Starting out as a one-shot manga published on Shonen Jump+ in 2021, Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Look Back has grown into a work adapted into both anime and live action. By July 2026, the manga had passed 1 million copies in circulation, while the live-action version directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda was even selected for competition at the 2026 Venice Film Festival.
Look Back – Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Breakout One-Shot
Look Back was released by Tatsuki Fujimoto, the creator of Chainsaw Man, on Shonen Jump+ in 2021. The story centers on Fujino and Kyomoto, two girls who share a passion for drawing manga.
Fujino is confident in her drawing skills until she discovers the manga pages of Kyomoto, a schoolmate who doesn’t come to class but has outstanding artistic talent. From an initial rivalry, the two gradually become friends and create manga together.
The story follows the two girls over many years, from their school days until their paths change. Friendship, creative passion and unexpected events make Look Back an emotional coming-of-age story.
Right after it was published, the work drew enormous attention and took No. 1 in the male readers’ category of This Manga Is Amazing! 2022. By July 2026, the manga had passed 1 million copies in circulation.
From Manga to Anime and Then Live Action
Look Back’s impact didn’t stop at manga. In 2024, it was adapted into an anime film that won the Excellent Animation of the Year award at the 48th Japan Academy Film Prize. In 2026, Look Back received its first live-action version, with Hirokazu Kore-eda serving as director, screenwriter and editor.
The film stars Natsuki Deguchi as Fujino and Aju Makita as Kyomoto. The cast spent time learning to draw manga to recreate the two characters’ creative process on screen.
Kore-eda said he came across Look Back by chance during the pandemic and was drawn to its story of friendship, ambition and loss. For the film version, he paid special attention to the process of creating manga, from the sound of the pen strokes to the changes in how the two characters grow up.
Look Back Steps Onto the International Film Stage
The live-action Look Back premiered at the 2026 Venice Film Festival in the Competition section, where it competed with 20 other films for the Golden Lion.
Beyond Venice, the film was also selected for the Special Presentations program at the Toronto International Film Festival and as a Gala Presentation at the Busan International Film Festival. It officially opened in Japan on September 11, 2026 and is planned for release in 98 countries and territories.
Notably, Look Back isn’t a story built from a long series with hundreds of chapters. With just a single one-shot, the work has gone from manga to anime and live action, while reaching international audiences through major film festivals.
This journey shows how a story’s vitality can go beyond the limits of its original format: from Fujimoto’s manga pages to the big screen through two completely different adaptations.