We head north to the city of Akita, where the creator of Chainsaw Man grew up, and see the sights that inspired the look of Look Back..
Manga Creator Tatsuki Fujimoto has published two manga series since his career as a professional, and both, Chainsaw Man And Fire Strikeare full of bombastic action. But Fujimoto can also write stories with delicate drama, as his one-shot manga proves Review and its anime adaptation.
As the title suggests, Review is in many ways a semi-autobiographical story. The two protagonists Fujino and Kyomoto are both aspiring teenage manga artists who share a kanji character in their names with Fujimoto himself, and the story takes place in Nikaho, the rural town in Akita Prefecture where Fujimoto grew up.
▼ Trailer for Review
After reading, watching and being deeply affected Reviewour Japanese-speaking reporter Saya Togashi decided to head north to Akita and visit this new anime sanctuary. Arriving by train, she made her first stop in the city Nikaho Stationon the JR Uetsu Main Line.
Although Nikaho Station itself is not in ReviewIn the waiting area of the building, posters of the work are proudly displayed, as well as a profile of Fujimoto. There is also a map of the city in the station, so Saya got one before she set out to see the real places that are in Review.
Much like the names of Fujino and Kyomoto are similar to those of Fujimoto but not quite identical, Looking back The bookstore “Bukkudo”, where Fujino buys her sketchbooks, is modeled on Nikaho’s real Burindo shop.
If you have seen ReviewBurindo is instantly recognizable and even the buildings on both sides look exactly like the ones in the anime.
▼ The walk from the train station to Burindo
Like many aspiring manga artists who dream of becoming professionals, Fujino and Kyomoto participate in the Shonen Jump Manga Contest for New Artists. When the issue of the weekly anthology hits stores announcing the winners, the two head to the local supermarket to see if they have won.. Within Reviewthe shop has a fictitious name, but is clearly based on the real one Nikaho Hirasawa branch of 7-Eleven.
▼ Burindo to Nikaho Hirasawa 7-Eleven
When Fujino and Kyomoto head to the shop, it is a snowy night. If you are there when the sun is shining, you can see the nearby mountains. However, because of the clouds, we could not see as far as Chokaisan, the highest mountain in the area.
Review also includes several scenes of Nikaho’s farmland. These are a little further from the station, so you may want to explore them by car or at least by bike, but they are so beautiful that it’s worth the extra effort to get some wheeled transportation.
For example, there is a scene in which Fujino and Kyomoto are on a train and are driving over a high bridge. The model for this is Nikaho Ohashiwhich is actually intended for cars, and is painted in a bright red that creates an attractive contrast to the surrounding greenery.
▼ If you’re fit, it’s a 24-minute walk from the 7-Eleven to the bridge, but note that there is no sidewalk.
In another scene, the train passes a railroad crossing near fields and forests, modeled after the one near the Nikaho Hiramori branch of Lawson Supermarket.
▼ Approximate hiking route from the bridge to the above junction
From there it is a little more difficult to locate exact locations that are in Reviewbut all around you you see a landscape that undoubtedly inspired Fujimoto in creating his visual design.
Saya became particularly emotional when she stumbled upon a path that ran between rice fields and reminded her of a walk Fujino and Kyomoto had taken together..
Nikaho is one of those quaint, quiet Japanese towns that somehow makes you feel wistfully nostalgic, even if you spent your own childhood somewhere much more developed. Perhaps it’s something to do with the fact that it simultaneously feels big, with wide open spaces, and small, with not so many people or buildings, which creates that special mix of familiarity and curiosity that’s so important when you spend all your days in one place and inevitably start to wonder what’s out there beyond the confines of your previous life. It’s a feeling that pretty much any adult can look back on with warm wistfulness, and if you’re now looking forward to visiting Nikaho, the map Saya picked up at the train station is also available online on the town’s official website here.
Linked to: Official Nikaho website
Photos ©SoraNews24
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(Read in Japanese)
