“Why do you draw?”
This was the question posed to protagonist Fujino at the end of “Look Back,” a short animated film by the creator of “Chainsaw Man” Tatsuki Fujimoto. Why does one make art? What motivates one to pursue one’s passions? What would it take for one to stop?
“Look Back” tells the story of an outgoing fourth grader named Ayumu Fujino who regularly draws the school paper’s four-panel comic strip. One day, a new comic strip appears next to Fujino’s, drawn by her shut-in classmate Kyomoto, which makes the stark difference between their art skills obvious. This drives Fujino to improve her skills and practice every day until she realizes she won’t ever reach Kyomoto’s level. When she finally quits, a chance encounter leads her to meet Kyomoto face-to-face and learn how much Kyomoto idolizes her. With Fujino’s amazing storytelling skills and Kyomoto’s talent for drawing backgrounds, the two students team up to create their very own manga.
Even with just a runtime of only 57 minutes, “Look Back” explores the magic of pursuing one’s creative passions, the love and commitment to self-improvement, and genuine female friendship through an emotionally gripping narrative from the girls’ adolescence to adulthood.
I’d like to imagine that the level of friendship and devotion that developed between Fujino and Kyomoto through those years bordered on romance. After all, who would unapologetically follow someone to the ends of the earth for the sake of their dream if not for love? And somehow, it makes the eventual separation of their paths and the tragedy of the film’s ending even more jarring.
But as the dust settles and the credits roll and you’re left with your thoughts wondering what could have been done to change the ending, acceptance comes like a gentle wave—just as it did for Fujino—that despite the guilt and the sorrow, there shouldn’t be any regret, because they had found each other, they had dreamed together, and they had achieved success together, that even when they couldn’t walk the same road anymore, they were still tethered by an invisible string that could have perhaps helped them find their way back to each other eventually. But what use are what-ifs and what-could-have-beens? What matters is what was. What matters is learning to look back, just as the title suggests, and appreciate what led you to where you are now.
“Why do you draw?” Kyomoto asks Fujino at the end of the film.
The answer to which was left unspoken. But we know what it is. All Fujino needed to do was look behind her and find it.
Do I think “Look Back” was perfect? No. In fact, I still struggle to rationalize the decision to add tragedy to an introspective story that, in my opinion, didn’t need it. But all in all, I do believe this is a short film worth watching on the big screen. Hilarious, gripping, relatable, and with a beautiful art style, “Look Back” will make you appreciate the beauty of manga creation, young queer love, and the pursuit of creative passion with someone who inspires you to keep going.
“Look Back” opens in Philippine theaters on August 28, 2024.
Watch the trailer below:
Do you have a story for the WhenInManila.com Team? Email us at wheninmanila@gmail.com or send us a direct message on WhenInManila.com Facebook Page. Interact with the team and join the WhenInManila.com Community at WIM Squad! We also share our stories on Viber, join us!
