for the Fragrant Olive. This flower is associated with Kaneki because they are alternate readings for the same Kanji.
* StepfordSmiler: When asked whether he's curious about his past, Sasaki cheerfully informs Arima that he's "very happy" with his current life. That he [[CharacterTic touches his chin]] while smiling reveals he's not nearly as happy as he'd like the world to believe. In general, he masks his massive emotional and psychological issues behind a cheerful smile, terrible puns, and a gentle attitude. [[spoiler:It's later implied further that he's absolutely terrified of Arima.]]
* SplitPersonality: He seems to have completely separated himself into different selves, denying his former self and Ghoul nature by internalizing it as his EnemyWithin. When the line between the two begins to blur, his personality becomes more ruthless and frightens his subordinates.
* SuicideByCop: He realizes he intended to be killed by Arima at V14, but "screwed it up".
* SuperiorSuccessor: CCG has assigned him with the task of creating an Investigator that can surpass Arima.
* SuperpoweredEvilSide: The twisted echo of his old self serves as one to him, emerging during his battle with Orochi. Along with a significant increase in power, he also becomes far more ruthless and begins displaying the mannerisms he picked up from Yamori. Since these are the traits that Kaneki displays when he is in control, Haise wrongly thinks this all there is to Kaneki's identity. The truth is more complicated.
* SupremeChef: When told she may be fired, one of the first things [[BigEater Saiko]] worries about losing is the meals he cooks. It seems he's a pretty good cook, for not being able to taste his own food.
* SwordOverHead: [[spoiler:In Ch. 50, he pins down Tsukiyama and prepares to run him through with Yukimura.....but finds himself struggling with the choice]].
* TalkingToThemself: Sasaki and the twisted version of his past self that lives in his subconscious don't exactly get along.
* TarotMotifs: As per the original series, numbers from the Major Arcana are concealed within the artwork as hints about his character.
** VIII. ''Strength''
** XII. ''The Hanged Man''
* TeamChef: The primary cook in their household, to the extent that Saiko and Shirazu fret when he isn't around to cook for them.
* TeamMom: He tries to be the TeamDad, but this is what he actually is, taking care of his team both professionally and at home. Saiko even refers to him as "Mama", and he admits to being lenient with her.
* TerrorHero: He's developed into one after the TimeSkip, with two members of Aogiri getting the sense that they'll be devoured if they continue to fight him. This is represented by a visual of a snake devouring a lizard.
* ThatManIsDead: He kindly tells Hinami that he isn't the person she knew, that even though his body was Kaneki, ''he'' is Haise Sasaki. Watching him, however, Hinami firmly states that Haise and Kaneki are definitely the same person.
* TookALevelInBadass: In Chapter 41, he's shown wielding Yukimura ''and'' his Kagune effortlessly. While the battle occurs primarily off-screen, he leaves several dead {{Mooks}} and sends the named Aogiri members fleeing in terror.
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: His love of coffee remains, and he mentions that his hobby is visiting new cafes in his spare time to try new blends.
* UnPerson: As hinted in the original series' finale, Kaneki's existence has been completely erased from official records. Sasaki is unable to find a single mention of his former self in the records.....at least, until he finds a single misplaced report draft written by Amon about his encounter with a Ghoul in an eyepatch mask.
* UnwantedHarem: He seems to have a knack for attracting admirers of the VillainousCrush variety -- Tsukiyama, [[DepravedHomosexual Nico]], [[LoonyFan Roma]], and [[BigBad Eto]] are all fascinated with him to one degree or another.
* WalkingSpoiler:Good luck talking about him in any context that doesn't give away the ending of the original series.
* WhamShot: In Chapter 6, when he [[CharacterTic cracks his knuckle]] in preparation to fight Orochi.
* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Averted. He's repeatedly criticized for showing mercy to Ghouls, and accused of having sympathy for them.
* YouAreNumberSix: [[spoiler:During his time in Cochlea, prior to becoming Haise Sasaki, he was simply known as "#240"]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Ginshi Shirazu]]
[[quoteright:200:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shirazu_bald.png]]

A 20-year old Ghoul Investigator that volunteered for the Quinx Project due to financial reasons. He has an unusual appearance and a short temper, tending to take things easy and follow the lead of others. Dim-witted and friendly, he's tends to follow Urie around and is manipulated by him to cause problems for Sasaki. Even so, he is quick to defend his comrades and thinks about them before himself. Though he performed poorly at the Academy, he is a skilled fighter and Sasaki expresses confidence in his potential as a leader.

