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Like every awards show, this year’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards weren’t without some controversy. Freeze: beyond journey’s end, Slug, Kaiju No. 8, The Apothecary Diaries, Delicious In Dungeonand Solo Leveling were all vying for the big prize, and, perhaps not shockingly, the latter series won. Social media, such as the Anime subreddit, was flooded by fans complaining about the results. But the ceremony wasn’t completely wrong, as one anime film solemnly deserved to win its respective category.
The Anime Film of the Year category is, unfortunately, overlooked by most viewers. All eyes tend to be on the big prize, Anime of the Year, which is hard fought for by the best shows from the past year. But, unless there’s a new Studio Ghibli film or a movie by Makoto Shinkai, the Anime Film of the Year category tends to get left on the sidelines. Thankfully, this year the category got the attention it deserved, and the winner was undoubtedly the best anime movie of the year, Look Back.
Look Back Deserved Its Anime Award
The controversy surrounding the Anime of the Year winner deserves an entire deep dive of its own (it’s a good thing ComicBook has already approached it), but Look Back taking home the Anime Film of the Year award was undoubtedly the right choice. Just like the big prize, Anime Film of the Year was another tough category. Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle, Mononoke The Movie: The Phantom in the Rain, My Hero Academia: You’re Next, Spy x Family Code: Whiteand The Colors Within were the other contenders, and they were all great films.
But, Look Back was the standout favorite, and no one complained when it won the prize. Directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama and based on the manga by Chainsaw Man‘s Tatsuki Fujimoto, Look Back is the shortest film among the nominees, but it’s no doubt the most impactful. The 58-minute-long film follows two high school students who bond over their shared love of drawing manga panels. Over the years, their careers take them on different paths, but a tragic event forces them to look back on their friendship, and the time they lost.
The film was animated by Studio Durian, and the stunning animation was unanimously praised by both critics and fans. In fact, the film holds the rare achievement of a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. But what’s more impressive is its similarly great audience score of 99%. Creatives instantly fell in love with the film as Fujino and Kyomoto’s passion for drawing was deeply relatable, while casual audiences were left heartbroken by the shocking and tear-jerking ending, which was inspired by a true story.
Look Back‘s crowning achievement is its character work. Fujino and Kyomoto are polar opposites in terms of their personalities, but the movie makes their friendship feel real and natural. Starting out as unknowing rivals, they grow together and form a bond that rivals any long-running series. This is aided by the breathtaking animation from Studio Durian, which takes relatively grounded and mundane visuals, like small apartments, offices, and fields, and, through Fujimoto’s unique art style, produces jaw-dropping and engaging scenery. All of this culminates in a bombshell of a twist that sweeps the rug out from under your feet.
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Look Back’s Accolades Continue to Grow
The Crunchyroll Anime Awards’ Film of the Year title is far from the first accolade Look Back has won since its release in 2024. Earlier this year, Look Back picked up Best Animation Film at the Awards of the Japanese Academy. In 2024, it also received several nominations at various local film festivals. It was also named ComicBook’s Best Anime Movie of 2024. Many were expecting Look Back to get a nomination at this year’s Oscars. However, no anime movie was recognized by The Academy in 2025.
If you haven’t watched Look Back yet, do yourself a favor: prepare a box of tissues, get some snacks, load up Prime Video, and prepare to cry. It’s hard to imagine that such a grounded and moving film came from the same mind behind the wacky and weird Chainsaw Manbut it’s also a testament to Tatsuki Fujimoto’s versatility as an artist.
What did you think of this year’s Anime Awards? Did Look Back deserve the win? Let us know in the comments below…
