Next Generation Painter
Mori Mitsuo
Nana's World of Ennui
Mori-sensei...
It seems your new exhibition is a huge success.
Between your popularity and your ability,
you're now the standard modern painters are held to.
I only made it this far because I found a fantastic motif called Horie Nana.
She has become a source of new-found inspiration for me.
Care to share your impressions?
Well, let's see.
It's very well done,
but the model's a bit...
She is pretty,
but when you take a good look, she's making such a goofy face.
Well, you've got me there!
I'm sorry.
But you know, Sensei...
If you changed your model,
I bet your paintings would be even better.
What's the matter, Sensei?
Oh, nothing. Nana-kun,
you're looking prettier than usual lately.
I bet the next exhibition will be great.
You're such a flatterer.
Sensei, you're really still using her as your model?
You're...
Who is she supposed to be?
Don't you remember saying you wanted to end things with her
and have me model for you instead?
What?!
Sensei, is that true?!
O-Of course not!
Come now, Sensei.
Calling me a liar?
I remember exactly what you said.
"I'm tired of the Nana series.
When you really look at her, her face looks so silly
that I can't get motivated to paint."
I-I had no idea you felt that way about me!
Nana-kun, hang on! You've it all wrong!
I can't believe you.
What were you thinking?
Don't you realize she's been a valuable partner in my pursuits?
Well, you could just use me as your model instead, couldn't you?
Wonderful idea, right?
What's your name, anyway?
Me?
My name is Tomie.
I'm impressed you were able to find out where I live.
With an amazing house like this, it was no challenge at all!
I wonder if I'm going to have to
deal with more uninvited visitors like you in the future, then...
Maybe.
But you'll never run into a girl like me again.
A girl like you?
Of course.
Because there's no other girl in the world quite as good as me.
You sound pretty confident...
The same goes for painting.
You're a good painter,
but can you really convey my beauty on the canvas?
I've had plenty of artists try to do my portrait before,
but none of them were really able to pull it off.
You see,
I want my beauty to be recorded.
I want it to be permanent.
I think that does it.
Is it finished?
Let me see it.
It turned out great.
Oh, my, Sensei! You're so hilarious!
Hilarious?!
What's so funny about this painting?
I mean, this thing doesn't even convey 10% of my beauty!
What a disappointment!
I guess I overestimated you.
Wh-What?! Hang on!
Goodbye.
I have no need for talentless artists.
Damn it!
What doesn't she like about my masterpiece?
I want to paint her...
Tomie... It's Tomie...
I want to paint Tomie!
I should be painting Tomie!
Tomie... Tomie...
It's done!
No!
It's not right at all!
Tomie...
Tomie!
Hey, it's Mori.
Hey, Masuda.
It's been a while.
I heard your next exhibition was postponed.
You get sick or something?
Something like that.
Come to think of it,
did you know Iwata is starting to get big?
Iwata...
You mean the sculptor, Iwata Tadaoka?
Yeah.
He's been announcing new works pretty regularly lately.
The title of the series is... the model's name, I think?
And this model is really something!
Iwata, huh?
I figured all he could manage were dour figure statues.
I guess this model helped him develop.
I got a picture of them walking around town the other day.
This is it.
It's a bad shot, though.
The lady in question's face is all blurry.
Pretty hot, though, right?
That's Tomie!
What, you know her?
Oh, but that's it. The title of his series is "Tomie."
Iwata! Iwata!
H-Hey...
Well, if it isn't Mori-kun.
Something I can help you with at this hour?
Well...
I hear you've been making really amazing sculptures lately.
Can I see them?
I'm not showing them to anyone anymore.
Tomie belongs to me.
I'm not just going to go home!
Have you really been able to recreate Tomie's beauty?!
I won't leave until I see it with my own eyes!
If you don't want to show me,
I'll force my way in!
Stop! Don't! Stay out!
Shut up! Get out of the way!
Tomie...
Tomie! Tomie!
Tomie?
Mori-sensei!
Tomie.
Mori-sensei!
I was so scared!
Iwata-sensei smashed the sculptures himself.
He managed to make a perfect sculpture of me.
I was so excited, thinking there'd be a permanent record of my beauty.
But then he smashed them all, out of the blue!
Tomie...
I'm going to make your wish come true.
This time I'm going to recreate your beauty on my canvas.
Really? Sensei, do you mean it?
Of course!
Oh, Sensei, I'm so glad to hear that.
Tomie...
You're so beautiful.
How are you so beautiful?
You know, Sensei...
it's not the first time that sort of thing has happened to me.
What do you mean?
Almost being killed by a man.
For some reason, all the men who fall in love with me want to kill me and tear me apart.
Strange, isn't it?
It's finished.
I've finally done it.
I've replicated your beauty.
