GKIDS, the Oscar®-winning producer and distributor announced that it has acquired US, Canadian, UK and Ireland distribution rights to LOOK BACK – the upcoming new feature directed, edited and adapted for screen by Palme d’Or winner and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters), which is the first live-action adaptation of the best-selling and globally beloved manga “Look Back” from Tatsuki Fujimoto (Chainsaw Man). The film was shot in Nikaho City in northern Japan and is currently in post-production. Daiju Koide is producing under his own K2 Pictures banner, which will distribute the film in Japan. The film is set for a 2026 theatrical release in Japan, with a US, Canada, UK and Ireland theatrical release to follow.
The coming-of-age story follows two girls passionately pursuing their dreams of becoming manga artists. First published on Shonen Jump+ in 2021, the manga sparked buzz upon its release in Japan, recording 2.5 million views on its first day, and climbing to over 4 million views in two days. The manga has sold over 900,000 copies domestically and has been published in 37 countries worldwide with more than 750,000 copies sold internationally. The manga went on to receive numerous awards and nominations, including a nomination at the 2023 Eisner Awards.
Kore-eda’s adaptation of LOOK BACK follows the 2024 animated feature adaptation of the same name, which was the feature directorial debut of director Kiyotaka Oshiyama. The animated adaptation was released in North American theaters in 2024 by GKIDS and was a critical and box office success, earning a Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Animated Feature, and a nomination for Best Animated Feature – Independent at the Annie Awards.
Kore-eda’s LOOK BACK marks the next contemporary live action title to be acquired by animation specialist GKIDS, following this year’s Academy Award®-nominated, box-office phenomenon Kokuho, which has become the highest grossing Japanese live action title of all time in Japan and is currently in theaters in the US. GKIDS will also release Academy Award®-winning director Takashi Yamazaki’s upcoming Godzilla Minus Zero later this year.
The deal for LOOK BACK was negotiated by Chance Huskey at GKIDS and Eva Diederix at Goodfellas. Goodfellas is representing film sales for all available international territories outside Asia.
Hirokazu Kore-eda Statement:
“On a return trip from Kyoto to Tokyo, I was drawn to a figure’s back on the cover of a book in a bookstore at Shinagawa Station. Without thinking, I picked a copy up—that was my first encounter with Look Back. That night, I read it in one sitting.
Though manga and film are different genres, as a fellow creator, I felt the desperate resolve behind this work. I could feel, almost painfully, that Mr. Fujimoto simply couldn’t move forward without creating this piece. For me, Nobody Knows was that kind of work.
After that encounter, Producer Daiju Koide approached me about adapting Look Back into a live-action film, and I was given 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 by chance on my own. But on the way home, I remember deciding, ‘I have no choice but to do this.’
Filming has wrapped, and while it’s currently in editing, I believe it will be a work that captures something truly rich.”
“We are thrilled to bring Look Back to audiences in North America, the UK and Ireland,” said GKIDS’ VP of Distribution, Chance of Huskey. “Hirokazu Kore-eda is a master storyteller whose work continues to define contemporary world cinema, while Tatsuki Fujimoto has emerged as one of the most impactful mangaka’s of the past decade. As GKIDS expands further into live action, we’re seeking out films and creators that reflect the artistry, emotional intelligence, and global perspective that have always been at the heart of GKIDS. LOOK BACK is a perfect expression of that vision and we are honored to be working with one of our favorite filmmakers taking on this incredible story.”
“When I first met the team at GKIDS, what struck me most was, above all, their deep respect for the original work Look Back and for Tatsuki Fujimoto,” said Producer Daiju Koide. “I was also moved by their admiration for Director Kore-eda and for all the creators and staff involved in this project; the more we spoke, the more I could feel their growing passion for the film. I am truly delighted that, through GKIDS, this work will be released in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. We will continue to devote ourselves fully to completing the film, and I hope you will look forward to it.”