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Look Back
The overly confident Fujino and the shut-in Kyomoto couldn¡¯t be more different, but a love of drawing manga brings these two small-town girls together. A poignant story of growing up and moving forward that only Tatsuki Fujimoto, the creator of Chainsaw Man, could have crafted.
Two young artists from a small town inspire each other to improve their art and become manga creators. But as they grow up, a terrible tragedy will change their lives forever.
Two young artists from a small town inspire each other to improve their art and become manga creators. But as they grow up, a terrible tragedy will change their lives forever.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2021
108 people are currently reading
7,069 people want to read
About the author
Tatsuki Fujimoto
121?books2,441?followersTatsuki Fujimoto ÌÙ±¾¥¿¥Ä¥ (Fujimoto Tatsuki) is a Japanese manga author, mostly known for Chainsaw Man.
Awards:
- Sh¨gakukan Manga Award: Sh¨nen category for Chainsaw Man (2020)
- Harvey Award: best manga for Chainsaw Man (2021-2022)
Chinese language profiles: ÌÙ±¾Ê÷ and ÌÙ±¾Ê÷.
Awards:
- Sh¨gakukan Manga Award: Sh¨nen category for Chainsaw Man (2020)
- Harvey Award: best manga for Chainsaw Man (2021-2022)
Chinese language profiles: ÌÙ±¾Ê÷ and ÌÙ±¾Ê÷.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,802 reviews
July 19, 2021
Look Back is technically a one-shot but for its length, it's basically a full volume itself. 142 pages of story, all at once, about two young girls who both draw manga. As the story progresses you watch them become friends, improve their art, and start growing into their lives as adults with a future. Fujino is a young girl who's good at everything and draws manga casually for the class newsletter. Kyomoto is a shut-in who doesn't go to school and sends in manga from her home. The two inspire each other to draw more, and to become better, forming a close partnership that follows them as they grow up.
The various art styles are great and give the setting, and each characters' artwork, a unique personality. As always Fujimoto excels with facial expressions and making all the characters look intense and personable. My favourite moments were the silent pages where you see them in their rooms, drawing, watching the days and months pass by as they sit motionless at their table committed to their craft.
The title "Look Back" comes into play towards the end where Fujino questions what she would do differently about her life if she could go back and do it all over. Artists can go through an entire story then decide to change something at the start, fix an error, edit and revise their own work. Some things change as the months or years go by and the privilege of art is the ability to redo it, to start over, to go back and spend more time on the moments that need them. As much as Look Back is about the dedication and motivation behind creating art, it's also about how art can help you connect with people- both in the creating and sharing.
There's also a hint behind the character names FUJIno and kyoMOTO, the whole thing can be seen as the creator's own struggle to manage their passion for art and reconciling it with their ambition to become published, to go out into the world, and to be a more complete person. Serialized published work for manga is a horrible difficult work and sometimes the need to get things done, to churn out work no matter what, overrides one's own love of the craft in the first place.
The various art styles are great and give the setting, and each characters' artwork, a unique personality. As always Fujimoto excels with facial expressions and making all the characters look intense and personable. My favourite moments were the silent pages where you see them in their rooms, drawing, watching the days and months pass by as they sit motionless at their table committed to their craft.
The title "Look Back" comes into play towards the end where Fujino questions what she would do differently about her life if she could go back and do it all over. Artists can go through an entire story then decide to change something at the start, fix an error, edit and revise their own work. Some things change as the months or years go by and the privilege of art is the ability to redo it, to start over, to go back and spend more time on the moments that need them. As much as Look Back is about the dedication and motivation behind creating art, it's also about how art can help you connect with people- both in the creating and sharing.
There's also a hint behind the character names FUJIno and kyoMOTO, the whole thing can be seen as the creator's own struggle to manage their passion for art and reconciling it with their ambition to become published, to go out into the world, and to be a more complete person. Serialized published work for manga is a horrible difficult work and sometimes the need to get things done, to churn out work no matter what, overrides one's own love of the craft in the first place.
October 2, 2022
Fujino draws a celebrated manga for her high school paper. Then one day another strip appears alongside hers by a shut-in classmate who doesn¡¯t attend school: Kyomoto - and the new girl¡¯s artistic abilities shows Fujino¡¯s to be amateurish. A rivalry - and later a friendship - is born as the two head down the path of future mangaka. Until tragedy strikes leading to the question: can one small cartoon strip literally save lives?
