Talk:Touka Kirishima/@comment-28977560-20161223141940/@comment-10733658-20161226012813

I originally had a longer comment, but kind of lost my train of thought and left it simple. But I think the point was less "OMG IT'S GONNA HAPPEN" and more that.....relationships aren't as simple as seeking out someone that x or y trait. Kaneki has close bonds with folks that share his love for reading, but also has important/close bonds with folks that aren't bookish. His most bond was with Hide, a dude with zero interest in Kaneki's novels but was his dearest friend regardless.

I think Touka is similar to Hide (or Juuzou, or Kuramoto, or Saiko) in that it's someone that is kind of an opposite. Someone that forces him out of his shell, or his comfort zone, and gets him out into the world. Not necessarily "opposites attract", but rather having complimentary elements that work together. Touka's bolder, but also has the nostalgia for gentler things associated with her parents, especially her dad. (Yoriko and Kaneki, both more mild and good cooks like her dad). Touka is awkward about doing it, but she's managed to repeatedly get Kaneki to consider things and to grow as a person.

Those kind of key elements can make a good foundation. It's that way with a lot of the people Kaneki is close to, in the long run. They're all people that have forced him to challenge himself, and figure out new things about himself in the process.