Tokyo saw an exclusive early premiere of the anime adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s “Look Back” on June 1, 2024. During the event, director Kiyotaka Oshiyama charmed the audience with a behind-the-scenes look at the relentless effort and demanding schedule that went into the film’s completion.
Oshiyama revealed that he was fine-tuning the film up until the very afternoon before its premiere, highlighting the dedication and last-minute hustle that brought the project to fruition.
He had been staying at the studio for about two and a half months, often working late into the night. The completion of the film came so close to the premiere that he only returned home and slept in his own bed for the first time in months the night before the event.
“It was an extremely grueling period, like doing a hard triathlon every day. It was so thrilling daily that even now, I can’t quite feel that it’s over. I thought I could finally feel it’s finished by having everyone watch it today. I was drawing until yesterday afternoon, and it was completed last night.
I stayed at the company for about two and a half months. Finally, I went home last night and slept in my own bed. I think I’ve accumulated quite a bit of sleep debt.”
Due to his intense work schedule, Oshiyama didn’t have time to prepare for the event and had to rush out to buy new clothes, as he had nothing appropriate to wear.
“I was drawing until yesterday afternoon. I had this event today but didn’t have clothes to wear, so I rushed out and bought them in the afternoon. Everything I’m wearing is brand new.”
Fans noted that this wasn’t surprising as Oshiyama was overseeing most of the work, including the screenplay and character designs. The “Look Back” anime film is scheduled to be released in Japanese theatres on June 28, 2024.
Previously, Oshiyama hinted that he aimed to create the “Look Back” film differently from the manga. Studio Duran is in charge of production, with Oshiyama directing, handling the screenplay, and the character designs.
“Look Back” is a Japanese one-shot web manga written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto, published on Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ in July 2021.
