Chainsaw Man Creator's Heartbreaking Manga Gets Live-Action Film
A celebrated one-shot story from the mind behind one of today's biggest manga hits is making its way to the big screen. An award-winning director will helm the project, which explores the powerful bond between two young artists. This follows a successful animated version that recently debuted on streaming.
The creator of the wildly popular Chainsaw Man has another project heading for a major adaptation. Tatsuki Fujimoto's deeply emotional one-shot, Look Back, is officially being developed into a live-action feature film. The project has a tentative release window set for 2026 and has already attached a highly respected director to bring the story to life.
A New Vision for a Beloved Story
The confirmation came from multiple sources, creating a buzz among fans. Fujimoto's own editor, Shihei Lin, shared the news via Twitter, and an announcement was also printed in the latest chapter of Chainsaw Man in Shonen Jump. This dual reveal ensures the word gets out to the creator's dedicated following.
Steering the project is none other than Hirokazu Kore-eda, a filmmaker whose work is celebrated internationally. American audiences might recognize his name from critically acclaimed films like 2013's Like Father, Like Son or the 2018 Palme d'Or winner, Shoplifters. His involvement suggests a thoughtful, character-driven approach to the source material.
The Heart of the Narrative
For those unfamiliar, Look Back is a poignant tale that explores the complex friendship between two aspiring teenage manga artists. The story follows the confident Fujino and the shy, withdrawn Kyomoto. Both share a powerful dream of making it big in the manga industry, but their paths diverge over time, leading to a tragic event that reshapes their worlds forever.
This isn't the first time the story has been adapted. Just last year, an animated version of the one-shot was released, finding a home on Prime Video where it garnered significant praise. To tease the upcoming live-action movie, the studio has released a couple of initial images. One shows the two main characters walking together through a snowy landscape, while another captures them diligently at work on their artistic creations.
A Big Year for Fujimoto Fans
This announcement caps off what has been an incredible twelve months for followers of Fujimoto's work. Besides the Look Back news, fans were also treated to Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc in theaters. Additionally, an animated anthology titled 17-26 brought some of the author's earlier, pre-Chainsaw Man stories to the screen, offering a deeper look into his creative evolution.
The timing couldn't be better, as the anime industry as a whole is experiencing a massive surge in popularity, this past winter's schedule was packed with major releases. The lineup included new installments of Fire Force, the highly anticipated third season of Jujutsu Kaisen, and the second season of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End. In fact, anyone who enjoys the thoughtful storytelling of Frieren would almost certainly appreciate the emotional depth found in Look Back.