Look Back
One of the most beautiful films I've seen. To tell such an amazing story in just about 56 minutes is so amazing. The first 15 minutes or so of buildup is great, and then they finally meet in that house.
Kyomoto's death scene caught me completely offguard, i could've seen a sad ending, but something like them not ending up together or something, not Kyomoto just straight up dying, that too halfway through the movie.
In my opinion, the movie goes from an amazing movie, to just a different level once Fujino goes back to Kyomoto's house after her death. From her picking up the original slip she had made, to blaming herself for Kyomoto's death, tearing up the slip, into probably my favourite sequence of the movie, the what if sequence. It's kinda up for interpretation(maybe?) if this whole sequence is supernatural or just physcological, but for me, this is definitely physcological. It's beautiful, it's a way for Fujino to cope, in 2 ways. Firstly, she's coping by imagining this dream sequence, in which everything just went right, everything turned out good, she's trying to make her current, sad life better, by imagining perfect scenarios. And secondly, she's coping by telling herself that it wasn't her fault, that she never forced Kyomoto into anything, that Kyomoto would've gone to art school anyways, that Kyomoto was always an independent artist and not just behind Fujino. And to be honest, for me, this one of the best scenes I've ever seen.
Then, the “Look Back” “Slip” comes out into the hallway and real Fujino sees it. Ofcourse, this too(for me) isn't supernatural, it's Fujino just making the strength, after the previously mentioned grieving, to finally go inside Kyomoto's room, to finally face her guilt. When she goes in, another beautiful scene, she sees Kyomoto's love, admiration for her, and then the “Why do you draw”. This question is answered so beautifully, it doesn't take a single word, not one, the 1 minute flashback alone tells you everything.
The ending being Fujino carrying the memory of Kyomoto, continuing the reason for her love and admiration and continuing to draw manga is also amazing. If you want one of the most beautiful, while at the same time one of the most sad, devastating, movies that will leave you empty type movie, this is it.