Chainsaw Man may be Tatsuki Fujimoto¡¯s cash cow but I much prefer his low-key slice-of-life comics like Goodbye, Eri and Look Back, both of which, while flawed, aren¡¯t bad either.
After realising this was about precocious high schoolers discovering the joy of creating manga together, I was expecting a Bakuman-style comic - and if that was all we got, I wouldn¡¯t have minded because that first volume of Bakuman at least is amazing. But I appreciated that Fujimoto took his story in a wildly different direction in the second half, even if he did so in a very clunky way.
The biggest gripe I have is the character designs. Fujino and Kyomoto look slightly different as kids because they have different hair-dos but otherwise are identical. Then there¡¯s the time jump and it¡¯s not immediately clear who we¡¯re following, particularly as they now look like the other character but aren¡¯t. Fujimoto is a gifted artist but he really needs to make his characters more distinct than simply giving one slightly longer hair than the other, particularly if you¡¯re then going to give a different character the exact same cut as the other character later on down the line! It¡¯s so unnecessarily confusing.
If you follow contemporary Japanese pop culture like me, you¡¯ll know the stories that hit big with that audience are stories that are magical realist and heavily sentimental, so it¡¯s no surprise that Look Back was a success in Japan because it contains hefty dollops of both in the second half.
Not that that¡¯s a bad thing - I¡¯m ok with both, so long as it¡¯s balanced, which it is for the most part - but Fujimoto is a very hands-off storyteller, writing the bare minimum and relying heavily on the imagery to tell his stories for him. It¡¯s laudable - I think that¡¯s the way comics storytelling should be done to some degree - but in the case of the second half of the story, it¡¯s unclear what¡¯s going on or why. It took me a few re-reads to figure out what Fujimoto was doing but I got it, though whether you believe it happened or not is up to the reader. Yes, it¡¯s one of those ¡°impressionistic¡± endings where you have to figure out for yourself what happened - I don¡¯t dislike those but I know some readers detest them so be warned.
It¡¯s also not clear what Fujimoto is trying to say about manga creation, as a successful manga creator himself (it¡¯s worth noting his name is found in both characters¡¯ names: Fuji in Fujino and Moto in Kyomoto, perhaps indicating that their story is his). You could read the story in a positive light, about how manga created a friendship, how their shared love of something made them both happy and led to them discovering their passions and future careers. The major role a single cartoon strip plays could be read as manga literally changing people¡¯s lives for the better - in one case, if you believe it was real, actually saving a life.
On the other hand, manga leads to months of despondency, a working life that, while successful, leaves the creator isolated, alone, overworked, and depressed. And, of course, that moment that shows that manga can change people¡¯s lives for the worse, as well as for the better, and end lives rather than save them. The story also ends with the question ¡°Then why do you draw?¡± which is never answered and the final image is a sombre one, perhaps suggesting that Fujimoto himself regrets becoming a mangaka. Or maybe the silent answer is ¡°destiny¡± and that¡¯s the answer as to whether the previous scenes were real or not - we can¡¯t change our paths in life even if we want to.
Ultimately, Look Back left me with too many questions and zero answers to impress me. I don¡¯t really know what happened in the story or understand what I was meant to take away from it. It¡¯s not a dull read but it¡¯s not the best told story either. The art generally is strong but the character designs didn¡¯t need to be so similar, and the writing could¡¯ve been clearer.
It¡¯s not a bad comic though, and all the more admirable given that Fujimoto is still under 30 and has already created such a significant body of work. Look Back is thoughtful, original and unpredictable - I wasn¡¯t bored reading it. Even if key aspects of the art and storytelling were too lacking for my taste, I¡¯d still say it¡¯s worth a look if you¡¯re into slice-of-life manga. If you¡¯re interested in reading more comics about manga creators getting their start in comics, I highly recommend checking out the Bakuman series.
Chainsaw Man may be Tatsuki Fujimoto¡¯s cash cow but I much prefer his low-key slice-of-life comics like Goodbye, Eri and Look Back, both of which, while flawed, aren¡¯t bad either.
After realising this was about precocious high schoolers discovering the joy of creating manga together, I was expecting a Bakuman-style comic - and if that was all we got, I wouldn¡¯t have minded because that first volume of Bakuman at least is amazing. But I appreciated that Fujimoto took his story in a wildly different direction in the second half, even if he did so in a very clunky way.
