"Drawing Felt Meaningless": Chainsaw Man's Creator Already Explained The Real Reason For Making Look Back, & It's Heartbreaking

Tatsuki Fujimoto's Look Back is an emotional coming-of-age story that celebrates art as well as the artists who create it. After gaining massive fanfare and critical acclaim following the one-shot manga's publication, an anime adaptation was released in theaters, and will be coming to home streaming services on November 7, 2024. Thanks to the film's widespread popularity, an even greater number of anime and manga fans rushed back to Fujimoto's manga, to give it the love that it deserves.

Arguably his most universally acclaimed work to date, Look Back strays a bit from Tatsuki Fujimoto's usual trademark unpredictability and weirdness to deliver a quiet, intimate tale about two aspiring manga artists. At their introductions, Fujino and Kyomoto are grade school students battling it out for a spot in the school's newspaper, where they can show off their drawing skills. The story follows the two girls into young adulthood, chronicling their journeys as artists, until tragedy strikes and threatens their long friendship.

The story isn't quite based on the life of its author, but rather draws heavy inspiration from Fujimoto's personal experiences as an artist. Both halves of Fujino's and Kyomoto's names combine to create the author's name. And in a published collection of one-shots from a time before he was a well-known artist, titled 17-21, Fujimoto includes a short interjection to explain the inspiration behind Look Back, revealing it to be just as heartbreaking as the story itself.

Disaster As Inspiration In the Creation of Look Back

A Real World Earthquake Was the Inspiration Behind Look Back

Fujimoto begins this short section by recounting his early days in art school, around the time he was 17 years old. The 2011 Tohoku Earthquake had just occurred, and he writes, "All of us must have been asking ourselves whether it was really right for us to keep drawing like before," before stating that, "Drawing felt meaningless." In an effort to help in any kind of way, he shares that he and 30 other students volunteered to help clean up following the disaster, but after not being able to make a dent, he felt a sense of powerlessness.

Later in the section, Fujimoto explains that he wrote Look Back in an attempt to vent those feelings of powerlessness that followed him throughout his journey as an artist. It tracks, as one of Look Back's main themes is finding the meaning in art, as well as the reason for creating it. After the tragedy that occurs within the story, Fujino expresses similar feelings toward her own craft, calling it worthless.

Later on, however, in what is likely the most powerful section of the story, Fujino realizes why she draws, as well as the impact her drawing can have on other people. In a series of flashbacks, Fujimoto includes several instances of Kyomoto reacting to something Fujino drew, showcasing that while her art may not be able to prevent tragedy, it can still put a smile on someone's face.

Look Back Is a Reminder of the Importance of Art In a World of Tragedy

Look Back Reminds That Art Is the Most Honest Form of Communication

Fujimoto later mentions that looking back on 17-21's collection of one-shots reminded him that he would often draw in times of feeling powerless, or in hunger, always practicing and trying to improve. He writes, "It brought back memories so fun that I have to wonder why I'd only been remembering the dark things," before expressing that he was glad to be able to have his stories in print.

Look Back is a reminder that, through art, all people have the ability to fight back against the scary world around them. Tragedy may strike, and evil may lurk around any corner, but that doesn't take any of the importance away from the art that people share. Tatsuki Fujimoto was able to himself process those feelings of powerlessness through sharing his art, while inspiring the countless artists that would come across it.

And that is the message that lies at the heart of Look Back; that in a world of tragedy, art is how people can truly bare their souls and communicate earnestly with one another. Though the story was born out of tragedy, it works to uplift all who dare to read it and try to create something of their own.

Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man: 17-21 is available from VIZ.

Confident artist Fujino and reclusive Kyomoto bond over their shared passion for drawing manga. As they navigate the challenges of growing up and pursuing their artistic dreams, their friendship deepens. The story beautifully explores themes of creativity, dedication, and the impact of personal connections on their journey.

Director Kiyotaka Oshiyama

Release Date June 28, 2024

Writers Tatsuki Fujimoto , Kiyotaka Oshiyama

Runtime 58 Minutes