Since it first aired in 2014 (and was first read as a manga in 2011), fans across the world have been gripped by the story of Ken Kaneki and the dark underbelly of Tokyo.
One of the most popular anime of all time, Tokyo Ghoul is a show that delivers a tone of exciting characters and incredible fighting scenes. The story is filled with different personalities and attack styles, making for an incredibly exciting action anime.
Tokyo Ghoul is also a show full of fantastic depth and world-building. One example of this is the various ranking systems used in the story to categorise the most dangerous ghouls and the most capable investigators. If you’re not sure how these work, or just want a handy guide while watching the show, this Tokyo Ghoul ranks explained article will hopefully help!
What are the Ghoul Rankings in Tokyo Ghoul?
The Commission of Counter Ghoul (CCG) give ratings to all the ghouls they monitor in Tokyo. This is how the ghouls are ranked in the series.
As these ratings are given by the CCG, the rankings reflect the potential threat of the ghoul and not necessarily just its strength.
There are six ratings in total, with the degree of danger posed by a ghoul increasing each time:
Rank | Description |
|---|---|
C Rated | A potential threat to the unarmed public, but not a problem for the CCG. |
B Rated | Usually capable fighters comparable to the CCG’s junior investigators. Easily handled when required. |
A Rated | A dangerous ghoul comparable to the CCG’s 1st Class Investigators. Often a target for the CCG. |
S Rated | A very dangerous ghoul, often requiring Special Class Investigators or above. |
SS Rated | Exclusively for legendary ghouls, who are very few in number. Taking these down requires multiple of the CCG’s best investigators. |
SSS Rated | The most powerful known ghouls that could, either by themselves or with the support of others, pose a direct threat to the CCG. |
What Rank is Kaneki?
By the time he has developed his powers, Ken Kaneki was rated as an SS ghoul by the CCG. However, as mentioned, this is just how the CCG see his particular threat. For many people, Ken Kaneki has the comparable strength of an SSS rated ghoul.
Here are some other notable character’s ranks for comparison:
- S Rated Ghouls – Rize, Tsukiyama (Gourmet), Bin Brothers
- SS Rated Ghouls – Uta, Irimi (Black Dog), Ayato Kirishima
- SSS Rated Ghouls – Yoshimura, Eto (The Owls)
It’s worth noting that not all character’s ratings are known, or they’re not revealed in the story, because these are based on the CCG’s work.
What are the Investigator Ranks in the CCG?
Of course, if they give rankings to the Ghouls, it makes sense that they’d have rankings for themselves!
The ghoul investigators at the CCG have a hierarchy of their own, again depicting their abilities to combat certain ghouls.
There are six ranks at the CCG, divided into two sections: junior and senior investigators:
Rank | Description |
|---|---|
Rank 3 | Investigators that often stay at the CCG rather than go into the field. These often don’t have formal training and carry pistols rather than quinque. |
Rank 2 (Third Class) | The starting rank for most field investigators. |
Rank 1 (Second Class) | Experienced junior investigators that could be close to the peak of their powers. |
First Class | Very capable investigators, usually tasked with training juniors but can also handle themselves in combat. |
Associate Special Class | Exceptional investigators, often few in number. Can be put in charge of managing wards or leading combat operations. |
Special Class | The best investigators at the CCG. Usually put in charge of specific wards and operations. |
There’s so much to get into in Tokyo Ghoul when it comes to combat, with so many unique characters and abilities. Honestly, even if you can’t keep up with who everyone is or how strong they’re meant to be, just hang on and enjoy the ride!