The biggest gripe I have is the character designs. Fujino and Kyomoto look slightly different as kids because they have different hair-dos but otherwise are identical. Then there¡¯s the time jump and it¡¯s not immediately clear who we¡¯re following, particularly as they now look like the other character but aren¡¯t. Fujimoto is a gifted artist but he really needs to make his characters more distinct than simply giving one slightly longer hair than the other, particularly if you¡¯re then going to give a different character the exact same cut as the other character later on down the line! It¡¯s so unnecessarily confusing.
If you follow contemporary Japanese pop culture like me, you¡¯ll know the stories that hit big with that audience are stories that are magical realist and heavily sentimental, so it¡¯s no surprise that Look Back was a success in Japan because it contains hefty dollops of both in the second half.
Not that that¡¯s a bad thing - I¡¯m ok with both, so long as it¡¯s balanced, which it is for the most part - but Fujimoto is a very hands-off storyteller, writing the bare minimum and relying heavily on the imagery to tell his stories for him. It¡¯s laudable - I think that¡¯s the way comics storytelling should be done to some degree - but in the case of the second half of the story, it¡¯s unclear what¡¯s going on or why. It took me a few re-reads to figure out what Fujimoto was doing but I got it, though whether you believe it happened or not is up to the reader. Yes, it¡¯s one of those ¡°impressionistic¡± endings where you have to figure out for yourself what happened - I don¡¯t dislike those but I know some readers detest them so be warned.
It¡¯s also not clear what Fujimoto is trying to say about manga creation, as a successful manga creator himself (it¡¯s worth noting his name is found in both characters¡¯ names: Fuji in Fujino and Moto in Kyomoto, perhaps indicating that their story is his). You could read the story in a positive light, about how manga created a friendship, how their shared love of something made them both happy and led to them discovering their passions and future careers. The major role a single cartoon strip plays could be read as manga literally changing people¡¯s lives for the better - in one case, if you believe it was real, actually saving a life.
On the other hand, manga leads to months of despondency, a working life that, while successful, leaves the creator isolated, alone, overworked, and depressed. And, of course, that moment that shows that manga can change people¡¯s lives for the worse, as well as for the better, and end lives rather than save them. The story also ends with the question ¡°Then why do you draw?¡± which is never answered and the final image is a sombre one, perhaps suggesting that Fujimoto himself regrets becoming a mangaka. Or maybe the silent answer is ¡°destiny¡± and that¡¯s the answer as to whether the previous scenes were real or not - we can¡¯t change our paths in life even if we want to.
Ultimately, Look Back left me with too many questions and zero answers to impress me. I don¡¯t really know what happened in the story or understand what I was meant to take away from it. It¡¯s not a dull read but it¡¯s not the best told story either. The art generally is strong but the character designs didn¡¯t need to be so similar, and the writing could¡¯ve been clearer.
It¡¯s not a bad comic though, and all the more admirable given that Fujimoto is still under 30 and has already created such a significant body of work. Look Back is thoughtful, original and unpredictable - I wasn¡¯t bored reading it. Even if key aspects of the art and storytelling were too lacking for my taste, I¡¯d still say it¡¯s worth a look if you¡¯re into slice-of-life manga. If you¡¯re interested in reading more comics about manga creators getting their start in comics, I highly recommend checking out the Bakuman series.
January 29, 2023
Quer¨ªa leer Tatsuki Fujimoto y para ser esta mi primer toma de contacto con ¨¦l estoy m¨¢s que satisfecho.
Es un manga precioso y valioso para todos aquellos que estudian o se dedican con pasi¨®n y entrega a aquello que les gusta, por mucho que reciban se?alamientos, cr¨ªticas y opiniones indeseables. Una historia que obviamente tiene un p¨²blico espec¨ªfico al que le toca m¨¢s el mensaje (no por nada su protagonista es dibujante de tiras de mangas). Sin embargo el p¨²blico objetivo puede ser cualquiera porque al final las historias que inspiran y tienen mensajes de duelo, superaci¨®n, crecimiento y la pasi¨®n por lo que haces siempre le pega a alguien en alg¨²n punto de la vida.
