(L) 5 Centimeters per Second

[Shiroth]

I've waited a very long time, and finally the film is available to buy here in the UK. Picked up a copy this morning, and preparing myself for a rewatch tomorrow.

[taichi-kun]

Did the novel explain why they stopped sending latters and communicating with each other ???

[DragoZERO]

I'm afraid I don't know. Haven't gotten around to reading it yet. But this may help: http://5cm.lhyeung.net/index.php

[User68604]

Originally Posted by jtstellar

since this is a film that makes people come back to it again and again most likely for decades to come.. this is what i did just now

it just occurred to me that this film is more concerned with a person's own inner self as in the memories buried within, rather than talking about childhood deep relationships which is generic by comparison. this is evidenced by the protagonist not chasing after his suspected childhood friend in the end which was entirely possible on foot with a woman's ~20 second walking distance.

the film goes much deeper and describes what many people do to a varying degree--immortalize a person you can no longer meet, to a point where it is beyond the actual person in many regards that one may even choose memories over the person in reality when given the choice (as his decision to not chase in the end). this message would become mischaracterized if one were to treat this film as only a film about deep lovers.. the real message of the film is one which is much deeper than its mischaracterized counterpart.

excellent post


i thought it was an amazing 3 part series as well. im, unfortunately, a sucker for happy endings in any sort of romance genre anime - but i gladly give this a 10/10 for high production value, high everything..

[~Yami~]

Spoiler for just watching it....:

well, I'm glad that finally I find this anime because the manga recently scanlated...

this is one of the most wonderful movie....
I like about how they really pictured the scene....
many movie just make some illusion like everything like first love will end up together

this movie started to give us a more realistic view of life
even though we will face some kind of difficulty and broken down, we need to move forward....
after reading the novel, looks like both of them have a hard time but still moving toward to their own happiness....

yes! they didn't end up together....
but Akari hadn't married yet so I think I can imagine a happier ending.... XD
C'mon Takaki... don't give up! lol
or maybe you can go back to Risa (read the novel spoiler)

[Mr.Garfield]

it sucks that he (the one translated the novel) said that episode 3 probably won't be available(it did have the summary though)...

[Kyuu]

I've yet to watch - but - I'm saving this series for a rainy day.

[Guardian Enzo]

Better hope it rains soon - you're depriving yourself of something incredible and special!

[Haak]

Originally Posted by Shiroth

I've waited a very long time, and finally the film is available to buy here in the UK.

And it only took five years...

[Guardian Enzo]

This is one of those threads I suspect will never die, as people will always be discovering and rediscovering this masterpiece. I just got my DVD from Crunchyroll - the one they promised on the night they butchered the screening of the movie (I posted about that here last year). Anyways, it's an excuse to watch it again as we get ready for Shinkai-dono's next work...

Every so often I just have to immerse myself in 5 CM. Perhaps of all anime and even all films, it's the first segment ("Sakura") that resonates with me as an expression of perfection. Perfection in art, in feeling, and in beauty. Tenmon's score, Shinkai's ungodly gorgeous animation, and the pure, flawless beauty of the story. If I never see it surpassed I can happily say I'll be perfectly satisfied - I could never ask for a more profound experience in the viewing of a film. Takaki and Akari are with me, as real as anyone I've known, and always will be. I can see every station, every view, every flake of snow on Takaki's journey from Gotokuji to Iwafune as clearly as if I'd taken that journey myself. This is a perfect union of director, musician, and seiyuu - if you haven't watched this film please, do so at once.

[germanturkey]

i don't even need to rewatch it. i've seen it enough times i can play scenes in my head at will... i still remember the feeling i got when the first trailer of it came out. i was completely awestruck at the animation looking out from a moving train. then to see them running down the hallway. all perfectly synched with tenmon's piano piece. amazing. perfect.

[Holyrise]

Well, I watched this a year back and it still gets me every time I rewatch it. The way Shinkai Makoto made the movie that it can make you feel what the characters are feeling, that's the best part, it's a movie you enjoy by being part of it, instead of just watching it. The movie is further epic-fied by the song at the end, 'One more time, one more chance' xD

[Proto]

I just watched this today. Good stuff, I hadn't seen something that made me cry this much in ages.

[Paperplane]

This is personally my favourite anime of all time so far, simply because of the awesome, top border line artistic animation of reality along with the message the movie brings across and how much I can really relate to it. The way the film presents its vision of a cruel reality and how we must move on from the cherished moments of our past that we cannot live out forever or again under harsh circumstances.

Also, the way the main relationship developed between Takaki and Akari under such dire circumstances of reality really hits home to me. Not to mention the way, both central characters developed felt very real and immersing in personality, action and thoughts overtime under all circumstances that towards the end it was pretty sad as a result. Also felt sorry for Kanae too as I would have liked to know more about her and it's pretty bittersweet on her end in regards to her conclusion of the story.