* {{Adorkable}}: He's awkward but friendly towards others, and does silly things like invent stupid names for his attacks and worries about breaking the law.
* AffectionateNickname: Called "Shiragin" by Saiko. His sister calls him "Gin".
* AwesomeByAnalysis: He's able to figure out the trick to Nutcracker's kagune traps through observation, and uses his heightened senses to locate them all in the room.
* BadassBiker: He comes to the rescue more than once on his motorcycle, with enough skill to use his kagune while engaging in a high-speed chase.
* BashBrothers: With Urie, though they're prone to bickering.
* BeadyEyedLoser: His tiny pupils add to his unusual appearance.
* BerserkButton: Insulting his comrades to his face.
* BigEater: His appetite makes him a match for Saiko, leaving Hanbee poorer and wondering if it's an unique trait of the Quinx.
* BoisterousBruiser: He has a tendency to be loud and comical, and loves a good fight.
* BookDumb: He admits that he's not very intelligent, and received poor grades in school.
* CatapultNightmare: He does it in Chapter 34, waking screaming from a nightmare.
* ClusterFBomb: He does this frequently.
* ComicallyMissingThePoint: He protests about driving faster while pursing a suspect, because then he'll be breaking traffic laws by speeding.
* CouldHaveBeenMessy: He narrowly avoids a GroinAttack by Nutcracker, but that doesn't stop him from screaming in terror at the near-miss.
* CrushBlush: He blushes while talking to Akira, who he describes as the "Holy Mother of CCG". He later starts blushing when he runs into [[spoiler:Touka]] for the second time. When Saiko and Tooru notice how he's blushing when first talking to Hairu they seem to assume this trope is at play again and Saiko teasingly accuses him of being a pervert.
* DiedInYourArmsTonight: [[spoiler:After helping bring down Noro, he dies in Urie's arms]].
* DraggedIntoDrag: For the Nutcracker Investigation, he's forced to crossdress and complains about not pulling it off well.
* DrivenToSuicide: A nightmare sequence reveals his father committed suicide when he was young.
* DyingAlone: While he does have [[spoiler:Urie and Saiko by his side at the end, he's too injured to feel or sense anything else, so for him, it was as if he was dying alone. He still keeps talking though, just in case anyone can hear him.]]
* FaceOfAThug: His beady eyes and sharp teeth make him look quite scary, but he turns out to be friendly and something of a dork.
* FirstNameBasis: With Mutsuki, who he treats like a little brother. He calls Urie by his personal name in his thoughts, but avoids doing so to his face.
* FlippingTheBird: He's very fond of doing this.
* {{Foil}}: Not unlike Nutcracker, he has a desire for money. However, his motives are for more altruistic since his goal is to rescue his ill younger sister from a disease; Nutcracker's motivations are more selfish - a desire to become beautifiul. She also stooped down to doing pretty terrible things to pursue her desire, unlike Shirazu who maintains his moral fiber.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Doing the Nutcracker/Auction arc, he's the only who gives Haise his last will and testament. [[spoiler:Of the Q's, he's the first to die.]]
* FriendlyFire: He doesn't seem particularly concerned when his shots graze Urie, making light of it.
* FriendToAllChildren: He seems to be very fond of kids, immediately warming up the moment he meets [[OlderThanHeLooks Chie]].
* GiverOfLameNames: When fighting Orochi, he gives one of his attacks a name.
-->'''Shirazu:''' ''"Point Blank Bomber!"''
-->'''Orochi:''' ''"Tch, what a shitty name."''
* GoodIsDumb: He is one of the nobler of the Quinx and admits to doing the worst in school.
* HairAntennae: Two short bits of hair stick up like these near the top of his head (and are even present on his speech bubbles to indicate when he's talking off panel) which fits with how he is a BookDumb dork with [[StreetSmart very good observational skills]].
* HealthcareMotivation: His little sister is hospitalized, leaving him desperate for money.
* HeroicBSOD: After killing Nutcracker, he collapses and is seen sitting against the wall with a troubled expression.
** It continues during the series, as he can't use his Quinque properly since it reminds him of Nutcracker.
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:He takes a [[KilledOffForReal fatal blow]] creating an opening for Urie, in order to take down Noro]].
* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: He thinks [[ManipulativeBastard Urie]] is a great guy and trusts him, while fooled into believing [[NiceGuy Sasaki]] is going to stab him in the back. He eventually realizes that was a lie, but continues to be fooled by Urie's false displays of cooperation.
* HotBlooded: He's ''all'' passionate and energy, in comparison to his more serious comrades.
* ImColdSoCold: [[spoiler:As he's dying, his senses dull and his teeth start to chatter from the cold. He pleads for someone to hold his hand]].