Me gusta que Fujimoto muestra el proceso de creaci¨®n, la competitividad, el esfuerzo y las ganas de evolucionar cuando te das cuenta que otros te superan o no has mejorado en a?os. Tambi¨¦n muestra lo malo y lo injusto y lo feo de que te juzguen por no dedicarte a algo que sea "productivo" o que no aporte las mismas entradas econ¨®micas que el resto de profesiones. Porque aunque no est¨¢ tan expl¨ªcito se intuye por all¨ª entre sus l¨ªneas. Adem¨¢s de que el mangaka sabe de lo que habla porque lo ha vivido en carne propia (y capaz aqu¨ª hay algo personal y muy suyo) pero vamos, que el arte sigue siendo un sector todav¨ªa bastante minusvalorado en la sociedad comparado con otros sectores por mucho que sea de los m¨¢s consumidos (vaya hipocres¨ªa).
Sin embargo, tambi¨¦n hay un amplio paquete emocional donde la historia te hace reaccionar y te recuerda porqu¨¦ est¨¢s haciendo eso, porqu¨¦ te dedicas con tanto ah¨ªnco a lo que te apasiona. Porque a veces no es solo un sue?o o deseo personal, tambi¨¦n es otro el que te abre los ojos y te da las alas para que sigas en pie, para que nunca te rindas, para que te superes y sobre todo, para que sigas creando una y otra vez, sin parar, por mucho que caigas en alg¨²n momento. Ese amor, ese cari?o del otro a lo que t¨² haces o quieres ser es el m¨¢s inmenso obsequio que te pueden regalar.
No s¨¦, en conclusi¨®n, que yo tambi¨¦n me he sentido identificado pero sobre todo inspirado y no soy mangaka ni nada de eso. Que aunque la acci¨®n de la historia le habla constantemente a la protagonista, tambi¨¦n sent¨ª que me estaba hablando a m¨ª como a cualquier otro, porque te ense?a que a veces, por mucho que odies (y ames) algo o te sientas cansado o te rindas la motivaci¨®n reaparece cuando alguien valora lo que haces y te lo ddic con toda la admiraci¨®n del mundo.
Es un manga precioso y valioso para todos aquellos que estudian o se dedican con pasi¨®n y entrega a aquello que les gusta, por mucho que reciban se?alamientos, cr¨ªticas y opiniones indeseables. Una historia que obviamente tiene un p¨²blico espec¨ªfico al que le toca m¨¢s el mensaje (no por nada su protagonista es dibujante de tiras de mangas). Sin embargo el p¨²blico objetivo puede ser cualquiera porque al final las historias que inspiran y tienen mensajes de duelo, superaci¨®n, crecimiento y la pasi¨®n por lo que haces siempre le pega a alguien en alg¨²n punto de la vida.
Me gusta que Fujimoto muestra el proceso de creaci¨®n, la competitividad, el esfuerzo y las ganas de evolucionar cuando te das cuenta que otros te superan o no has mejorado en a?os. Tambi¨¦n muestra lo malo y lo injusto y lo feo de que te juzguen por no dedicarte a algo que sea "productivo" o que no aporte las mismas entradas econ¨®micas que el resto de profesiones. Porque aunque no est¨¢ tan expl¨ªcito se intuye por all¨ª entre sus l¨ªneas. Adem¨¢s de que el mangaka sabe de lo que habla porque lo ha vivido en carne propia (y capaz aqu¨ª hay algo personal y muy suyo) pero vamos, que el arte sigue siendo un sector todav¨ªa bastante minusvalorado en la sociedad comparado con otros sectores por mucho que sea de los m¨¢s consumidos (vaya hipocres¨ªa).
Sin embargo, tambi¨¦n hay un amplio paquete emocional donde la historia te hace reaccionar y te recuerda porqu¨¦ est¨¢s haciendo eso, porqu¨¦ te dedicas con tanto ah¨ªnco a lo que te apasiona. Porque a veces no es solo un sue?o o deseo personal, tambi¨¦n es otro el que te abre los ojos y te da las alas para que sigas en pie, para que nunca te rindas, para que te superes y sobre todo, para que sigas creando una y otra vez, sin parar, por mucho que caigas en alg¨²n momento. Ese amor, ese cari?o del otro a lo que t¨² haces o quieres ser es el m¨¢s inmenso obsequio que te pueden regalar.
No s¨¦, en conclusi¨®n, que yo tambi¨¦n me he sentido identificado pero sobre todo inspirado y no soy mangaka ni nada de eso. Que aunque la acci¨®n de la historia le habla constantemente a la protagonista, tambi¨¦n sent¨ª que me estaba hablando a m¨ª como a cualquier otro, porque te ense?a que a veces, por mucho que odies (y ames) algo o te sientas cansado o te rindas la motivaci¨®n reaparece cuando alguien valora lo que haces y te lo ddic con toda la admiraci¨®n del mundo.
