Look Back Plot Summary:
Look Back is an anime film based on a one-shot created by Tatsuki Fujimoto. In it, we follow Fujino, a 4th grader who wants to draw a manga strip for her school’s newspaper. Many praise Fujino for having the best artwork in her class. However, Fujino’s life shifts when her classmate Kyomoto’s manga appears next to hers.
Kyomoto receives better praise for her work, much to Fujino’s disappointment. This encourages Fujino to improve. Some time passes. Fujino gives up on her dream. However, when Fujino delivers Kyomoto’s graduation certificate to her, something unexpected happens between them.
How do Kyomoto’s comics impact Fujino’s view of herself?
Some time passes. Fujino’s teacher hands everyone the new school newspaper. Then, Fujino looks at Kyomoto’s drawings. Fujino notices how realistic Kyomoto’s art style is compared to hers. She’s shocked by Kyomoto’s amazing art style. Everyone in class speaks fondly of Kyomoto’s art style.
One of the boys tells Fujino that her art style looks average compared to Kyomoto’s. Fujino walks home, reflecting on all the past praise she received for her artwork. She vows to become a better artist than Kyomoto. Fujino studies anatomy and perspective. She also buys many books and draws everywhere she and her family visit.
Eventually, Fujino’s friend Kae and Fujino’s sister confront her about her drawing habits. These two and others are concerned for Fujino’s well-being. However, Fujino refuses to abandon her goals.
Why does Fujino quit drawing?
Some time passes. Fujino’s teacher hands everyone the school newspaper. Then, Fujino looks at her comic and compares it to Kyomoto’s. Kyomoto’s still looks superior to hers. Fujino admits defeat and abandons drawing. More time passes. Fujino meets with her teacher. He wants Fujino to visit Kyomoto’s home to give her her graduation diploma.
At Kyomoto’s home, Fujino notices several sketchbooks lying on the ground. She notices a piece of paper with four panels drawn on it. Fujino picks up the paper and draws something. She draws a story. The story features people who are for and against Kyomoto leaving her home.
The final panel depicts Kyomoto’s death. Fujino drops the comic and the comic enters Kyomoto’s room. Fujino departs.
Do Fujino and Kyomoto achieve success at a manga competition?
Before Fujino is long gone, Kyomoto confronts Fujino. Kyomoto tells Fujino that she’s a fan of her work. Fujino signs Kyomoto’s jacket for her. Kyomoto asks Fujino why she quit drawing manga strips. Fujino says she’s trying to create a story for a manga competition. She heads home and works on the comic.
Some time passes. Fujino returns home from school and Kyomoto is in Fujino’s room. We learn Kyomoto is helping Fujino with her manga’s background artwork. Fujino and Kyomoto finish a 45-page comic and submit it. A manga company official looks at their comic and says it’s amazing.
Kyomoto and Fujino head to a store and grab a copy of Weekly Jump Magazine. They look through the magazine and return to Fujino’s home victorious and wealthy. Fujino says they should head to town to celebrate.
What does Kyomoto reveal to Fujino during their train ride?
On a train, Kyomoto reveals she doesn’t go to school because she’s scared to talk to people. Moreover, Kyomoto says she draws because she has nothing better to do at home. She thanks Fujino for getting her out of her room. Some time passes. Fujino and Kyomoto are older now. They meet with a manga company official.
The man tells Fujino and Kyomoto that the manga company’s editor-in-chief suggests they aim for serialization after they graduate high school. Fujino turns to Kyomoto. Kyomoto doesn’t look too happy about the serialization news. While walking, Kyomoto tells Fujino that she wants to attend art school.
Why do Kyomoto and Fujino part ways?
Kyomoto says she can’t help Fujino work on her series. Fujino tells Kyomoto it’s okay since she can get assistants to handle the background art. She tells Kyomoto that attending art school is pointless. Fujino tells Kyomoto she’d have to chat with strangers. She argues it’d be better for Kyomoto to stick with her.
Kyomoto says she wants to try living without having to rely on Fujino. Fujino tells Kyomoto she’ll fail but Kyomoto refuses. The girls go their separate ways.
Does Fujino achieve success without Kyomoto’s help?
Fujino continues working on her manga and achieves success. Some time passes. Fujino chats with someone about acquiring new assistants. She ends the call. Fujino continues drawing and listening to a news broadcast. The reporter announces that someone with an axe attacked people at an art university.
Fujino calls Kyomoto but she doesn’t respond. Then, Fujino’s mother calls Fujino. Fujino drops her phone and stares blankly at it. The news reporter says 12 people died and 3 were injured at the art university. The manga company that publishes Fujino’s series informs its readers that Fujino’s series will be on hiatus.
We receive a shot of Kyomoto’s grave, confirming her death. Fujino visits Kyomoto’s home. She stumbles upon the four-panel comic she drew when she was younger.Fujino looks at the comic. She blames herself for Kyomoto’s death. Fujino rips the comic. The “Don’t come out” portion falls. It enters Kyomoto’s room.
What happens to Kyomoto, Fujino, and the art university murderer?
In an alternate reality, a young Kyomoto notices the “Don’t Come Out” portion of Fujino’s comic in her room. Then, the doorbell rings. Fujino tells Kyomoto she wants to give Kyomoto her graduation diploma. Fujino leaves the diploma at the front door.
Kyomoto exits her room and looks at the comic strip. She thinks a ghost dropped her diploma off. Kyomoto continues working on her drawings. Eventually, this version of Kyomoto attends art school. Then, we see the art university murderer entering Kyomoto’s university.
The murderer confronts Kyomoto and asks her about his art piece. He wonders if anyone copied his piece. Kyoto tries responding but the man refuses to listen. The man thinks Kyomoto stole his idea and tries killing her. Fujino arrives and knocks the murderer out.
Fujino chats with someone. She informs the person about what happened. The person leaves. Kyomoto asks Fujino for her phone number. She realizes she’s the same Fujino from school. Kyomoto asks Fujino why she quit drawing manga in the past.
Fujino tells Kyomoto she’s drawing again. She also wants Kyomoto to be her assistant if her manga gets serialized. Kyomoto heads home and looks through a booklet. This booklet contains all of Fujino’s four-panel manga comics. Kyomoto notices a piece of paper with four squares drawn on it. Kyomoto draws something and the piece of paper flies out of her room.
How does Look Back end?
Eventually, we return to the real world. There, Fujino sits next to Kyomoto’s sketchbooks. Then, Fujino notices another piece of paper nearby. There’s a four-panel manga comic called Look Back on it. The paper depicts Fujino saving Kyomoto from the art university culprit. Fujino enters Kyomoto’s room.
Fujino learns Kyomoto bought Fujino’s story’s manga and posters. She learns Kyomoto filled out a reader questionnaire. Fujino turns around and spots Kyomoto’s signed jacket. We enter a montage. Fujino reflects on her artistic passion. She says she wants to read manga not draw it.
Kyomoto asks Fujino why she draws. We receive scenes of Fujino and Kyomoto having fun and working hard. Kyomoto smiles. Then, we return to the present Fujino cries while looking at the final page of her manga’s first volume. Fujino returns to her work office to draw more.
Eventually, Fujino departs. Look Back ends with a shot of Fujino’s office room.
Read More: Look Back Movie Review