5 Centimeters Per Second written and directed by Shinkai Makoto (2007)
7 May 2008Another amazing anime produced by Shinkai, this one 3 short stories about love and the distance between people. The title refers to the spee that cherry blossom petals fall, and that is an allegory for how people slowly drift their separate ways. A bit too short, at just over an hour, but the animation is all top notch, and really adds to the story. The little details make this seem like a real world, and really bring this above your typical animation. Quite lovely stories about love and loss, and loving from a distance.
REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS…
1: Okasho
Upon graduation from Elementary school two close friends Tono Takaki (Mizuhashi Kenji) and Shinohara Akari (Kondo Yoshimi) have started to drift apart. Akari has had to move a great distance away, and while they write letters, they are not as close. When Takaki learns that he will be moving even farther away he goes to visit Akari before he is too far, but he is delayed and delayed on the way by a snow storm, finally coming in way too late, but she is waiting for him in the small station. The two walk in the snow, and talk about wanting to do this when the cherry blossoms fall. They kiss, and sleep in a small shack, but Takaki must leave in the morning.
2: Cosmonaut
Takaki is now in his third year of High School near the Tanegashima Space Center. One of his classmates Sumita Kanae (Hanamra Satomi) really likes him, but is too scared to tell him, though she waits for him, and tries to ride home with him (each on their scooters) whenever she can. She is always depressed because she sees him text messaging, but she doesn’t know he is just writing to himself. And dreaming of going into space and being on an alien planet. Kanae resolves herself that she will just be his friend, because he obviously cares for another.
3: Byosoku 5 Centimeter
Now in modern times Takaki is a computer programmer in Tokyo and Akari is planning on getting married. One day Takaki sees a familiar looking woman on a railroad crossing, but a train cuts off his view, and the woman is gone when the train passes she is gone. He knows it was Akari, but he realizes maybe it is for the best that they did not see each other again.
••••
A sad love story about people growing apart. So real, it really did not need to be animated. A lovely little film.
Feedback
You must be logged in to post a comment.