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Photo courtesy of GKIDS. ©Tatsuki Fujimoto/SHUEISHA ©K2 Pictures・SHUEISHA
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Photo courtesy of GKIDS. ©Tatsuki Fujimoto/SHUEISHA ©K2 Pictures・SHUEISHA
Official Site: https://k2pic.com/ (Japan), https://gkids.com/films/look-back-a-film-by-kore-eda/ (US)
GKIDS, the Academy Award®-winning producer and distributor of acclaimed and artist-driven animation, and K2 Pictures today revealed a new teaser trailer for LOOK BACK (ルックバック, Rukku Bakku). Based on the best-selling and globally beloved manga from Tatsuki Fujimoto (Chainsaw Man) or the same name, the coming-of-age drama is directed, edited, and adapted for screen by Palme d’Or winner and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda (SHOPLIFTERS). The film is set to release in Japan on September 11, 2026, with a US, Canada, UK and Ireland theatrical release distributed by GKIDS to be announced.
LOOK BACK stars Natsuki Deguchi (DRAWING CLOSER) as “Fujino” and Asian Film Awards winner Aju Makita (TRUE MOTHERS) as “Kyomoto”, with Furi Nanase and Aju Makita as the younger versions of “Fujino” and “Kyomoto”.
The coming-of-age story follows two girls passionately pursuing their dreams of becoming manga artists. First published on Shonen Jump+ in 2021, the manga sparked buzz upon its release in Japan, recording 2.5 million views on its first day, and climbing to over 4 million views in two days. The manga has sold over 900,000 copies domestically and has been published in 37 countries worldwide with more than 750,000 copies sold internationally. The manga went on to receive numerous awards and nominations, including a nomination at the 2023 Eisner Awards.
Kore-eda’s adaptation of LOOK BACK follows the 2024 animated feature adaptation of the same name, which was the feature directorial debut of director Kiyotaka Oshiyama. The animated adaptation was released in North American theaters in 2024 by GKIDS and was a critical and box office success, earning a Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Animated Feature, and a nomination for Best Animated Feature – Independent at the Annie Awards.
For the latest updates on LOOK BACK, please visit https://gkids.com/films/look-back-a-film-by-kore-eda/.
About Hirokazu Kore-eda:
Born in Tokyo in 1962. After graduating from Waseda University’s Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences, he joined TV Man Union and directed documentary programs. He made his feature film directorial debut in 1995 with MABOROSI, which won the Golden Osella Award at the Venice International Film Festival. He has continued to create works focusing on family dynamics and social issues, including NOBODY KNOWS (誰も知らない, Dare mo Shiranai, 2004), LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON (そして父になる, Soshite Chichi ni Naru, 2013), OUR LITTLE SISTER (海街 diary, Umimachi diary, 2015) and SHOPLIFTERS (万引き家族, Manbiki Kazoku, 2018), earning great acclaim both domestically and internationally. In 2018, SHOPLIFTERS won the Palme d’Or at the 71st Cannes International Film Festival and went on to gross $72 million worldwide. Kore-eda has expanded his activities to include international co-productions, anchoring his worldwide reputation as a leading figure in Japanese cinema.
About GKIDS
GKIDS is the Academy Award–winning curator, producer, and distributor of artist-driven, globally inspired cinema dedicated to connecting North American audiences with distinctive stories from around the world. Widely celebrated for its leadership in the “animation is film” movement, the studio has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape for feature animation in the U.S. and internationally for nearly two decades. GKIDS represents the work of many of the world’s most acclaimed animation filmmakers, including Makoto Shinkai (YOUR NAME., WEATHERING WITH YOU), Satoshi Kon (PERFECT BLUE, MILLENNIUM ACTRESS), Tomm Moore (SONG OF THE SEA, WOLFWALKERS), Mamoru Hosoda (MIRAI, WOLFWALKERS), and serves as the North American home of Japan’s legendary Studio Ghibli.
Upcoming theatrical releases include the highly anticipated GODZILLA MINUS ZERO, the follow up to director Takaski Yamazaki’s Academy Award-winning GODZILLA MINUS ONE; and SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE BEAST OF MOSSY BOTTOM, the latest Aardman feature in the beloved Oscar-nominated film series. In addition to the Oscar-nominated films KOKUHO and LITTLE AMÉLIE AND THE CHARACTER OF RAIN, recent theatrical releases are the box office hit JUJUTSU KAISEN: EXECUTION, Mamoru Oshii’s cult classic ANGEL’S EGG, and the critically acclaimed ALL YOU NEED IS KILL, alongside groundbreaking television series such as DAN DA DAN, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, and ARCANE: LEAGUE OF LEGENDS.
@GKIDSFilms