Crunchyroll Loses 2026’s Best Manga Adaptation to Neon Genesis Evangelion Distributor

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Crunchyroll wasn’t able to secure the rights to a major movie coming out in 2026, and it’s based on a popular manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto.

GKIDS has announced it will distribute the upcoming live-action film Look Back, directed by celebrated Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda. Kore-eda is known for directing award-winning films such as Nobody Knows and Shoplifters.

Hirokazu Kore-eda’s latest film is based on the 2024 anime adaptation of Fujimoto’s manga, Look Back, which was created by Studio Durian and directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama. The anime won both the Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Animated Feature and Anime of the Year at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. However, Kore-eda was already aware of the Look Back story before the anime film was released.

Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Look Back Was a Story Hirokazu Kore-eda Had ‘No Choice’ But to Bring to Life

Director Hirokazu Kore-eda first discovered the manga Look Back while traveling from Kyoto to Tokyo. According to a statement released by GKIDS, he was immediately captivated by the image on the book’s cover—the back of the main character, Fujino, as she worked at her desk. He impulsively bought a copy at Shinagawa Station and read it in a single sitting.

Kore-eda was deeply moved by the manga. He explained that, as a fellow artist, he recognized the intense dedication and need to create that drove the work. He felt Fujimoto had to make this manga to move forward, and that feeling resonated with Kore-eda personally. He compared it to his own experience with the film Nobody Knows, saying it was a project he felt equally compelled to make.

At first, Kore-eda just wanted to express his gratitude to Tatsuki Fujimoto for creating such a remarkable work. But after they met, he realized he had to be involved. He recalls thinking on his way home, ‘I’m committed to this,’ and knowing he couldn’t turn down the opportunity.

GKIDS Pulls Off Another Big Win Over Crunchyroll With New Manga Adaptation

Last year, I noticed Crunchyroll was a major player in bringing anime and manga films to audiences, with releases like Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle. They’ve also been adding live-action adaptations of popular series, including films based on xxxHolic, Tokyo Revengers, and Tokyo Ghoul. Interestingly, though, I learned that GKIDS ended up with the preview film for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3, titled Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution, instead of Crunchyroll.

GKIDS is a popular distributor known for bringing beloved Japanese animation, like films from Studio Ghibli and hit TV anime series such as Dandadan and Neon Genesis Evangelion, to North American audiences. They also recently released the film Angel’s Egg by Mamoru Oshii.

Filming has finished on the live-action movie Look Back, and it’s now being edited. While a specific date hasn’t been announced, the film is expected to be released sometime in 2026. Director Hirokazu Kore-eda chose to shoot on traditional film rather than digitally, aiming for a more genuine feel that reflects the practical, hands-on nature of the film’s two main characters, Fujino and Kyomoto.

For Tatsuki Fujimoto, a creator of a new generation of manga artists, this first live-action adaptation of their work feels especially significant. While the cast hasn’t been announced yet, director Kore-eda promises that Look Back will be a deeply meaningful and impactful film.

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2026-03-09 19:10