Look Back

Aggressively unimpressive. Character development and chemistry was incredibly lacking and was mostly relegated to montages instead of actual writing that requires them to have an on-screen chemistry and characterization. Music was incredibly overbearing and overly-sentimental for characters with very little tangible development. We barely even know anything about these characters by the end of the story. Why does Kyomoto draw? Why is she a recluse? How does Fujino’s drawing aspire her so much? (They had a comedy bit about this when they met but it’s not expound upon any further other than that one moment), Why does Fujino have the drive to outdo Kyomoto? Out of sense of competitiveness or spite? Does Fujino only use Kyomoto so she could ride her fame via their collaboration? Does Fujino berates Kyomoto from going to university in order to prevent her from becoming better? It would make sense considering how harshly she treats Kyomoto when she professes wanting to go to the university and the scenes after it shows that despite achieving success, none of the people she worked with are as synergistic as her with Kyomoto. It feels like the movie is trying to make Fujino a selfish person but at same time they are too afraid to do so, worrying she will be hated by the audience. The lack of character interaction and drama cannot be understated. Somehow the socially recluse Kyomoto has no problem socializing with, in her view, the prestigiously genius Fujino. No further depiction of her struggling with social interactions. The immediate next scene after her coming out of the house is in Fujino’s home like she’s a socially adept person, a jarring characterization coupled with the fact that she sleeps in someone else’s house. There was no conflict after their first scene together. They act all buddy happy as if they’ve known each other for years. All the hate and anger Fujino felt before was suddenly thrown out the window, big missed opportunity in drama and character development. This all results into a finale that’s very hard to be emotionally invested. The artsyle is certainly unique but the animation and direction as a whole is largely unimpressive with only a moment or two of decent sakuga. References that has nothing to do with the story like chainsaw-man does no real service to the story and only serve as a distraction that takes the viewer out of the movie, ruining the immersion. As stated before, there are too many montages of STILL IMAGES of them interacting which makes it feels rushed and cheap. The real problem of the movie was that it was too short, and it did too little for us to able to care about the characters. When the score’s incessant piano plays accompanying what is basically a slideshow presentation, it all screams crunch and lack of time. I never read the manga, but I did read the prototype book that was given to me and it seems that the direction the filmmakers took is more towards adapting the book one-to-one with very little deviation. Honestly, this is a logical fallacy in filmmaking. When adapting anything, what’s most important is not to accurately adapting the original source to the big screen, but to expound on the ideas, correcting the flaws and missed opportunities of the original work.

With the monumental success of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man it is no wonder that studios immediately turned to adapting more of his works. The concern of course then becomes whether there will be a rush to pump something out regardless of the quality. Thankfully, much like Chainsaw Man, Studio Durian was able to uphold and even uplift Fujimoto’s Look Back and, in the process, create a beautiful, heartfelt and devastating movie that will surely leave an impact for years to come. Clocking in at only a little over an hour Look Back is a very short film, however it absolutely makes the most of that runtime. Beautifully sequenced timelapses emphasise the feeling of constant time passage which establishes a real sense of progression for the film. There is also no time wastage, with every scene playing an important role in either the plot or at tugging on your heartstrings. I also wouldn’t say I was left wanting more by the end, rather that it had an entirely satisfactory and fitting conclusion – perfect for a self-contained movie. Despite being a relatively new studio, Studio Durian took the opportunity to show off their animation skills with some of the most mind-blowingly smooth and fluid animation in the business. For a film about the creation of manga, crazy animation was certainly not necessary, but it does make the overall package that much better. Any scene with movement whether it be running or paper floating about features dynamic action shots with constant flow, employing the common modern technique of 3d environments to stunning effect. This animation style also perfectly reflects Fujimoto’s style of drawing, with realism less important than the impact and emotion behind the scenes. The thinner, sketchier art style of the manga is also reflected in the movie. I think the perfect example of Durian’s desire to go above and beyond is the opening scene, where they fully animate Fujino’s first yon-koma manga in her style creating an exciting opening out of what could otherwise have been a fairly standard scene. The music in Look Back is another aspect executed flawlessly. Nakamura Haruka crafted a fitting soundscape composed primarily of piano and strings. Whilst it swells up at times, particularly during the montages, it also knows when to remain minimalistic in order to let the raw emotion be displayed in full. The ending theme (played at a brilliant moment I might add) remains in much the same style as the soundtrack with the addition of soothing vocals to encourage reminiscence on the short but moving experience that just occurred. I finally want to touch on the theme and story. It is clear from the outset that Look Back is largely a distillation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s experience as a mangaka (if you couldn’t figure it out from the premise, the appearance of the Chainsaw Man parody Shark Kick later on will surely suffice to demonstrate that fact). Fujino’s feelings of incompetency, her struggle to maintain friendships, the clashes in her partnership, the choice between art university and becoming a mangaka outright, and on and on. All of these elements feel as though they are coming from Fujimoto’s heart directly which makes them all the more impactful and realistic when they occur in the film. Even when things exit the realm of reality towards the end, they do so to emphasise the need to push forward and move on whilst respecting and building on the events of the past that is central to the overall message. Tldr; Look Back is a raw, stunning, beautiful and emotional ride all packed into an hour that left me utterly blown away by the level of craftmanship and heart put into it.

