Look Back
Look Back
Popular, outgoing Fujino is celebrated by her classmates for her funny comics in the class newspaper. One day, her teacher asks her to share the space with Kyomoto, a truant recluse whose beautiful artwork sparks a competitive fervor in Fujino. What starts as jealousy transforms when Fujino realizes their shared passion for drawing.
rg9400 reviewedNovember 9, 2024
I'll start out by being honest: the animation style did not work for me. I found that it looked stiff whenever in motion, often feeling the movements were exaggerated. I didn't mind it when it was more static, even if it was not my preferred style. The music is pretty good, feeling sentimental without falling into sappiness and complementing the story well. Going into this movie, I had no background on the source material, so I was surprised by how short it felt. Under an hour long, it often feels more like a short story than a full-length feature film. The movie quickly jumps through time, focusing on Fujino and her relationship to Kyomoto through manga. I wish the movie did more with Kyomoto as a character because it sometimes feels like her purpose is mainly served to further Fujino's character arc versus being a fleshed-out character in her own right. There are seeds of her own internal struggles and interests, but the movie doesn't explore them as much. This is why I referenced it feeling more like a short story because had it been longer, I feel like it could have done more justice to her character. That said, I think Fujino's arc is heartfelt and compelling. I wasn't fully sure what the story was going for until the end, but the last few scenes really bring out the core themes of this story. It's a powerful story about human relationships and the way they motivate us. Even though I didn't love the animation and wanted a bit more length to the story, I do recommend it, and honestly, the sub-60 minute length means it should be very accessible.