GKIDS has dated the North American theatrical run of the live-action “Look Back” film, and fans won’t have to wait long. The adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s one-shot manga hits select North American theaters on December 30, followed by a wider release on January 15. GKIDS will also roll the film out in the U.K. and Ireland.
(Image Credits: GKIDS)
A Kore-eda Take on Fujimoto’s Masterpiece
This is no ordinary manga adaptation. The film is directed, edited, and scripted by Hirokazu Kore-eda — the “Shoplifters” and “Our Little Sister” auteur — with Aju Makita playing Kyōmoto and Natsuki Deguchi as Fujino. The coming-of-age story spans more than a decade, following two girls who bond over a shared dream of becoming manga artists and forge a creative partnership that is tested by success.
The film already has serious festival pedigree: it showcased at the 79th Cannes International Film Festival on May 15, screened at the London Film Festival, and won the UNIMED student jury award in September. In Japan it opened at #5 on September 11, earning 144.1 million yen in its first three days.
Yonezu, Miura and a Rotoscoped Surprise
The credits read like a who’s-who: Kenshi Yonezu plays guitar for the film under the moniker “Shark Kick Guitar”, Tōko Miura performs an insert song, and animator Yōko Kuno directed a rotoscoped animation sequence with Shin-Ei Animation. Music is composed by Yūta Bandō (BELLE, Kaiju No. 8).
Fujimoto’s one-shot — the same creator behind Chainsaw Man — exploded on Shonen Jump+ in July 2021 with over 2.5 million views on day one, and the 2024 anime film earned $688,253 in its opening U.S. weekend. Now the live-action version gets its own shot at the big screen.
Also Read: Kenshi Yonezu Announces 2026-2027 WORLD TOUR / GHOST With Seoul and Mexico City Dates and MAPPA Turns 15: CEO Manabu Otsuka on Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man and the Studio’s Rise
Source: Anime News Network — read the full story there.
