Have you ever seen a movie that, before you even saw it, you knew it was going to be one of your favorites? This is how I felt the day it was animated review It was announced back in February of this year, but it wasn’t until recently that I was able to actually go see it in a cinema (always adore you, it takes a long time for distribution companies to announce the release of anime films in UK cinemas). Even if the movie isn’t playing in a theater near you today, you can watch it for yourself as it’s released on Prime Video worldwide – and if you’re a fan of the work of Saw creator Tatsuki Fujimoto, this is Definitely one you shouldn’t miss.
“Looking Back” is adapted from the manga of the same name and tells the life of two young manga artists, Fujino Ayumu and Kyomoto, who bonded over drawing manga together and pushed each other to become better. Or, at least, that’s how it ended up, considering Fujino gave up on painting after seeing how good Kyomoto was in the first place. But Kyomoto, despite being an anxious shut-in who almost never went to school, managed to muster up the courage to tell Fujino how much she appreciated her work (despite its obvious amateurishness), helping to create a dynamic between the two A very interesting balance. them.
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You see, I do worry that my opening paragraph may seem a bit exaggerated to some of you. It’s not an exciting, bombastic anime like Akira, nor is it particularly action-packed. Much quieter than that. After all, this is an anime about drawing a manga, and you can put so many wow factors into something like this. However, it’s this quietness that director Kiyotaka Oshiyama really focuses on, making this film feel very special.
Take the opening shot as an example. If shot in real life, this shot would be simple, starting in the sky, slowly descending, and finally landing on Fujino’s house. Gosh, it would be so easy if it was done in 3D, but it wasn’t, the whole thing was done frame by frame in 2D. You might say it’s unnecessary, but it sets the tone for the movie, making it clear that even those subtle moments where you just get a character’s reaction are given as much as they can be in those few frames in which they appear. like. Screen.
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What’s most impressive is how much this love is crammed into a very short running time of about 58 minutes, which is still technically the length of a feature film but is obviously much shorter than your typical movie experience . I couldn’t find a fault with it from start to finish, and to be honest I don’t think my eyes were sticky enough. There are a lot of little details to appreciate, the mention of Fujimoto’s own career is worth a smile (Fuji-no? Kyo-moto? Fuji…moto?), and even if it looks a little rough and rough, you can feel that its intentions were prioritized The feel of the scene rather than technical proficiency.
I just think this movie was a really special exercise in pushing yourself and doing things differently, and that’s what the original story was all about, really, so how can you do an adaptation better? It’s also a great introduction to Fujimoto’s work if “Chainsaw Man” isn’t quite right for you to start with, as it clearly shows how thoughtful his work is today, even though some of his early shots were too Fujimoto-esque works. impatient.
You don’t have much reason not to watch it either, given its aforementioned short running time and its availability on Prime Video – so go check it out, cry for a while (you almost certainly will), and enjoy the annual Best anime movies.
