GKIDS announced on October 20 that the live-action Look Back film — Hirokazu Kore-eda's adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto's one-shot manga — opens in select North American theaters on December 30, followed by a wider release on January 15. GKIDS will also release it in the UK and Ireland, and dropped a new trailer with the news.
Quick answer
When does Look Back live-action come out in the US? December 30, 2026 in select theaters, then January 15, 2027 nationwide, distributed by GKIDS in the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland. Hirokazu Kore-eda (*Shoplifters*) wrote, directed and edited it; Natsuki Deguchi plays Fujino and Aju Makita plays Kyōmoto. It opened #5 in Japan on September 11 with about ¥144 million (~US$930,000) in three days. According to SenpaiRanks, the 2024 anime film it adapts holds a 7.47 adjusted score — see its ranking — and is the version you can stream now on Prime Video in most regions.
Kore-eda meets Fujimoto
The Chainsaw Man creator's 2021 one-shot follows two girls, the gifted Fujino and the shy Kyōmoto, who team up over a shared dream of making manga until their success forces decisions that test the partnership. It's a story about friendship, craft and grief, which is Kore-eda's home turf. The film premiered at Cannes on May 15, screened at the London Film Festival in October, and picked up the UNIMED student-jury award in September.
The credits worth noticing
Yūta Bandō (*BELLE*, Kaiju No. 8) scored it. Kenshi Yonezu plays guitar on the soundtrack under the "Shark Kick Guitar" credit, actress-singer Tōko Miura sings an insert song, and animator Yōko Kuno directed a rotoscoped animation sequence built on her performance, produced by Shin-Ei Animation. That makes it a live-action film with a genuine animation sequence inside it.
Live-action vs. the anime
The animated Look Back (2024) was a quiet hit: #2 in Japan's ticket sales its opening weekend and US$688,253 on its US opening weekend through GKIDS in October 2024. It sits in our best anime films of the 2020s ranking and the best anime movies board. If you want to compare eras, the 2010s film ranking is the natural next stop. Watch the anime first: it's an hour long, and the live-action will hit harder once you know the story.
Frequently asked questions
Q: When is the Look Back live-action release date in the US?
A: December 30, 2026 in select theaters, with a wider release on January 15, 2027.
Q: Who is distributing Look Back live-action?
A: GKIDS, in the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland.
Q: Who directed the live-action Look Back?
A: Hirokazu Kore-eda, who also wrote and edited the film.
Q: Who stars in Look Back live-action?
A: Natsuki Deguchi as Fujino and Aju Makita as Kyōmoto.
Q: Where can I watch the Look Back anime?
A: The 2024 anime film streams on Prime Video. SenpaiRanks scores it 7.47.