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: In the first chapter, he's run through by a Ghoul's kagune. He initially plays dead, but quickly shrugs it off.
** Later, he's impaled by Nutcracker's tail. He manages to walk it off.
* ImportantHaircut: In Chapter 42, he buzzes off his hair to mark his renewed commitment to his squad.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He initially comes across as a violent, uncaring thug. But he's actually a really nice guy beneath his tough exterior and cares deeply for his comrades.
* MeaningfulName: Shirazu （不知) means "Ignorant", in a nod to him being rather naive and BookDumb.
* MercyKill: [[spoiler:He asks Urie to let his little sister die, so she won't suffer anymore]].
* MissingMom: He makes a vague mention of his mother being out there somewhere, implying she may have walked out on the family at some point.
* MonstrousCannibalism: He threatens to eat Urie's kakuhou, an unusual statement from someone that is supposedly still "human".
* MoreDakka: His Ukaku-type kagune, which seems to operate on "shoot it until it dies" without much aim.
* MythologyGag: Motorcycles don't tend to last long in Tokyo Ghoul, though his has yet to explode.
* TheNicknamer: He gives nicknames to his peers, calling Sasaki "Sassan" and Urie "Uliuli Cookies".
* NightmareSequence: Chapter 34 begins with one, with him dreaming of finding the body after his father hung himself -- the corpse speaks to him, and a dead Nutcracker attacks him before he wakes up.
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: He volunteered to be a test subject and seeks promotion because he desperately needs the money. Urie uses this desperation to manipulate him.
* PromotionToParent: His mother abandoned the family long ago, and his father apparently killed himself. This left Shirazu responsible for caring for himself and his IllGirl little sister.
* RankUp: In Chapter 32, he becomes a Rank 2.
* RuleAbidingRebel: He comes across as a complete rebel, with his piercings and tough looks and his motorcycle. But then he worries about breaking traffic laws, and is kind of good-natured dork.
* SayItWithHearts: When he greets Urie, his speech includes a star symbol.
* ScaryTeeth: He has shark-like teeth, adding to his unsettling appearance.
* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan: The more aggressive, out-spoken of the pair when he hangs out with the gentle and kind-hearted Mutsuki.
* ShellShockedVeteran: He's become one after the Auction, showing major signs of trauma over the killing of Nutcracker. Haunted by nightmares and hallucinations of her, he becomes sick when presented with the Quinque made from her and freaks out when trying to use it in combat.
* ShipTease: He seems to have a crush on several of his female coworkers.
** He blushes while speaking to Akira, and it seems Mutsuki at least knows about his feelings.
** When he meets Ihei, he stammers and blushes. Saiko immediately teases him for this.
** When asked by Uta about whether he likes girls, Shirazu immediately thinks of Ihei, Akira, and Saiko.
* SirSwearsALot: "Fuck" seems to be his favorite word, often shouted multiple times in a row.
* SmartPeopleWearGlasses: He puts on Sasaki's glasses, and tries to act more intelligent than he actually is.
* StressVomit: He ends up getting sick, after months of stressing over killing Nutcracker.
* SuperSenses: He has a heightened sense of hearing, allowing him to overhearing distant conversations or hear Saiko breathing through a door.
* SympathyForTheDevil: He's visibly shaken at Nutcracker's final moments, collapsing in the corner after finishing her off.
* TarotMotifs: XII. ''The Hanged Man'', seen on his shirt in Chapter 34 while screaming from his nightmare based on his father's suicide and inner conflictions about killing Nutcracker.
* TeethClenchedTeamwork: With Urie, to the point they nearly come to blows.
* TheseHandsHaveKilled: He's seen staring at his hand, after killing Nutcracker.
* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: [[spoiler:Shirazu was the most earnest, hard-working, and utterly unselfish guy around. So of course he's the first member of the main cast to die, and goes in a particularly horrifying fashion after sacrificing himself to save the others. And for good measure, his corpse is then stolen by Aogiri so to be used in experiments by Kanou]].
* VomitIndiscretionShot: When he goes to pick up his new Quinque, he ends up throwing up due to the stress.
* WhatTheHellHero: He unleashes on Matsuri when the commander orders the squad to leave Sasaki to fight alone, yelling until another Investigator reprimands him for speaking out of turn to a member of the Washuu Clan.
* YouAreInCommandNow: Though only a Rank 3, he is promoted to Squad Leader following the battle with Orochi. He immediately protests that he isn't smart enough for the job.
[[/folder]]

