Tokyo Ghoul Manga Reading Order: Tokyo Ghoul, :re, Jack & Novels
Tokyo Ghoul becomes much easier to collect once one thing is clear: Tokyo Ghoul:re is not a reboot. It continues the original manga, so there is a very simple main reading order.
Read Tokyo Ghoul Volumes 1 to 14 first, then Tokyo Ghoul:re Volumes 1 to 16.
That is the complete main manga story. Tokyo Ghoul [Jack], the novels and the art books are optional extras rather than required reading.
Start the Tokyo Ghoul manga
Tokyo Ghoul Vol. 1
Begin Kaneki's story here and read the original series all the way through Volume 14.
View Tokyo Ghoul Vol. 1Tokyo Ghoul:re Vol. 1
Only start :re after finishing Tokyo Ghoul Volume 14. It is the continuation of the same main story.
View Tokyo Ghoul:re Vol. 1Tokyo Ghoul reading order at a glance
| Order | Book | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tokyo Ghoul Vol. 1-14 | Yes |
| 2 | Tokyo Ghoul:re Vol. 1-16 | Yes |
| Optional | Tokyo Ghoul [Jack] | No |
| Optional | Tokyo Ghoul novels | No |
| Optional | Tokyo Ghoul art books | No |
Do you read Tokyo Ghoul or Tokyo Ghoul:re first?
Tokyo Ghoul comes first.
The original 14-volume series introduces Ken Kaneki, the ghouls of Tokyo, Anteiku, the CCG and the relationships that :re expects you to understand.
Tokyo Ghoul:re then continues the story in its own 16-volume run.
Starting with :re because its Volume 1 looks like the beginning of a separate series would mean entering the second half of the overall story without the context it was written to follow.
Main series total: 14 Tokyo Ghoul volumes + 16 Tokyo Ghoul:re volumes = 30 standard manga volumes.
Where does Tokyo Ghoul [Jack] fit?
Tokyo Ghoul [Jack] is a prequel side story.
It takes place before the main Tokyo Ghoul story and follows an earlier case involving Taishi Fura and Kisho Arima.
You do not need it to understand Kaneki's main story.
For a first read, we would keep things simple and read it after finishing the original Tokyo Ghoul run. That lets you meet the wider cast through the main series before going backwards for additional context.
It is also worth knowing that VIZ's official English release of [Jack] is digital rather than part of the standard physical 30-volume collection.
Where do the Tokyo Ghoul novels fit?
The Tokyo Ghoul novels are supplementary stories rather than mandatory steps in the manga order.
They include books such as Tokyo Ghoul: Days, Tokyo Ghoul: Void and Tokyo Ghoul: Past.
They expand on characters and events around the main story, but you can read the complete manga from Tokyo Ghoul Volume 1 through Tokyo Ghoul:re Volume 16 without stopping for them.
If you want the cleanest first experience, finish the manga first and treat the novels as extra material afterwards.
Should anime viewers start the manga from Volume 1?
Yes.
This is one series where jumping to the apparent point where the anime finished is not the route we recommend.
The anime compresses material, and Tokyo Ghoul √A makes particularly significant changes to the route taken by the story.
Starting the manga from Volume 1 means you follow Sui Ishida's original continuity all the way into Tokyo Ghoul:re without having to work out which scenes or decisions were changed for television.
Do you need the Tokyo Ghoul box sets?
No.
The box sets are simply another way of collecting the standard volumes. They do not contain a different version of the main storyline that you need for the reading order.
If you are buying individual volumes, the order remains exactly the same: Tokyo Ghoul 1-14, then Tokyo Ghoul:re 1-16.
What comes after Tokyo Ghoul:re?
Tokyo Ghoul:re Volume 16 is the end of the main Tokyo Ghoul manga story.
There is no third main manga series that needs to be read afterwards.
At that point you can explore the novels, [Jack], illustration books or simply move onto another Sui Ishida work if you want more.
Tokyo Ghoul reading order FAQs
Is Tokyo Ghoul:re a sequel?
Yes. Tokyo Ghoul:re continues the story after the original 14-volume Tokyo Ghoul manga.
How many Tokyo Ghoul manga volumes are there?
The main story contains 14 Tokyo Ghoul volumes and 16 Tokyo Ghoul:re volumes, for 30 standard volumes in total.
Do I need to read Tokyo Ghoul [Jack]?
No. It is an optional prequel side story rather than required reading for the main manga.
Do I need the Tokyo Ghoul novels?
No. The novels add extra stories and context but are not necessary to follow the main manga plot.
Where should I start Tokyo Ghoul after watching the anime?
Start with Tokyo Ghoul Volume 1. The manga and anime differ enough that beginning from the original manga gives you the clearest route into Tokyo Ghoul:re.
Start Tokyo Ghoul in the right order
Begin with Tokyo Ghoul Volume 1, finish all 14 volumes, then move directly into Tokyo Ghoul:re.
View Tokyo Ghoul Vol. 1