Tomoe

A Sharingan with three tomoe.

A tomoe or the archaic writing tomoye (巴) is a Japanese abstract shape, usually used as a necklace, (i.e. a swirl) that resembles a comma or the usual form of magatama. Tomoe are usually seen in a design of three known as mitsudomoe (三つ巴).

Instances of Use

Canon Uses

• They form the pattern of the Sharingan.
• They form the Cursed Seal of Heaven.
• They are on Madara Uchiha's gunbai.
• The Three Giant Snakes have tomoe markings on their heads.
• Orochimaru himself wore blue tomoe-shaped earrings.
• The magatama earrings worn by Itachi's Susanoo are in the shape of tomoe.
• The Yasaka Magatama technique used by Itachi and Madara's Susanoo is a giant shuriken in the shape of a mitsudomoe. After transplanting Itachi's eyes, Sasuke has used his Susanoo to fire tomoe-shaped projectiles made of Amaterasu's flames.
• All the variations of Nine-Tails Chakra Mode shrouds feature tomoe-like markings around their collars. Same goes for Tenseigan Chakra Mode.
• The Sage of the Six Paths had tomoe-like markings around the collar of his cloak as well as nine tomoe of the back underneath the symbol of the Rinnegan; the same held true for both Obito and Madara Uchiha after they became the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki.
• A seal that the Sage of the Six Paths stood in the middle of while talking to the nine tailed beasts also featured the use of tomoe markings.
• The holes for eyes in Tobi's mask during the Fourth Shinobi World War are tomoe-shaped.
• There are tomoe-shaped markings around the kanji for "fox" in the Uchiha Hideout.
• They are on the third eye of Madara Uchiha and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, as well as of the latter's incarnation.

Non-canon Uses

• The Kohaku clan's insignia is a futatsudomoe (tomoe in a design of two).
• The Shirogane clan's insignia is a golden mitsudomoe.
• In the anime, later depictions of Pakura's Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder changed the flaming orbs into flaming tomoe shapes.