GKids Board Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Live-Action ‘Look Back’

GKids has acquired rights in North America and U.K./Ireland for Look Back, the upcoming feature from Oscar-nominated Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters), GKids announced Monday.

The coming-of-age drama is the first live-action adaptation of the best-selling manga from Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto. The story follows two schoolgirls, one a shut-in with severe social anxiety, who are brought together by their dream of becoming manga artists.

“We are thrilled to bring Look Back to audiences in North America, the UK and Ireland,” said GKids’ VP of distribution, Chance Huskey, who negotiated the deal with Eva Diederix at Goodfellas, which is handling sales for all available international territories outside Asia. “Hirokazu Kore-eda is a master storyteller whose work continues to define contemporary world cinema, while Tatsuki Fujimoto has emerged as one of the most impactful mangaka’s [manga creators] of the past decade.”

Fujimoto’s one-shot web manga, first published on Shonen Jump+ in 2021, was a instant hit, racking up more than 4 million views in just two days. The print version of the manga has sold more than 900,000 copies in Japan and over 750,000 internationally. The book was nominated at the 2023 Eisner Awards in the best U.S. edition of international material — Asia category.

Kore-eda’s live-action adaptation follows a 2024 animated version of Look Back from director Kiyotaka Oshiyama, which GKids released in North America. Oshiyama’s Look Back received a best animated feature – independent nomination at the Annie Awards.

Kore-eda has a busy 2026 in store. In addition to Look Back, the director has completed Sheep in a Box, a future-set drama about a couple who take in a state-of-the-art humanoid as their son. Produced Fuji Television Network, Gaga Corporation and Toho, Sheep in a Box is scheduled for an early summer 2026 release, making it a likely Cannes contender (Neon acquired the film for North American distribution last fall). Look Back, currently in post-production, is expected to hit screens later in 2026, teeing up a potential Venice launch. 

Kore-eda won the Palme d’Or in Cannes in 2018 for his family drama Shoplifters, which was later nominated for an Oscar in the best international feature category. Kore-eda has since directed Broker (2022) and Monster (2023), as well as the limited series Asura (2025) for Netflix.

“Though manga and film are different genres, as a fellow creator, I felt the desperate resolve behind this work. I could feel, almost painfully, that Mr. Fujimoto simply couldn’t move forward without creating this piece. For me, Nobody Knows was that kind of work,” said Kore-eda in a statement, referring to his breakthrough 2004 feature.

The live action Look Back was shot in Nikaho City in northern Japan. Daiju Koide is producing under his K2 Pictures banner, which will distribute the film in Japan. Look Back is set for a 2026 theatrical release in Japan, with GKids’ rollout in North America, the U.K. and Ireland to follow.

Look Back marks GKids’ continued expansion into live-action features, following this year’s Oscar contender Kokuho. Sang-il Lee’s post-WWII drama has been a local box office phenomenon, becoming the highest-grossing Japanese live action film of all time. GKids has also picked up Takashi Yamazaki’s upcoming Kaiju movie Godzilla Minus Zero, his sequel to Godzilla Minus One (2023) for release later this year. [Godzilla Minus One was released by Toho International, the U.S. subsidiary of Japanese giant Toho Co. Toho acquired GKids in 2024].

“As GKids expands further into live action, we’re seeking out films and creators that reflect the artistry, emotional intelligence, and global perspective that have always been at the heart of GKids,” said Huskey. Look Back is a perfect expression of that vision and we are honored to be working with one of our favorite filmmakers taking on this incredible story.”