Working through the angst of a lone young artist and reshaping ambition through the relation to another creative, one of a vulnerable and sensitive nature. Look Back is the grounded story of the meeting of two young manga artists, Fujino and Kyomoto, and the dramatic turns of their lives together. The story is believable to the point of an creating an impression of autobiographical. The anime follows at a blitzing pace, years of the two’s lives are truncated into a few scenes of only a few minutes each. Sometimes montage feels like the ordinary state of the film. The boarding is at times overbearing and cuts too rapidly for the sake of its own weight. Take the scene of Fujino and Kyomoto having their talk at the paddy at dusk, thoughtful yet overdone images communicating disconnect are paired with rapid cutting in a way reminiscent of the style of Naoko Yamada’s sentimental film Koe no Katachi. Continuing with the overbearing sentimentality is the score, every song has the same high pitched reverberating sounds and sad piano. It’s the sort of music that plays in inspirational commercials and what I’d imagine a basic teenage girl would write poetry to. The music is monotonous and used often, it personally greatly brought down every scene where it played. What may have been assumed to be a strong character or relationship study, surprisingly doesn’t feature much intimate interaction between its only two characters. Thoughtful moments of emotional subtext and symbolism in its composition help but the film rushes past these images almost indifferently. Even during its most dramatic moment, it doesn’t carry a sense of stillness. As for the general directing style, while not breaking reality much outside of the expressionistic manga-come-to-life segments which are used for punctuation and juxtaposition, the film has a bit of a sense of cinematic realism but nothing doggedly consistent. Regularly are short moments of showy ballistic background animation and full animation character acting used but largely it’s not submerged in cinematism thanks to its refreshing avoidance of plaguelike digital effects and CG, although the film is not free of the depictions of ugly technologies such as smartphones, photoshop, and drawing tablets. The art direction sometimes has a look of painterly impressionism but with mixed looking penciling effects added. While the art direction was inconsistent, falling into a cheap looking digitality at times, it overall has a unique look, much better than average for 2024. Look Back is imaginably anime of the year with its brief, grounded story and relatively high-quality art and animation. However, it’s almost too truncated to make a point, nearly unrelenting in sentimentality, and light on impactful dramatic images.

Oh look, another artist's anime-girl self-insert by this guy. Oh look, it's just like that other one-shot he did about the artistic Sisters' rivalry... Yay It has a decent start with actual purpose, an actual story. But after that little cloyingly overblown initial rivalry 'conflict' gets resolved (almost handwaved away) in preference for instant enemies-to-lovers gaybaiting via montage in-lieu of any actual character interaction... yeah the story starts spinning its wheels and sputtering as nearly the exact same overblown insecurity (non)conflict recurs on the other foot to fill the screentime and with even more bizarre nonsense about how 'you can't get better by practicing art, you have to go to school to do that.' Very weird nonsense from an artist. By this point it could've been an average 5/10, but unfortunately, as we fast-forward with even more time-skipping montages, the story falls off a cliff as, in signature fashion, Fujimoto decides to scrap everything by flipping the board, and now decides he's writing a KyoAni fanfic with his anime-girl self-inserts instead and just never actually does anything further, just spinning in circles to reminisce with untimely juvenile wish-fulfillment rehashing dream-sequences and flashbacks to even more montages in-lieu of any actual character interaction between these now noncharacters, and finally ends it after spinning its wheels for so long having done nothing with it, ending on nothing. Trash. "It's supposed to be trash because its thematic of trash." Yeah, le big sad, I'm aware. It's still trash. Themes and depth were extremely shallow. Depression/insecurity. Why? Because. That's all, you're not going to do anything with it? No. Almost nothing even happens in this artist's self-fellating story about reminiscing about its story. Barely any of it has any narrative purpose. The entire story and every piece therein is merely superficially connected by nature of its (self)-reminiscence theme. Reminds me of Only Yesterday. The art/animation looks mediocre most of the time. It's often difficult to tell the girls apart because of how their overly simple models are almost identical. The few bits of actual effort put in were absurdly overdone artsy cringe. The direction is extremely overindulgent, they're really stretching this little oneshot out as much as they can to just barely get to 1 hour for a full movie-length production. The music would be best described as background noise. Shallow references to Chainsawman door and Goodbye Eri action-hero 'splosion theater. "Ermagerd that's from the thing!" All the 4 panel 'comics' by the other girl were literally just landscape background art, that's not even a comic, "SO GOOD" my ass. Why? Because she's the perfect background artist for this artist's self-insert to show manga with story by X and art by Y team! Ermegerd! 2/10 (where 5/10 is average)

Fujimoto-San wrote a very personal story that seemed to be a tribute to someone and it is very hard to understand the motive behind it without knowing more details. With that being said, I’m very glad that the movie made the theater and Fujimoto achieved his goal, and now the movie itself will be remembered and honored by the community. The story itself is rather simple and plain, without much novelty. It would probably be much more touching to someone that knows the backstory of the characters and their relation to Fujimoto himself. As of now, we do not know much detail behind it and unfortunately, Fujimoto did not show up during the post-screen interview to explain it. I would like to know more about the backstory and I think it would help us understand Fujimoto more, about his history and personal motive as a mangaka. I think it will remain a mystery for the foreseeable future. Regarding the production, the animation is beautiful. The music is great and makes the story so touching. The voice actresses did a great job capturing the personalities of the two characters. Compared to the original manga, the animation did a little more elaboration on the later part of the story and made it less confusing. The movie ended with an open question: ‘why do we draw/create?’ Unfortunately, I couldn’t make an inference about what motivated Fujimoto to draw and create following the movie. I think Fujimoto still owes us an answer.

