Junji Ito's Tomie is Finally Coming to The U.S.

The live-action Tomie is finally making its way to the West.

By Evan Valentine

Junji Ito is big in the news these days and for good reason. The master of manga horror has spent decades creating original spooky stories that send shivers down readers' spines. Next month, Adult Swim will be adapting one of Ito's most well known stories, creating an anime adaptation for the creepy tale known as Uzumaki. On top of this animated series that will be animated by Production I.G., Ito has three live-action horror movies in the works with Fangoria Studios. This upcoming trilogy won't be the first time that we've seen Ito's works in live-action, with Tomie being a prime example.

Tomie is easily one of the most popular characters born from the brain of Junji Ito. The supernatural succubus would terrorize those unfortunate enough to fall under her spell. While she has appeared in several anime adaptations in the past, she has shown up in more live-action films when all is said and done. There have been nine live-action movies focusing on Tomie, including the bizarrely titled "Tomie Vs. Tomie", which saw two young girls possessed by the spirit of the succubus. On top of these movies, there was briefly a live-action television series in the works for the now-defunct Quibi streaming service. 

Tomie's First Move Comes To North America

Arrow Video is bringing a new Blu-Ray for the first Tomie film to the West on November 18th this fall. At present, the producers haven't confirmed if they will do the same with the other Tomie films but this is good news for Junji Ito fans all the same. With a live-action Uzumaki also released in Japan, Ito's works continue to receive their fair share of adaptations. 

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If you want a closer look at Tomie's first movie, here's how Arrow Video describes the film, "Based on the smash-hit series of the same name by cult manga artist Junji Itō (Uzumaki), Tomie tells the tale of an evil high-school seductress identifiable by a beauty mark beneath her left eye, whose bewitching kiss drives men to madness. Photography student Tsukiko (Mami Nakamura, Tokyo Trash Baby, Love Exposure) is plagued by violent dreams as she struggles to recall long-suppressed memories following a teenage trauma with the help of psychiatrist Dr. Hosono (Yoriko Douguchi, Cure, Charisma). Meanwhile, as Detective Harada (Tomorō Taguchi, Tetsuo: The Iron Man) leads an investigation into a missing high-school girl, he discovers a long line of similar cases that can be traced back decades, with all of the victims going by the name of Tomie Kawakami, and all slaughtered and decapitated by jealous lovers before they reach womanhood. Meanwhile, Tsukiko's new neighbor seems to be harboring something nasty in the downstairs apartment, something which rapidly begins to take on a dangerous form."

Want to stay up to date on the spookiest creator in the manga world? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook for the latest updates on all things Junji Ito. 

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