What Is Tomie: Another Face About?
The premise of Tomie: Another Face in 306 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a shadow‑laden anthology that drips with unease, the film follows the enigmatic Tomie Kawakami, a disarmingly beautiful young woman whose uncanny ability to reappear after each demise has turned her into a haunting legend. The world she moves through feels ordinary at a glance—high‑school hallways, quiet hometown streets, intimate apartments—yet the very presence of Tomie distorts that normalcy, infusing every setting with a lingering dread. Her immortality is less a power than a curse, an unending cycle of desire and obsession that leaves those who encounter her both enthralled and unsettled.
Each of the three stories introduces a new set of characters whose lives become entangled with Tomie’s. In the first tale, Takashi and his former flame Miki grapple with the sudden return of the girl they thought they’d lost, as the school’s routine is interrupted by her magnetic, unsettling charisma. The second vignette follows Mori, a photographer drawn back to his hometown, whose artistic obsession with Tomie blurs the line between inspiration and fixation, prompting him to question whether she is flesh, specter, or something altogether other. The final segment centers on Yasuda, a devoted boyfriend whose commitment is tested when an enigmatic figure from Tomie’s past reemerges, while the obsessive investigator Ota watches from the shadows, seeking answers to the mystery that has haunted him for years.
Through atmospheric cinematography and a steady, chilling tone, the anthology paints a portrait of a world where beauty and terror coexist in the same breath. Tomie’s perpetual return serves as a mirror reflecting the darkest corners of human longing, envy, and the fear of losing control. The film invites viewers to linger in the unsettling spaces between love and horror, leaving the question of whether anyone can truly escape the grip of an immortal muse, forever echoing in the silence after she vanishes—only to appear again.
What Happens in Tomie: Another Face?
The complete story of Tomie: Another Face, from the first scene to the last, in 789 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 5 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Episode 1
A man in a trench coat and an eye patch trails a high school student, Tomie Kawakami. A week earlier, Tomie was believed killed by an unknown assailant, leaving her boyfriend, Takashi, in a deep depressive fog. Miki, Takashi’s ex-girlfriend, steps in to lift his spirits, hoping to ease his pain. But the seemingly impossible happens: Tomie returns, very much alive, and shocks her entire class. She and Takashi reignite their relationship, despite having broken up just days before. When Tomie is seen on a date with another man, Miki confronts her, urging Tomie to break things off with Takashi to save him from heartbreak. Tomie accuses Miki of jealousy and refuses to end any of the relationships she’s maintaining, unaware that Takashi has been listening to the confession. A failed attempt at reconciliation leads to a confrontation where Tomie is thrown from a roof. In a brutal twist, Takashi finally reveals that he killed Tomie, reacting in fury to her threat of breaking away. The pair bury the body in the woods, but the next morning Tomie is waiting for them, seemingly restored.
The episode also plants a mystery through the presence of the eye-patch figure, the same ominous watcher who lingers in the background, adding a sense of dread to the school’s daily routine and the uneasy quiet after the tragedy.
Episode 2
A photographer named Mori returns to his hometown after more than ten years away. In his youth he had fallen for a girl whose beauty inspired his art, and since that moment, nothing has quite matched that same spark. He finds himself drawn to Tomie again, a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to the girl from his past. Mori believes she might be the daughter of that earlier love, and he asks Tomie to model for him. The man with the eye patch keeps his distance, watching as the two grow closer and share a kiss, an act that deepens Mori’s fascination and fear in equal measure.
The day is spent in a creative haze: Mori and Tomie wander, shoot photographs, and increasingly open up to one another. Tomie’s living presence ignites Mori’s inspiration, but as the camera clicks, Mori notices something bizarre in every shot—two faces appear in every image: Tomie’s face alongside a ghoul-like figure never seen before. Haunted by the possibility that Tomie is a ghost or something otherworldly, Mori asks if she is real. To prove life, Tomie tests her pulse and challenges him to kill her. Mori, overwhelmed, strangles Tomie, who dies in his arms. Yet death is not the end: as Mori drives away to dispose of her body, Tomie returns, pulling him back to life via a terrifying revival. He flees, running toward the familiar place from his youth, where he encounters two living Tomies. He toppled to his death from a cliff, and the spectral Tomie grins over his corpse, while the Tomie from his past snaps a final photograph, sealing the horror in images.
Episode 3
The final installment follows Tomie as she meets her boyfriend, Yasuda, for a date. In just one month, he proposes, and their engagement is abruptly interrupted when the eye-patch archenemy returns to threaten their happiness. Tomie challenges Yasuda to prove his devotion by killing the attacker, handing him a knife before the confrontation escalates. Yasuda is quickly subdued by a stun weapon. The man named Ota reveals his own broken history: he once worked as a police coroner and was set to autopsy Tomie after her murder. Tomie’s revival has left his colleagues skeptical, and his personal life shattered—his wife left him, taking the children. He has tracked down duplicates of Tomie across Japan, seeking a way to end her forever. He warns Yasuda to stay away, then gives him a number before releasing him back into Tomie’s orbit.
