It was announced on December 3rd that " Lookback, " a manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto , known for works such as " Chainsaw Man ," will be adapted into a live-action film and released in 2026. This is the first time that one of Fujimoto's works has been adapted into a live-action film. Hirokazu Koreeda, known for films such as "Shoplifters," will serve as director, screenwriter, and editor. The film is scheduled to be released not only in Japan, but also in South Korea and Taiwan.
" Lookback" was released on Shueisha's manga app "Shonen Jump+" in July 2021, and recorded over 2.5 million views on the first day. It was ranked first in the men's category of "This Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2022" and was also nominated for the "Manga Taisho 2022" awards, which drew much attention. In 2024, it was made into an animated feature film, which became a hit and won the Best Animated Feature Award at the 48th Japan Academy Awards. It has been screened around the world, including at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, and has received high praise both domestically and internationally.
Just like the original work, the film will carefully depict the trajectory of the two main characters, Fujino and Kyomoto, over a period of approximately 13 years, starting from their elementary school days, against the backdrop of the beautiful four seasons. Filming, which took place mainly in Nikaho City, Akita Prefecture, has already been completed, and editing is currently underway. Two teaser visuals, showing the backs of Fujino and Kyomoto, have also been released.
Director Koreeda commented, "On my way back from Kyoto on the Shinkansen, I was attracted by the word ' Lookback' on the cover as it was stacked up in a bookstore at Shinagawa Station, and I picked it up without thinking, which was how I first encountered 'Look Back'. That night, I read it all in one go. Manga and film are different genres, but as a fellow creator, I feel that this is a work that conveys a strong sense of determination, and I was painfully aware of the feelings that Tatsuki Fujimoto must have had to draw this work in order to move forward. For me, 'Nobody Knows' was that kind of work."
"After that meeting, producer Koide (Daiki) invited me to turn ' Lookback' into a live-action film, and I had the opportunity to meet Fujimoto-san. First of all, I wanted to express my gratitude for bringing such a work to the world and for having had the opportunity to encounter it in the same era, but on the way home I remember making up my mind that 'I have no choice but to do it.' Filming has finished and the film is currently being edited, but I believe it will be a work that depicts something very rich."
Fujimoto commented, "The first film I saw directed by Koreeda was Our Little Sister. The interior of the new house the protagonist moves into and the furniture in the town's restaurant all had a very lived-in feel to them, which made the story more convincing. I was also moved by the small details of the acting that had nothing to do with the story, which made me feel like the characters were living their daily lives in places we couldn't see. If Director Koreeda were to shoot a Lookback, I have nothing more to say. I'm looking forward to it!"
Producer Koide recalls, "I read it over and over again on the day it was released on Jump+. It was a shock. I thought I had read something incredible. Along with a variety of emotions, I felt like I had received some great strength from Fujino's back. Just then, the day came when I was able to meet and greet Tatsuki Fujimoto. I had wanted to tell him my thoughts immediately after reading it, but at the last minute I realized that I wanted to ask if I could make this manga into a live-action film directed by Director Koreeda."
"I first met Director Kore-eda when he was a teacher in my class when I was a student, and I used to watch his back from my seat in the classroom. It reminded me of the stories I had heard and seen before, such as how in 'Nobody Knows', he spent a year filming the growth of children through the four seasons, and how in 'Our Little Sister' and 'Miracle', he directed the lines orally to the child actors without giving them a script. More than anything, it brought back the strong emotions I had when I saw 'Nobody Knows', and the more I thought about it, the more I felt that Kore-eda was the only person left to adapt this live-action film, so I contacted him. Together with Director Kore-eda, the cast and crew, and the people of Nikaho City, Akita Prefecture, we have filmed as carefully as possible throughout the four seasons. We have put our all into this production, so I hope you will look forward to it."
The story is about two girls who connect with each other through their single-minded passion for manga, but then an event occurs that shatters everything... Fujino, a fourth-grader who serializes four-panel manga in the student newspaper, is highly praised by her classmates, but her teacher tells her, "I want to publish a four-panel manga by Kyomoto, a classmate who doesn't go to school."
