Talk:Kakuhou/@comment-213.66.199.45-20150310072926

Theory time (warning, long comment, patience is advised):

As I was looking up human biology in search for something that could match the kakuhou in terms of fitting transplantation with a human, since the two species have to be related in some way for a succesful transplant to be done and not be rejected...

And found something quite interesting...

Could it be possible that the Kakuhou has the same functions as a placenta? (altered through rc-cells, (which are shaped like tiny red embryos, mind you), yes, but still a organ that would explain how a ghoul´s kakuhou could be transplanted directly to a human being and make half-ghouls)

Let me explain first...

The Plecenta have a couple of functions that caught my eye in relation to the Kakuhou...

(base info)

It´s a nine inch long and one inch thick organ. vessels branches out over the surface of the placenta and further divide to form a network covered by a thin layer of cells. It´s a two-component organ.

1. Nutrition: transportation of nourishment and oxygen to the "child" from the "mother", while transporting waste products from the child so the mother can dispose of it.

2. Cloaking from immunity of the mother: A child is a foreign matter while within a human being, so this organ uses several mechanisms to avoid rejection. The placental barrier.


 * 1) One, it secrets Neurokinin B- containing phosphocholine molecules. This is the same mechanism used by parasitic nematodes to avoid detection by the immunesystem of their hosts.

There´s a couple of more functions but unless you´re deep into biology then the majority won´t understand it... so I leave it out for now.

3. It also provides a blood reservoir for the child, delivering blood to it in case of hypotension and vice versa, comparable to a capacitator.

...

Now, to the Kakuhou...

If we think about it as a placenta, then a lot more makes sense regarding the biology of the ghouls and the nature of their kagune.

The reason for their increased regeneration abilities could be due to their kakuhou producing stem cells to recover the damage and turning itself into the proper cells that been injured. In a since, the body of the ghoul is very similar to a fetus in the womb, provided by the placenta and depending on it for its survival.

The roles between "mother" and "child" are equally split between the ghoul and its kakuhou as the kakuhou needs rc-cells (stem cells) to survive, so does its "mother" (the ghoul) who have to provide nourishment by seeking it out, while being aided by its "red child cells" who gives the ghoul a way to attain it (the kagune)

The kakuhou has been described as the organ that holds a reservoir of the "rc-cells" and in the anime, seen as a sack-like organ that burst outwards to form the kagune. I´m still not sure if its the actual "placenta" part that forms the appendages, or if it is "umbilical cords" that it sprouts out when activating the kagune...

Odds are more likely that it´s the latter option.

So going from this line of thought, the nature of a ghoul becomes pretty morbid if one imagines the rinkaku, koukaku, ukaku and bikaku as the ghoul´s "umbilical cord" which in a certain way, fullfill its function of providing nourishment for the "child" (the user) for both of their survival.

The rinkaku kagune can be compared to multiple umbilical cords sprouting out for increased chances of acquiring nourishment with thin walls and easily replaced.

The koukaku is harder with thicker walls, but the risk of snapping it is decreased in exchange for mobility.

The ukaku is the thinnest and prone to bleedings, which are the projectile weaponry seen in the series. also why the ukaku ghouls gets tired quickly as they use this... they´re essentially bleeding out.

The bikaku is just like a normal cord like in any other unborn child.

(And that means that the doves are essentially using a ghoul´s "umbrilical cords" as weapons considering tha tthey´re farming the kagune´s from the kakuhous of imprisoned ghouls and the quinque (cord) can´t regenerate due to not being attached to the "placenta" anymore...makes sense... Yeah...it just got disturbing.)

So if the kagune is the ghoul´s "umbilical cord" then what does that make the Kakuja?

Well, that to can be explained with this comparison... recall how the "red child-cells" are shaped as embryos?

If we use this and compare the normal ghouls as embryos as well, slowly growing with only the minimum nourishment and keeping it in a stalemate without a chance of grwoing further due to a lack of extra (stem cells), then if more rc-cells, more nourishment, more material is added, then what would happen to an embryo then?

Yes.

It grows out from its embryonic state and into a fetus.

In short, the ghouls develop into a fetal stage, developing a "womb" when they start developing kakujas to "encase" and "protect" them from the hostile outside world as they grow within their "mother".

(Owl, Arata, One-eyed owl, all of them possess protective shells around them as defense from threats outside...Kaneki is not there yet but he´s also not fully developed either so it makes sense.)

The kakuja can be compared, (in Eto´s case), as a humongous womb with a...uh... well, you can all figure out what the "opening" is for such a organ... for a mouth. walking around on its umbilical cords.

(Freud would have a field day with this series... and I think I just made the One-Eyed Owl way more disturbing then it already was with all this symbolism. I don´t think I can ever read the chapters with it the same way ever again... Looking the One-Eyed Owl in its face just got really awkward and squicky.)

...

Where was I? Oh yes...

Back to the Kakuhou...

I believe that this organ could be compared with the human placenta in terms of functions and compability due to another factor...

and that´s what dr. Kanou said regarding his failures with making one-eyed ghouls.

He said something about a "0.2-0.4 chance" for the implant to stick due to the resistance in the stomach walls or something, right? Well, it makes sense if no nourishment can be provided to the "red child" through the "placenta" naturally, forcing it to feed on its "mother" instead as seen with the failed ghouls in his laboratory. (Wait, does that make those ghouls akin to walking "abortions" as well? And what Kaneki did when he fought them... Oh, this is dark.)

Based on the theory, (and Kaneki´s comment of "Ghoul eating me." in the sewers.) The nature of the Kakuhou could be a dual relationship in terms of "Mother/child" for the ghoul who also have this with it "Child/Mother" depending on the action and the current situation. Both are the "mother", both are the "child", and in contrast to the relationship in terms of humans, neither of these two can survive without each other.

The ghouls are essentially unborn "embryos" who can only develop and grow by cannibalising on each other until they, perhaps, can reach a state where they can be fully "born" into this world. It´s a bit tragic, dark, disturbing, terrifying and more on how much symbolism one can find if looking at it from every angle of psychoanalystic perspectives there is...

And as a final word...

thanks for taking the time and having the patience to read this comment all the way through.

Have a nice day.