Palme d’Or-winning director Kore-eda Hirokazu (Shoplifters, Like Father Like Son, The Truth) brings his signature humanism to LOOK BACK, a live-action adaptation of the hugely popular graphic novel by beloved creator Tatsuki Fujimoto about the struggles of becoming an artist, growing up and moving forward.
Nikaho City, northern Japan. Fourth-grader Fujino enjoys the admiration of her classmates, who delight in the artwork she publishes in the school newspaper. But her confidence is shaken when Kyomoto – a reclusive classmate whose social anxiety keeps her from attending school - begins submitting work of extraordinary skill. What begins as rivalry soon evolves into a profound creative partnership, bound by a shared devotion to illustration.
First published on Shonen Jump+ in 2021, Look Back sparked immediate buzz, recording 2.5 million views on its first day. It has sold over 900,000 copies in Japan and has been published in 37 countries worldwide with more than 750,000 copies sold internationally. Kore-eda’s adaptation follows Kiyotaka Oshiyama’s 2024 animated feature adaptation of the same name, a critical and box office success that earned a Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Animated Feature, and a nomination for Best Animated Feature (Independent) at the Annie Awards.