ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joseph Perry writes for the film websites Gruesome Magazine, The Scariest Things, Horror Fuel, The Good, the Bad and the Verdict and Diabolique Magazine; for the film magazines Phantom of the Movies’ VideoScope and Drive-In Asylum; and for the pop culture websites When It Was Cool and Uphill Both Ways. He is also one of the hosts of When It Was Cool’s exclusive Uphill Both Ways podcast and can occasionally be heard as a cohost on Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror: The Classic Era podcast.

Director Kiyotaka Oshiyama’s anime feature Look Back is a coming-of-age tale that puts its two main characters and viewers alike through the emotional wringer. Fujino (voiced by Yumi Kawai) is a school girl whose manga in her elementary school’s newspaper draws a lot of praise from her fellow students — until it is suddenly overshadowed by the manga drawn by shut-in student Kyomoto (voiced by Mizuki Yoshida). Tasked by her middle school teacher to deliver a graduation document to Kyomoto, Fujino is surprised to learn that the girl is a fan of her work. The two work together as high schoolers and craft award-winning manga, splitting apart when Kyomoto announces that she wants to study art at university rather than continuing their success as a professional team. 

There’s much more to matters than what I have described here, and I don’t want to spoil what happens in this fast-paced, poignant feature, so suffice it to say that Look Back, based on the autobiographical manga Chainsaw Man by Tatsuki Fujimoto, delivers shocking tragedy, an alternate reality/”What if?” scenario, and plenty of smiles along with lumps in the throat as the bittersweet drama involving the two unlikely friends unfolds. The animation looks terrific, from scenes early on depicting Fujino’s comedy manga to emotionally heavy portrayals where facial expressions are wonderfully conveyed. The voice acting by the original Japanese cast is also top notch. Oshiyama has crafted a touching anime feature in Look Back that leaves plenty to mull over long after its final frame. 

Look Back screens as part of Japan Cuts 2024, which runs July 10–21. For more information, visit https://japansociety.org/film/japancuts/.