👁️ Ken Kaneki

Ken Kaneki is the main protagonist of the dark fantasy series Tokyo Ghoul, which explores the conflict between humans and Ghouls—creatures who can only survive by consuming human flesh.

• Human to Ghoul Transformation: Kaneki starts as a shy, quiet, and bookish college student. Due to a tragic accident, he undergoes an emergency organ transplant that turns him into a half-Ghoul. He struggles immensely with this transformation, unable to eat human food and forced to confront the moral horror of his new existence.

• The Single Red Eye (Kakugan): As a half-Ghoul, he can only activate one of his eyes (the transplant eye) into a kakugan, the characteristic red-iris-and-black-sclera of Ghouls, as seen in the artwork.

• Appearance in the Image (Centipede/Awakened State): The image depicts a highly stylized and likely traumatized version of Kaneki, associated with his later, more powerful forms:

• White Hair: Following intense torture, Kaneki's hair famously turns white, symbolizing his complete acceptance of his Ghoul nature and the immense mental and physical trauma he has endured.

• The Mask: While not fully visible, he is known for wearing a leather mask with a zipper mouth and an eye patch to hide his Ghoul identity.

• Kagune: The chaotic, sharp blue and white lines could represent his Kagune—a Ghoul's predatory organ that manifests as sharp, tentacle-like appendages. Kaneki's early form is a Rinkaku (four large tentacles emerging from his back).

• Identity Struggle: Kaneki's story is a continuous, heartbreaking search for identity, constantly caught between the human world he lost and the dark Ghoul world he was forced into. He is driven by the desire to protect the people he cares about, regardless of whether they are human or Ghoul.

The artwork powerfully captures his internal turmoil and the sudden, violent nature of his Ghoul powers.