(C) Tatsuki Fujimoto/Shueisha (C)2026 K2Pictures・Shueisha

Director Kore-eda, who happened upon the book at a bookstore and bought it after being drawn to the “back” on the cover of “Look Back,” read it in one sitting. He commented, “I felt so keenly that Tatsuki Fujimoto must have felt he couldn’t move forward without drawing this work. For me, Nobody Knows was that kind of work.” Later, producer Daiki Koide offered him the chance to adapt “Look Back” into a live-action film. After meeting with the original creator, Tatsuki Fujimoto, Koide recalled deciding on his way home, “I couldn’t not do it.”

The live-action film “Look Back” meticulously depicts the 13-year journey of its two protagonists, Fujino and Kyomoto, beginning in their elementary school days, beautifully interwoven with the changing seasons, just like the original work. Filming has already wrapped. It took place primarily in Nikaho City, Akita Prefecture, with the warm cooperation of local residents, capturing the rich seasons throughout the year. The film is currently in post-production.

The two newly released teaser visuals capture striking scenes from the film: the backs of two figures walking along a snow-covered path, and two figures seated at a desk drawing manga in a room. Renowned photographer Hideaki Hamada, active both domestically and internationally, accompanied the production team on set and shot these visuals.

The film “Look Back” is scheduled for release in 2026. Distribution has been confirmed not only in Japan but also in South Korea and Taiwan, with preparations underway for a worldwide release.

■Screenplay, Director, Editor / Hirokazu Kore-eda

On my return trip from Kyoto aboard the Shinkansen, I spotted “Look Back” stacked flat at a bookstore in Shinagawa Station. Drawn to its cover depicting a “back,” I instinctively picked it up.

That night, I read it in one sitting.

Though manga and film are different genres, as a fellow creator, I felt the desperate resolve radiating from this work. It painfully conveyed the sense that Mr. Tatsuki Fujimoto simply couldn’t move forward without creating this piece.

For me, “Nobody Knows” was that kind of work.

After that encounter, Producer Koide approached me about adapting “Look Back” into a live-action film, granting me the opportunity to meet Mr. Fujimoto.

Initially, I wanted to express my gratitude for bringing such a work into the world and for having the chance to encounter it in my own time. But on the way back, I remember deciding, “I have no choice but to do this.”

Filming has wrapped, and while it’s currently in post-production, I believe it will be a film that captures something truly rich.

■Original Author / Tatsuki Fujimoto

My first encounter with director Kore-eda’s work was “Our Little Sister.”

The interiors of the house the protagonist moves into, the furniture in the town’s diner—everything felt so lived-in, lending the story such compelling authenticity. Even the subtle, non-plot-related performances made you feel like these characters were living their lives daily, unseen by us, which was truly moving.

If Director Kore-eda were to film “Look Back,” I wouldn’t have a single complaint. I’m looking forward to it!

■Planning & Producer / Daiki Koide

I reread it multiple times the day it was released on Jump+. It was shocking. I felt like I’d just read something incredible. Along with all sorts of emotions, I felt like I’d received some kind of powerful force from Fujino’s back.

Then, suddenly, I had the chance to meet Tatsuki Fujimoto. I’d intended to share my immediate thoughts after reading it, but just before meeting him, I realized what I truly wanted to say: I wanted to ask if we could adapt this manga into a live-action film directed by Kore-eda.

I first encountered Director Kore-eda as a teacher in a class I took during my student days, gazing at his back from my seat in the classroom. I recalled stories I’d heard about him over the years: how he spent a year filming the children’s growth through the seasons for Nobody Knows; how he directed child actors in “Our Little Sister” and “Miracle “without giving them scripts, instead teaching lines orally. Above all, the powerful emotions I felt watching “Nobody Knows” were reawakened. The more I thought about it, the more I felt that for this live-action adaptation, there was no one else but Director Kore-eda. That’s why I reached out to him.

Together with Director Kore-eda, the cast and crew, and the people of Nikaho City in Akita Prefecture, we filmed as carefully as possible throughout the seasons. We will pour our hearts into making this film, and we hope you will look forward to it.

(C) Tatsuki Fujimoto/Shueisha