Look Back (2024)

 

Look Back (2024)

8/10

Starring the voices of

Yuumi Kawai

Mizuki Yoshida

 

Directed by: Kiyotaka Oshiyama

 

Look Back is one of those movies that actually cuts deep when you get to the end and see that the way it starts up is not the way you would have hoped it will end.

I hoped the two girls would later be great together, I hoped it would be one of those fine endings where it is all tied up in bows and they run away into the sun happy together.

But sadly, this wonderful, well-written, fantastic artwork animation with wonderful voice casting does not end that way. I give the voice casting a lot of honors for the way it carries Kyomoto’s mannerisms to make it more convincing, and it worked for the immersion into the story.

The story is about two girls, Fujino and Kyomoto, who love to draw manga strips for their high school paper. Fujino was very talented and used to do this drawing by herself, and she was very popular. Then Kyomoto joined. Kyomoto has social anxiety and does not leave the house, so she and Fujino in the beginning never met.

When Fujino saw how good Kyomoto’s work was and how much attention it was getting, she decided to stop drawing and actually focus on finishing high school. After graduation, she was asked to take Kyomoto’s certificate to her, and that was when the two met. That was how they formed a partnership, where they created manga for years and were successful.

Their partnership broke when Kyomoto wanted to go to art school. Fujino’s reaction to this was selfish, and their friendship parted.

How the story carries on from this is something you will need to watch this anime to enjoy. The fun thing about this anime is that it is not long, it is just 60 minutes, and in that short time, it takes you on a journey, one where we see the challenges of drawing manga and the challenges people with social anxiety face.

The anime showed the problem of not forgiving and the issue that comes when you try to hold on to someone who wants to fly. My problem with this anime is, I felt there is a lack of emotional connection to Kyomoto and her social anxiety issue. Yes, it is well voiced and shown, but because the movie is easily from Fujino's view, her own character development seems overlooked.

Kyomoto's character development is, one day she just goes I am going to art school, there is no proper build up to this.

I wonder if the ending would have been different if Fujino was a better friend to Kyomoto, we will not know. Although the movie hinted at that possible alternate ending, it then pivoted back to the path it started on when these two did not run away into the sun, holding hands.

I do recommend you see this movie, it is worth your time.