| “ | Ha-haaa-haa! This is the first time I've seen you upset! | ” |
–Tomoo, taunting Kaede | ||
Tomoo is a young Human male just about eleven years of age, the ringleader of the group of bullies in the orphanage, that was also home to Kaede. He is an obscure character and yet a key figure in her descent into murder, due to the bullying he and his group subjected Kaede to, causing her to develop a deep hatred of the Human race. He and his group of friends are the first victims of Kaede's vectors.
Biography
He and his friends were merciless in taunting, teasing and occasionally assaulting the friendless Kaede, whose control over her emotions only drove them to ever-crueler depths, mocking and marking her with the nicknames 'Horns' and 'Oxen'. One day, after one of their assaults, another young girl befriended Kaede. The series makes it unclear whether or not this girl was sincere or did this at Tomoo's request to trick Kaede. But whether she willingly gave up the information, was tricked or just could not keep her mouth shut, the girl revealed to Tomoo and his friends that Kaede had been caring for a stray puppy. Tomoo found the puppy, brought it before Kaede, and slowly beat it to death while his friends held her. This was all too much for Kaede to handle, who unleashed her previously-dormant vectors and tore all four children apart, much to Tomoo's horror, as she moved against him last of all. Later, when Kaede fears she has been betrayed by Kouta in favor of Yuka, she hallucinates that a headless Tomoo is still mocking her. This singular act of pointless cruelty would in many respects define the rest of Kaede's life as it would start her transformation into the viciously homicidal Lucy..
In the manga's narrative, an older Kaede herself seems to understand the miserable need of Tomoo and his bunch to lash out at anyone more miserable than themselves. His cruelty stands in pointed contrast to the casual kindness of Kouta and others. It is unknown what Tomoo may have turned out like in the future, but it is interesting to note that his gleeful torturing and animals and sadistic bullying of the weak are classic serial killer traits. It is ironic that the victim Lucy and not Tomoo ultimately became the infamous serial killer.
Tomoo's character has similarities to Kakihara from Ichi the Killer and Chaka from Black Lagoon. Tomoo's most memorable act is the brutal murder of a lonely child's puppy. This act is not is not unique to Tomoo. He shares this misdeed with the classical literary sociopath, Pavel Smerdyakov.
Trivia
- Tomoo is erroneously referred to as Tomohiro in the orignial ADV credits.
Gallery
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