Kiyotaka Oshiyama's “Look Back”
Movie review by Dennis D. McDonald
This one-hour anime displays more emotional depth and artistic brilliance than many films twice its length.
Two girls meet in the 4th grade. Fujino is gregarious, outgoing, and arrogant about the popularity of the 4-panel manga she regularly publishes in the school newspaper. One day she is asked to share her space with reclusive Kyomoto, a shy “truant” living at home whose artistic talent is superior.
Despite initially clashing, the two become close friends. Their personalities are radically different, but they share a common passion for art and manga. We follow their relationship over the years via a series of vignettes that illustrate not only what they share in terms of artistic talent but also the challenges and even heartbreak that creating art can involve. Tragedy intervenes and we learn even more about their backstories and relationship.
The animation in this hand-drawn anime is superb, not because of richly colored or detailed natural settings but because of the natural movements and facial expressions captured by the animation team led by Kiyotaka Oshiyama. There is a physicality to the character drawings where one can sense that even minor variations in line width and weight give the film a genuine and almost spontaneous feel.
These two girls' shared passion for art comes across loud and clear. Realistic details such as head-tilting, foot-tapping, and walking through the snow provide an almost magical sense of reality. Look Back is a touching work of art.
Review copyright © 2026 by Dennis D. McDonald
