The live action film adaptation of Look Back is scheduled for release in 2026 and has been entirely shot on film, it was announced. At Jump Festa 2026, held on December 21, the project unveiled its first 30 second teaser trailer featuring footage from the film, along with a newly released comment video from director Hirokazu Kore-eda.

The teaser begins with close up shots of hands drawing manga accompanied by sound, gradually transitioning into scenes set to music. It depicts Fujino from behind, Kyomoto wearing a traditional padded jacket from behind, and moments of the two girls drawing manga together as the seasons change. Iconic scenes from the original manga briefly come to mind through these visuals.

At the request of director Hirokazu Kore-eda, the entire film was shot on analog film. Working with cinematographer Senzo Ueno, marking their first collaboration, the production carefully captured Fujino and Kyomoto alongside the beauty of Japan’s four seasons, imprinting their journey delicately onto film.

The music is composed by Yuta Bando, known for his work on visual projects such as the drama My Dear Exes and Kaiju No. 8, as well as songs by artists including Kenshi Yonezu and Hikaru Utada. Bando also composed the music used in the teaser trailer.

Kore-eda’s comment video, approximately two minutes long, was recorded during filming in July in Nikaho City, Akita Prefecture. In the video, he speaks about his thoughts on the original Look Back manga. Filming took place over an extended period, with winter and spring segments shot from February to April and in May 2025, summer scenes filmed in July, and autumn scenes captured in November.

Tease Trailer

About Look Back and the Live Action Adaptation

Originally released on Shonen Jump Plus in 2021, Look Back is a coming of age story depicting two girls who earnestly aspire to become manga artists. The story follows Fujino, a fourth grade elementary school student, and her reclusive classmate Kyomoto, tracing their growth through manga. After their four panel comics are published in a school newspaper, their lives progress through middle school and high school until one day, a devastating event changes everything.

Upon release, the manga sparked widespread discussion among prominent creators and manga fans alike, earning first place in the Male Readers category of This Manga Is Amazing! 2022. In 2024, the work was adapted into an animated feature film that became a major hit, winning both Best Animation of the Year and the Creative Contribution Award at the 48th Japan Academy Film Prize. It has also been screened at international festivals including the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and received high praise worldwide.

The live action film marks the first time a work by Tatsuki Fujimoto has been adapted into live action. Hirokazu Kore-eda serves as director, screenwriter, and editor. Like the original manga, the film spans thirteen years of Fujino and Kyomoto’s lives beginning in elementary school, portraying their journey against the backdrop of changing seasons. Filming has already concluded, primarily in Nikaho City, Akita Prefecture, with the cooperation of local residents, and the project is currently in the editing stage.
Distribution is handled by K2 Pictures. In addition to Japan, theatrical releases have been confirmed in South Korea and Taiwan, with preparations underway for a global release.

Composer Yuta Bando Comment

When I was a graduate student, there was a day when I watched a double feature of Still Walking and Our Little Sister at Waseda Shochiku. Director Kore-eda casually appeared at the theater and gave a greeting before the screening. Ever since then, I hoped that one day I might join a Kore-eda film, and more than ten years have passed. This time, I am honored to participate in a Kore-eda production for the first time.

With Tatsuki Fujimoto’s one of a kind story as its foundation, outstanding performances, the beautiful seasonal scenery of Nikaho, and refined film visuals that carefully observe and preserve each moment, I hope to gently weave music into this world as well. Please look forward to it.

Source : ORICON NEWS