Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
YusukeU
Look Back is a story about choices, the past, and guilt. But Look Back is different from more generic works that deal with the same themes.
Here, it builds something uncomfortable: a narrative essay about how choices shape who we are.
The work presents a clear parallel between the artistic creation of its two protagonists. Fujino doesn’t draw because she enjoys it; she draws because it’s what others expect from her — someone artistically talented. For her, that’s what defines her.
When she realizes that someone else draws better than she does, it isn’t just her talent that feels threatened. It’s her very existence. What defines her.
Kyomoto, in contrast, draws as a way to insert herself into the world, almost as a refuge from her reality. While Fujino draws in order to be someone and to…
Read at the source1stDecame4Danime
Oh look, another artist's anime-girl self-insert by this guy. Oh look, it's just like that other one-shot he did about the artistic Sisters' rivalry... Yay
It has a decent start with actual purpose, an actual story. But after that little cloyingly overblown initial rivalry 'conflict' gets resolved (almost handwaved away) in preference for instant enemies-to-lovers gaybaiting via montage in-lieu of any actual character interaction... yeah the story starts spinning its wheels and sputtering as nearly the exact same overblown insecurity (non)conflict recurs on the other foot to fill the screentime and with even more bizarre nonsense about how 'you can't get better by practicing art, you have to go to school to do that.' Very weird nonsense from an artist.
By this point it could've been an a…
Read at the sourcerelevant-info27
Excess lessens the potency of quieter moments. I can't shake this thought after my second viewing of Look Back, a movie adaptation of Fujimoto's one-shot of the same name. While the source material is often reflective of this sentiment in its own right, I am left feeling that the creative direction for the adaptation should have had more restraint.
The cinematic form greatly benefits from some level of restraint, particularly regarding the affect(s) a piece aims to capture. In the cinema of Ozu, for example, we are pulled between the ways of the old generation and of the new generation. Through this, Ozu captures an affect that is, at the same time, forward and backward-looking – quietly mourning the old customs while acknowledging the slow march of the future. This is not only communicat…
Read at the sourceFernLeafTree
I don't know, It's well made I guess. I think Look Back was a very low potential, failsafe movie, which is weird considering who Fujimoto is as an author and the stylistic choices taken. Particularly the singularity of the art and animation indicate a much more idiosyncratic viewing than what follows.
It's a nice idea, not overly unique but still strong enough to stand on it's own. However it's a bit stupid and awfully simplistic in how it deals with itself. But it does manage to push it's message through regardless. Takes on artistic freedom, reclusive personalities, commodified relationships and artistic passion are really overdone in general, especially among the anime medium. Look Back manages to oversimplify an already simplistic subgenre of anime. However If I'm being honest this m…
Read at the sourceEmpireDeLuna
As an art enthusiast myself, it'll be the hardest thing in the world not to fall in love with this piece. In just under an hour, they managed to encapsulate every drive and break that an artist could have, striving in their own world.
I doubt this will resonate with everyone, and i can see some people having issue with the shorter runtime, as i myself consider it a waste of potential that Fujimoto, the author, is so hesitant to drown any further in narcissism that he doesn't develop this spark of his farther to be a feature length. But for someone who can create something as over-the-top as Chainsaw-man, to have so much self-restraint is honestly an art in itself!
Read at the sourceHalalex
I think everyone can relate to the whole “comparison is the thief of joy” thing. Realizing you’re painfully average at something you thought you truly enjoyed more than anything else stings like a motherfucker. At the same time, healthy rivalries born from these sorts of emotions can be the catalyst needed to finally make you take that leap toward becoming a better version of yourself.
What Look Back accomplishes in its short runtime sure is impressive, as it provides so much with so little, never coming off as preachy or melodramatic, as films about art, ambition, or companionship so often do. Excluding any sort of romance goes a long way here, as I really think the main relationship derives much of its poignancy from the fact that it isn’t unconditional, as love sometimes is. Friendship…
Read at the sourceHalcyon13
Tatsuki Fujmoto's one-shot Look Back serves as a love letter to the creative artistry behind manga. The short story follows two middle schoolers, Kyomoto and Fujino, two names that form a portmanteau in Fujimoto’s own surname when split. Fujino is a popular kid and happens to draw 4-koma manga strips for the school newspaper, and this success bolsters her ego through the roof. Until she sees Kyomoto's work published in the same paper and is in awe of her rival's artistic talent, an obsession to be better grows. As the saying goes, comparison is the thief of joy, but in this case, competition is directly correlated to improving her skills. The film shows her hard work as taxing, harming her studies, and such, but ultimately, it is clear to the viewer that she had fun. It's exciting to have…
Read at the sourcegwwwtt
Its difficult for me to express in words everything that this movie has made me feel, I have rewritten this review a couple of times (this is my first time reviewing something in this site, also it was in spanish at first to be taken down after that because of the guidelines).
