The live-action adaptation of Look Back has debuted to a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score.

The film follows teenage girls Fujino and Kyomoto, who both wish to become manga artists. It tracks their lives over 13 years as they work towards achieving their dreams. The anime film was released in 2024, directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama, and was based on Tatsuki Fujimoto’s 2021 web manga.

The live-action Look Back, adapted from the manga and directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 91% based on 11 reviews after it premiered at Venice Film Festival.

“Hirokazu Kore-eda’s live-action adaptation of Look Back is just as powerful and moving as the one-shot manga while still carving its own path in the cinematic realm,” reads Discussing Film‘s review.

“Look Back [is] something close to a sensory ode to youth: tender without being precious, wistful without quite surrendering to nostalgia,” says AwardsWatch.

“With Look Back, Kore-eda reminds us why he’s one of modern cinema’s great humanists,” reads Vulture‘s review.

“Look Back is more than just a tragedy – it’s also a call to action. It’s an invitation to create and savor those beautiful yesterdays while you still have the chance, because tomorrow will be here before you know it, if it even comes at all,” says IndieWire.

However, it’s not all positive, with Screen International‘s review saying: “In his finest films, Kore-eda effortlessly communicates the inherent pain and beauty of being alive, but in Look Back he forces the audience to be devastated instead of letting that reaction slowly and inexorably wash over us.”

Look Back will be released in Japan this September 11, with a US and UK release to follow this year. In the meantime, fill out your watchlist with our guide to all the upcoming movies worth getting excited about.