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Summary
This review is spoiler-freeLook Backis the film adaptation of the manga of the same name byTatsuki Fujimoto ofChainsaw Manfame. Unlike Fujimoto’s usual stories,Look Backis a largely down-to-earth story about the friendship between two burgeoning manga artists, the difficulties they face, and how that ties into important philosophies in life, in general.
Look Backhas yet to be released theatrically outside of Japan, but Western fans have already had a few opportunities to see it at conventions or film festivals, and anyone who did would have seen thatLook Backis a film that excels in terms of writing, animation, and overall direction.
In many ways,Look Backdoes an even better job of showing off Tatsuki Fujimoto’s talents than theChainsaw Mananimedid, and it’s already an easy contender for the best anime film of 2024, if not the best-animated film of 2024, overall.
Look Back’s Visuals Are A Sight To Behold From The Very Start
One Of The Best-Looking Animated Films Of 2024
The first thing to immediately stand out aboutStudio Durian’sLook Backis its visual aesthetic. For starters, besides being of consistent quality,Look Back’s visuals are all-around gorgeous to look at and always do a great job of bringing the manga to life, whether it’s in a tense scene, a heartwarming one, or a rare moment of comedy. Tatsuki Fujimoto’s art style has a unique structure that combines genius craft with often simple-looking illustrations, and overall,Look Backdoes a great job of bringing that to life.
Look Back’s Direction Is Among The Best Of Any Anime In 2024
Kiyotaka Oshiyama & Studio Durian Perfectly Brough Look Back To Life
Further selling the visual aesthetic ofLook Backis the incredible animation and direction of the film. Regarding animation,every scene inLook Backhas an astonishing degree of fluidityand overall craft put into its animation. The film always takes the time to make everything look good and flesh out even the smallest of movements from the cast. Whether it’s a big, emotional scene or something comparatively more low key, the animation always does a great job of capturing the humanity of the cast and story, making an already great story even better to go through.
The animation, of course, wouldn’t work nearly as well without its stellar direction.Look Back’s direction always works to sell the story through masterful camerawork and gorgeous and creative shots, with scenes like Kyomoto running after Fujino from a first-person perspective and Fujino’s happiness as she danced in the rain both being particularly great standouts. Additionally, the film has a great understanding of musical cues and always knows when it’s best to employ a soundtrack or keep things silent for emotional effect.
Everything great aboutLook Back’s direction can be attributed to the film’s director, Kiyotaka Oshiyama. Kiyotaka Oshiyama is known for his great character writing and the fluidity of his character designs and animation, all of which can be seen in past projects such asFlip FlappersandDoraemon The Movie: Nobita’s New Dinosaur, and that style is on full display inLook Backto tremendous effect. Overall,Kiyotaka Oshiyama was the perfect director to bringLook Backto life, and seeing all of that come together was great to witness.
Look Back’s New Additions Flesh Out An Already Great Story
Look Back’s Film Takes The Story Even Further
Something that plays even further into the excellent direction ofLook Backis the various new scenes added to the story. The overarching narrative is never changed, but the film does expand on certain parts of the story like animating Fujino’s manga, making Fujino’s classroom look massive to emphasize her anxiety, and using perspective to emphasize the growing distance between Fujino and Kyomoto near the climax.Every new addition toLook Backserves to emphasize something about the narrative, whether it’s lighthearted or serious, and overall, it’s another hallmark of the film’s incredible direction.
Look Back’s Story Is Still Great In Animation
Studio Durian Perfectly Adapts Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Short Story
Naturally, everything great aboutLook Backhas its roots inthe stellar writing of the original story by Tatsuki Fujimoto. Unlike Fujimoto’s more bombastic stories,Look Backis meant to be more of aslice-of-life animegrounded in reality, and sure enough,Look Backdoes a great job of selling a grounded story with a cast as likable as they are human. The only part that ever breaks away from that is purposefully over-the-top for Fujino’s character arc, and even that does wonders to sell the realistic nature of the story and all the good that comes with that.
That realism, of course, feeds directly into the emotional core of the film: Fujino and Kyomoto’s friendship. Not only does the story do a wonderful job of developing their friendship, but the time put into developing Fujino and Kyomoto’s friendship makes the film’s most emotional moments surrounding them hit even harder, and their tragedy becomes the perfect segway intothe central theme of overcoming loss. The way the final scene is just a lingering shot of Fujino back at work perfectly encapsulated that idea, and overall, the story evoked just as much emotion in animation as it did in print.
Look Back Is The Greatest Showing Of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Talent
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Genius Is Finally Realized
Like many of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s works,Look Backwas a story designed to have a cinematic feel with its writing and scene composition, and the film adaptation does a perfect job of translating that into animation. WhileStudio MAPPA’sChainsaw Manwas often at odds with the intensity of the source material,Look Back’s more grounded storytelling perfectly lent itself to a cinematic direction, with the slow pacing and emotional writing always working to sell the story to great effect. It was a work perfectly suited to be a film, and Kiyotaka Oshiyama did a perfect job of realizing that.
Of course, in the process of translatingLook Backto film, Kiyotaka Oshiyama and Studio Durian made an already great story even greater. Between the gorgeous artwork and animation and the creative direction of the film,Look Back’s film adaptation went above and beyond by selling the strengths of the original manga, and it can easily be seen as the ideal way to experience the story.
Look Backmore than lived up to its stellar reputation, and once it receives a wider theatrical release, that will become even more apparent, worldwide.
Look Back
Cast
Confident artist Fujino and reclusive Kyomoto bond over their shared passion for drawing manga. As they navigate the challenges of growing up and pursuing their artistic dreams, their friendship deepens. The story beautifully explores themes of creativity, dedication, and the impact of personal connections on their journey.