I will only say that it has been very important, at a point in my life in which I had already stopped watching anime, in which not many things make sense to me, and I wanted to let this out of me somehow.
There is a common feeling that I find in my favorite animes, which is difficult for me to describe but are characterized by being experiences that help me a lot, that make me want to live. That may sound like Im an emo, or suicidal but nah, Im good, just that theres life stages where is just difficult to think in co…
Read at the sourcezettai-jin-stray
Working through the angst of a lone young artist and reshaping ambition through the relation to another creative, one of a vulnerable and sensitive nature. Look Back is the grounded story of the meeting of two young manga artists, Fujino and Kyomoto, and the dramatic turns of their lives together.
The story is believable to the point of an creating an impression of autobiographical. The anime follows at a blitzing pace, years of the two’s lives are truncated into a few scenes of only a few minutes each. Sometimes montage feels like the ordinary state of the film. The boarding is at times overbearing and cuts too rapidly for the sake of its own weight. Take the scene of Fujino and Kyomoto having their talk at the paddy at dusk, thoughtful yet overdone images communicating disconnect are pa…
Read at the sourcechekkit
A rather solid short film that caught my attention as an artist myself. There were a few times were I laughed and related with the main character's anguish, their struggles to improve, how long it truly takes to get good at art and making something of yourself. The comments made by Fujino's parents and peers were especially on point! How they applaud all your efforts and say you'll be an amazing artist someday, that you'll be making big money in this career so on so forth. It was fun to see Fujino finally meet who she considered her rival, Kyoumoto, and make that first connection. Friendship in an instant from what we could tell.
However... from that point on, the movie seemed to stagnate. Nothing was explained. No insight or characterization past montage after montage. The music puts mos…
Read at the sourcekurohazama
Drawing sucks.
Making art sucks. If I were to describe it, the words "annoying" and "tiresome" come to mind. You can sketch, line, color, and shade all day, all night, for weeks, months, even years, and somehow, you're never truly satisfied. Alone, you mindlessly create, oblivious to the fact that it might not even turn out well. And in the process, your wrists, hands, back, and head all end up hurting. And on top of that? It might not even get the applause and reaction you expect.
So why do we make art?
Look Back is a heartfelt contemplation on the reason we create art. A deeply felt musing on the creative process. The film initially depicts art as difficult and lonely. To create art is a huge time sink, a time sink that doesn't seem to ever have a payoff. Every single day that Fujino…
Read at the sourcehanbagateriyaki
I will never forget the feeling of sitting in a dark theatre when the credits music (Light Song) came up. No one in the theatre stood up to left until the credits ended, it feels as if the universe had stopped to tell me I should embrace this moment.
When the theatre lights came back up, it took me back to reality that I was watching a movie. Me and my homie just started crying and saying "that shit was peak 😭🙏" while also laughing our asses off wiping our tears. I'll never forget that.
I didn't expect to cry since I've already read the manga years ago, but the credits music (Light Song) broke me. I didn't watch the trailers, so I had no idea of the song existing. Hearing it for the first time in the cinema was some core memory shit.
Thank you for reading my review, it's been two mont…
Read at the sourceHellother
Fujimoto-San wrote a very personal story that seemed to be a tribute to someone and it is very hard to understand the motive behind it without knowing more details. With that being said, I’m very glad that the movie made the theater and Fujimoto achieved his goal, and now the movie itself will be remembered and honored by the community.
The story itself is rather simple and plain, without much novelty. It would probably be much more touching to someone that knows the backstory of the characters and their relation to Fujimoto himself. As of now, we do not know much detail behind it and unfortunately, Fujimoto did not show up during the post-screen interview to explain it. I would like to know more about the backstory and I think it would help us understand Fujimoto more, about his history…
Read at the sourceQrXtuV
'Then why do you draw, Fujino?'
Before entering the theatres to watch this movie, I did not know what to expect, really. I'd read other works by the author Tatsuki Fujimoto — such as Chainsaw Man and Goodbye Eri — but not 'Look Back', and when I saw it was releasing in my city literally tomorrow (at the time) for screening, I impulsively bought a ticket, despite knowing next to nothing about the story. I'm not sure whether this limited or enhanced my experience, but regardless this 1 hour movie would leave me torn.
