Kids

Look Back: The Anime Movie That Models How Kids Deal With Life

by Kevyn Gohu
August 28, 2024

Written by the author of the manga Chainsaw Man, Look Back is a slice-of-life anime movie that focuses on the various panels of life, especially the stages of grief.

Kids deal with grief in their own ways. Some choose to hole themselves up in their rooms, cutting off contact from the rest of the world. Others find it in art, drawing and filling comic panels for people’s pleasure. Soon, they eventually accept that their story isn’t over, moving on with a broken heart. But how do kids eventually celebrate the lives of their late loved ones? In the anime movie Look Back, two girls who aspired to be mangaka (Japanese comic book artists), Fujino and Kyomoto, eventually become friends until their relationship comes to a tragic end.

What is Manga? What is a Mangaka?

Before we understand what the movie is about, we have to break down the terms.

Our kids have probably read and like manga (Japanese comic books) if we’ve heard them spew titles like Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer), One Piece, Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan), and My Hero Academia. These are some of the more popular titles, mixing both an appealing art style and a compelling story. Unlike Western comic books that made a name for themselves through superheroes, manga categorize themselves like book genres having the occasional slice-of-life or romance genre.

Besides genre, their art styles also set them apart. Shounen (Japanese word for “teen boys”) focuses more on dynamic and realistic action scenes. Shoujo (“teen girls”) have their trademark big sparkly eyes and chibi, which is usually for kids because of the characters’ deformed bodies and wacky plotlines.

And like other books and comic books, rarely a manga franchise is written alone. Usually, there are two to three who work together. Four, if there’s a translator to anglicize the manga’s story.

Look Back: The many relatable moments for kids who love to draw

Many kids fall in love with drawing not just for the creation process alone but because of the praise they get. Fujino is one such little girl, basing her self-esteem as a comic strip artist on such praises. However, when her teacher asks her to allow “truant student” Kyomoto to try, Fujino reluctantly allows it. After all, as a kid, she’s probably not in the mood to share the praise. She also mocks her [Kyomoto] for not possibly having the skill or the discipline.

But that all changes when Kyomoto’s art makes its debut, wowing her batchmates with her attention to detail and perspective style art, creating immersive background art. Look Back tackles the constant doubt that most artists feel when they see another person’s art. While adults are probably more restrained in their expression, Fujino is a child — seeing Kyomoto as her rival and loudly declaring to “outdraw her.”

The fire in youth is also another common theme in Japanese anime movies, showing how a kid’s determination can eventually give out and strain friendships. When Fujino believes she’s no closer to outdrawing Kyotomo, she decides to quit drawing. It was only when she finally meets Kyomoto in-person that the two band together to become the best mangaka of their age.

Look Back may not be an action-packed anime but it’s heartwarming

Most of us when we hear “anime,” there’s a lot of screaming, superpowers, and violence involved. However, we only think that way because shounen-style anime (the one that’s all that) is usually the most popular among our kids. They love the flashy power blasts, the screaming, and the trading of blows. Our kids would usually say, “Who in the world watches anime for the storyline anyway?”

However, Look Back, as an anime with its still-based cinematography (similar to Way of the Househusband), tells a compelling story of the growth and struggle that many kids go through, especially when they’re trying to figure out “what they’re good at.” And for the many kids who aspire to be artists, it’s an eye-opener to the kind of conviction it takes to become one professionally.

Catch Look Back in theaters this August 28, 2024! Check out the trailer here.