{
  "id": 16167228,
  "title": "‘The Potentials’ unpacks the dilemmas of a manga assistant in middle age",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/the-potentials-unpacks-the-dilemmas-of-a-manga-assistant-in-middle-age",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-23T09:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Japan Times",
    "slug": "japan-times",
    "url": "https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2026/10/23/film/the-potentials/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Shoichi Morimoto, a seasoned assistant director with credits on multiple Hirokazu Koreeda films, has turned his hand to his first feature screenplay, co-directed with Takuma Sato. Unlike typical movies about filmmaking, \"The Potentials\" takes an unconventional approach by placing its narrative within the realm of manga. This shift has resulted in a unique counterpart to Koreeda's recent \"Look Back.\"\n\nIn Morimoto and Sato's film, the protagonist is no longer a fresh-faced newcomer to the comics industry but rather a seasoned veteran approaching middle age. Despite the character's advanced years, the narrative suggests that progress may be elusive, much like the protagonist's own journey in the world of manga.",
  "summary": "Shoichi Morimoto and Takuma Sato's \"The Potentials\" is an engaging tale about art, life and everything that gets in the way.",
  "key_points": [
    "Shoichi Morimoto directs first feature screenplay",
    "Protagonist is seasoned assistant director in middle age",
    "Manga industry depicted with protagonist's age"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Shifting the focus from wide-eyed newcomers to aging industry veterans provides a grounded counterpoint to recent filmmaking trends by exploring the stalled progress often faced by seasoned professionals.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}