Regret is one of many of human emotions, it’s a painful part of life that everyone at some point will experience. Many wish to live without regret, and that wish is a high one, yet when that feeling comes at a time too late, what do people more often than not do in order to handle it? Look back. Look Back is a sentimental film that depicts themes of regret, how connection forms and holds when we often take it for granted at times, and how art is a medium that can change people regardless of who they are or once were. Despite being a short film that runs in at a little over an hour, there is this utterly profound feel of passion that exudes across the length of the film from the people who worked on it. From the vision of Director Kiyotaka Oshiyama that he vividly explains in the after-credit interviews, to the melodic range of the soundtracks of Haruka Nakamura that grasp both the joy and pain of life, to the stunning performance of both Yuumi Kawai and Mizuki Yoshida, Look Back is a defining example of not only a stellar adaptation that improves the source material but a captivating experience on how to deliver a bittersweet message in such little time. Fujino is a character that captures what many of us were like in youth and carries those elements into adulthood. She isn’t the best friend nor is she the most likable person but that’s where Kyomoto comes in, she’s a counter to Fujino. Their relationship is an incredibly touching yet bittersweet one, from the common interest of manga between the two to their years of being a mangaka duo to the events near the end of the film bringing a painful lesson for Fujino. That lesson is one of regret, because even though regret is often painful and revives memories that we may want to forget or wish we could change and do things differently, there is no way to return to that time and the only thing people can do is learn from it. Despite that, Fujino brought Kyomoto out of that room while Kyomoto brought change to Fujino. Fujino however is the main catalyst, with her efforts and pain of creating to her insecurity of her abilities to draw, it’s these feelings and challenges that reach out to many people who have attempted to create but we mustn’t forget about Kyomoto with her problems of connecting to others and her struggles of social activity. In that way of Fujino bringing Kyomoto out of that room, she was the person that Kyomoto needed in order to grow as a person, to get her into the world and to try to go beyond. The soundtracks in this film are a testament to how music truly matters in atmosphere and mood. It’s heavily characterized with piano and chordophones or string instruments, having this lovely sound to it that’s reminiscent of life in motion. In the first half of the movie, it’s bright and lively, feelings that are associated with youth. It’s the kind of music you would listen to in the Summer, invoking a sense of nostalgia and tenderness. In the second half of the film, especially near the end, it’s the complete opposite of the first. It’s melancholic and soulful yet immensely sad, capturing a mood that punches you in the gut and is emotionally rich. It’s like that one specific quote, how the keys on a piano represent sadness and happiness yet you need both to play a song. Across the film, there are two consistent motifs that show the flow of time and the changing relationship between our two leads. Because of how manga is read differently in comparison of Western Literature, being right to left instead of the other way around, the movement of our characters going right to left such as the time when they went out after winning second place in a manga competition, that is one of two said motifs where Fujino and Kyomoto running from the right to the left is a beautiful style of subtlety that shows their relationship changing in tandem with their youth. The second motif and the more obvious one, is how time changes while our leads are in the same position in still frames. This kind of storyboarding was also seen in Tatsuki Fujimoto’s other one-shot, Goodbye Eri or Sayonara Eri. Within Look Back, it’s used to have time essentially move forward quickly and convey how fast their youth is passing by in the span of a few seconds for us while months to years fly by for Fujino and Kyomoto. The room is filling with new material for manga or vice versa, the seasons are changing in the background, and times are changing with them as they age. It’s quiet but poignant, because time often flies by in the blink of an eye. And if we don’t realize the value of that time and the memories that come with it by the time it’s too late, that is where regret is born. Even though regret can’t be avoided as much as one could wish they could, regret can be learned. So instead of dwelling and being stuck with past regrets, move forward and learn from it so you don’t have to experience it again in the future. That’s why we regret, and that’s why we continue. Thank you for reading.

'Then why do you draw, Fujino?' Before entering the theatres to watch this movie, I did not know what to expect, really. I'd read other works by the author Tatsuki Fujimoto — such as Chainsaw Man and Goodbye Eri — but not 'Look Back', and when I saw it was releasing in my city literally tomorrow (at the time) for screening, I impulsively bought a ticket, despite knowing next to nothing about the story. I'm not sure whether this limited or enhanced my experience, but regardless this 1 hour movie would leave me torn. I won't waste your time with a detailed synopsis as it's easy to find, so I'll just cut to what I wanted to write in this review. To me, 'Look Back' is a masterpiece in human connection; how it portrays the experience of regret and the beauty of seemingly mundane moments we share with those we care about, as well as no matter how much we do care for someone, we cannot choose what's best for them. The relationship between the two main characters Fujino and Kyoumoto felt incredibly refreshing, each being so different yet so similar, making you route for them the whole way through, in spite of and because of the flaws they both held. The movie also showcased a mastery in filmmaking and cinematography, utilized in a way I rarely see in anime. Very often there were prolonged scenes of a character's back (because look back, h a h a), and whenever you believe the scene was to cut away to another, it simply continues to roll, the only differences in the scene being the character making subtle movements and adjustments. A lot of the film felt as if we the audience were just getting a glimpse into someone's life, and I think that's exactly what this movie was. There were many wordless scenes where soft background music (composed by Haruka Nakamura) played over Fujino's and Kyoumoto's conversations or work, but never did these scenes feel dull or uninspired. There was silence because there was no need for anything to be said, and muted conversations because maybe they weren't for us to hear. Fujimoto and the director Oshiyama definitely had a vision for 'Look Back', and I would say it truly came to fruition on the screen because of the immense work and visible creative energy they put into it, along with the talent of the voice actors and everyone else involved. I did not give 'Look Back' a 10/10 when the lights brightened in the theatre and the credits rolled, but as I chatted about it and went home, I don't know why but I kept trying to figure out the meaning of the movie as a whole; the lesson or purpose 'Look Back' had set out for everyone viewing it. The more I tried to attribute symbolism and analogies to it, the more I thought back to each scene and moment, the more I understood that this movie is just life. I say this in the most metaphorically scarce way. Life isn't all metaphors and similes, it's a conglomerate of love, pains, jealousy, happiness, sorrows. Things happen because they happen. We may attribute disasters in our lives to some sort of twisted karma we hold, but in reality it's just how it is, and the world turns in spite of us, and in spite of it all. We can wish to rewind time, escape from reality for a while, but life goes on. And that's okay. I didn't cry in the theatre to 'Look Back', but the next morning in the mirror, I found tears falling down my cheeks. It was then I understood that all this time in the movie I was looking for closure and consolation, but knowing now that it was never needed for the story to be complete.