July 22, 2021
It's beautiful and sad at same time ???
July 23, 2024
4/5
I can't wait to cry again when the anime comes out.
I can't wait to cry again when the anime comes out.
November 24, 2022
Oh goodness¡this broke my freaking heart. I can¡¯t even begin to describe what happened, but just know that it closely focuses on taking the small things for granted and what happens when you unexpectedly lose what you thought you¡¯d have forever. The artwork was absolutely beautiful, breathtaking. I know that this was a one shot but damn I haven¡¯t had emotions like this over a manga in a minute.
July 20, 2021
Incre¨ªble que en tan poco se pueda decir tanto.
Como alguien que quiere escribir y contar historias, este one-shot golpea cerca. Se nota que es un relato muy personal para su autor y eso lo hace m¨¢s cercano e ¨ªntimo.
Me gusta que no romantice la profesi¨®n, me gusta que muestre lo que es odiar algo que amas, rendirse y desmotivarse a la vez que nos habla de la alegr¨ªa de terminar algo, de compartirlo y de la satisfacci¨®n de crear.
Un peque?o tesoro, lo que hay aqu¨ª.
Como alguien que quiere escribir y contar historias, este one-shot golpea cerca. Se nota que es un relato muy personal para su autor y eso lo hace m¨¢s cercano e ¨ªntimo.
Me gusta que no romantice la profesi¨®n, me gusta que muestre lo que es odiar algo que amas, rendirse y desmotivarse a la vez que nos habla de la alegr¨ªa de terminar algo, de compartirlo y de la satisfacci¨®n de crear.
Un peque?o tesoro, lo que hay aqu¨ª.
July 19, 2021
I've always maintained that Fujimoto is a manga genius but with this one-shot he has reached the same level with the other legends of manga. The art is, though still Fujimoto's trade mark, absolutely stunning and beautiful. And the story is told brilliantly: friendship and separation, joy and grieves, hope and despair, inspiration and utter defeats, the loss of beloveds, the endless struggle of artists. Yes, this is life, in all of its glory and hours of darkness, this is love and hate, this is the resemblance of the graceful light that guides our heart. Through the medium of manga - one that I thought to be already perfected - Fujimoto managed to constantly break through, challenge and create - like the true artist that he is: brilliant, quirky and unrelenting in his pursuit. "Look Back" is definitely a once in a life time masterpiece, and I highly highly recommend that you give it a try.
September 14, 2021
the way this story gets you so emotionally invested in such a short period of time is brilliant.
i loved what this manga said about art; how you can go back and erase and redo mistakes you made but you can't do that with life + how art can help you form connections with people.
can't wait to see what fujimoto does next.
i loved what this manga said about art; how you can go back and erase and redo mistakes you made but you can't do that with life + how art can help you form connections with people.
can't wait to see what fujimoto does next.
November 23, 2024
In conversation with one of my best friends. Chatting late into the night, video call. No substances, just vibes. Perhaps a caffeine free diet coke. I was munching on some pepperoni sticks. He was pacing around his living room. We were talking about that moment in the process of learning. You have been enjoying your newbie gains, starting to see some expertise with the small, technical aspects of whatever it is you¡¯re doing. You may even be getting some praise from those around you, who are quick to dispense compliments¡ªthey¡¯re starting to make you think that you might be¡ quite good at this? It feels good.
Then it all stops. The plateau is here.
You¡¯re not making linear gains anymore. You come up against those who are much, much better than you. You¡¯re seeing problems in your own performances. People stop talking about what you¡¯re doing, and it¡¯s been a while since anyone noticed anything novel about the process anyhow. It just feels harder, less rewarding (if at all), and shitty.
Why were we talking about this? We were saying how much of a shame it is that many are not given the opportunity to learn about the process of learning itself. Many will never have the experience in their lives that cements the steps, teaching them that it's okay to fail and feel things go against you. Many live with the implicit assumption that if they are not immediately good at something, that if they are not seeing continuous and linear improvement on something, that it¡¯s not for them. They give up. And they let that define their being and capabilities, when they are capable of so much more. I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that everyone is given an opportunity to learn about the frustrating, maddening process of learning.
I watched Look Back before I read it. I was hypnotized by the 58-minute film and similarly hypnotized by the very short manga. It is (ultimately) life-affirming.
