‘Tomie’ Arrow Video Blu-Ray Review – Slow-Burn J-Horror Adaptation Opts For Emotion Over Scares

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. 

Tomie is a creepy supernatural chiller directed by Ataru Oikawa (screenwriter of the pioneering Japanese horror Door) and featuring a chilling turn by the sensational Miho Kanno (Eko Eko Azarak: Wizard of Darkness, Dolls). Arrow Films is proud to present this key title from the J-Horror boom of the late 1990s, which spawned a string of sequels, for the first time on Blu-ray outside of Japan, with a host of newly produced extras.

For thoughts on Tomie, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: 

Video Quality

Tomie comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of Arrow Video with a 1080p transfer in its original 1.85:1 from a master supplied by Kadokawa with additional remastering work conducted by Arrow. While not perfect, the film largely looks pretty solid in comparison to what it should look like. The daytime scenes hold up the best when it comes to evoking a pleasing amount of detail. The film grain maintains an organic appearance which largely resolves well outside of some minor moments that spike or become a bit clumpy. 

Compression artifacts in the darker moments are not a major issue, and there is a decent amount of detail in the shadows. There are moments when crush becomes a bit of an issue, but these times are fleeting. This title also showcases a light amount of wear and tear, but not so much as to be a dealbreaker for most audiences. The transfer features agreeable color saturation throughout with key hues in the production design and distinct lighting standing out, but skin tones can run a bit pale. Arrow Video has treated this one well, but we wish they could have taken a pass at the source themselves. 

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray presents the film with both a DTS-HD 5.1 master audio track and an LPCM 2.0 stereo track. The film is presented in the original Japanese with optional English subtitles, and the dialogue emanates clearly. Some decent atmospheric sound effects in the mix are confidently delineated. The score maintains a pleasing fidelity with no shortcomings in terms of age-related wear and tear. The surround sound audio track makes certain interactions feel as unsettling as you would hope. The low end is fitfully engaged yet doesn’t show off in a major way. The audio is effective for what this is trying to accomplish. 

Special Features

The first pressing of the Arrow Video Blu-Ray of Tomie includes a 24-page booklet featuring new writing by Zack Davisson and Eugene Thacker. These provide great insights into the film, the source material, the creatives, and the genre at large in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows:

• Audio Commentary: Japanese cinema expert Amber T. provides a commentary track in which she discusses the background of the franchise, how this film functions as an adaptation, the background of the talent involved, the themes of the feature, and more. 

• It’s A Girl’s World: A new 35-minute interview with director Ataru Oikawa in which he discusses what themes he wanted to convey in this film, how he came to be involved with the film, the influences on the film, how the film reflected the time in which it was created, and more.

• Scream Queen: A new 16-minute interview with actress Mami Nakamura in which she discusses how the film stands apart in the horror genre, how she landed her role in the film, memories of working with Ataru Oikawa, her feelings about the film, and more.

• From Mango To Screen: A new 13-minute interview with producer Mikihiko Hirata in which he discusses his relationship with director Ataru Oikawa, his involvement with producing Tomie, working with artist Junji Itō, and more. 

• Making Of: A 28-minute archival look at the production of the film.

• Trailers: Trailers are provided for Tomie, Tomie: Another Face, Tomie: Replay, Tomie: Re-Birth, and Tomie: Forbidden Fruit.

• Image Gallery: A collection of stills, behind-the-scenes photos, and marketing material is provided.

Final Thoughts

Tomie is a very subdued Japanese horror film that focuses a bit more on the thematic resonance rather than delivering something truly terrifying. This is perfectly valid, and personally preferred at times, yet the execution is a bit too muted to truly engage. Many interesting ideas are swirling around, but they never quite come together as something special. This is a passable beginning to the series, but we are more interested in seeing where the sequels go from here. Arrow Video has released a Blu-Ray featuring a fine A/V presentation and some worthwhile supplements. If you are a fan of the series, this release is perfectly solid. 

Tomie is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Arrow Video has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.