REVIEW ❗ (English) Look Back the Movie I had the highest possible expectations for this anime, and... MY EXPECTATIONS WERE MET! What's Good? Check the review below ⤵️ Interesting Points: 1. Visuals, I Love It! Really Love It. The storytelling technique uses visuals, Beuh! That's great! Even though it's a bit excessive, it's suitable because the characters are elementary school students. 2. Story, two people who don't know each other, are met by fate and become close friends, but in the middle of the story there is a conflict between them. 3. Ending, there are multiple endings, between a happy ending and a sad ending, what makes it interesting is that they are both related, BRO?! ARE YOU SERIOUS? 1 HOUR MAKE 2 ENDINGS AND IT'S GOOD? I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT! 4. Music, there are 4 soundtracks in this film, and they all touch my heart. The music really brings out the atmosphere of this anime. Lack: 1. Character design, as I mentioned before, the characters' facial expressions are a bit exaggerated, not suitable for everyone, at first I also felt strange, but a few moments after the film started I started to understand this, maybe this is a characteristic of the Durian studio. 2. Slow story pacing, 1 hour feels like a really long time watching this anime! But enjoy watching it. There are no fatal flaws in my opinion, because the Fatal Opening S2 Oshi no Ko 😅 Good Job Studio Durian! Look Back 9/10 for me ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ REVIEW ❗ (Bahasa Indonesia) Look Back the Movie Gua menaruh ekspektasi setinggi mungkin ke Anime ini, dan... EKSPEKTASI GUA TERPENUHI! Apa Bagusnya? Cek Review di bawah ⤵️ Point Menarik: 1. Visual, I Love It! Really Love It. Tehnik Penceritaan menggunakan Visual nya itu Beuh! Mantap euy! Walau agak berlebihan, tapi cocok karena karakternya anak SD. 2. Story, 2 insan yang saling tidak mengetahui, lalu dipertemukan oleh takdir dan menjadi teman dekat, tapi di pertengahan cerita ada konflik di antara mereka. 3. Ending, ada multiple ending, antara happy ending dan Sad Ending, yang bikin menarik adalah keduanya berkaitan, BRO?! ARE YOU SERIUS? 1 JAM BIKIN 2 ENDING DAN BAGUS? I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT! 4. Musik, Ada 4 soundtrack di movie ini, dan semuanya ngena di hati. Musiknya bener" ngecarry suasana anime ini sih. Kekurangan: 1. Desain Character, seperti yg gw singgung sebelumnya, mimik wajah karakternya agak berlebihan, gak cocok untuk semua orang, awalnya ku juga merasa aneh sih, tapi beberapa saat setelah Movie dimulai aku mulai memaklumi hal itu, mungkin ini ciri khas studio Durian. 2. Pacing Cerita yang Lambat, 1 Jam berasa lama banget nonton Anime ini! Tapi nontonnya Enjoy Sih. Gak ada kekurangan yang fatal menurut ku, karena yang Fatal Opening S2 Oshi no Ko 😅 Good Job Studio Durian! Look Back 9/10 bagi gw

A rather solid short film that caught my attention as an artist myself. There were a few times were I laughed and related with the main character's anguish, their struggles to improve, how long it truly takes to get good at art and making something of yourself. The comments made by Fujino's parents and peers were especially on point! How they applaud all your efforts and say you'll be an amazing artist someday, that you'll be making big money in this career so on so forth. It was fun to see Fujino finally meet who she considered her rival, Kyoumoto, and make that first connection. Friendship in an instant from what we could tell. However... from that point on, the movie seemed to stagnate. Nothing was explained. No insight or characterization past montage after montage. The music puts most of its weight during these montages of stills and tiny inklings into their lives. But nothing else past what these two characters and these two characters alone are dealing with in their journey to becoming mangakas. We don't see either of their families, what they think of their path, nor their peers from school past their meeting. All of what you were introduced to in the beginning parts now become null and pointless. Though I suppose that's the fault that comes with such a short film. When -that- part hits, it's so sudden and knee-jerking. Much like any moment would be considering. Time stopped and it truly did bring a few tears to the eyes. We get a what if scenario... and then silence. Nothing else and nothing more. Yes the moment hits, but then you're left feeling empty and that you're missing parts of an incomplete story. More questions than answers. A lot of filling in the gaps with my own imagination as to how things played out (throughout the whole movie and especially by the end) and what happens from here. It's something nice and short to watch. It feels like a tribute to someone the author knew in their lifetime. A little something to leave behind, as most artists do, in want to leave a mark to show they were here. I tell myself plenty of times that my love for creation and art is to leave a piece of me behind as proof of my being here! I just wish the movie had been a little longer or a little more packed with substance. There's just too much they leave up to viewer interpretation and guessing how things may have played out.

