Live-Action ‘Look Back’ Film Sets September 2026 Release, Reveals Cast

The live-action adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s acclaimed manga one-shot Look Back has dropped its first teaser trailer and teaser visual.

It also announced its lead cast and a September 11, 2026 theatrical release date in Japan. The film is directed by celebrated filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda.

Kore-eda’s credits include Shoplifters, Broker, and Monster. This marks his latest foray into adapting beloved source material.

Natsuki Deguchi and Aju Makita will portray the two leads, Fujino and Kyomoto, respectively. The actresses previously worked together in The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House.

That series was also directed by Kore-eda. According to the film company K2’s website, Deguchi and Makita spent approximately four months practicing manga drawing before production began.

This underscores the film’s commitment to authenticity in depicting the characters’ artistic journey.

Younger Versions and Supporting Cast

The younger versions of the characters will be played by Fūri Nanase (young Fujino) and Rokka Okada (young Kyomoto).

The casting rounds out a production that has drawn significant attention given the source material’s pedigree and the creative team behind it.

Kore-eda serves as director, scriptwriter, and editor on the project. The behind-the-scenes team includes assistant director Kensei Nakayama.

Director of photography Senzo Ueno and composer Yuta Bandoh also join the team. Bandoh previously co-composed the score for Belle and worked on Kaiju No. 8.

From Manga to Anime to Live-Action

Look Back adapts the Shueisha-published one-shot by Tatsuki Fujimoto. He is best known as the creator of Chainsaw Man.

The story follows classmates Fujino and Kyomoto, who develop a deep friendship through their shared passion for drawing manga.

The original manga was first released in July 2021. It is available in English via Manga Plus and VIZ Media.

The property previously inspired a 2024 anime film adaptation directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama.

Oshiyama is the Flip Flappers director and Chainsaw Man devil designer at Studio Durian. That anime won the Best Animated Work award at the 48th Japan Academy Film Prize.

That sets a high bar for the live-action version. GKIDS previously announced it would bring Look Back to the US, Canada, the UK, and Ireland.

It has now revealed a 2026 release date for those territories. A specific date has not yet been announced.

The live-action Look Back arrives as one of the most anticipated manga adaptations of the year.

It pairs a beloved story from the creator of Chainsaw Man with one of Japan’s most internationally acclaimed directors.

With its September 11, 2026 Japanese release date now set, fans can expect more details and promotional materials in the months ahead.