Then it all stops. The plateau is here.
You¡¯re not making linear gains anymore. You come up against those who are much, much better than you. You¡¯re seeing problems in your own performances. People stop talking about what you¡¯re doing, and it¡¯s been a while since anyone noticed anything novel about the process anyhow. It just feels harder, less rewarding (if at all), and shitty.
Why were we talking about this? We were saying how much of a shame it is that many are not given the opportunity to learn about the process of learning itself. Many will never have the experience in their lives that cements the steps, teaching them that it's okay to fail and feel things go against you. Many live with the implicit assumption that if they are not immediately good at something, that if they are not seeing continuous and linear improvement on something, that it¡¯s not for them. They give up. And they let that define their being and capabilities, when they are capable of so much more. I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that everyone is given an opportunity to learn about the frustrating, maddening process of learning.
I watched Look Back before I read it. I was hypnotized by the 58-minute film and similarly hypnotized by the very short manga. It is (ultimately) life-affirming.
March 1, 2023
Another frustrating one-shot from Fujimoto. I say "frustrating" because the author has both talent, creativity, and a hint of potential brilliance, but similarly to Goodbye, Eri, the end result too messy.
The early character drama, coupled with the exploration of the lives of aspiring mangakas, is excellent. Had the manga ended on the panel where Fuji dances in the rain, I'd say it was excellent. But it goes on, trying to explore loss and regret in a way that didn't work for me. It was so out of place that I went online to figure out if I missed anything, and found that the later part of the story is a tribute for the victims of the KyoAni massacre. But I don't know if that's the reason the plot felt forced, since this problem exists in most of Fujimoto's works.
The early character drama, coupled with the exploration of the lives of aspiring mangakas, is excellent. Had the manga ended on the panel where Fuji dances in the rain, I'd say it was excellent. But it goes on, trying to explore loss and regret in a way that didn't work for me. It was so out of place that I went online to figure out if I missed anything, and found that the later part of the story is a tribute for the victims of the KyoAni massacre. But I don't know if that's the reason the plot felt forced, since this problem exists in most of Fujimoto's works.
January 7, 2025
what a beautiful letter to art, grief, and memories that keep us going
July 19, 2024
wouldve been 5 stars if they kissed
July 20, 2021
Ok so. I haven't read a one-shot before. But coming from the author of Chainsaw Man I had to give it a try. And for my surprise, it was so worth it!
The story itself is pretty "basic" you can say. But, It was so personal and real. That it's really going to resonate with me for a long time.
Our main character was so strong and human. Even though the circumstances that she faced it. She really learnt about her mistakes and it was so emotive to read.
Please give it a try! You can read it for free and legal on the app of the Editorial. Manga Plus!
Also going to give it a re-read very soon!
The story itself is pretty "basic" you can say. But, It was so personal and real. That it's really going to resonate with me for a long time.
Our main character was so strong and human. Even though the circumstances that she faced it. She really learnt about her mistakes and it was so emotive to read.
Please give it a try! You can read it for free and legal on the app of the Editorial. Manga Plus!
Also going to give it a re-read very soon!
October 12, 2022
4.5 stars.
This made me so emotional. I wasn't expecting that.
Friendship, art, and the inherent repercussion we have on other people's lives sound like totally random themes to group together, that is until Fujimoto strings them into a compelling one shot that, as much of his work, cuts right to the tenderest parts of one's heart.
We follow the unlikely friendship of Fujino and Kiyomoto as they become successful artists and though it is told through short snippets, it unfurls before our eyes and maps a rather touching and moving tale.
I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again, Fujimoto knows how to mix these wonderfully grounded ideas with more intriguing and out there elements in ways that work so well and though Look Back is one of the most grounded of his works I've read, it still retains that very spicy little twist that evolves the whole concept.
As simple as it is, I have to say that it cut deep and really connected with me, as any touching in art, and the creative process, tend to do.
¡°You know, to begin with, I, don¡¯t even like drawing manga. It¡¯s not fun. The entire process is a hassle. It¡¯s super unglamorous too. You can draw all day long and still be nowhere near finished. Really, I¡¯d be better off just sticking to reading manga. I shouldn¡¯t read it. Then why do you draw, Fujino?¡±
This made me so emotional. I wasn't expecting that.
Friendship, art, and the inherent repercussion we have on other people's lives sound like totally random themes to group together, that is until Fujimoto strings them into a compelling one shot that, as much of his work, cuts right to the tenderest parts of one's heart.
