Look Back

Look Back (2026)



ルックバック

7.9 2026 100 min —

Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda

Cast: Natsuki Deguchi, Aju Makita, Fuuri Nanase, Rokka Okada, Masaki Suda

Drama
Fujino, a fourth grader, earns praise from classmates for the comics she contributes to the school paper. Everything changes when she's told to make room for Kyomoto, a shut-in student whose breathtaking illustrations outshine anything Fujino can produce. Their first encounter reveals a surprising truth: Kyomoto has quietly looked up to Fujino the entire time. What began as one-sided jealousy transforms into a mutual passion for creating art, a bond that follows them into adulthood as they chase careers as manga creators. Together, the grown-up Fujino and Kyomoto navigate a path where creative fulfillment meets life's most unexpected turns.

More About This Film

Look Back is Hirokazu Kore-eda's live-action adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto's acclaimed one-shot manga. The story follows Fujino, an outgoing student confident in her artistic abilities, and Kyomoto, a reclusive girl who spends most of her time drawing, as their shared passion for manga brings them together.

The film follows their creative relationship across thirteen years, using art-making and friendship to examine adolescence, ambition, grief, and the changing meaning of creation. Kore-eda's humanist approach gives the adaptation an intimate dramatic tone rather than treating the material as a conventional manga-to-film spectacle.

  • The film was written, directed, and edited by Hirokazu Kore-eda.
  • It is based on Tatsuki Fujimoto's 2021 one-shot manga.
  • The running time is approximately 100 minutes.
  • It competed at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival in 2026.
  • The film received strong early reviews, including a 73 Metascore listing and a high early Rotten Tomatoes score.

Where to Watch

The film's initial release is theatrical, with digital and subscription options expected to depend on territory.