When Yasuda discovers that he cannot kill Tomie, he betrays his own resolve and betrays Ota, returning to Tomie’s side. Yasuda brings Tomie’s body to the edge of an incinerator, where Ota awaits to burn her. A tense struggle ensues as Tomie uses her wiles to seduce the weary investigator, manipulating the moment to gain the upper hand. Ota subdues Yasuda again and carries Tomie toward the furnace, intending to destroy her for good. He throws Tomie into the flames, and the incinerator roars to life. Yet the ashes do not disappear. They begin to move, forming a living face in midair, and Tomie’s vow echoes through the smoke: she will never die, and every speck of ash will become a new Tomie.
Throughout, the cycle of desire, jealousy, and violence drives the narrative, weaving a chilling mosaic of love and immortality that refuses to stay buried.
Tomie: Another Face Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
15 key events in the order they happen, from “Stalker shadowing Tomie Kawakami” to “The ashes vow to continue”. 15 events name a place, across 15 locations.
- 1
Stalker shadowing Tomie Kawakami
In the first episode, a man wearing a trench coat and an eye patch begins shadowing Tomie Kawakami. The town remembers that Tomie was killed a week earlier, leaving her boyfriend Takashi in a deep depressive state. Miki, Takashi's ex-girlfriend, tries to comfort him while classmates whisper about Tomie's return.
Where:Town
- 2
Tomie reappears alive and shocks classmates
Tomie is seen alive among her peers, shocking her classmates and reigniting rumors. Takashi watches with a mix of fear and curiosity as the enigmatic girl reappears. The incident marks the first hint that Tomie's presence persists beyond death.
Where:School grounds
- 3
Tomie reconciles with Takashi
Tomie rekindles her relationship with Takashi and gets back together with him, despite having just ended things the week before. The fragile alliance pulls Miki further into the drama as she wonders how to protect Takashi's feelings. Tomie's pull over the group begins to destabilize everyone around them.
Where:Takashi's home
- 4
Miki confronts Tomie about the dating situation
Miki confronts Tomie and pleads for her to break up with Takashi to spare his feelings. Tomie accuses Miki of jealousy and refuses to choose between her numerous lovers. The confrontation underscores the toxic, possessive triangle forming around Takashi.
Where:School courtyard
- 5
Rooftop confrontation and confession
Tomie attempts to apologize, but a struggle erupts and she is thrown from the roof. Takashi reveals that he killed Tomie after she tried to end their relationship, exposing the darkness at the heart of their bond. The act cements Tomie's cycle of return and revenge.
Where:School rooftop
- 6
Burying Tomie's body
Miki and Takashi bury Tomie's body in the woods, hoping to end the nightmare. The next morning, Tomie miraculously returns, waiting for them as if nothing happened. The nightmare continues to blur the line between life and death.
When:Morning after burial Where:Woods
- 7
Mori returns to his hometown
Mori, a photographer, returns to his hometown after more than a decade away. In a seedy bar, he spots Tomie and is struck by how closely she resembles the girl from his youth. He wonders if she could be the daughter of that mysterious girl he once admired.
When:Evening Where:Seedy bar, hometown
- 8
Tomie becomes Mori's model
Mori asks Tomie to model for him, and they spend the day together taking photographs. The man with the eye patch watches from a distance, continuing to shadow Tomie. A spark of affection grows between Mori and Tomie as the camera captures their chemistry.
When:Daytime Where:Mori's studio
- 9
Intimate night and photographic revelation
The two admit feeling for each other and share a night together. Mori develops the photos and discovers every image of Tomie bears two faces: Tomie herself and a grotesque ghoul. He confronts Tomie, stunned by the impossible revelation.
When:Night Where:Mori's home
- 10
Mori confronts the supernatural and dies
Tormented by Tomie's demand, Mori asks if she is a ghost and she makes him feel her pulse, then tells him to kill her. He strangles Tomie and believes he has killed her, but she returns to life on the road as he drives away to dispose of the body. Terrified, he heads toward the place of the girl from his past, only to encounter more Tomies.
When:Night Where:Mori's car, road
Show the other 5 events of Tomie: Another Face Hide the last 5 events
- 11
The cliff and the two Tomies
Mori encounters two living Tomies near the place of his youth and falls to his death from a cliff. The surviving Tomie stands over his body, grinning as the Tomie from his past photographs the moment. The cycle of Tomie's duplications continues.
When:Next morning Where:Cliff
- 12
Yasuda proposes to Tomie
Tomie meets her boyfriend Yasuda for a date, and he quickly proposes marriage after only a month together. The proposal is interrupted when the eye-patch man (Oota) arrives, signaling trouble ahead. The relationship becomes a new battlefield as Tomie tests Yasuda's loyalty.
When:One month into relationship Where:Date location
- 13
Oota's backstory and warning
Oota, once a police coroner, explains Tomie's history: she was a murder victim he was to autopsy, but she returned to life and terrified him by stabbing his eye out. His coworkers doubted his story, and his life fell apart as his wife left him. He later discovers duplicates of Tomie all over Japan and vows to destroy her.
