Chainsaw Man may be the most popular of Tatsuki Fujimoto‘s works, but his critically acclaimed one-shot, Look Back, deserves no less credit. Following an animated theatrical outing last year, the bestselling manga is returning to the silver screen again — this time, in the form of a live-action film helmed by Palme d’Or-winning Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters, Broker).
The confirmation comes after rumours of his involvement in the project surfaced earlier this year, with casting notices suggesting that work was underway. As revealed in the pages of Shonen Jump Plus, the adaptation has entered post-production and is slated for release in late 2026. Daiju Koide, whose credits include Shin Kamen Rider, is producing under the K2 Pictures banner, with story details kept under wraps.
Two teaser visuals featuring the lead pair of Fujino and Kyomoto were also unveiled:
“On a return trip from Kyoto to Tokyo, I was drawn to a figure’s back on the cover of a book in a bookstore at Shinagawa Station. Without thinking, I picked a copy up — that was my first encounter with Look Back. That night, I read it in one sitting,” said Kore-eda. “Though manga and film are different genres, as a fellow creator, I felt the desperate resolve behind this work. I could feel, almost painfully, that Mr Fujimoto simply couldn’t move forward without creating this piece. For me, Nobody Knows was that kind of work”.
Originally published on Shonen Jump+ in 2021, Look Back garnered significant attention upon release and has sold more than 750,000 copies internationally. Oshitama Kiyotaka directed the animated film adaptation, which grossed US$12.8 million during its theatrical run before being acquired by Amazon for streaming on Prime Video.
The official synopsis for the movie reads:
Popular, outgoing Fujino is celebrated by her classmates for her funny comics in the class newspaper. One day, her teacher asks her to share the space with Kyomoto, a truant recluse whose beautiful artwork sparks a competitive fervour in Fujino. What starts as jealousy transforms when Fujino realises their shared passion for drawing.
The live-action film adaptation of Look Back will premiere in late 2026, after the release of Kore-eda’s other upcoming feature, Sheep in the Box, in early summer. The filmmaker earned the Jury Prize at Cannes for 2013’s Like Father, Like Son and later the Palme d’Or for 2018’s Shoplifters, so his take on Fujimoto’s masterpiece is certainly off to a promising start.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
