Get to Know your Body, Understand Yourself: The Problem of Self-Acceptance and the Pursuit of Perfection in Tomie by Junji Itō
Abstract
This article examines the depiction of girls’ adolescence and the relationship they have with their own bodies in the manga Tomie by Junji Itō (1987–2000). The research material is primarily approached as an equally significant work of literature and culture, allowing for a multi-layered analysis that presents Itō’s manga from a different perspective, not limited to its recognition as a masterpiece of horror literature. By moving away from viewing Tomie solely as Japanese body horror and focusing more on the main character’s problems, decisions, and their impact on other characters, a comprehensive characterisation of the protagonist is constructed: from the perspective of the male gaze, the female gaze, her viewpoint, and that of an outsider.
Keywords
body; puberty; adolescence; girl; Junji Itō; manga; teenager; relationships; shōjo; Tomie
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University of Warsaw Poland
https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3316-9068
Anna Marczukiewicz – BA, graduated in Polish Philology from the Faculty of Polish Studies at the University of Warsaw (Poland). Her research interests include the educational perspective of literary studies and Japanese culture, especially manga, anime, and visual kei. Contact: a.marczukiew@student.uw.edu.pl.
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