Tomie/Nightmare Fuel

Being Junji Ito's debut story and character, Tomie is the first of what would later on be Ito's trademark horror. However, Tomie isn't the only thing scary about this particular manga.

Chapter 1 or simply "Tomie":
- Before the chapter even starts we get a first glimpse of horror. Students in a class lead by Mr. Takagi, in mourning of murdered student Tomie Kawakami. Doing his duty and telling the students to be extra safe in case her killer strikes again. Just when he helping them move on, Tomie shows up much to the shock, sadness and horror of Mr. Takagi and the other students. The resulting bombshell, putting the students in disarray. The scariest part about it, is that Tomie herself is confused to why everyone is in mourning, when in actuality it's because the case mentioned she was cut into pieces. Yet here she is without a scratch on her.
- In follow up to the previous one, Mr. Takagi confronts Tomie in his office. Accusing her of being a twin pretending to be Tomie. Tomie denies this, claiming to be an only child. Then out of nowhere begins one of her first horrific moments. Tomie flings herself to Mr. Takagi's arms with lewd intent claiming that he plans to still marry her when she graduates. Struggle all he might, Mr. Takagi can't seem to make Tomie let go. Later on the students are debating over how Tomie is still alive and if she isn't real. Which is bad enough that they're all scared and paranoid over this, only to find from a neighboring teacher that Mr. Takagi had been committed to a mental hospital. No one knows exactly what Tomie did to make him this way or if she did anything at all, but the encounter has driven Mr. Takagi completely insane. What makes matters worse is even though it's mostly played for Dark Comedy, Tomie seems to cling to her boyfriend Yamamoto much to his horror and disgust. Which could throw off some readers into thinking he may be next.
- Later on, Tomie is trying to talk to Reiko letting in a few clues to the class' past. In that she slept with Mr. Takagi and that Yamamoto might still be angry at her about it. Oblivious to the fact that much of the class is avoiding her because they think she's a ghost. Just when Reiko and Tomie reach a bridge, something about the bridge causes Reiko to freak out and run into Yamamoto. Yamamoto theorizes that Tomie, whether alive, dead or undead, is intentionally trying to drive the class insane like she did Mr. Takagi. Both are so spooked by the ordeal that Yamamoto suggests they turn themselves in.
- Tomie's first murder. The students were on a mountain hike during a field trip. During a play session, Tomie and Mr. Takagi are seen hanging out on a cliff. In which Tomie explains that she might be pregnant and that Takagi might be the father. Yamamoto walks in on their conversation and is furious, causing an argument between the two, which results in Tomie falling off the cliff presumably to her death. In a bizarre disturbing turn, Mr. Takagi refuses to let Yamamoto call an ambulance and under the guise of a biology lesson, forces the students to cut her up. However the fall didn't kill Tomie causing her to wake up and panic, while the students in turn stab her to death to make her stay dead. Then proceed to systematically dissect her body while listing off the organs. And as a result, 42 pieces of Tomie were divided into 41 students and a teacher, each one picking a separate spot to hide their piece. With Reiko having her heart as she was Tomie's only friend. This brings the above statements into a whole new light. Thanks to Ito's trademark ambiguity, we the readers never know if whether or not Tomie remembers or death and if so, is she intentionally screwing with the staff and students in revenge?
- The other students find out that Reiko and Yamamoto are turning themselves in for their part in Tomie's murder. A chase ensues, but Yamamoto and Reiko are soon cornered by the rest of the male student body. It's horror less to do with the fact that they're trying to kill their fellow students/friends and more due to the fact on how easy they were to solve the problem with attempted murder. Just when Yamamoto and Reiko seem to be done for, Tomie shows up, wondering what they are doing. Because they still think she's some kind of ghost, the students flee leaving Reiko and Yamamoto alone with Tomie. Tomie accuses Reiko of trying to steal Yammamoto away from her prompting Reiko to flee. Leaving poor, Yamamoto alone with the woman he killed. Yamamoto was later found right were Reiko left him. His mind is gone. Much like Mr. Takagi, no one knows if anything what Tomie did to him, but that makes two of her would be killers.
- Three days after the events, Reiko and her family moved to a new town. The students of her class either moved away or in the case of two, committed suicide. At this point Reiko was just about to convince herself that the events in the field trip never happened and that Tomie was never killed. She was strolling along the beach when she saw a very familiar wrapper. It was the same wrapper that contained Tomie's severed heart. Only it's been worn out and empty. Reiko then follows it to a nearby cave where it looks as if Tomie is growing herself out of the water. A crude fleshy stem where her lower body should be. A torso that hasn't been fully developed. Tiny hands that look more like dry tree twigs. All topped by a head that is covered in various bodily fluid, no pupils in her eyes making them white and a creepy smile that doesn't seem to go away.

