Tatsuki Fujimoto is best known for his smash hit manga series Chainsaw Man, whose anime adaptation is likewise set to debut in the fall 2022 lineup. Aside from that mainstream success, he has also released a one-shot manga called Look Back -- and needless to say, it is a substantial departure from his other work.
Look Back's story revolves around two girls named Fujino and Kyomoto. Fujino is confident, whereas Kyomoto is a hermit who shuts herself away from the world. What brings these two together is their respective love of drawing manga, and the two build a close friendship as they work on a manga series together. Then there are some ambiguous time-traveling tragedies involved. You know, (not) typical manga shenanigans.
Right out of the gate, Look Back introduces the reader to an art style that is well done and minimalist in nature. This gives it more of an indie-film vibe or the kind of visuals that belong more in an independent American comic than a traditional manga. Look Back's whole feel and tone are closer to a slice-of-life film, with brisk pacing and pages upon pages where dialogue is not spoken and the visuals tell the entire story. While this is a refreshing change of pace, it is also a double-edged sword.
While the story is briskly paced and thus allows for a quick read, this is also where its weaknesses are most apparent. Remember that ambiguous time travel plot device that was mentioned? Without going into spoiler territory, the utilization of symbolic time travel seems to be more of an afterthought, a slap-dash and haphazard plot device that feels kind of wasted. It's all a little too rushed which is a shame, because it might have allowed some truly exciting ways to tell a story.
Keep in mind this is not inherently a bad thing; the time travel element simply could have been better explored with a more potent emotional punch had Fujimoto turned Look Back into a series instead of a 144-page one-shot.
Aside from a few storytelling missteps, Look Back is a poignant exploration of the power of friendship and how happenstance (or fate) can lead to either ruin or success in the main leads' case. Look Back also touches on some heavy topics such as depression, self-doubt, social anxiety and violence. Anyone who is a creative type will know the angst of feeling they're "just not good enough" or "I could never go pro." Look Back is an excellent examination of that little voice in the head of the creative individual that is tougher than any critic could ever be.
All in all, Look Back is a worthy read that further emphasizes Tatsuki Fujimoto's storytelling chops, proving he is more than a manga author who creates hyper-violent stories about men with chainsaws for a head. Although it is not the best slice-of-life manga out there, it is a pretty darn good one and should be checked out by anyone who wants to read a well-crafted coming-of-age story.
Author: Tatsuki Fujimoto
Publisher: Viz Media
Price: $12.99
Release Date: September 20, 2022