A work directed by Oshiyama Kiyotaka, based on Fujimoto Tatsuki’s manga“Lookback”However, it received high praise not only in Japan but also around the world, and was a hit. Despite its 58 minutes long screening time, the viewer was highly satisfied, making it an unusually long run. In addition to being exclusively streamed worldwide on Prime Video, screenings are continuing at events such as the Tokyo Anime Awards Festival 2025 and the Niigata International Animation Film Festival.
This time, againProducer Oyama YoshiWe asked him to look back on the progress of this project.
[Interview and text by Sugimoto Hotaka]
■The amount of passion that the films added to by Director Oshiyama has
–Lookback attracted 2.33 million people not only in Japan but also overseas, and box office revenue exceeded 2.3 billion yen (as of the end of December 2024). To what extent was this result expected?
Oyama: There are both parts that were expected and parts that were beyond what I expected. I think the power of the work itself and the passion of the creators have been transmitted all over the world. When I read the original manga by Fujimoto (Tatsuki), I felt a universal story and theme, so I thought it was a work that could resonate with the whole world. Therefore, from the beginning of the project, I wanted people not only in Japan but also around the world to see it.
The first overseas screening was at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, but after the screening ended, a passionate standing ovation was erupted, and applause continued to blew through. Manager Oshiyama and us were impressed by his reaction, and we were able to grasp the reward. Our overseas partners were as enthusiastic as they were in Japan, and fans from various countries spread the word of mouth, so I think we were able to achieve this level of mobilization.
–Do you think the reason why this film’s reputation spread is the enthusiasm of director Oshiyama and other creators?
Oyama:I agree. The original story, which is a story about two girls who aim to become manga artists, is a work that is intensively reflected by Fujimoto-sensei himself, so director Oshiyama said that making this work the first step is to “make it your own” thing. That connection is the catchphrase for this work, which is to “continue drawing.” Director Oshiyama has also been drawing since he was a child, so I think the film was filled with such passion.
–I don’t know if it has anything to do with the passion, but this film is produced with a small staff member and director Oshiyama himself will draw a large amount of original artwork. As a producer, were you worried about the completion of this small production system?
Oyama: The concept was from the beginning of the project to create the system with a small and elite structure centered around Manager Oshiyama. The director previously worked on “SHISHIGARI,” which was produced by the director, was made by himself for 17 minutes, and the animation producer Nagano and the director included Inoue Toshiyuki, and I felt that something amazing had risen as production progressed. However, at the end of the day, the director was so huge that he was worried that if something happened to the director now, the film would not stop completely.
■The “discovery” that you can create a hit even in 58 minutes
–I think it was a discovery that it was released as a 58-minute film, and that even at this length, if the work had the passion for its work, it would become a huge hit.
Oyama: Discovery is exactly what you say. There were not many precedents of a hit of this length, so I was worried. The original is a 143-page one-shot manga, so I was worried about what to do with the length, but in the end, the animation was 58 minutes long by director Oshiyama. As a result, it has become a very passionate film, and I believe it has led to a huge response all over the world.
–The opening size for the first week was around 110 screens in Japan, but did this length not become a problem when negotiating with the theater?
Oyama: Of course, I think there was. However, the response to the preview was very good, and we were able to increase the number of theaters shown just before it was released.
–The power of the work was also at play in booking.
Oyama:That’s right. First of all, the distribution and advertising team joined forces to bring this work to as many people as possible. The theater also raised their hands to do it, and from there it created a virtuous cycle that expanded even further. Also, I thought that the short 58 minutes was a weakness, but I think that it has become a good thing when running long runs through word of mouth. In some theaters, there were more than 10 screenings per day. When people who heard about the reputation through word of mouth wanted to go see the movie, they also thought it was a positive effect on the ease of matching the screening times with the scheduled free time.
–On the other hand, it seems that for the release in the United States and China, it was necessary to have an interview with Director Oshiyama to make the overall screening time a 70-minute screening time.
Oyama:yes. Due to requests, the screening was made with a bonus footage. Even if it is this short, we realized that if the quality is high, the customers will be satisfied. I believe that these results will provide a hint for future efforts.
■The reaction to overseas markets felt through “lookback”
–This work was also featured on the production committee on the Hollywood major Amazon MGM Studio. The appearance of the Lion from Amazon MGM Studio at the beginning of the film was refreshing for a Japanese animated film.
Oyama:That makes an impact, isn’t it? The Zagumi started with our company, Shueisha, and Studio Dorian. As we were thinking about developing this work, we decided to join us as a result of the timing of the launch of Amazon’s anime production team in Japan.
At the film show, East Asia and North America were strong, but Amazon’s distribution network is also strong in the Latin America region, so many reactions have come out of those regions, and I feel that the film is expanding even further.
–Japanese anime is becoming more popular in the global market, but have you ever felt any sense of the growth potential of overseas markets through the release and distribution of Lookback?
Oyama: I realize that Japanese anime fans will continue to grow all over the world in the future. With streaming, the environment has been created where people all over the world can watch anime at almost the same time, and the fan base has grown significantly over the past 10 years. In the domestic anime industry, companies are deepening their partnerships with local companies, creating an environment where the creators’ thoughts are delivered to fans, and in the field of merchandising, companies are now directly involved in ensuring quality. When planning works, I think there is a strong movement to anticipate fans around the world.
–How different is there a difference in thinking when planning with the global market in mind, when you think about it based on the traditional domestic market?
Oyama: Although there are differences in details such as strong in North America, this genre is becoming more borderless. So I don’t think it’s that much in essence. After all, things that resonate with the whole world are works with universal appeal, so that remains the same in Japan and overseas. This is also the origin of the “Lookback” project.
–Finally, please let us know if you have any plans regarding the future developments of Lookback.
Oyama: It’s been more than six months since the film was released. We are continuing to show streams and screenings at events, so we would be happy if you could take a look. The revival screenings were gaining popularity this year, and we would like to continue to respond to requests for people who want to watch them again on screen in the future. We hope that everyone will be patronized for a long time, so we look forward to your continued support.
■STAFF Original work: Fujimoto Tatsuki (published by Shueisha Jump Comics)
Director, scriptwriter, character design: Oshiyama Kiyotaka
Art Director: Sameshima Kiyoshi
Assistant Art Director: Harize Yoshishi (*Sakai Hatatsusaki) and Omori Takashi
Color design: Kusumoto Maya
Director of Photography: Izumita Kazuto
Edited by: Hirose Kiyoshi
Sound Director: Kimura Eriko
Music: haruka nakamura
Animation production: Studio Dorian
Distributed by: Avex Pictures
■CAST
Fujino: Kawai Yumi
Kyomoto: Yoshida Mizuki
■Theme song “Light song” by haruka nakamura Song: urara
■Original work “Lookback” (published by Shueisha Jump Comics) Comics now on sale
(C) Fujimoto Tatsuki/Shueisha (C) 2024 “Lookback” Production Committee
¥9,900
(Prices and availability are as of the time of publication)
