LOOK BACK

First, I'll talk about the movie itself before diving into some personal themes and feelings I had.

The animation was stunning—it felt like they ripped the manga straight off the pages and filled in the frames between the panels. There are so many gorgeous scenes that could easily be wallpapers; it’s just that beautiful. I was absolutely dumbfounded by how it looked, especially how the colours popped. Everything about it was visually breathtaking.

I didn’t cry during the film (though I feel like I got very close—don’t worry). I remember reading Look Back when it first came out and buying it on day one when it became physically available in my country. I haven’t read it since, so watching this movie constantly made me think, “Oh! I remember this part. Damn, they did this so well.” It recaptured the feelings I had the first time I read it.

The music was incredible. The orchestra did an extraordinary job of setting the mood and tone. The music alone almost made me cry. Paired with the voice acting talents of Yuumi Kawai (Fujino) and Mizuki Yoshida (Kyomoto), the emotional impact was even greater. They gave it their all. The phrase “human-like” might sound odd, but it truly felt like there was no script—just natural conversations you could overhear while walking by. Fujino’s hotheadedness and Kyomoto’s shy, quiet nature were so relatable; they felt like real people you might see on the street. What I’m trying to say is that everything felt authentic, and that’s extremely important for a movie like this.

At the beginning, I completely understood Fujino’s feelings when she looked at the manga and felt disgusted—the feeling of being really good at something, only to see someone else do the same thing better. That level of disgust, fear, and anger—that someone else can be better than you, even though you’ve poured all your time and effort into it—hit really close to home. You try and try and think you’ve improved, but they’re still better. That feeling resonated deeply with me. I often feel disgusted and embarrassed when I see my friends editing, drawing, or writing better than I can. It fills me with self-hatred and makes me want to give up entirely.

But then there are those moments when I get compliments from friends or even strangers. They tell me they watched my work and that it inspired them to create something too. It’s such a weird, bittersweet feeling—part of me hopes they fail, but at the same time, I feel my cheeks flush, my blood rushes, and a smile cracks on my face, knowing I helped someone take a leap into creativity. Knowing I inspired them is a powerful feeling.

I could definitely tell this was Fujimoto’s story—a reflection of his journey as a mangaka. I hope he continues creating beyond Chainsaw Man and takes care of himself. His one-shots and stories about the art of creating are truly some of his best work, and only he can pull them off.

Overall, this was a phenomenal movie. I’ll probably think about it whenever I feel doubt about creating something. It’s a reminder to follow the dream I want to achieve. It’s good to have those reminders once in a while.