Kore-eda Hirokazu to Direct Live-Action Adaptation of Manga Look Back
Korea-eda Hirokazu, the Palme d’Or–winning Japanese filmmaker, is currently in post-production on a live-action adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s acclaimed manga Look Back. The project is set for a late-2026 release.
This marks Fujimoto’s coming-of-age story about two young women chasing their dreams of becoming manga artists receiving its first live-action treatment. Kore-eda, known for Shoplifters and other Cannes selections like Monster, Broker, and Like Father, Like Son, completed principal photography in Nikaho City and is now finalizing post on the feature.
Kore-eda recalled how the project began: during a return trip from Kyoto to Tokyo, a bookstore cover caught his eye. He picked up Look Back on impulse and devoured it in a single night. He described how, despite differences between manga and film, the work’s urgent determination resonated with him—an intensity he compared to the significance he found in Nobody Knows.
Producer Daiju Koide approached Kore-eda about adapting the manga, and after meeting Fujimoto to convey his admiration, Kore-eda committed to bringing the story to the screen.
Fujimoto, the creator of Chainsaw Man, which has sold over 34 million copies worldwide, commented, If director Kore-eda is going to film Look Back, I have nothing more to say. I’m eagerly anticipating it.
Look Back originally appeared on Shonen Jump+ in 2021 and quickly drew attention, generating over 2.5 million views on its first day and selling 900,000 copies in Japan. The manga has since been published in 37 countries, with international sales surpassing 750,000 copies.
An animated adaptation directed by Oshiyama Kiyotaka and produced by Studio Durian debuted in 2024. It topped the Japanese box office for two consecutive weeks and grossed about $12.8 million before Prime Video acquired streaming rights. The animation earned multiple awards, including best anime of the year from the Japan Academy, the Japan Film Critics Association, and the Tokyo Anime Festival, and screened at festivals such as Annecy.
The live-action production is being produced by Koide under the K2 Pictures banner, which will also handle Japan distribution. International distribution deals are already in place for Taiwan and South Korea, with Goodfellas managing sales outside Asia.
Kore-eda also has another project in development, Sheep in the Box, produced by Fuji Television Network, Gaga, Toho Co., and Aoi Pro. It’s slated for a summer 2026 release, with Goodfellas handling non-Asian sales and Gaga controlling Asian rights. Neon has secured U.S., U.K., and Australia rights for the film.
K2 Pictures, founded in 2023, positions itself as an independent outfit aiming to move beyond Japan’s traditional production-committee model toward a fund-based strategy. The company collaborates with notable creatives, including Kore-eda, Takashi Miike, and animation studio Mappa.