Tatsuki Fujmoto's one-shot Look Back serves as a love letter to the creative artistry behind manga. The short story follows two middle schoolers, Kyomoto and Fujino, two names that form a portmanteau in Fujimoto’s own surname when split. Fujino is a popular kid and happens to draw 4-koma manga strips for the school newspaper, and this success bolsters her ego through the roof. Until she sees Kyomoto's work published in the same paper and is in awe of her rival's artistic talent, an obsession to be better grows. As the saying goes, comparison is the thief of joy, but in this case, competition is directly correlated to improving her skills. The film shows her hard work as taxing, harming her studies, and such, but ultimately, it is clear to the viewer that she had fun. It's exciting to have a goal, something to chase. This contrasts Kyomoto, an agrophobe yet incredibly skilled at background design. Look Back essentially chronicles their unlikely partnership, then subsequently a friendship. The film is narratively thin, although that's not inherently a downside, just a mere fact. There isn't much to work with given the nature of the concept and the emotion-centric storytelling. Whatever material director Kiyotaka Oshiyama has, he presents with fidelity. A large segment of the film is montages, probably one too many. It mostly works though, typically characterizing the two girls as well as the shift in their dynamic. Each of these sequences depicts various facets of the craft as well, showing them putting months upon months of work into a manga. While the combinations of successive shots condense time, the backgrounds show the sun rising and falling as the seasons change. The layout of Fujino's room becomes increasingly cramped, but as long as they have a desk to work on, the drawings continue. A number of the montages parallel each other in the same timeframe but characterize different aspects of the two girls' relationship. Evidently, the connection they develop is the central focus, particularly how attachments should be avoided by professionals. The only thing constant is change, and it is inevitable that a creator will want to hone their abilities, thus creating distance from those around them. Look Back is studio Duran's first feature-length project since being founded in 2017, and while Oshiyama (co-founder) has a plethora of experience under his belt, he hasn't been at the helm in years. It's important that we address the quality of the film because it becomes an indispensable part of the experience. The color grading in the film bears a tremendous weight in shaping the mood of a scene. Take something as simple as Fujino grabbing Kyomoto's hand and running down a street, for instance. A moment as simple as this has the backgrounds muted out in slow motion as Fujino and Kyomoto happily jog. This is standard for most films with scenes of that nature, but the innate inclusion of peripheral movement allows the mise en scène of the rising action to stand out. We see this during montage sequences often, such as light refraction, or a potent example would be the first shot of Fujino brainstorming at her desk. The body language shows an acute attention to detail like ticks that mangaka may have, and something as trivial as pen spinning adds a bit more personality. Oshiyama opts for rotoscoped character animation, leveraging the technique in prolonged shots where facial expressions sell the emotion. Much of what Look Back offers points to a capable adaptation, and I would identify it in that light for the better part of the film. To put it bluntly, it could have been shorter. That includes accounting for all the material and not cutting corners. A shorter runtime doesn't solve a great deal, but there would be less thematic elongation and would subsequently create slightly more interpretation. Then again, if we zoom into the root of the narrative's bewilderment, it is clearly the third act. That style of incorporating a brutal turn of events has become the norm lately, so it has now become exactly what it opposed: a derivative plot device. Personally, I'm neutral on the storytelling pathing in that direction, but I fail to see any level of effectiveness in it. The story can operate without that act or even mimic the same sentiments with a vastly divergent conclusion. This trend of tearing down reality has felt increasingly cheap to me, a method of forcing the viewer to cherish the past. It doesn't help that the film's foreshadowing is extremely heavy-handed, which again is generally fine if it were content with introspecting the lives of young girls vying to be mangaka. Criticism aside, Look Back does have genuine watch value. There's one specific part of the writing that stands out, a thread that I would assume Fujimoto intentionally overlooked. Kyomoto is established as an artist, a visionary desperate to grow her skills. Fujino is never given that title, and it's consistently ambiguous as to why she draws manga at all. Originally, it was for recognition, maybe money, then jealousy, and lastly, perhaps for Kyomoto. Naturally, these are all perfectly valid reasons, and it's just as fine if none were true. Drawing because she doesn't know what else to do or isn't talented at anything else. Fujimoto's angle here hints at the universality of a job being just that, a job. And that is okay. In that same vein, the film has many feel-good messages to offer, painted in bright, warm hues. Composer Haruka Nakamura, who I've been familiar with for a long time now, is proficient at building up a string and piannisimo crescendo. He performs well here, and Oshiyama appropriately uses the score or douses a shot in silence. Look Back, even with its ups and downs, especially for a debut project, puts studio Durian on the map. If anything, it's a testament to Oshiyama needing longer original work. The opening shaky rotating shot is almost out of a Gaspar Noe film; similarly, the technical virtues positively overshadow narrative gaps. Art is cruel, and humans are like water in the face of it, moving whichever way the flow takes us.

