Story: 8/10
:re is the continuation of Kaneki's path to tragedy. The beginning of :re nicely parallels the events of the first, but on the other side of the equation. We learn that war has no victors, only victims. Once that viewpoint is established, we continue to follow Kaneki as he tries to seek for an answer to this situation.
At the same time, we learn about some shocking twists behind the truth of CCG, as well as some of the ghoul organisations. To me, this was probably the pinnacle of Ishida's writing. It was strongly delivered, and it sought to convey how while there were two sides, people, or morals, could never be cleanly separated. This part sought to show the grey areas, that further provoke thought. Who's right then, and who's wrong?
Then, the story moved on towards reunion. A common enemy is established, and that pushes those who were once at each other's throats to come together. Kaneki tries, and fails, and tries, and fails. That's reality. It's painful, but real.
The ending gives closure to the events. Everyone has found a way of compromise, things have changed for the better, for the most part. Kaneki received the happiness he deserved. He persevered, he learned, he loved, he was loved. He protected the people he wished to save.
I do think the ending was a little weak, but in the grand scheme of things, for a theme as heavy as this, and seeing similar mangas with similar themes, this closure is probably the most satisfactory one. Why? Well that's simple--- there's simply no way Ishida or any writer could ever have a say in giving a proper conclusion to which side was necessarily right or wrong. It goes on in cycles. That's life.
I do really praise in Ishida's style of writing. His references to books, to quotes, as well as scientific explanations, and symbolism made the manga so much more interesting. I respect him in his immense talent for writing in that way.
Art 8/10
Simply because I have never seen anyone draw with such a style in manga. It takes a lot of ink to print so many black pages (laughs). Okay but in all seriousness, some of his panelling work have evoked tears in my eyes. Arima's death scene, the ticking clocks of Kanae, the Torii gates, the butterflies, combined with his art, have created iconic scenes that would be deeply ingrained my memory for being so visually impactful.
That said, I do understand that some action sequences were hard to read and decipher, perhaps due to his sketchy style. Give it a few times of read, it's not something to be overlooked, but I also do think that there are other things to praise his art about.
Also, his style has grown so much over the years. I do also think his illustrations are spectacular, and so fitting for TG. If you haven't read zakki, I suggest you buy that book, because it's amazing.
Character 10/10
Do I even need to explain? It's just darn good characters. Kaneki is such a great protagonist, not only because he starts off weak and learns and grows strong, but also because his self criticisms and recounts are so vividly real that one can't help but see themselves in him. Kaneki is a fictional character, his many changes in appearances, to me, are just iconic ways to benchmark how different experiences changes our perceptions, our personalities, as we continue to live.
As for the other characters, they have such an important effect on Kaneki, they can't be disregarded either. Hide, Touka, Arima, Eto, Hinami, Tsukiyama, to name a few, are important relationships that Kaneki has formed that has shaped his life. Without them, Kaneki wouldn't grow to be the same Kaneki. That's true to life too. You are very much shaped by the kinds of friends and relationships you make in your life. Not only that, these character intermingle with one another in interesting parallels too. Ishida manages to give depth to majority of his characters, which is a hard thing to do.
Enjoyment 10/10
Waiting for the release of this chapter throughout the past years have been the highlight of my week. Yes, some of these chapters have been painful, I've shed tears of sadness, tears of joy, gasped of horror, but the series has claimed a special place in my heart.
I think the online community also played a strong part in making me love the series. I enjoyed reading theories that were very much valid and well thought out, I enjoyed looking at art made by people, and contributing to discussions. As an artist myself, I enjoyed drawing these characters, and I enjoyed seeing Ishida be silly on Twitter. :re has given me the opportunity to engage with an online community, and like Kaneki, form new relationships and friendships that I really appreciate and learned to love. For that, I owe my life to this series. Thank you Ishida.
