Hideo Kojima has given his blessing and then some to a new anime movie that’s just opened in Japan, calling it one of the best films of the decade within the medium.
Look Back is a new movie based on the manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto, the creator of Chainsaw Man. The anime movie has been highly anticipated due to the popularity of Chainsaw Man, even if it’s a very different kind of story.
The mastermind behind Death Stranding and Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima, caught the picture over opening weekend in Japan and gushed about it on Twitter/X. Going by him, it sounds like we might have a minor masterpiece on our hands.
“Look Back” is one of the most remarkable anime of the past decade. I’ve written commentary for it. The original work was amazing, too. “I was shaken to my core! The tenderness, the kindness, the strength! Such rich expressions and sensitivity, surpassing even a live-action… pic.twitter.com/yCU4iUvulh
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) June 30, 2024
“Look Back is one of the most remarkable anime of the past decade,” he starts, before adding a blurb he penned for the film.
“The tenderness, the kindness, the strength! Such rich expressions and sensitivity, surpassing even a live-action film! I was moved by the present and future of entertainment! Anime is truly incredible,” he states, adding that he’s now ordered the original manga.
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That’s a strong review, to say the least. Audiences are showing up for Look Back, as it opened to 245 million yen over the weekend, or just over $1.5 million. That’s a good showing for something new to the public consciousness, unassociated from a major franchise such as Haikyuu!! or Gundam, both of which have set records in Japan this year.
One of Tatsuki’s more modern works, Look Back follows two manga-obsessed school-children, Ayumu and Kyomoto, who aspire to become mangakas. Their creative exploits become strangely intertwined with a local serial killer, giving the lightly supernatural story a dark feel.
Not quite turning limbs and ligaments into chainsaws, is it? Nonetheless, Studio Durian has done a charming job replicating the gentle colors and linework of the manga from what we’ve seen so far.
We don’t have a release date for the US or UK just yet, but hopefully one will arrive soon – perhaps at Anime Expo. Check out our guides on Tower of God Season 2, Oshi no Ko Season 2, and Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest for other imminent releases.