Drawing sucks. Making art sucks. If I were to describe it, the words "annoying" and "tiresome" come to mind. You can sketch, line, color, and shade all day, all night, for weeks, months, even years, and somehow, you're never truly satisfied. Alone, you mindlessly create, oblivious to the fact that it might not even turn out well. And in the process, your wrists, hands, back, and head all end up hurting. And on top of that? It might not even get the applause and reaction you expect. So why do we make art? Look Back is a heartfelt contemplation on the reason we create art. A deeply felt musing on the creative process. The film initially depicts art as difficult and lonely. To create art is a huge time sink, a time sink that doesn't seem to ever have a payoff. Every single day that Fujino picks up her pen, she treks into an endless cycle of trying to be "better". Despite the fact that she draws nonstop—to the point of compromising her relationships—her art remains inferior. In her eyes, her work is still not enough. Perhaps it really is useless to try to improve. Maybe it's pointless to create art in a world where there is someone out there far more skilled than you. Despite the cold start, Look Back is so much more than it seems. Making art is difficult and lonely, but at the same time inevitable, and beautiful. Art's biggest wonder is its ability to act as a bridge for connecting with others who share the same interests, and feelings as you. Small, but special connections that affect us for a lifetime. Fujino and Kyomoto's simple, yet heartfelt relationship might be one of, if not the most impactful and poetic I've experienced in a long time. Both the visuals and soundtracks in this film evoke a keen sense of nostalgia and melancholy. Slow, mellow, and sweet piano would play as the two artists' daily life are drawn and depicted with rough, yet purposeful, and beautiful line-art. This film adapts Fujimoto's style extremely well. Sprawling with highly detailed backgrounds and colorful sceneries, the warm feeling of youth and nostalgia that never wanted to leave would come to a halt in the second half. At this point of the film, the colors would become more muted, and the story escalates faster than before. If the first half wanted to depict dreams, sunshine, and rainbows, the second half aimed to ground you back to reality. Art is not immune to its artist's feelings. Much like the inevitable joy and happiness we get from art, regrets are also inevitable. Unlike in art, there is no eraser or undo button to return to the past when it comes to people. We sometimes make mistakes that cannot be undone. Nevertheless, we should learn to grieve and move past it. We should learn to regret. Much like the inevitable happiness we get from art, regret is also inevitable. One should learn to regret, so one can continue to live. Why do we make art? A question with an answer that differs for each person. Perhaps it's a question none of us are qualified to answer. Art is many things. An emotional reprieve, a deeply personal expression, a form of escapism. But for this film? Look Back proudly exclaims that art actually has one simple answer: Art is about making connections, both between the artist and their works, as well as between the human, and the other humans they connected with. Art is about human connections. Connections that are seemingly insignificant and small, but have the potential to permanently alter us. Poignant, yet heartfelt connections that will continue to haunt and impact us and our art, for the rest of our lives. Look Back aspires you to never give up on your dreams, no matter how bleak and futile it seems. A reminder to carry on with your life with all the guilt, regret, and happiness you've accumulated, and to express them through your own art and passion. A profound reminder for those who still continue to dream. Don't look back in anger!

Look Back is a story about choices, the past, and guilt. But Look Back is different from more generic works that deal with the same themes. Here, it builds something uncomfortable: a narrative essay about how choices shape who we are. The work presents a clear parallel between the artistic creation of its two protagonists. Fujino doesn’t draw because she enjoys it; she draws because it’s what others expect from her — someone artistically talented. For her, that’s what defines her. When she realizes that someone else draws better than she does, it isn’t just her talent that feels threatened. It’s her very existence. What defines her. Kyomoto, in contrast, draws as a way to insert herself into the world, almost as a refuge from her reality. While Fujino draws in order to be someone and to be noticed, Kyomoto draws in order to exist. Another important message of the film is that creating is not liberating. The criticism of how mangaka suffer and sometimes sacrifice their lives for a job that maybe shouldn’t — or simply isn’t — that important is striking. And maybe this ties into my personal criticism that Fujimoto writes better one-shots (Goodbye, Eri and Look Back) than long-running works (Chainsaw Man). The frustration of being a mangaka is not romanticized here in any way. There is no guaranteed reward — only insecurity, repetitive effort, and the constant question of whether it’s all really worth it. And this leads directly to the central message of the story: there is no clear mistake in the characters’ lives, only a past that cannot be rewritten. The film’s production and direction greatly intensify these ideas. Look Back manages to communicate emotion, elevates fictional stories that are naturally simple by giving them strong identity and care, and shows a complete understanding of Fujimoto’s work. In the end, the greatest textual strength of Look Back lies in its refusal to offer comfort. The film draws a parallel in which choices are made — often unintentionally — and still build paths with no return. Life, just like the position of a mangaka, and living just like creating stories, means accepting that weight.

Its difficult for me to express in words everything that this movie has made me feel, I have rewritten this review a couple of times (this is my first time reviewing something in this site, also it was in spanish at first to be taken down after that because of the guidelines). I will only say that it has been very important, at a point in my life in which I had already stopped watching anime, in which not many things make sense to me, and I wanted to let this out of me somehow. There is a common feeling that I find in my favorite animes, which is difficult for me to describe but are characterized by being experiences that help me a lot, that make me want to live. That may sound like Im an emo, or suicidal but nah, Im good, just that theres life stages where is just difficult to think in continuing living, where is difficult to wake up and do something with my life, thats all. I am not a pretentious dude, nor a fervent lover of anime and manga, in fact, nor am I very attracted to manga. But that does not inhibit me from recognizing that, from time to time, there are works that enliven the spark in my heart and keep it from extinguishing. And thats it, just wanted to talk a little about how nice it was to see this movie. Fortunately, I was able to see it in theaters, in the short time it was on the billboard in my small third-world city, highly recommended. Sorry if im not great with english, really wanted to express this better in my native language but couldnt, ni modo.

