“Did You See It?” is a review column where we watch trending movies and share our honest impressions and key highlights. <Editor’s Note>
[Edaily Starin YUN GI BACK Reporter] The friendship between two girls, which began in a four-panel comic strip, unfolds into a mesmerizing coming-of-age story. From the desire to draw well and the jealousy of facing talent superior to one’s own, to the joy of gaining a friend who shares the same dream and the regret that comes too late—Director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “Look Back” delicately portrays the joys and sorrows of youth as they pursue their dreams.

“Look Back” is a live-action adaptation of the manga of the same name by Tatsuki Fujimoto. Fujino, whose talent had been recognized through her four-panel comic strip serialized in the school newspaper, is shocked upon seeing the drawings of Kyomoto, a classmate who rarely attends school. Her pride turns to competitiveness, and Fujino throws herself into her art to surpass Kyomoto. The two, who had never known each other, become friends and collaborators through an unexpected encounter.
The film takes its time depicting the process by which these two girls—who differ in both personality and lifestyle—grow closer. To Fujino, Kyomoto is both a rival who shattered her pride and the person who inspired her to pick up her pen again; to Kyomoto, Fujino is the one who opened her closed door and helped her step out into the world. The process by which their initial envy of each other’s talent transforms into trust and friendship unfolds step by step.

While the original manga and anime vividly depicted the two girls’ pure aspirations, the live-action film adds a sense of wistfulness as they look back on the time they spent together. The sound of a pencil scratching against paper, the hours spent sitting side by side drawing all night, and the moments when they gaze at their finished manga together concretely illustrate their relationship. That is why the loss and regret that follow when life takes an unexpected turn are all the more heart-wrenching.
Director Kore-eda does not exaggerate the sadness or urge the audience to shed tears. He lingers on the room where the characters stayed, the desk with their drawings, and the empty space left behind after one of them departs. The warm color palette and gentle music also vividly bring to life the time the two girls spent together without disrupting the flow of the story. It’s a film that feels as though you’re slowly appreciating a single piece of art while listening to Director Kore-eda’s commentary.

Natsuki Deguchi and Aju Makita, who play Fujino and Kyomoto, naturally bring the two girls from the original work to life. Furi Nanase and Roka Okada, who carry the early part of the film, also express their desire for recognition and their admiration for their friend with unpretentious sincerity. While the child actors convincingly portray the moment their friendship begins, the adult actors use restrained performances to convey the changes in their hearts as they go through growth and parting.
“Look Back” tells us that who we spend our time with is just as important as what we achieve. It’s about having someone who waits for your drawings and sits at the same desk to share your dreams. The story of these two girls drawing manga goes beyond the joy of creation to show how one person can change another’s life. This is why the name Hirokazu Kore-eda lingers so vividly in the mind long after the end credits roll. Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda. Runtime: 100 minutes. Opens October 8.