Ghouls (Tokyo Ghoul)

Ghouls are a species that feature in Tokyo Ghoul.

History
Ghouls were human appearing creatures whose origins were unknown but had lived among mankind for countless years. These creatures could only sustain themselves on human or Ghoul flesh. After the discovery of their existence, humanity by the modern day established the Commission of Counter Ghoul. Its Ghoul Investigators were charged with finding and eliminating the threat by Ghouls that preyed on mankind. Various organizations consisting of Ghouls existed that operated secretly and battled the C.C.G. such as the Aogiri Tree.

Physiology
In appearance, Ghouls typically appear no different from human beings but are much different. Physically, they are four to seven times stronger than an average human and able to send them flying across areas if struck with enough force. Such is their strength that they are able to penetrate a human's body with their bare hands and are also able to jump several meters high. Ghouls have a high regenerative capacity allowing them to heal small wounds and fractures in mere moments.. Grave serious wounds are healed after several days, so long as there was an adequate food supply. The more powerful Ghouls are shown to hold a healing factor allowing their wounds to repair and their blood re-entering their body within moments. Also, it is said that ghouls senses are dulled when it rains.

Nutrition could only be achieved through two sources namely either eating human beings or other Ghouls. As such, their dietary needs were completely different from humans with even the structure of their tongues being made to the point that the taste of any ordinary food being either disgusting or comfortable. This was attributed to a particular enzyme produced by their bodies that made them unable to digest any other source of food. In fact, the consumption of normal food led to the Ghoul feeling sick and seek to vomit such nutrition out. The forced feeding of such food to a Ghoul even had a harmful affect on their bodies and caused physical degradation as a result. Though unable to take normal food, they were able to drink coffee and normal water without any affect on them though it did not sate hunger. In a state of extreme hunger, a Ghoul suffered from very painful headaches and could lose all sense of reason where they turned into a feral state as they were driven on instinct alone with the need to feed. During such moments, they were a danger to everyone around them as they fed on any available source of human meat to end this hunger state and could even target close friends. Once they fed, Ghouls could go on for a long time without consuming more human meat as unlike mankind they were not quick feeders. Instead, they could survive between one to two months on a single body in order to sate their food requirements. However, some Ghouls did not feed out of a necessity but rather for pleasure that they derived from consuming special meat of select individuals. Others in fact regularly ate and consumed countless individuals with these being referred to as 'binge eaters'.

One class of these creatures were the Kakuja (赫者 Shining One) that were a special kind of Ghoul that transformed through cannibalism of other Ghouls. In times of large Ghoul populations, the scarcity of food meant that Ghouls sometimes ate one another with this act leading to the absorption of Rc cells that increased their number in the body. Once a sufficient number were present, a Ghoul underwent a mutation within their cells causing the formation of a new kagune. One of the outcomes of this transformation was the evolution of a special armored kagune that clad the body and served as protection with them even forming a natural armored mask over their faces. Typically, Kakuja Ghouls were highly predatory and their kagune amplified their strength as well as offered new abilities that made them powerful as well as dangerous combatants. Kakuja kagune were, however, nearly impossible to use as their users tended to lose their minds when fighting with it though some managed to retain their sanity. In some cases, the transformation of a Ghoul into a Kakuja was incomplete leading to the creation of Half-Kakujas.

Ghouls were able to breed with humans with them sometimes producing powerful hybrid offspring. In some cases, it was possible to transplant Ghoul organs into an ordinary human turning them into a Ghoul.

Society
Whilst they could only survive on human flesh, they were able to hide within human society and pretend to be humans. In such situations, they were able to pretend to eat food in order to remove any suspicion of their true nature and fool others. Despite seemingly eating food, the Ghoul in question needed to throw up the food afterwards otherwise face becoming sick. As such, Ghouls had to battle their own instincts and reflexes when pretending to eat human food.

Though able to operate among humans, such Ghouls lived a complex life as they had to keep their civilian identity separate from that of their Ghoul life. As such, masks held an important part in their lives. When using their abilities, Ghouls wore masks to conceal their identities that they could not take off otherwise the truth of their nature was revealed. Mask creation was a type of business made for Ghouls by their own kind with some being given custom individualised designs to fit the users personality or nature.

Ghouls were able to survive for days without food before feeling hungry again. However, there were some Ghouls that consumed for pleasure rather than sustenance with these eating human flesh more regularly. Such members of their kind were called "binge eaters" for their excessive consumption. This binge eating was dangerous for other Ghouls as it attracted investigators from the C.C.G.

Beyond living among humans, Ghouls were shown to hold their own society with various groups managing different areas. Some elements of their society saw death sports being made whereby humans were forced to battle one another in order to be consumed. In some cases, a Ghoul was thrown into such battles with the loser being eaten by the audience.

Members

 * Ken Kaneki :
 * Eto :
 * Rize Kamishiro :

Appearances

 * Tokyo Ghoul: