Summary
Look Backfans now have something to be excited about: the movie is eligible for consideration for the 2025 Oscars. The anime adaptation of theChainsaw Mancreator’s same name manga has given fans an emotional ride. Director and scriptwriter Kiyotaka Oshiyama masterfully transposed feelings from comics to animation in his directional debut.
Look Backis a 143-page one-shot published online onShonen Jump+in July 2021, whileChainsaw Manwas on hiatus after the end of the first part (the Public Safety Saga). It tells the story of two teenagers who love to write manga, and they compete and later bond over their abilities, working together while dreaming of turning into professional artists. They end up going different ways, and then a big twist happens.
According to a new Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences website post,the movie is eligible for appreciation for the 2025 Oscars. However, it’s important to remember thatbeing eligible only means the distributors are trying to get the movie a nomination, but it does not guarantee the movie will be nominated. Other anime movies eligible areThe Colors Within, Ghost Cat Anzu and The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.
Real-life inspired tragic story
The next paragraph contains spoilers forLook Back. The following paragraphs do not contain any spoiler.
Despite a different but somewhat similar setting, Fujimoto fans have noticed how someLook Backeventsresemble the Kyoto Animation arson attack, including the existence of amass murdererwho kills many artists in an incident, while accusing one of the characters of plagiarizing them. Fujimoto never confirmed anything officially, but the events are just too similar. It’s possible he lost friends during the arson (and also people who he admired).
Look Backmovie distribution and reception
Look Backfirst premiered in June 2024 at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival held every year in France. This is the biggest international festival for animations, so premiering there is a big move, despite it being in a non-competitive showcasing category. A few days later, the movie debuted in Japan, where it had a positive reception, both commercially and among critics, getting an extended run.
In July 2024, it had a limited screening at a New York event with English subtitles. GKIDS later licensed the movie and put it in theaters in October 2024. It is nowstreaming worldwide on Amazon Prime Video.
With a positive reception, fans can at least hope the film will get some recognition at the Oscars, despite Japanese animated movies nominations being rare, especially when not produced by Studio Ghibli.
Look Backis available to stream worldwide on Amazon Prime Video, both subbed and dubbed.