We follow the unlikely friendship of Fujino and Kiyomoto as they become successful artists and though it is told through short snippets, it unfurls before our eyes and maps a rather touching and moving tale.
I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again, Fujimoto knows how to mix these wonderfully grounded ideas with more intriguing and out there elements in ways that work so well and though Look Back is one of the most grounded of his works I've read, it still retains that very spicy little twist that evolves the whole concept.
As simple as it is, I have to say that it cut deep and really connected with me, as any touching in art, and the creative process, tend to do.
¡°I¡¯m glad I came out of my room. The truth is, I was scared to go out today. I stopped going to school cuz¡ I got scared of people, but I had a really, really good time today. I only drew cuz¡ I had nothing to do at home and got bored. But now I¡¯m glad I drew. Fujino, thank you for bringing me out of my room.¡±
September 26, 2024
A simple yet deep story with a powerful message
Without giving too much away, this book masterfully explores how the choices we make can profoundly shape our lives. It digs deep into the ripple effects of our decisions, making it a thought-provoking read.
One moment, in particular, hit me hard emotionally. It¡¯s like life itself is saying, "Every time you think you¡¯ve found happiness, I¡¯m going to throw you a curveball." That feeling of hope clashing with reality really resonated with me.
I went in with modest expectations, but I came away with so much more. A surprisingly fantastic read that exceeded all my hopes.
Without giving too much away, this book masterfully explores how the choices we make can profoundly shape our lives. It digs deep into the ripple effects of our decisions, making it a thought-provoking read.
One moment, in particular, hit me hard emotionally. It¡¯s like life itself is saying, "Every time you think you¡¯ve found happiness, I¡¯m going to throw you a curveball." That feeling of hope clashing with reality really resonated with me.
I went in with modest expectations, but I came away with so much more. A surprisingly fantastic read that exceeded all my hopes.
November 20, 2022
Lo que me gusta a m¨ª una historia con terrorismo emocional no lo sabe nadie. Un manga precioso y contenido sobre la creaci¨®n, la competitividad y el esfuerzo a partir de la relaci¨®n de dos chicas que dibujan tiras ilustradas en el diario del colegio. Qu¨¦ bien enlazado est¨¢ todo y qu¨¦ final m¨¢s demoledor. Quiz¨¢ una de las ¨²ltimas escenas es algo confusa pero me ha emcionado bastante.
May 14, 2024
This is the first work by Tatsuki Fujimoto that I read. Oh my it was so good.
I think I should start to explore high quality one-shot out there.
I think I should start to explore high quality one-shot out there.
October 25, 2023
A moving little yarn about competitiveness, friendship, despair, and hope tracks a couple of artists -- one a shut in, the other a glory seeker -- from middle school into their early twenties. It's all pretty straightforward except for one odd (this is the creator of the bizarre Chainsaw Man after all) but satisfying little digression.
March 22, 2025
Contains possibly my favorite two-page spread of all time. I can hardly even think about this story without tearing up. And that's all I have to say about that.
Recommended review: /review/show...
And also! /review/show...
Recommended review: /review/show...
And also! /review/show...
February 6, 2023
Precioso, entra?able, tierno. Una historia de amistad entre dos amigas que te llenar¨¢ el coraz¨®n con un sentimiento dulce y calentito. Es una historia corta de un solo tomo pero con mucho que decir y que mostrar. Totalmente recomendado ??.
March 17, 2022
Se trata de un one-shot en el que Fujimoto (Chainsaw Man) expresa sus angustias respecto a su oficio de mangaka. En un principio la historia se centra en el conflicto de lo art¨ªstico-personal vs la maquinaria de la industria; como el trabajo de mangaka, su car¨¢cter industrial y sus ritmos de publicaci¨®n impiden a Fujimoto una evoluci¨®n personal y art¨ªstica y un control sobre su arte; tan s¨®lo cabe producir a la m¨¢xima velocidad posible, algo que se ve agravado por las malas condiciones econ¨®micas que ofrecen las editoriales. Por otro lado, la segunda parte de la historia se centra en el ataque que sufri¨® un estudio de anime en 2019, un perturbado incendi¨® el edificio y murieron 39 personas. Fujimoto metaforiza este luctuoso suceso y lo convierte en el origen de un frustrado deseo de volver atr¨¢s y cambiar las cosas, las decisiones que han llevado a las dos protagonistas al lugar en que se encuentran.