It's a perfect recreation.
Take a look!
This is my greatest work!
What is that supposed to be?
Terrible! You're the worst!
You're the worst painter I've ever seen!
What?
Why?
It's such a beautiful portrait!
Don't mock me!
I'm not a monster like that!
That... That can't be true!
Take a better look!
Stop that!
Why?
What's wrong with that painting?!
Tomie?
What's so funny?
What's so damn funny?!
And then...
And yet,
Tomie did not die.
Each dismembered piece of her body started to grow anew.
Their cells reproduced, creating more and more flesh...
What a dreadful ability for a woman to have!
You can be certain that,
with time, they will all grow to look just like her.
Mori-sensei...
Collection No. 072
Painter
Tomie?
Nope, it's not budging.
We're gonna need to call for help.
How are we going to find help in the middle of these remote mountains?
Hey, are we lost?
Don't worry.
But we've been walking for an hour.
Look, there's a shed over there.
There must be some kind of town somewhere nearby.
See? There's a bunch of kids.
What are they doing?
Hey, kids, can I bug you for a sec?
Where are you from?
Does anyone have a phone I can use?
Come on, don't just ignore me. Help a guy out.
We don't have any phones.
Then where can we find a road?
Anzai-kun.
Hey, Anzai-kun!
Anzai-kun, listen!
What is it?
Look behind us.
What's up, guys?
Can I help you with something?
If not, we're moving on.
Hey!
What do you think you're doing?
You okay, Kana?
Blood...
Blood!
No!
Blood-Bubble Bushes
Collection No. 058
You all right, Kana?
Yeah...
Can you believe it?
Those kids sucked my blood!
They bit me, too.
A prank gone too far, I guess.
Hey, look!
Doesn't look like anyone's living here.
Is it abandoned?
Anzai-kun, what is that?
What are those stains?
What, you think they're blood stains or something?
Well...
Something's in there.
What the hell is that?
What now?
Let's see if we can find anyone living around here.
Is anyone home?
Let's just go back now.
Yeah...
Can I help you?
Well...
our car actually broke down on the road a ways back.
Would you mind if we used your phone?
Unfortunately, I don't have a phone.
More importantly, miss,
you seem to be bleeding.
Some weird kids bit her on our way here.
Those kids, eh?
We should do something about that bite.
Come on inside.
Are those kids from this village?
No.
I'm the only one who lives here.
I don't know where those kids are from.
They just come here sometimes.
How's the pain?
A lot better.
Man, we're screwed without a phone...
The sun's almost set.
Why don't you stay here tonight?
You've lived here for a long time?
I'm sure it seems odd.
But my state of mind at the time was what made me feel that way.
State of mind, huh?
Your name is Kana-san, right?
Seeing you reminds me of someone.
Who's that?
A woman who was precious to me.
She was very lonely...
Everyone avoids me.
Leaves me.
You'll want to be rid of me in time, too.
I tried to let my blood escape.
I realized that even my blood didn't want to be near me.
I figured that out one night.
Even my blood wants to leave me...
You can't!
I knew it.
It wants to get out of my body.
Soon,
I'll be empty...
But...
was it really that her blood wanted to escape her?
I can't believe that.
Her blood is a part of her.
Her blood became a fruit that will live on forever...
Man, I'm dizzy.
Kana?
Those are blood stains...
Is it Kana's blood?
This is what's become of the woman I loved.
This warmth...
She's still alive, you see.
Where's Kana?!
What did you do to her?!
What are you talking about?
Kana-san should be sleeping in the room she shares with you.
Did you have a dream?
You seem tired.
Go and rest, quickly.
Ru... Run...
Run for it...
Quickly... You need to get out!
Who are you?
I live here...
A villager?
I heard this place is deserted.
What are you doing here?
I was planted here...
By that man!
He destroyed the village.
He appeared a few years ago,
and used some sort of fiendish power to turn the villagers into plants that bear bloody fruit.
What you see right here are the remains of the other villagers.
He's created a field to farm blood in this room.
How the hell...
Get out of here, fast.
You have to, quickly!
If you don't, you'll end up as husks, like us.
Kana...
Kana!
Kana, are you okay?
Come on, let's get out of here.
Right.
There's no escape.
You two will inevitably come back.
Just look at her neck.
Beautiful, isn't it?
She's going to be reborn as a gem of darkness.
Shut up!
Let's go, Kana!
Can you stand?
Yeah...
Anzai-kun, I can't keep going.
Let's take a break.
Good idea.
We've probably come far enough...
So are we safe now?
What's wrong?
Well...
Isn't there anything we can do about it?
There is just one way...
You must eat the fruit that grows from your own body.
But if you eat your own fruit,
you will develop a bottomless thirst for the blood of others.
Collection