As an art enthusiast myself, it'll be the hardest thing in the world not to fall in love with this piece. In just under an hour, they managed to encapsulate every drive and break that an artist could have, striving in their own world. I doubt this will resonate with everyone, and i can see some people having issue with the shorter runtime, as i myself consider it a waste of potential that Fujimoto, the author, is so hesitant to drown any further in narcissism that he doesn't develop this spark of his farther to be a feature length. But for someone who can create something as over-the-top as Chainsaw-man, to have so much self-restraint is honestly an art in itself!

Excess lessens the potency of quieter moments. I can't shake this thought after my second viewing of Look Back, a movie adaptation of Fujimoto's one-shot of the same name. While the source material is often reflective of this sentiment in its own right, I am left feeling that the creative direction for the adaptation should have had more restraint. The cinematic form greatly benefits from some level of restraint, particularly regarding the affect(s) a piece aims to capture. In the cinema of Ozu, for example, we are pulled between the ways of the old generation and of the new generation. Through this, Ozu captures an affect that is, at the same time, forward and backward-looking – quietly mourning the old customs while acknowledging the slow march of the future. This is not only communicated through the characters and thematic material of the work at hand, but also through the aesthetics and rhythm of nature. The most potent moments in Ozu's oeuvre arrive when these forces clash – often culminating in some degree of flourish reflected in the scenery (which, for Ozu, almost always held the camera stationary, allowing the score pick up the slack). Regardless – Ozu was quite restrained in portraying such cinematic moments. The most intense sequences in Ozu are calm and understated when compared with the tendencies of popular media. Ozu recognizes that a cinematic moment doesn't always benefit from displaying a concrete affect, or otherwise imparting a sentiment to the viewer. Allowing scenes to breathe, to ebb and flow from focus, brings the cinema closer to the rhythm of life. The saccharine tendencies so often characteristic of anime can run counter to this notion, at their worst negating it altogether. Instead of restraint, the field overflows with emotion, with feeling, and with creativity. I find myself enjoying this aspect when it's expressed through the aesthetic tendencies of a work. However, I am left wanting when this tendency is concentrated into a character's denouement. Look Back is certainly a treat for the senses. Studio Durian has left a substantial impact with this adaptation and there's no denying that. The artistic achievements of Look Back stand out in comparison with the mega-popular Chainsaw Man anime adaptation, which admittedly had a very different set of intentions backing it. Purely on its formal axis, Look Back excels and consistently excites with its stylistic force of expression. To this end, affect becomes channeled through formalism and amplified according to the aspects of a given cell. It is through this aspect that Look Back becomes a piece of marked intensity. Fujimoto's one-shot was already a pretty saccharine piece and, in adapting the source material, Studio Durian chose to amplify rather than temper these qualities. The animation is active, even messy at times; both extreme close-ups and long shots are common (the camera being very sporadic – but inventive, expressive); Haruka Nakamura's score is ever-present, frequently zigzagging in and out of focus to remind you of how you ought to feel. There is little question regarding what Look Back aims to convey for any given cell. Though, at crucial moments, the film elects to restrain itself. The most notable example is with the ending sequence in Fujino's apartment, the camera stationary and the diegetic ambiance left to simmer. This ending sequence is very much in classical cinematic form, and I must say it was my favorite part of Look Back. However, upon reflection, this moment was only as potent as it was due to the relentless affect of everything prior to it. One certainly cannot step away from Look Back and say they were unaffected, or that the film did not at least try to leave its mark. During Look Back's credits sequence, I am left exhausted. Almost nothing about this work aims to affect its audience subtly; it is very clear and straightforward about what it aims to be. Unfortunately, this quality is channeled into a consistently overwhelming affect which is so frequently a pitfall of anime. Anime that employ and acknowledge this saccharine quality (the anime and live-action works of Anno Hideaki coming to mind) – putting it into play, rather than taking it as a given – are better equipped to rebound off of it and extend themselves beyond the trappings of sentimentality. The melodrama (to which this tendency can be compared) becomes dull / lifeless when its narrative premise is lacking or its affect is singular and relentless. Look Back is certainly guilty of the latter, and often guilty of the former. Ultimately, I cannot say the work overstayed its welcome, though 57 mins nearly exceeded my patience... In the cinema of Ozu, the viewer is conditioned to reflect upon the diurnal being of its subjects. And tempered through Ozu's characteristic restraint, affects extend beyond the local subject, reaching out to the whole. Struggle is never isolated; it is never just the quiet drama of the local subject. Despite Look Back's energy, the enthusiasm to make itself known, its ending sequence feels all too quiet and hollow. When left to reflect on what preceded, all one is left with is character – isolated struggle. Instead of affirming being, Look Back persists despite it. This rejection is perhaps admirable, but ultimately – for me – washes out any quiet moment that preceded it.

I will never forget the feeling of sitting in a dark theatre when the credits music (Light Song) came up. No one in the theatre stood up to left until the credits ended, it feels as if the universe had stopped to tell me I should embrace this moment. When the theatre lights came back up, it took me back to reality that I was watching a movie. Me and my homie just started crying and saying "that shit was peak 😭🙏" while also laughing our asses off wiping our tears. I'll never forget that. I didn't expect to cry since I've already read the manga years ago, but the credits music (Light Song) broke me. I didn't watch the trailers, so I had no idea of the song existing. Hearing it for the first time in the cinema was some core memory shit. Thank you for reading my review, it's been two months and I hope fans in the USA are also loving the movie. * The movie came out earlier in my region (It was late-July). I'm just writing a review about it now.

