There are many series that impress us visually or hype us into a frenzy, but the works that can make us think and introspect are few and far between. Look Back by Fujimoto is one of them.
The story is about two aspiring manga artists, Kyoumoto and Fujino. Both are dedicated and talented as they navigate their friendship and grow together. But the story ends in a tragedy with one of the deuteragonists, Kyoumoto, being murdered.
There is an extremely emotional scene where Fujino finds herself in Koyoumoto’s room, burdened wth guilt and blaming herself for her friend’s death. This scene mirrors the ending of the famous 1994 film, The Shawshank Redemption.
An anime ending born from a Hollywood classic
The Shawshank Redemption is an incredibly touching story about the inmates of a prison. The main characters are Andy and Red, aka Ellis Boyd Reddington. Andy was falsely convicted of a crime he did not commit, whereas Red had more than paid for his crimes, being stuck in prison for decades.
The movie clearly depicts Andy’s struggles in adapting to the prison system, later contrasted by Red’s difficulty in breaking out of those set habits. In the end, Andy escapes the prison, but not before leaving a secret message for his friend, Red.
Red is released from prison, but living feels difficult for him, with no future in sight. It is extremely difficult for him to go and find his friend, Andy, who is waiting for him in ‘Paradise.’
The difficult decision marks an important milestone in Red’s life. Instead of being burdened by his past, Red decides to give it a shot and heads out to find his friend in paradise, which, as it turns out, is an island in Mexico.
Look Back’s quiet exit was intentional
Look Back by Fujimoto has an equally emotional scene. Unlike The Shawshank Redemption, Look Back ends with a tragedy. Kyoumoto is murdered by a paranoid man who believes that his work is being plagiarized.
Fujino cannot accept that her best friend is dead, and she believes that she might be the reason. Because she got close to Kyoumoto and pushed her into being an artist, Kyoumoto went to an art school, becoming an artist, which led to her death.
But there is a moment where an alternative timeline is depicted, showing that Fujino is not to blame. Fujino finds some comfort in the fact that Kyoumoto would not want her down in the dumps or neglecting her art.
Director Kiyotaka Oshiyama said this in an interview with Anime News Network-
In an alternate future, there may have been a future where Fujino stays in Kyomoto’s room and doesn’t move forward. But for me, personally, in Shawshank Redemption—it’s a very classic movie—the main character Red, portrayed by Morgan Freeman, after leaving prison there was an option not to continue moving forward and just ending it all there.
But instead, he moves on forward [and] goes to meet his friend. I believe that scene and the climax of Look Back
have similarities. I think there’s a lot of importance in that one step forward that Fujino made out of Kyomoto’s room.
The ending of Look Back shows Fujino taking a step out of Kyoumoto’s room and showing her continuing her art. This is another powerful depiction of moving forward and not letting the past drag on. It mirrors Red’s reaching ‘paradise.’
You can currently stream Look Back on Amazon Prime Video.
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