Tomie: Beginning 2005

When transfer student Tomie Kawakami Rio Matsumoto arrives at a quiet high school, the mood in the class shifts in ways no one expects. A wave of crushes sweeps through many of the boys, and even the teacher Satoru Takagi Yoshiyuki Morishita finds himself drawn to her. The girls respond with hostility, driving Tomie to isolation, while one lone classmate, Reiko Matsuhara Asami Imajuku, views the newcomer with a mix of curiosity and caution. This uneasy dynamic sets the stage for the unsettling chain of events that follows, as Tomie begins to reveal how dangerous her presence can be.

Three girls take the lead in tormenting Tomie, and Reiko quietly witnesses the cruelty firsthand. Tomie makes no secret of her disdain for all boys, insisting that they are all the same and that most who fall for her will turn violent. Reiko’s fascination deepens as she learns more about Tomie’s secrets, and the two girls grow closer as Tomie promises that any bully will eventually face total revenge. The tension intensifies when one of Tomie’s main pursuers nearly dies at Tomie’s command, an act that pushes Tomie to escalate her cruelty. She kidnaps two of her loyal followers as well and subjects them to a grotesque, traumatizing display—feeding them worms and cockroaches—which leaves a lasting scar on their minds.

Reiko begins to realize something darker has taken root in the class. Tomie seems to have “taken over” the mood of the room: the boys drift toward antisocial, zombie-like behavior, while the girls fall into a spiral of depression. Yet Reiko’s outlook remains stubbornly hopeful, even as she starts to doubt whether Tomie is human at all. Tomie makes another move, attempting to seduce the teacher, but Kenichi Yamamoto Kenji Mizuhashi bursts in, interrupts the moment, and berates Tomie, accusing her of cheating on him. The confrontation marks a turning point, forcing Tomie to confront the consequences of her allure.

The disturbance spills into the night as Yamamoto’s best friend, Inoue Akifumi Miura from the photo club, along with two other boys, pursue Reiko and Tomie as they head home, intent on ending Tomie’s influence once and for all. Reiko protects Tomie, but the attackers manage to sever one of Tomie’s ears, only retreating when Tomie in turn exposes their identities. To Reiko’s horror, Tomie’s severed ear appears to sprout limbs and crawl away, a chilling sign of the supernatural darkness surrounding her.

Tomie refuses Reiko’s help in taking her to a hospital, so Reiko brings her home and tends to the injury herself. When the bandage is removed to replace it, Reiko discovers that Tomie’s ear has completely regenerated. Tomie then reveals her inhuman nature and explains why Reiko is the only person who seems able to understand and relate to her. She promises to reveal to Reiko “what hell is really like” before departing, a vow that fills Reiko with a mix of dread and awe. That night, a second Tomie, born from the blood on Reiko’s uniform, confronts Reiko, signaling that Tomie’s power can continue to emerge from blood and presence.

Years pass, and only Yamamoto and Reiko attend the class reunion. Yamamoto uses the reunion as a way to uncover more about Tomie and her whereabouts, eventually discovering a heart of Tomie in Reiko’s bag. When Reiko refuses to surrender it, he kills her and runs off with the heart, which begins to regenerate. Yet Reiko returns to life, revealing that Tomie has transformed her into another clone. Tomie confronts Yamamoto, chastising him for his ignorance and insisting that she will always return. But as she prepares to leave, Mr. Takagi reappears and makes a final, dramatic move: he kills Tomie, pledging that he will do whatever it takes to end her permanently. The cycle of terror seems to reach a grim and decisive pause, even as the memory and myth of Tomie linger in the minds of those who survived her.