Kiyotaka Oshiyama, writer, director, and character designer for the anime adaptation of Look Back, was recently interviewed about the critical and commercial success of the film, which is based on the manga series by the creator of Chainsaw Man. Oshiyama also shared his thoughts on the controversial use of AI technology in animation and how the limited-release film challenges the growing use of machine-generated art.
Japanese news site Mantan Web interviewed Oshiyama about the successful anime adaptation of Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto's Look Back manga. Although the film only had a limited release in Japan, Look Back has grossed over a billion yen since mid-July. Since the film follows two young schoolgirls pursuing their dreams of becoming manga artists, Oshiyama's interview focused on his thoughts on animators—young and old—and the competitive attitude required to succeed as artists. He also discussed the divisive issue of AI programming to create art and animation and what it means for those working in the animation industry today.
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“I intentionally left the lines looking human,” Oshiyama said. “The lines contain the artist’s emotions, the will to draw something. If you trace them and make them look mechanical, the information in the lines is lost. I tried to show the lines directly on the screen.” […] As it becomes easier to create beautiful images with AI, I think human-drawn lines still have a place. Even if AI imitates humans and recreates rough sketches, it's still just a design. It's an imitation. The lines have meaning because they were drawn by humans. This may be the last time we can do this, but it's valuable. It's also about praising the creators.”
Earlier in the interview, Oshiyama also talked about the thought process behind Fujimoto's characters in the anime, such as the iconic camera shots taken from behind Ayumu Fujino—a shot featured in the film's first visual trailer. However, small but realistic gestures like Fujino fidgeting while drawing his manga were used to make the characters feel alive. “I pursued a level of realism that is not often achieved in animation,” Oshiyama said. “I tried to differentiate it and express novelty by deliberately showing things that are often left out in animation. One example is the wide shot at the beginning of the film. Scratching the stomach, crossing the elbows, stretching the body. In animation, these may seem like unnecessary details that do not affect the story, but I tried to depict everyday life in detail.”
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Oshiyama continues this line of thought by commenting on the scene where Fujino jumps rope in the rain: “I tried to express the dynamism of animation in some of the action scenes of this film. Fujino, who had never expressed her inner emotions until that point, now lets her emotions explode with her body, without caring about what others think. It was a very artistic performance; she felt embarrassed in front of others and couldn't express her emotions openly. I can also be quite self-conscious and conscious of how others see me.”
There is currently no theatrical release date for Look Back in North America. Although the film does not meet the requirements for a theatrical release in the United States due to its short length, the production team is exploring options for a possible theatrical release. The film has received critical acclaim from fans, critics, and anime creators, including the head of Studio Ghibli and original creator Fujimoto himself.
Source: Old website