I won't waste your time with a detailed synopsis as it's easy to find, so I'll just cut to what I wanted to write in this review. To me, 'Look Back' is a masterpiece in human connection; how it portrays the experience of regret and the beauty of seemingly mundane moments we sh…
Read at the sourceMarinate1016
I’ve traditionally been critical of Fujimoto’s works, often finding them overrated and more style over substance, however Look Back completely changed my perception of him and his work. While it’s one of the shortest films you’ll see in cinemas this year, it’s also going to be one of the most profound. I found myself sitting through the end credits and cast interviews in a daze, trying to sort through the beautiful artistic adventure I just went on.
Throughout its short but sweet runtime, Look Back is consistently a breathtaking work of art both in its artistic direction as well as story. At its core, it’s a film about the impact that one moment can have on our lives, altering the trajectory of our stories forever. Kyomoto and Fujino’s friendship and dare I say it, sisterhood developing…
Read at the sourceChiriruu
Regret is one of many of human emotions, it’s a painful part of life that everyone at some point will experience. Many wish to live without regret, and that wish is a high one, yet when that feeling comes at a time too late, what do people more often than not do in order to handle it?
Look back.
Look Back is a sentimental film that depicts themes of regret, how connection forms and holds when we often take it for granted at times, and how art is a medium that can change people regardless of who they are or once were. Despite being a short film that runs in at a little over an hour, there is this utterly profound feel of passion that exudes across the length of the film from the people who worked on it. From the vision of Director Kiyotaka Oshiyama that he vividly explains in the after-cr…
Read at the sourceKIDNAMEFINGER
Aggressively unimpressive. Character development and chemistry was incredibly lacking and was mostly relegated to montages instead of actual writing that requires them to have an on-screen chemistry and characterization. Music was incredibly overbearing and overly-sentimental for characters with very little tangible development. We barely even know anything about these characters by the end of the story. Why does Kyomoto draw? Why is she a recluse? How does Fujino’s drawing aspire her so much? (They had a comedy bit about this when they met but it’s not expound upon any further other than that one moment), Why does Fujino have the drive to outdo Kyomoto? Out of sense of competitiveness or spite? Does Fujino only use Kyomoto so she could ride her fame via their collaboration?
Does Fujino be…
Read at the sourceDark1Phoenix
I loved it. Everything, the animation, the already bitter-sweet plot and the score.
When adapting a manga to anime I think it's really important that the animation and the ost compliment each other, in this case, they certainly do. I'd never heard anything from this composer, I was moved by every score, everything plays so well!
The animation is wonderful, no complaints there, none at all! It reminded me of Kyoto animation's works, such as violet evergarden. The dynamic here is similar, the soundtrack isn't there just to fill an empty space, it plays a major role in the movie.
The montages really do make you want to cry, they really are the parts where the editing excels.
Long story short, this movie is a must watch, a faithful adaptation of the original material, that not only represent…
Read at the sourceKuroSixKun
REVIEW ❗ (English)
Look Back the Movie
I had the highest possible expectations for this anime, and... MY EXPECTATIONS WERE MET!
What's Good? Check the review below ⤵️
Interesting Points:
1. Visuals, I Love It! Really Love It. The storytelling technique uses visuals, Beuh! That's great! Even though it's a bit excessive, it's suitable because the characters are elementary school students.
2. Story, two people who don't know each other, are met by fate and become close friends, but in the middle of the story there is a conflict between them.
3. Ending, there are multiple endings, between a happy ending and a sad ending, what makes it interesting is that they are both related, BRO?! ARE YOU SERIOUS? 1 HOUR MAKE 2 ENDINGS AND IT'S GOOD? I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT!
4. Music, there are 4 soun…
Read at the sourceInfinityDude88
With the monumental success of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man it is no wonder that studios immediately turned to adapting more of his works. The concern of course then becomes whether there will be a rush to pump something out regardless of the quality. Thankfully, much like Chainsaw Man, Studio Durian was able to uphold and even uplift Fujimoto’s Look Back and, in the process, create a beautiful, heartfelt and devastating movie that will surely leave an impact for years to come.
Clocking in at only a little over an hour Look Back is a very short film, however it absolutely makes the most of that runtime. Beautifully sequenced timelapses emphasise the feeling of constant time passage which establishes a real sense of progression for the film. There is also no time wastage, with every sc…
Read at the source