Reiko: It seems that Tomie has found me again.

Chapter 2 or simply "Tomie Part 2":
- Before the story even begins, we open with two doctors discussing a patient whom has fled the Morita Hospital. That patient, is none other than Mr. Takagi, whom broke loose. The doctors continue to talk about how the reason Mr. Takagi got committed, was because he saw Tomie's Ghost. Another doctor corrects him saying that Mr. Takagi specifically state that Tomie was never a normal human being to begin with. Now whether or not we should believe his claims, one thing is for certain. Mr. Takagi, the man who spearheaded Tomie Kawakami's death has broke out the asylum and is at large.
- The story begins proper with Yukiko and Tadashi. Yuki suffers from a disease that requires a kidney transplant and a strict diet. Tadashi visits her to keep her company implying some kind of romance. However Tadashi leaves quickly and Yuki spies through her ward's window. She sees Tadashi walk off with a mysterious dark haired girl. The next panel reveals her smiling face. Tomie Kawakami.
- Two days later, Tomie visits Yuki using the alias "Reiko Mizutani" the name of her former friend. She coldly demands Yuki not to see Tadashi anymore. Deliberately putting stress on an already dying girl. Claiming that Yuki would never compete with her and that Tadashi secretly hopes Yuki dies so he never has to go to the hospital again. Now normally a thing like this would not seem scary as it would fit into a Drama. However when Yuki throws a stuffed toy at Tomie in a fit of rage, Tomie glares at her. Now at this point of the series, we've only seen Tomie do two things, come back from death and drive people insane. While Tomie was escorted out by the nurse, the fact that she even looked like she was gonna do something terrible to Yuki is scary enough. On top of that, you can clearly tell by Yuki's sweating face, that the stress of confronting Tomie nearly killed her. As later shown when the doctors mention that her condition is deteriorating.
- Tadashi confronts Tomie, who lied about her encounter with Yuki, which starts a series of thoughts harkening back to when he first met her. First it shows that he met her on the same beach her growing corpse from Chapter 1 was discovered. All the while Tadashi narrates that there has been this growing urge he had ever since he met her that day. Then it shows him reading an article depicting the events of Chapter 1 as happening 2 years ago. Not only giving a set timeline for the series so far, but also showing just how long Tomie has been operating so far as well. Not to mention increasing said urge and obsession within Tadashi as he obsess overs the similarities between Tomie and "Reiko". Just when Tadashi was gonna vow to stop seeing Tomie and apologize to Yuki, Tomie appears out of an alleyway. Tadashi is silent for a moment before he proceeds to stab Tomie to death. He was later captured by the police. While the narration implies his obsession may have caused him to do it, Tadashi himself doesn't have a clue why he killed Tomie other than having an urge to simply dismantle her. To make matters worse, had the cops not stopped Tadashi, he would have proceeded to chop her up like the Class in Chapter 1 did.
- While examining her corpse, the detective and doctor decide that because Tomie's blood type matched Yuki's that she's the perfect donor for her kidney. However, the doctor needs permission from her family to extract the kidney. Her "Father" shows up to identify the body. The "Father" being none other than Mr. Takagi, whom allows them to take Tomie's Kidney. Because Mr. Takagi is still as deranged as ever. Who knows what he was up to.
- The transplant becomes a success at first, but poor Yuki discovers her stomach is swollen and causing her unbearable pain. X-Rays show that Tomie's kidney is sprouting limbs and a human skull and if they don't cut it out of her, it may potentially kill Yuki. Upon getting her stomach open, a fully formed head of Tomie's pop's up casually greeting the staff much to their horror. This chapter later became the template to the usual formula of Tomie's cycle of obsession, lust and violence, that the Manga became famous for.

Tomie: My name...is Tomie.

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