Lo malo es que todo esto est¨¢ narrado de forma algo confusa, la integraci¨®n de ambas historias resulta forzada y el discurso queda bastante cojo, ahogado por un mar de lirismo y melancol¨ªa, en una narrativa "bonita" de ver pero que no resulta eficaz para comunicar. Es m¨¢s, para entender bien lo que Fujimoto quiere transmitir me he tenido que leer una entrevista suya, no digo m¨¢s.
Lo malo es que todo esto est¨¢ narrado de forma algo confusa, la integraci¨®n de ambas historias resulta forzada y el discurso queda bastante cojo, ahogado por un mar de lirismo y melancol¨ªa, en una narrativa "bonita" de ver pero que no resulta eficaz para comunicar. Es m¨¢s, para entender bien lo que Fujimoto quiere transmitir me he tenido que leer una entrevista suya, no digo m¨¢s.
April 21, 2022
To be able to look back, I guess we must really remember.
I was feeling all so empty this morning and then I found this manga¡ªnow I'm feeling sad. I think Fujimoto did well in serving us the beauty of being alone,
only for it to be lonely after the filled-up space in the company of another person is missing again.
On the first half, or maybe three-quarters of the volume, I thought it was going to be a plain and ordinary manga. I was hoping for that pinch-of-fantasy, albeit not fantasy altogether, but I loved how sensei brought the universe and the alternate one crashing together where everything started¡ªin that one quiet room of the Kyomoto Household. This is really good and sad at the same time. Also, I really love Fujimoto's art sequence so much.
I was feeling all so empty this morning and then I found this manga¡ªnow I'm feeling sad. I think Fujimoto did well in serving us the beauty of being alone,
only for it to be lonely after the filled-up space in the company of another person is missing again.
On the first half, or maybe three-quarters of the volume, I thought it was going to be a plain and ordinary manga. I was hoping for that pinch-of-fantasy, albeit not fantasy altogether, but I loved how sensei brought the universe and the alternate one crashing together where everything started¡ªin that one quiet room of the Kyomoto Household. This is really good and sad at the same time. Also, I really love Fujimoto's art sequence so much.
July 21, 2021
CRYING WHY
September 13, 2022
I am not fuxking okay after finishing this. Goddamn. I sobbed so hard.
September 24, 2022
painfully beautiful.
October 12, 2022
Stunningly brutal reality
December 22, 2024
?
3.5/5 ?
I picked this one up because the anime blew up some time this year but I knew nothing about it. While reading this, I was getting this sense of familiarity with the art style and only then I realized that it's the same creator as Chainsaw Man, which I haven't read the manga or watch the anime but I've seen plenty of manga panels of it everywhere. Also, I might not seen Chainsaw Man yet, but I still get the reference in here.
This story's theme of becoming someone's inspiration, pursuing something you once decided to let go of because one person is there to genuinely appreciate it, the friendship, the regrets, the what ifs. The fact that all of these were packed in just a one-shot story is actually amazing.
Although the whole story is not what I was expecting when I started this, it's still a solid manga read. It's short and bittersweet, quite sudden and unexpected with the tragedy part, but I liked that little bit of transcendence in time that happened with the past, the present and the alternate versions of themselves. It's quite trippy but it's like a little consolation for the regrets and the what ifs.
I think I might try the anime.
I picked this one up because the anime blew up some time this year but I knew nothing about it. While reading this, I was getting this sense of familiarity with the art style and only then I realized that it's the same creator as Chainsaw Man, which I haven't read the manga or watch the anime but I've seen plenty of manga panels of it everywhere. Also, I might not seen Chainsaw Man yet, but I still get the reference in here.
This story's theme of becoming someone's inspiration, pursuing something you once decided to let go of because one person is there to genuinely appreciate it, the friendship, the regrets, the what ifs. The fact that all of these were packed in just a one-shot story is actually amazing.
Although the whole story is not what I was expecting when I started this, it's still a solid manga read. It's short and bittersweet, quite sudden and unexpected with the tragedy part, but I liked that little bit of transcendence in time that happened with the past, the present and the alternate versions of themselves. It's quite trippy but it's like a little consolation for the regrets and the what ifs.
I think I might try the anime.
April 6, 2025
Il mio cuoricino ???
August 30, 2021
Pretty ok manga about two school kids adapting the mangaka role. I do wish the author could give the character development time in this manga because I didn't know who's who lol. Regardless the read is good!
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