Kiyotaka Oshiyama, the director behind last year’s critically acclaimed anime film Look Back, is trying to stay grounded despite the overwhelming success of the project. The 57-minute film, based on Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga, has garnered praise for both Oshiyama and Studio Durian, but the director insists that luck played a big role in its triumph.
In a recent interview with Deadline, Oshiyama discussed the challenges and rewards of adapting Fujimoto’s work for the big screen. Since its release in 2024, Look Back has earned over $12 million worldwide at the box office, in addition to seeing strong streaming numbers on Amazon Prime Video. Despite the film’s widespread success, Oshiyama remains humble, describing it as a “hit” in a “hit or miss” situation. “You don’t know what contributes to [success], and I think I just got lucky,” he shared. “I am thankful for the praise I’ve received, but I constantly remind myself to keep my mental strength intact.”
Staying True to the Manga Amidst Time Constraints
Oshiyama’s journey with Fujimoto’s work began during the production of MAPPA’s Chainsaw Man, where he served as the main “Devil” designer. However, Look Back takes a very different approach—this time focusing on a more intimate, coming-of-age story between two childhood friends passionate about manga. The plot centers on Ayumi Fujino, a popular school newspaper artist, who finds herself in a friendly rivalry with the reclusive Kyomoto after her artwork is overshadowed by his. Their bond evolves from adolescence to young adulthood.
At the heart of both the manga and the film is the emotional connection between Fujino and Kyomoto. When adapting the story, Oshiyama was determined to stay as faithful to the source material as possible, especially the iconic four-panel comic strip that symbolizes their relationship. However, Oshiyama explains that while the manga’s four-panel style was important, the film’s visuals, particularly the background scenery, served as a powerful storytelling tool. “Even without the four-panel strip, the ending conveys what we wanted to express,” Oshiyama noted. “Fujino working by her window, with the cityscape turning from day to night—those details helped communicate the emotions we wanted.”
Overcoming Production Challenges
Despite Look Back’s success, the production process was not without its hurdles. Due to tight timelines, Oshiyama and his team had to rely on creative solutions, such as using music and still images to condense certain scenes. This technique, often criticized in TV anime, worked well for the film’s intimate narrative. The result? A perfect 100% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and the “Best Animation Film” award at the 2024 FILMARKS awards.
While Oshiyama is riding high from the film’s success, he’s also wary of the pressure his next project might face. “It wasn’t really my ability. It was just luck and all the other aspects that came into it,” he said. “I try to tone it down and not think too much about the next one. If I were to start thinking that it’s going to be another hit like Look Back, I’d stress out, so I try to avoid that.”
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