“when i was growing up, and likely when director Oshiyama was as well, being an “otaku” with a passion for manga and anime was not considered normal. perhaps that's why there was a desire to become a normal person. there are scenes related to this in look back. in contrast to tokyo, where diverse groups exist, rural areas typically have only one dominant group, leading to strong peer pressure among people your age. i was often asked why i was still drawing. thoughts like denji's desire to “become a normal person” might stem from the feeling of being in a group but not being part of it.” — fujimoto tatsuki
