[[Characters/TokyoGhoul Tokyo Ghoul index]] |[[Characters/TokyoGhoulReHumans Tokyo Ghoul:Re Humans]] | [[Characters/TokyoGhoulReGhouls Tokyo Ghoul:Re Ghouls]] | [[Characters/TokyoGhoulOriginal Tokyo Ghoul]] | [[Characters/TokyoGhoulJack Tokyo Ghoul Jack]] | [[Characters/TokyoGhoulSpinoffs Tokyo Ghoul Spinoffs]]

* FormelyFat: As the series goes on, Saiko noticeably loses weight. This neatly reflects her growing ability as an investigator.

* FormeryFat: As the series goes on, Saiko noticeably loses weight. This neatly reflects her growing ability as an investigator.

* FormallyFat: As the series goes on, Saiko noticeably loses weight. This neatly reflects her growing ability as an investigator.

* FatGirl: Dr. Shiba does his best to not call her one, but Sasaki is bemused at the idea of a "fat Investigator". (When we actually see her, however, she's really only pudgy in comparison to her extremely fit comrades.)

[[WalkingSpoiler For tropes after chapter 53]], see [[Characters/TokyoGhoulReGhouls Ken Keneki]].

[[WalkingSpoiler For tropes after chapter 53]], Check Ken Kaneki's folder.

* SympathyForTheDevil: He's visibly shaken at Nutcracker's final moments, collapsing in the corner after finishing her off. [[spoiler: She also notices the smell of human blood on Mutsuki.

** Occurs again in Chapter 77, when [[spoiler: he locates Torso's lair and finds a dismembered body covered by a sheet. His fear that the body might be Mutsuki causes him to have a complete breakdown, barely unable to function]].

* SuperSenses: He has an incredibly keen sense of smell, far beyond that of a regular Ghoul.

* BashBrothers: With Urie, with Sasaki assigning them to the vanguard together. Their fighting styles compliment one another, with Urie's heavy Koukaku-attacks and Mutsuki's swifter fighting style.

