Posts by David Peach

What is Morita Hospital about?

Yuki is a school girl who is being kept at Morita Hospital awaiting a kidney transplant. She waits patiently while her condition slowly deteriorates. Often found sitting with her is her friend – a boy named Tadashi. The pair seem close, but the boy seems slightly withdrawn from the room when we join them.

As he leaves Yuki to her hospital room, she spots him out of the window walking with another girl. She knows nothing of the other girl, except for what she can see of her. This new girl is beautiful and has a distinctive mole under her left eye. We as the reader know that this is Tomie, but these people know nothing of her or what she is capable of.

Although it isn’t explicitly stated, I believe that this is the Tomie that Reiko found growing beneath the cave at the end of Part 1. Tadashi reveals how he met Tomie at the beach, which in itself isn’t that strange. But considering the fact that Tomie is referring to herself as Reiko, my theory is that she killed the original Reiko and assumed her identity. I can’t confirm this, but I like to think that this is what would have happened.

Main Characters

Tomie is a spoilt brat

We start to see the spoilt brat side of Tomie in the Morita Hospital
story too. When she is walking with Tadashi, she tries to get him to buy
her some new earrings on a whim. Unable to afford any more financial
offerings of love, Tadashi unwillingly causes her to go storming off in
search of a rich man who can cater to her wants.

A common thread
of her personality is the wanting to drain the men who dote after her of
all of their money. She just wants to be pampered and waiting on; told
she is beautiful; and never crossed or betrayed in any way. I agree with
not being betrayed, but what she considers betrayal, and what normal
people consider betrayal, are two completely different things.

I felt that this story went further in developing her character for us than her first outing did. Of course, that initial story we discussed last week was just the kernel of the idea. Once he had received the praise he did for Tomie part 1, I assume it gave him the conviction to go further into his imagination, leading him to really begin fleshing her story out.

The organ donor

Due to an unfortunate encounter between Tadashi and Tomie, she ends up in hospital and ultimately dying. The doctors then, under advisement of someone claiming to be Tomie’s next of kin, decide not to let her healthy body go to waste. I won’t spoil who this apparent next of kin is, but it is somebody you may know from before.

It turns out that she also happens to be a perfect match for a certain patient awaiting a certain kidney transplant. The operation goes ahead and with great success. However, the spirit of Tomie is strong and she can not be killed – not easily at least. Her darkness will always find a way back to the light, squeezing through the cracks from within any living flesh.

In summary

The second part in the Tomie series continues pretty much from where we left off. However, it does take the story into a new direction with new players. This seems to be a running theme throughout the series. Tomie will show up in new people’s lives and pretty much just put them through hell.

Although not my favourite in the series, Morita Hospital is another layer across the character of Tomie. I think Junji Ito was really starting to find his feet with his artistic style in this chapter. Especially with the final panels and seeing just how Tomie manages to keep her spirit alive.

• Tomie Collection

This first entry in the Tomie series is fascinating to me for two
reasons. Firstly, it is the starting point for all of the stories that
follow. Perhaps not all of them are linked to this specific incarnation
of her, but it is our first meeting with the young lady. And since she
has gone on to have such a huge legacy within the world of Horror Manga,
is worthy of discussion.

Secondly, it is the first manga story that Junji Ito completed – while he was still a dental technician. He submitted it to the Umezu Awards where he went on to earn an honourable mention for it.

Main Characters

The beginning of a legacy

In this first entry of the series, we are introduced to Tomie and how
she has seamingly managed to rise back from the dead. Of course, we
only know this at the start from the account of Tomie’s friend, Reiko.
However, we come to learn that not only did she in fact die, but that
the witnesses went to some very extreme lengths to hide her body.

We
learn how she has most likely been sleeping with her Teacher, who
himself is also married. This in itself is a light introduction to a
large facet of her character – that she really has no moral boundaries.
If she wants something she goes after it. And most of the time she gets
what she wants.

There isn’t too much in the way of Ito’s signature “body horror” in this story, save for the very last panel. But gosh how I loved how he decided to close this first chapter. We get to glimpse the genesis of Ito’s flourishing talent in that very last scene.

The start of a great artist

Junji Ito is now regarded as a titan within the horror manga
community – in all manga in general, in fact. When you look back at this
chapter after seeing his more recent stories, you will notice the
difference in quality immediately. The detail isn’t anywhere near where
we now know his work to be. But that does not detract from the story’s
impact.

What you have to remember is that this is his first published story. It feels akin to the debut albums of great bands – like Nirvana’s ‘Bleach’, or The White Stripes’ eponymous debut. Yes, it’s rough around the edges and not indicative of the quality that comes later, but it is the honest, unfiltered core from which his talent would come to grow.

In Summary

The opening chapter in the Tomie series is a staple in the chronology
of the Horror Manga genre. It not only begins the life of the beloved
Tomie, but also marks the beginning of one of the most exciting artist
careers within this world.

While this won’t show you the wildest
imaginings of Ito, or his better artistic work, it will enrich your
knowledge of the genre. I’m eternally grateful to Junji Ito for keeping
Tomie’s story open like he did in this one. And also for continuing this
lasting saga for the years that have followed.

Welcome to the story of Tomie.

Final thoughts with slight spoilers

I can only imagine what it must have been like to read this when it
came out. Without the knowledge of Ito and his now-heavy back catalogue.
That moment two thirds in when the teacher stands over Tomie’s dead
body with his students. All stripped down to their underwear and ready
to cut her up into twenty pieces with knives and saws.

As
mentioned above, the only real body horror in this story is on the
closing page. And that whole regrowth from one of the parcels of Tomie’s
dismembered body parts was cool as hell. This was the demonic glue that
brought the whole chapter together for me. Not only did she arise from
the dead in some ethereal way, but that she is physically capable of
regenerating from separated pieces of her body.

• Tomie Collection