Kaneki was a shy and reserved person, and Hide was his only close friend. He usually spent most of his time reading books, mostly novels. He was extremely gentle and seemed optimistic most of the time. However, under his altruistic and gentle nature, there was a fear of loneliness, which was aggravated by the death of his mother. He despised the idea of loneliness, so he tried to protect those who were dear to him, so that he would not have to face his fear of being alone in this world.