* InfractionDistraction: In Chapter 100, when confronted by Saiko about hiding secrets from the others, Mutsuki quickly admits [[spoiler: that he´s a "girl".]] in order to distract and divert the conversation from why [[spoiler: he reeks of human blood]], quickly excusing himself afterwards. [[spoiler: [[OpenSecret It didn´t work]].]].

* OpenSecret: Him being a [[spoiler: girl]] is this as everyone else has that figured out already but plays along as long Mutsuki keeps it up. [[spoiler: Not much different from how Kanane kept her appearances up in hindsight.]].

** [[spoiler: However, after his experience with Torso, [[SplitPersonalityMerge these two sides conjoins]], resulting in a [[BitchInSheepsClothing much]] [[CombatSadomasochist crueler]] [[FaceOfAnAngelMindOfADemon Mutsuki]].]]

* SympathyForTheDevil: He's visibly shaken at Nutcracker's final moments, collapsing in the corner after finishing her off.

* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: After the Tsukiyama Family arc she cut her to around neck length.

* SingleTear: After realizing that [[spoiler: Mutsuki lied to her]] in chapter 100, much to her devastation.

[[WalkingSpoiler For tropes after chapter 53]], [[spoiler: Check Ken Kaneki's folder]].

[[WalkingSpoilers For tropes after chapter 53]], [[spoiler: Check Ken Kaneki's folder]].

For tropes after chapter 53, the following folder.

[[folder:Ken Kaneki (Major Spoilers)]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/white_kaneki.jpg]]
->''"I am... The One-Eyed King."''

In Chapter 53 of ''Re'', Haise regains his memories and becomes Ken Kaneki once more. Unable to deal with his feelings of guilt, Kaneki eventually betrays CCG to save his imprisoned friend, Hinami, and then goes to fight his mentor, Arima, in hopes of commiting SuicideByCop. However, during a NearDeathExperience, Kaneki realizes he wants to live, and after unlocking the full potential of his kagune defeats Arima.

