Hirokazu Kore-eda has recently helmed a live-action adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga, “Look Back”.
It was revealed that the Palm d’or winner has quietly shot the movie in Nikaho City, with the movie now being in post-production. The film, produced by K2 Pictures, is set for a late 2026 release.
Speaking about the project, Kore-eda said that he was drawn to the cover of the manga at Shinagawa Station one day, during a return trip from Kyoto to Tokyo.
Director Hirokazu Kore-eda holds the Palme d’Or for the film ‘Shoplifters’ following the awards ceremony at the 71st international film festival, Cannes, southern France
2018 Awards Photo Call, Cannes, France – 19 May 2018
“Without thinking, I picked a copy up. That was my first encounter with ‘Look Back’. That night, I read it in one sitting. 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,” he said.
It is noted that the manga was previously adapted into an animated feature last year.
The original manga tells the story of Ayumu Fujino, a young manga artist who, driven by rivalry and friendship with a reclusive classmate, strives to improve her craft.