In regards to flaws, I can probably see why some may not like this movie. Slow pacing and the story being a bit too simple in characterization and development are certainly some flaws I can consider and as a result, some parts of the movie do feel a bit dull, empty and boring in progress. Otherwise, I personally don't have a problem with the simple direction thanks to the way the story and characters are presented throughout progression of events and dialogue, along with the great animation and meaningful message of cruel reality in it's own right.

Overall, the movie truly is bittersweet, immersive and meaningful as an end result and for that I truely love this movie the way it is in scope. A true masterpiece and "art" this one is and my personal favourite from Shinkai Makoto. Truely excellent at what it does. *Sorry for overrating it a bit*

[taichi-kun]

Originally Posted by DragoZERO

I'm afraid I don't know. Haven't gotten around to reading it yet. But this may help: http://5cm.lhyeung.net/index.php

Yeah thanks! But I read the blog and there isn't chapter 3 of the novel T.T

...........

The summaries tell us tohno's life but not akari's problems at school...

and I still don't know why they stopped sending latters......

......

I hope we have a happy end in the manga........

[Paperplane]

Originally Posted by taichi-kun

The summaries tell us tohno's life but not akari's problems at school...

and I still don't know why they stopped sending latters......

Spoiler:

Well, if you watched the film, they stopped sending letters due to time and distance spreading the two apart. No matter how many messages they send to each other, it cannot bring them closer considering both have fallen out of love over distance and time, physically and mentally. You would also have to consider that E-mail, facebook, communication technologies of that caliber as such is rare during there time-line, hence why there was that trouble in keeping as much contact as possible with each other. I'm guessing the manga is similar to this premise as well.

In regards to perspective, Takaki fell in love overtime with Akari for the first 2 segments (Cherry Blossom and Cosmonaut) of the film considering that he was in physical/close contact with her in the early school days of "Cherry Blossom" and in the second segment "Cosmonaut" in which he still sent messages to her. However no matter how many messages he sent her, during "Cosmonaut" and beyond, Takaki went on to realise that he no longer fell in love with her in the present of reality despite still having hopes of being with her in his dream/mental state. However, in the end, he decides to move on from that and thus consider Akari as of the present, no longer reachable in contact and love.

As for Akari, considering the montage at the 3rd segment (5 cm per second) you do see some scenes of her life. During this montage, she appears to have moved on with life much quicker than Takaki and in the end, finding someone new to cherish instead of Takaki. She did find some way to send letters or messages to Takaki over the events of "Cosmonaut" but again, no matter how many letters or messages, their relationship deteriorated over the time and distance of which spread them apart.

Originally Posted by taichi-kun

I hope we have a happy end in the manga........

Spoiler:

Did you not understand the moral of the film/story? I'm betting the manga will most likely be the same outcome or otherwise if Takaki and Akari end up falling in love together in the end, considering what they've gone through, then that basically destroys the whole meaning of this movie/manga or whatever. I don't want this to become just another good love story with a happy ending in them being together at the end. As such, this movie/story in context is different as it depicts it's meaning of cruel reality in people's relationships and life. Takaki and Akari not ending up happilly ever after together in the end, is no way a minus to the story, plus it would destroy/contradict the whole meaning of it as well.

Moral of the story, Time and distance can spread people apart, physically and mentally no matter how much contact is given from one another. Reality can be cruel and as such, we must endure the times and move on with life at the cost of some of our most cherished moments of the past are no longer reachable now.

[germanturkey]

they're making a manga? they better not change anything, other than flesh out some more details.

also, i disagree about your analysis on cosmonaut, paperplane.

Spoiler:

Takaki didn't send emails to her. he wrote them, but he never sent them. i think that made it that much sadder.

[Paperplane]

Originally Posted by germanturkey

they're making a manga? they better not change anything, other than flesh out some more details.

also, i disagree about your analysis on cosmonaut, paperplane.

Spoiler:

Takaki didn't send emails to her. he wrote them, but he never sent them. i think that made it that much sadder.

Spoiler:

Oh you're right about that. He really didn't send any emails during cosmonaut. My bad. Still, with the emails Takaki wrote, despite never sending it, it does seem like an indication that he's still in love with Akari in that time of cosmonaut, not to mention the dreams and thoughts he had of her.

As such, it's not until the last segment "5cm per second" where he finally moved on and of course, his consideration that he's fallen out of love with Akari due to distance and time that spreads them apart.

[germanturkey]

Spoiler:

oh yeah, he still greatly loved her. he just never had the balls to send them if he did, the outcome would be different.

[Simon_Lord]

i just watched the first 20minutes of this. WOW is all i have to say. im looking intensively for a blu-ray version that has English Subs on it so i can buy it, if anyone knows where i can find one, send me the link no matter the price i will buy it! i just dont want to watch the remaining 40 minutes of this on a crappy internet video!