Arima reveals he had been hoping for this from the start, proceeding to slit his own throat and explain that ''he'' was the One-Eyed King and Eto's mole in CCG, but needed a successor due to suffering from RapidAging. Per Arima's final wish, Kaneki takes responsibility for Arima's death and the title of One-Eyed King, to become a HopeBringer to all those victimized by the Washuu clan.
----
* AbusiveParents: In Chapter 53, it's revealed that Ken's mother beat him when he was young, which in part caused his initial [[ExtremeDoormat wallflower]] personality. This was also foreshadowed at the end of the original series, where the young Ken in Kaneki's mind mentions admiring his mom... until night comes.
* AnimalMotifs: After becoming the One-Eyed King, he begins shaping his kagune like a centipede again.
* AnArmAndALeg: Arima cuts off his legs at the end of chapter 73, then all of his limbs in chapter 74.
* AntiHero: Despite being the protagonist, he does some fairly questionable things.
** After regaining his identity, he abandons all contact with the Quinx and Hinami, becomes known as a merciless killer among Ghouls. At the same time, he begins plotting behind CCG's back.
** He eventually becomes the second One-Eyed King, a leader of Ghouls who had been portrayed as the series' BigBad up until that point.
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Eto and Arima groomed him to become the next One-Eyed King because of the power of his kagune and Kaneki's own ruthlessness in battle.
* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: After defeating Arima at the end of the Cochlea arc, Kaneki gains the allegiance of Arima's Squad 0 and is christened the new One-Eyed King by Eto.
* BagOfSpilling: Averted. When he becomes Kaneki again, he's not only better at using his Ghoul powers than Haise, he's considerably more powerful than he was at the end of the first series.
* ABirthdayNotABreak: The battle in Cochlea begins on the eve of his 23rd birthday.
* BloodIsTheNewBlack: During his battle with Kanae on the rooftop, his skull ends up fractured and he bleeds profusely from the injuries. There's blood visibly dripping from him afterwards, which adds a symbolic element to his hair becoming fully black again when his memories return.
* CruelToBeKind: Treats the Tsukiyama, the Quinx, Hinami and just about everyone else like crap after regaining his memories, to hide his true plans and make his human allies feel less hurt by his eventually betrayal. Also lampshaded by Chie to Tsukiyama, who points out throwing Tsukiyama off a building was much less likely to kill him than Kaneki using his kagune or quinque.
* DeathSeeker: After regaining his memories, he reflects on Hide's sacrifice while in Cochlea in order to rescue Hinami. Kaneki then expresses a wish to himself to die while protecting and encouraging someone to live, believing Hide to have done just that. He later shows up to rescue Touka, Ayato and Yomo from Arima, and seems intent on fighting his former mentor to the death.
* DiseaseBleach: Having all his limbs cut off by Arima multiple times causes his hair to turn stark white.
* EvilCostumeSwitch: After regaining his memories and abandoning the Quinx, he begins dressing in a black version of Arima's outfit. He also switches costumes again after betraying CCG and becoming the One-Eyed King.
* EyeScream: Furuta attempts to gouge out Kaneki's eyes with his thumbs in chapter 70.
* HeelFaceTurn: Begins planning to betray CCG as soon as he becomes Kaneki again to save Hinami, and becomes the leader of the forces fighting against TheConspiracy after taking the mantle of the One-Eyed King.
* FamedInStory: The series is described by WordOfGod as "the birth of the legend". By chapter 56, the BigBad of the first series, Eto / the One-Eyed Owl, acknowledges Kaneki as her equal. By chapter 86, he's more powerful than even Arima, and takes the title of the One-Eyed King to become a symbol of hope to all Ghouls.
* {{Foil}}: To Eto and Arima, to the point they name him their replacement as the One-Eyed King in chapter 85 and 86.
** Arima and Kaneki were both born on December 20th. Both defeated the One-Eyed Owl and were promoted out-of-season for the feat. Kaneki even adopts a black version of Arima's outfit and gets the nickname "[[RedBaron The Black Reaper]]". Further, Arima and Kaneki both turn out to be {{Half Human Hybrid}}s conspiring with Ghouls behind CCG's back, and Kaneki eventually takes Arima's role as the One-Eyed King.
** Eto actually takes delight in pointing out their similarities. Both were children that grew up feeling abandoned and abused, struggling against a sense of isolation resulting from their HalfHumanHybrid status. But while Kaneki has been consistently surrounded by support and has a kind heart, Eto was consumed by her bitterness and wants to destroy everything. Because of this, Yoshimura hoped that Kaneki might be able to relate to and save Eto from herself.
* GoodThingYouCanHeal: Due to interiting Rize's kakuhou - which has abnormal generation even for a Rinkaku type - he can regenerate entire limbs in seconds.
