Emerging in 1987 as the central figure of Junji Ito's debut horror manga, Tomie Kawakami's origins remain largely unexplained, with some accounts placing her existence as far back as the 1860s in Japan. Initially human, she was perceived as kind yet slightly ditzy and unaware of her own beauty, possessing only one close friend. This existence ended when classmates murdered and dismembered her during a school trip after uncovering her affair with their teacher, Satoru Takagi. Scattering her body parts triggered her supernatural transformation. Following this event, Tomie became a regenerative entity. Any surviving cell—blood, organ, or severed limb—can involuntarily regenerate into a complete clone, either after physical disintegration or during extreme emotional distress. This regeneration sometimes manifests as a second Tomie emerging tumor-like from her skull. The resulting identical teenage clones share memories of all past iterations but harbor intense mutual hatred, frequently manipulating humans to destroy each other. Fire, through complete carbonization of her flesh, is the only known permanent method of destruction. Tomie's primary power is a preternatural ability to enthrall men, inducing obsessive, violent love through mere presence or psychological manipulation. This compulsion typically culminates in her murder, driven by extreme jealousy and rage. Women are similarly affected, descending into madness or becoming hostile rivals. Her influence extends indirectly: exposure to her DNA or transplanted organs can transform victims into new Tomie clones, overwriting their original identities, such as a kidney recipient who physically and mentally metamorphosed before being consumed. Her personality fundamentally shifted after her first death. Once capable of kindness, she became narcissistic and manipulative, embodying lust, envy, and wrath. She exploits humans for amusement or revenge, displaying pathological dishonesty and a self-perception as royalty. She orchestrates elaborate schemes across timelines, infiltrating families, driving artists to insanity by demeaning their portrayals of her, and psychologically torturing children. In one incident, she convinced a boy she was his mother, impliedly molested him, manipulated him into murder, and abandoned him, leading to his execution. Tomie's existence follows a cyclical narrative: seduction, incitement of violence, death, regeneration, and retaliation. This pattern reflects themes of unresolved trauma and male entitlement, often revisiting the betrayal of her original murder. Despite temporary defeats, like being encased in concrete, she consistently escapes, regenerating through cracks years later. Her stories typically conclude ambiguously, emphasizing her inevitable return. Beyond the original manga, Tomie appears in nine live-action films, the *Junji Ito Collection* anime, and the 2023 series *Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre* (episode 9, "Tomie: Photo"). In this episode, she arrives at a new school and torments a girl profiting from photographing classmates. Demanding her portrait be taken, Tomie reveals a grotesque second head in the developed photos, inciting chaos, reinforcing her vanity, manipulation, and unsettling physical distortions symbolizing corruption. A new manga story, *Tomie Control*, was announced for 2024, indicating her enduring narrative presence.