When:Flashback Where:City
- 14
Incineration attempt and awakening
Oota warns Yasuda to stay away from Tomie and helps escort her to an incinerator. Tomie's body is burned, yet her ashes begin to move and form a face in midair as she vows she will never die. The ritual seems to end one threat only to unleash a new cycle.
When:Climax Where:Incinerator
- 15
The ashes vow to continue
As the ashes blow away, Tomie vows that every speck of ash could become a new Tomie. Oota celebrates what he believes is closure, but the final twist shows Tomie's spirit continuing to survive.
When:Ending Where:Incinerator site
Who Are the Main Characters in Tomie: Another Face?
6 characters, among them Tomie Kawakami (Runa Nagai), Miki (Chie Tanaka) and Takashi (Mitsuaki Kaneko): who each one is and the part they play in the story. 4 of them link to the actor’s page.
- TK
Tomie Kawakami (Runa Nagai)
Played by Runa Nagai
A breathtaking, enigmatic girl whose beauty sparks obsession and violence. She repeatedly returns from death and manipulates those around her, often evading final judgment. Her immortality and duplicitous nature drive the series’ cycle of terror, including the shocking two-faced images that appear in Mori’s photos.
- 👁️ Allure
- ♻️ Immortality
- 🗡️ Manipulation
- M(
Miki (Chie Tanaka)
Played by Chie Tanaka
Takashi’s ex-girlfriend who tries to cheer him up after Tomie’s death and later confronts Tomie about breaking up with her. She becomes entangled in the murder plot and helps to cover up Tomie’s death, highlighting the consequences of jealousy and desire.
- 💘 Obsession
- 🗝️ Jealousy
- T(
Takashi (Mitsuaki Kaneko)
Played by Mitsuaki Kaneko
Tomie’s former boyfriend whose heartbreak turns to rage. He reveals himself as the killer of Tomie in the first episode and participates in burying her body, driven by a volatile mix of love and anger.
- 💔 Revenge
- 🗡️ Murder
- O(
Ota (Akira Hirai)
Played by Akira Hirai
A former police coroner who believes Tomie’s murders are not one-off events. He works to uncover the truth, explains the duplicates, and ultimately attempts to destroy Tomie by burning her body, only to witness her ashes come to life again.
- 🧭 Investigation
- 🪨 Grudge
- M
Mori
A photographer drawn to Tomie’s beauty, who discovers that every photo of her contains a second, ghoul-like face. His obsession turns fatal as he confronts the haunting truth and dies while confronting Tomie’s inexplicable nature.
- 👁️ Observation
- 🪞 Doppelgänger
- Y
Yasuda
Tomie’s fiancé who is pulled into danger by the mysterious events surrounding her. He is manipulated into attempting to kill Tomie, and his diligence to please Tomie contrasts with the terrifying reality of her rebirth.
- 💘 Obsession
- 🗡️ Manipulation
Where and When Is Tomie: Another Face Set?
Tomie: Another Face is set in Japan, High school, Woods, Seedy bar, Mori's home, Cliff, Incinerator facility. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Japan, High school, Woods, Seedy bar, Mori's home, Cliff, Incinerator facility
The story unfolds across contemporary Japan, moving between everyday locations like a high school and a seedy bar and darker, isolated sites such as woods and an incinerator facility. These settings blend mundane life with brutal horror, highlighting the cycle of violence surrounding Tomie. The recurring journeys to woods and the incinerator underscore themes of concealment and destruction.
- 🗺️ Japan
- 🧭 Mystery
What Are the Themes of Tomie: Another Face?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Immortality, Obsession and Identity.
-
01
Immortality
Tomie’s death is never final; she repeatedly returns, reshaping each appearance into a new threat. The film treats immortality as a seductive curse that invites tragedy and violence rather than salvation. This endless rebirth drives fear, obsession, and the erosion of boundaries between life and death.
-
02
Obsession
Love and jealousy swirl around Tomie, provoking destructive acts among those who pursue or resent her. The ex-boyfriend, Miki, and others become entangled in a dangerous fixation that culminates in murder and cover-ups. The obsession persists even after apparent loss, fueling eerie cycles of pursuit and retaliation.
-
03
Identity
Tomie’s duplications and the two-faced images seen in Mori’s photographs reveal a blurring of self and other. The character’s allure creates literal and figurative doubles, challenging characters to distinguish reality from illusion. The recurring identity questions propel the horror, as Tomie lingers long after supposed deaths.
What Kind of Film Is Tomie: Another Face?
Dark in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bleak
An unsettling and cyclical horror anthology that immerses the viewer in a world of dread and obsession, chronicling the inescapable terror wrought by an immortal woman who corrupts and destroys all who desire her.
- ominous
- dreadful
- unsettling
- obsessive
- melancholic
- claustrophobic
- immortality
- cycle of violence
- supernatural horror
- psychological manipulation
Content notes: murder, body horror, strangulation, stalking.
Quiz
How well do you remember Tomie: Another Face? Test yourself on the story.