I don't know, It's well made I guess. I think Look Back was a very low potential, failsafe movie, which is weird considering who Fujimoto is as an author and the stylistic choices taken. Particularly the singularity of the art and animation indicate a much more idiosyncratic viewing than what follows. It's a nice idea, not overly unique but still strong enough to stand on it's own. However it's a bit stupid and awfully simplistic in how it deals with itself. But it does manage to push it's message through regardless. Takes on artistic freedom, reclusive personalities, commodified relationships and artistic passion are really overdone in general, especially among the anime medium. Look Back manages to oversimplify an already simplistic subgenre of anime. However If I'm being honest this movie was not offensive in the slightest, it is probably the most sound depiction I have ever seen. It's perfectly mediocre. Overall It's nothing special, I'm not a massive fan of the artstyle and the animation is a bit off in the first third. The story is a bit stupid and the characters are somewhat bland. The highlight really was the dynamic between the two mains, neither are overly interesting separate but together it's somewhat compelling. It's worth a watch for it's short runtime, but don't expect anything earth shattering. The music was good.

I think everyone can relate to the whole “comparison is the thief of joy” thing. Realizing you’re painfully average at something you thought you truly enjoyed more than anything else stings like a motherfucker. At the same time, healthy rivalries born from these sorts of emotions can be the catalyst needed to finally make you take that leap toward becoming a better version of yourself. What Look Back accomplishes in its short runtime sure is impressive, as it provides so much with so little, never coming off as preachy or melodramatic, as films about art, ambition, or companionship so often do. Excluding any sort of romance goes a long way here, as I really think the main relationship derives much of its poignancy from the fact that it isn’t unconditional, as love sometimes is. Friendship, however, is always earned. Above anything else, what I find really makes this work is the absolutely incredible art direction. Adapting Fujimoto’s style of his original works isn’t an easy undertaking, as somewhat proven before by Chainsaw Man, in which I’ve always thought a lot is lost when compared to the source material. This, on the other hand, captures the (for lack of a better word) “vulnerability” of Fujimoto’s art in a mesmerizing way, grounding it, while also keeping the extraordinary expressiveness and humanity that his characters usually possess. Remarkable music as well, Haruka Nakamura is a completely new name for me, so I’ll eagerly be looking forward to watching whatever he’s involved with in the future. It's a 9.5 really.

I’ve traditionally been critical of Fujimoto’s works, often finding them overrated and more style over substance, however Look Back completely changed my perception of him and his work. While it’s one of the shortest films you’ll see in cinemas this year, it’s also going to be one of the most profound. I found myself sitting through the end credits and cast interviews in a daze, trying to sort through the beautiful artistic adventure I just went on. Throughout its short but sweet runtime, Look Back is consistently a breathtaking work of art both in its artistic direction as well as story. At its core, it’s a film about the impact that one moment can have on our lives, altering the trajectory of our stories forever. Kyomoto and Fujino’s friendship and dare I say it, sisterhood developing over the course of the film is one of the most satisfying experiences I’ve had in recent anime. As myself someone who creates art and finds myself getting lost in my own hype at times, I found Fujino’s emotional development to be very relatable. In the past, I have struggled to accept seeing others get praise for things that I’ve always been told I’m good at. It seems silly, but we are all human at the end of the day and want to feel special. Unfortunately most of us don’t have a Kyomoto to become our muse, fan and rival, pushing us to get better. Still, you never know the impact that you or your work can have on other people. While I didn’t cry when the climax and twist hit, I was profoundly impacted and was taken back to Kimisui/I want to Eat your Pancreas in the suddenness of it. A simple reminder that life can change in an instant and to never leave anything unsaid or undone. Life is too short and you don’t want to end things with anyone having regrets. Try as we might, we can never get time or people back. That’s what makes these simple days we live so special. It’s already apparent from watching the film, but seeing the director and seiyuu interviews afterwards really drove home just how much love and effort went into this. The director really puts his own unique stamp on the film, elevating scenes from the one shot while staying true to the emotions that Fujimoto wanted to convey. Every single scene feels like a love letter to the medium and oozes passion and creativity. It has an almost auteur like quality to it, reminding you just how powerful animation can be. Anyone downplaying the impact and strength of animation in 2024 is either misguided or ignorant. It’s better than ever, only getting better and films like this remind me of it. And I’ve said all that without even bringing up the incredible job from the seiyuus. To bring such an impactful story like this to life it’s important having people who feel authentic and grounded. The seiyuus for Kyomoto and Fujino sound real to the point where you forget you’re watching an anime, just getting lost in the individual scenes. I appreciate the director going for someone who’d never voice acted before and someone who, in his words, sounded like a natural shut-in. Really helped me get lost in this world. Look Back is short and sweet. It doesn’t overstay its welcome and is clinical in getting across its messages and themes in a concise and relatable manner. Out of all of Fujimoto’s works this is definitely my favourite and I feel my own life has been changed for the better by watching this. Thank you to everyone involved in this. Look Back Gets 10 out of 10

I loved it. Everything, the animation, the already bitter-sweet plot and the score. When adapting a manga to anime I think it's really important that the animation and the ost compliment each other, in this case, they certainly do. I'd never heard anything from this composer, I was moved by every score, everything plays so well! The animation is wonderful, no complaints there, none at all! It reminded me of Kyoto animation's works, such as violet evergarden. The dynamic here is similar, the soundtrack isn't there just to fill an empty space, it plays a major role in the movie. The montages really do make you want to cry, they really are the parts where the editing excels. Long story short, this movie is a must watch, a faithful adaptation of the original material, that not only represents it but expands on it, making it even better.