There are countless ghouls in Tokyo Ghoul, but the most powerful of these dangerous entities receive unique code names. Ken Kaneki is known as "Eyepatch," Touka Kirishima is "Rabbit," and Renji Yomo is "Raven." However, several characters throughout the series have the code name "Owl," which sounds incredibly confusing at first. That said, the term apparently originated with their unique kakuja, which supposedly took on an Owl-like appearance.
In fact, the name began as a title for the infamous One-Eyed Owl, one of the most dangerous ghouls in the series. It's then revealed there is a second Owl impersonating the One-Eyed Owl. When this character is used to manufacture artificial ghouls, that creates two more. Only the first two Owls in Tokyo Ghoul are officially ranked as SSS ghouls, but the latter two are nearly as powerful.
Updated on August 7, 2023, by Ajay Aravind: Tokyo Ghoul has become one of the most popular manga series of all time, and the anime adaptation isn't far behind. With four seasons and a live-action film under its belt, this iconic franchise is here to stay. As such, we've updated this feature with some more information about the four Owls in Tokyo Ghoul.
Yoshimura Is The Non-Killing Owl
Yoshimura is the manager and owner of Anteiku, the cafe where Kaneki works in Tokyo Ghoul. In the past, he was a lonely ghoul named "Kuzen" who fell in love with a human named Ukina. He is initially called the One-Eyed Owl but that title actually belongs to his half-ghoul daughter. Yoshimura poses as the One-Eyed Owl to cover up her horrific behavior, as he feels responsible for having abandoned her as a child. Yoshimura is a pacifist in his old age, fostering a community of non-killing ghouls within Anteiku's walls.
After the CCG defeat him in the Owl Suppression Operation and realize there were two Owls all along, Yoshimura is renamed the Non-Killing Owl. He is also the source of the "Owl" Quinque, which was made from the part of his body torn out by Kishou Arima. Owl is the only Quinque to receive an SSS rating. Harvested for his kakuhou and used to create artificial One-Eyed Ghouls, Yoshimura is probably still alive in some abstract, vegetative state. It's one of the many plot points left unresolved in the series, which unfortunately ended a little prematurely.
Eto Yoshimura Is The One-Eyed Owl
Eto Yoshimura is the most infamous "Owl" character in Tokyo Ghoul. One of the most powerful ghouls ever, Eto is the miraculous daughter of Yoshimura and Ukina, conceived against all odds. Unfortunately, she grows up hating the world. She founds and commands the Aogiri Tree terrorist group, an antagonistic force present throughout the series. Her criminal activity and immense strength grant her an SSS rating under the "One-Eyed Owl" title. Yoshimura boasts a range of unique powers and abilities, explaining why it's practically impossible to defeat her in a one-on-one battle.
Eto is also a famous novelist under the name Sen Takatsuki. While she is occasionally hedonistic and sadistic, Eto has a noble goal of creating a ghoul-friendly future, occasionally assisting Ken Kaneki in the process. Unfortunately, she is defeated by Furuta Nimura and left to die. Due to her striking design and charismatic personality, Eto is a fan-favorite character. Despite her "death," Eto reappears as the Taxidermied Owl at the end of Tokyo Ghoul. In this state, her zombified body is controlled by the villainous Donato Porpora. Eto eventually breaks free, but it's unclear what becomes of her after the final fight.
Seidou Takizawa Is T-OWL/Owl
Known as T-OWL, Seidou Takizawa is a low-ranking CCG investigator, where he has a close relationship with Amon Koutarou and Akira Mado. Along with Amon, he is defeated in the Owl Suppression Operation and presumed dead by the CCG. In reality, he was captured by Aogiri and experimented on by Kanou, who seeks to create a "new Kaneki" using Yoshimura's kakuhou. That means torturing the young, ghoulified investigator until his hair turns white. Most of his fellow test subjects are failures, but Takizawa becomes the first successful One-Eyed Ghoul using Yoshimura's kakuhou, which grants him an ukaku kagune.
As a member of Aogiri, he is known simply (and confusingly) as "Owl." Takizawa goes on bloodthirsty murder sprees under the organization's command. On a bittersweet note, he eventually rebels against the Aogiri Tree and restores his relationship with Amon and Akira. After this unexpected reformation, Takizawa also joins Ken Kaneki's Goat organization. The final chapter reveals that Takizawa disappears after the Dragon War, but there are rumors that he now acts as a vigilante fighting troublesome ghouls. Unlike Kaneki, Takizawa never manages to overcome his trauma, but that doesn't stop him from seeking justice.
Amon Koutarou Is A-OWL/Floppy
Known as A-OWL, Amon Koutarou is an important character in Tokyo Ghoul. His black-and-white, anti-ghoul view of the world matures alongside Ken Kaneki's own philosophy. After a climactic duel with the Tokyo Ghoul protagonist, Amon's half-dead body is snatched by Aogiri during the Ghoul Suppression Operation. Unlike Takizawa, Amon is a failed specimen known as "Floppy." That being said, he is still capable of creating a formidable owl-like kakuja. Although his ukaku kakuja can shoot enormous missiles at his opponents, Amon frequently relies on his impressive quinque skills.
After saving Takizawa and Mado, Amon is defeated by the Quinx squad and winds up in a CCG laboratory. He goes berserk upon running into Kaneki and other members of Goat, but Takizawa is able to save him. Amon coordinates with Hide, Goat, and the CCG to save Kaneki at the end of the series, eventually killing Donato Porpora, the ghoul who "fathered" him. This frees Eto, the One-Eyed Owl, from her taxidermied Owl state. In the final chapter, Amon and Akira's silhouettes are shown side-by-side, implying that the two now live together.
