AUTUMN VS TOMIE

 Is “Tomie” by Junji Ito a Powerful Lesson on the Harms Caused by Histrionic Narcissists? Autumn Leaves thinks so.

TITLE: Tomie

AUTHOR: Junji Ito

EDITION: Complete Deluxe Edition

GENRE: Horror Manga

PAGES: 752

PRICE: Ebook $30.99, Hardcover $46.99

In his horror Manga “Tomie’, Junji Ito uses the character of Tomie to epitomize Histrionic Narcissism and to convey a powerful message about the dangers of her malicious, self-obsessed behavior to the people she comes into contact with as well as on herself.

First, a little background information. Who, or perhaps more importantly, what, is the character Tomie? Though we are not provided with much of a back story, Tomie is an unkillable, regenerating, parasitic entity. She latches onto a victim, typically a man, and drives them into a murderous rage with her obsessive, selfish behavior. She has the power to shapeshift and also to multiply. For example, dismembering Tomie will make her parts regenerate, forming additional Tomie entities. She claims to love the men she preys on, convincing them that they are destined to be together forever. However, Tomie feels no love for anyone but herself and she discards her prey once her use for them has been fulfilled and her ego has been sufficiently bolstered. Cue the male homicidal rage toward Tomie. Her victims become so obsessed with her that they feel they cannot go on without her, resorting to murder and often, ultimately, to self-destruction.

A common feature of Histrionic Personality Disorder is the subject’s use of seduction in order to control others. Tomie’s goal is to command men and drive them mad with jealousy, and she consistently uses seduction as her primary means of accomplishing this. Though she is physically beautiful, enough to capture the attention of anyone she seeks, she has a deep and insatiable need for constant validation and to be seen as more beautiful and desirable than any other woman. She is materialistic and wants the men she preys on to lavish her with expensive gifts. She exhausts them with her endless demands and insults when she is not satisfied. The men eventually lose their grip on sanity and spiral into rage and obsession to the point of murder out of jealousy or feelings of betrayal when she casts them aside.

Tomie’s behavior is an extreme, and supernatural, example of Histrionic Narcissism. This combination of Histrionic Personality Disorder and Narcissistic Personality Disorder behaviors can be seen in Tomie’s rages when she does not get what she wants, and her overly dramatized reactions to virtually all stimuli. She is characterized by selfishness, obsession and disdain for others, including women. It causes her pleasure to make other women feel inferior to her because of her physical beauty and men’s desire for her.

The many depictions of men murdering Tomie symbolize the often-necessary removal of toxic people from one’s life in order to maintain mental health, showing the complicated nature of the relationship between predator and prey. The men serve as both predator and prey, their violence balanced by the abuses Tomie inflicts on them. Ultimately, Tomie remains a constant predator because even when she is preyed upon, the damage she causes to those who try to harm her means that she can never truly be prey.

My only criticism is that I wish Ito had provided more of a back story for Tomie. She is a fascinating character and I would love to know her history. On the other hand, perhaps keeping her shrouded in mystery makes her a more interesting and complex villain.

If you enjoy Tomie, I recommend taking a challenge and checking out the marathon Manga “Berserk” by Kentaro Miura.

Autumn Leaves is a Canadian author and poet. Her poem “Siren’s Song” was published when she was 15. Autumn is in love with the dark and has an affinity for all things horrific and disturbing. Autumn is also an avid horror reader and book reviewer. Her favorite author is Jack Ketchum. She lives with her children and army of fur babies on a small island off the coast of Maine.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing. Thank you for understanding.