Talk:Ken Kaneki/@comment-176.58.186.139-20150613215248/@comment-25047329-20150613223005

I never bought into the idea that Kaneki was "brainwashed" by the CCG tbh, not like this anyway. I'm positive that there was manipulation involved, but as far as the loss of identity thing goes, it was implied in the original series that Kaneki was losing himself before the CCG even captured him proper. While Kaneki is in his deteriorating mindscape after Arima punctured his head, he commented on how his consciousness was slipping away and that things would be different when he woke up. He seemed to be already aware that he was losing his "self/memories" and having no choice but to go with it, he accepted "sleep". It's unclear if the memory loss was due to head trauma, psychogenic amnesia, or both, but I don't think it's anything the CCG did.

Now, where their manipulation does come in is that sense of security and love that Sasaki feels he wouldn't have unless he's with the CCG because he doesn't remember anything. Before, he was positive that "Kaneki" was a mindless monster because that's the propaganda the CCG wholeheartedly supports, so they surely had a hand in making Sasaki think that's all he was until they "saved" him.

He's starting to remember things and finally accepted his old self and thus far, there's nothing to suggest that he rejected his old self because of the CCG, not in the sense he was brainwashed anyway. Everything that's been shown regarding Sasaki's character and his relation to his old self has been very personal and has more to do with him being afraid of lossing the life he built and his current self rather than "displeasing" the CCG. Arima even asks him if he's ever curious about his family and old friends in casual conversation, which is an odd thing to do if it was the CCG that broke him down in the first place. Arima even went as far as "letting" Sasaki keep Hinami, even though he knew something was up.

They're certainly manipulating him and keeping him on a short leash, but "brainwhashing" I feel doesn't entirely fit in this case, not unless they hit use with a bombshell.