Learn Japanese with Tokyo Ghoul

Anime by Japanese level › N3 to N2

How hard is the Japanese in Tokyo Ghoul?

Ikkimi rates Tokyo Ghoul at N3 to N2 (faster talk with more unusual words). What sets its level: dark inner monologue, invented terms. Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 112 are easier and 53 are harder.

Levels follow the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). They are Ikkimi’s estimate of how hard a show’s Japanese is to follow, from how fast people talk, how many unusual words there are and how clear the voices are. They are not official JLPT ratings.

Format, episodes, year and genres are from AniList’s entry, which may cover only the first season.

How to learn Japanese with Tokyo Ghoul

Ikkimi lists Tokyo Ghoul on Crunchyroll and Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. Ikkimi does not stream anything: you watch on your own account, in Chrome on a computer, and Ikkimi adds a Japanese line you can click on top of the player.

On Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll rarely has Japanese subtitles. On a Crunchyroll episode, Ikkimi looks for a matching Japanese subtitle file in Jimaku’s public catalogue, loads it and lines it up with the episode by itself. If Jimaku has no file for an episode, you can search by hand in the Ikkimi popup or load a subtitle file from your computer.

On Netflix

On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles in the player, where your country’s Netflix has them for this title, and Ikkimi makes the line clickable. If there are none, open the Ikkimi popup, choose Find Japanese subtitles, and search Jimaku’s catalogue or load a file from your computer.

1. Add Ikkimi to Chrome

   Get the extension from the Chrome Web Store and sign in.

2. Play an episode

   Open Tokyo Ghoul on Crunchyroll or Netflix. The Japanese line appears on top of the video.

3. Click the words you keep hearing

   The video pauses and the word opens: kana, romaji, meaning, JLPT level and a recording by a native speaker where one exists (never a computer voice; otherwise the line from the show plays again). At this level, turn on the English line under the Japanese at first, and keep only the words that come back.

4. Review them later

   Kept words come back as flashcards on the Ikkimi website, with the scene and the line they came from, just before you would forget them.

Easier and harder shows

Shows within a level of Tokyo Ghoul, with the most genres in common first.

Easier

• N3The Promised Neverland約束のネバーランドchildren talking, plans explained step by stepCrunchyrollNetflix
• N3Mob Psycho 100モブサイコ100casual speech, one fast talkerCrunchyroll
• N3NarutoNARUTO -ナルト-clear voices, ninja words that repeatCrunchyrollNetflix

Also N3 to N2

• N3 to N2Chainsaw Manチェンソーマンrough casual speech, short linesCrunchyroll
• N3 to N2Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai青春ブタ野郎はバニーガール先輩の夢を見ないquick banter, some science wordsCrunchyroll
• N3 to N2Oshi no Ko【推しの子】show-business words, fast monologuesNetflix

Harder

• N2AKIRAa film, gang slang, military and science wordsCrunchyrollNetflix
• N2PLUTOpolice and robot words, serious speechNetflix
• N2 to N1Neon Genesis Evangelion新世紀エヴァンゲリオンmilitary, science and psychology wordsNetflix

See every N3 to N2 anime or all 192 anime by Japanese level, and read how to learn Japanese by watching anime from zero.

Questions

Is Tokyo Ghoul good for learning Japanese?

Not as a first show. Ikkimi rates it N3 to N2 (faster talk with more unusual words). What sets its level: dark inner monologue, invented terms. It is harder than most beginner shows. Watch it for fun from the start if you like, but learn your first words from an easier one.

What Japanese level is Tokyo Ghoul?

N3 to N2, on Ikkimi’s scale from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 112 are easier and 53 are harder. The level is Ikkimi’s estimate, not an official JLPT rating.

Where can I watch Tokyo Ghoul with Japanese subtitles?

Ikkimi lists Tokyo Ghoul on Crunchyroll and Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. Crunchyroll rarely has Japanese subtitles, so Ikkimi looks for a matching file in Jimaku’s catalogue and lines it up with the episode. On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles in the player where they are offered, and Ikkimi makes every word clickable.

How many episodes does Tokyo Ghoul have?

AniList’s entry lists 12 episodes of about 24 minutes, first aired in 2014. Later seasons may be listed separately.

What should I watch before Tokyo Ghoul?

Shows a little easier than Tokyo Ghoul, with genres in common: The Promised Neverland (N3), Mob Psycho 100 (N3) and Naruto (N3).

Sources: show details from AniList; meanings from JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0); readings and word splits from kuromoji.js with IPADIC; JLPT word levels from Jonathan Waller’s unofficial lists. See Credits. Spotted a mistake? Tell us at hello@ikkimi.app.