* HeroWithBadPublicity: He becomes Enemy #1 after the events in Cochlea, being declared a traitor responsible for destroying Cochlea and killing Arima.
* HopeBringer: By defeating Arima and claiming the title of the One-Eyed King, Eto and Arima hoped he would become "a Hope like the halo the sun emits".
* HesBack: He regains his memories in Chapter 54, and proceeds to curb stomp Kanae, Eto and Arima in the subsequent arcs.
* ImAHumanitarian: After regaining his memories and driving off Eto in chapter 56, he decides to cannibalize Eto's discarded Kakuja and lower half, to up his lost RC cell count.
* {{Irony}}: He fights Arima with the end goal of committing suicide. Arima talks him out of it... and then uses Kaneki for that very same purpose.
* JerkassFacade: After regaining his memories, he refuses to visit Hinami , causing her to cross the [[DespairEventHorizon Despair Event Horizon]]. He breaks her out in chapter 68 however, after remembering his own time in Cochlea.
* KickTheDog: After resigning as the Quinx Squad's mentor, he seems to wash his hands entirely of them and does not even attend Shirazu's funeral. This of course just serves to further drive home his [[TookALevelInJerkass dark personality shift]] since the raid on the Tsukiyama Conglomerate. He also stops bothering to visit Hinami in Cochlea, completely breaking her spirit in the process. Even Urie thought that was cold.
* LockedIntoStrangeness: Though his black hair grew back in when he was Haise, the stress of regenerating most of his body multiple times in the Clochlea arc is enough to make his hair pure white for another few years.
* {{Megane}}: Wears glasses similar to Arima after the Tsukiyama Extermination arc, to cultivate his "Black Reaper" moniker.
* MulticoloredHair: Starts out black after regaining his memories, only to turn white again when he has to regenerate several limbs.
* PreMortemOneLiner: "Good night, Haise."
* RedBaron: After Chapter 58, he's known as The Black Reaper. A reference to Arima, who is known as CCG's Reaper.
* TarotMotifs:
** After becoming the "Black Reaper": XIII. ''Death''
** After realizing he wants to live and unlocking his full potential as a Ghoul: XXI. ''The World''
* SuicideByCop: Initially plans to rescue Hinami and provoke Arima into killing him.
* SuperiorSuccessor: By chapter 85, he fights Arima to a stalemate, forcing the latter to admit defeat and reveal he wanted Kaneki to take his place as the One-Eyed King.
* ThanatosGambit: His entire scheme after regaining his memories involves building up his reputation, betraying the CCG to save Hinami from execution, and then dying in an epic duel with Arima.
* TookALevelInBadass: He's considerably tougher than Haise or his younger self.
** After regaining his memories and identity as Ken Kaneki, he takes on ''Eto'' / The One-Eyed Owl by himself, slices her in half and then devours her Kakuja.
** In the Cochlea arc, after unlocking his true potential, he's completely unfazed by anything ''Arima'', the most powerful combatant in the series up to that point, can do.
* TookALevelInJerkass: Invoked. After regaining his memories, he throws Tsukiyama off a high-rise building, coldly tells Urie that his own weakness is what caused Shirazu's death, skips out on Shirazu's funeral, abandons the Quinx, refuses to associate with his former squad or visit Hinami in Cochlea for 6 months, and threatens Eto's manager with imprisonment without trial. All to [[JerkassFacade appear]] as a "model" CCG employee and make sure the Quinx suffer no consequences when he does betray CCG.
* TragicKeepsake: The horse tiepin he originally gave to Arima for Christmas, which Hirako returns to him after Arima's death.
* WhamLine: In chapter 86: "I am. . . the One-Eyed King."
* WalkingSpoiler: Good luck talking about Kaneki's story in ''Re'' without revealing what happened to Haise, Eto and Arima, or who V and the One-Eyed King really are.
* WarriorPoet: Quotes a poem from a book he gave to Arima to say goodbye to his mentor after Arima falls in battle.
* YouKillItYouBoughtIt: After defeating Arima, he takes the role of The One-Eyed King, becoming the new lynchpin of the revolution against the Washuu that Arima and Eto once led.

