Talk:Ken Kaneki/@comment-207.174.239.191-20151117125423/@comment-10733658-20151117144623

I still definitely disagree with the idea that the real Kaneki is a monster. The series itself pretty explicitly shoots that down.

Like I said in the other post related to this, we're explicitly told that Kaneki's brain scans show he has extremely highly developed Empathy. This is neurological wiring, and taking AFTER his brain was damaged so would be his current setup. He's not capable of being a sociopath as described, because it simply isn't in his makeup. He's wired to have an incredible ability to understand and empathize with others. That is one of his primary talents.

Beyond that, we need to consider that "Haise Sasaki" started out as a pure form of Kaneki. It was him completely stripped of traumatic and abusive memories which shaped him into a withdrawn, sullen person with unhealthy coping mechanisms. Instead, he was encouraged with positive influences and pushed to excel instead of doubting himself.

What we're going to get isn't some "Monster Kaneki", but rather someone that has a much fuller grasp of things. Unlike in the past, he's now a fully-mature adult and has been given a lot more tools to deal with the things he once couldn't manage. He also would have more information, and a greater ability to process everything he knows.

Besides that, thematically such a thing makes zero sense. It means throwing out all the influences of Carl Jung, as well as the repeated theme of "Kaneki is the Bridge, he can understand both sides". He is Eto's foil, and making him some sociopathic monster kind of.....both renders Eto obsolete and makes his entire journey thus far moot. Suddenly, Yoshimura's faith in him is meaningless. Amon's fascination with him is meaningless. Touka, Hinami, Nishiki, and Banjou's hope in him is meaningless. Hide's never-ending belief in him is meaningless. The way he changed Tsukiyama is meaningless.

It would render everything in the series meaningless.