[[/folder]]

* KilledOffForReal: In a [[ThatManIsDead metaphorical-sense]] [[spoiler: After regaining his will to live during his duel with Arima, Kaneki discards his identity as Haise Sasaki. The arc itself ends with him reaffirming himself as Ken Kaneki, now the new One Eyed King.]]

** [[spoiler: After being abused by Torso for a prolonged period of time, Mutsuki drops his [[NiceGuy facade]] and releases his [[AxCrazy "other]] [[SuperPoweredEvilSide half"]] which manages to kill Torso. He then shows he's skilled enough, and smart enough, to fight off Takizawa.]]

* CharacterTic: When particularly dishonest, he seems to pull at the clothing covering his lap.

* CharacterTic: When particularly nervous or upset, he seems to pull at the clothing covering his lap.

* CombatPragmatist: Proves to be one during the fight against the more powerful [[spoiler: Takizawa]], employing numerous dirty tricks to gain the upper hand.

* EnemyToAllLivingThings: Zigzagged. [[spoiler: Mutsuki is revealed to have killed several cats while at the Academy, but has no memories of having committed these acts. When confronted over his actions, he has a mental breakdown and hysterically denies having done it....while cradling a jar of animal parts]].

* HatesBeingTouched: Mutsuki gets uncomfortable and finds it "disgusting" when it comes to people giving him predatory MaleGaze or attention or when [[StalkerWithACrush Torso]] touches him. This is implied to be a result of [[spoiler: his father possibly raping him when he was younger]]. In fact, its described [[spoiler: he has a disorder that acts up if he feels something or someone is a threat to his existence]]. [[spoiler: It's implied Torso molested him and he cut off Mutsuki's arms and legs so he wouldn't leave. In revenge, Mutsuki dismembered Torso and decapitated him as well as putting his cut off penis where his nose used to be]].
* TheHeart: He does his best to hold his dysfunctional teammates together, smoothing over arguments and offering emotional support. He also seems to be the most morally upright of the bunch, being a gentle and selfless individual. [[spoiler: This causes him to snap when he gets his memories back.]]
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: [[spoiler: Mutsuki fought off deranged, AxCrazy Ghouls but after being [[RapeAsDrama stuck with]] [[StalkerWithACrush Torso]] for nearly a month, realized he was just like the monsters he fought against.]]

* LaughingMad: [[spoiler: Mutsuki breaks down into hysterical laughter, after seeing Torso's body and realizing the full scale of his crimes]].

* MarkOfTheSupernatural: His Kakugan is permanently active, revealing he isn't completely human anymore.

* MetaphoricallyTrue: A ghoul did kill his family. [[spoiler: The ghoul was him, though.]]

* OnlySaneMan: Mutsuki seems to be the only member that actually follows orders and does what is expected without causing trouble. [[spoiler: Except for the murderous SplitPersonality thing, of course.]]

* SplitPersonality: [[spoiler: Chapter 79 heavily implies that the abuse Mutsuki suffered by his family lead to him developing a psychotic alternate persona that murdered his family. This continued later, with him murdering animals and repressing the memories later.]]
* SoleSurvivor: His entire family was slaughtered by Ghouls, leaving him the only survivor. [[spoiler: Turns out that's because it wasn't a Ghoul that killed them, it was himself.]]
* SuperpoweredEvilSide: [[spoiler: It seems that Tooru has an inner side of himself that unleashes a terribly monstrous ghoul that destroys anything that would threaten their continued existence. This side of himself has also killed cats during their time in the academy, as well as cannabilizing other corpses during the Auction arc.]] And guess what? [[spoiler: That's just the stuff he remembers. [[UnreliableNarrator Who knows what else he did...]]]]

* TokenEvilTeammate: [[spoiler: An unknowing one. After realizing he had a AxCrazy evil personality, he becomes this for the Quinx.]]
* TomatoInTheMirror: [[spoiler: Mutsuki is just as horrified and shocked as the audience, upon learning that he murdered his own family, killed animals as a student at the Junior Academy, and cannibalized at the Auction. He immediately calls himself disgusting, and wishes to die]].

** [[spoiler: After being tortured by Torso, Mutsuki wakes up to his AxCrazy SplitPersonality and manages to kill Torso. He then shows he's skilled enough, and smart enough, to fight off Takizawa.]]

* WalkingSpoiler: [[spoiler: Thanks to his SplitPersonality.]]

* AffectionateNickname: Saiko refers to him as "Hige-chan".

[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tooru_mutsuki.jpeg]]

[[Characters/TokyoGhoul Tokyo Ghoul index]] | [[Characters/TokyoGhoulReGhouls Tokyo Ghoul:Re Ghouls]] | [[Characters/TokyoGhoulOriginal Tokyo Ghoul]] | [[Characters/TokyoGhoulJack Tokyo Ghoul Jack]] | [[Characters/TokyoGhoulSpinoffs Tokyo Ghoul Spinoffs]]

* TheCoatsComeOff: She tosses aside her jacket, just prior to charging into battle.