07.31.08
5 Centimeters per Second review
After hearing about and seeing images from 5 Centimeters per Second, I decided to sit down and watch it a few nights ago. And I’m glad I did take an hour out of my time for it because it is absolutely gorgeous…
First of all, I’m sure just about anyone who’s seen 5Cm/Sec will agree that the art and animation are some of the best (if not, the best) to come out in any hand-drawn animated movie. The vibrant colors and fine details stand out beautifully in just about every scene. Everything from the shades of color in the sky, the shine of the stars, the snow, the rain, etc., was all carefully placed with amazing depth and precision. There’s also very little music in the movie, which I think helps make the stunning artwork stand out even more. This is a movie whose aesthetics and animation quality can be appreciated by not just anime fans but anyone interested in art or cinematography.
The movie is divided into three 22-minute “episodes” giving it a relatively short run-time of 62 minutes. This is a bit unusual for a theatrical movie but 5Cm/Sec manages to pull it off without the three parts seeming too disjointed. The first episode does a great job establishing the relationship between Takaki and Akari; the words in the letters that they write to each other together with the emotion of their voice actors really gives a sense of the strong longing they have. The pacing of the episode is also well done and the viewer can almost feel the anxiety and disappointment that Takaki feels as his meeting with Akari is delayed for hours on end. After watching the first episode, one gets the idea that the two of them are truly in love and will probably live “happily ever after” in the end. But as we see later on, 5Cm/Sec does not follow this stereotypical formula and instead gives us a more bitter-sweet ending.
The second episode shifts perspectives to that of a third character, Kanae. In this episode we’re only exposed to Kanae’s thoughts and actions as she observes Takaki. As with the first episode, this one still gives the impression that Takaki is in love and in contact with Akari, again making the ending of the movie even more surprising. This episode could almost be skipped, since very little is focused on Takaki and Akari, but it’s a necessary “break” in between the beginning and end of Takaki and Akari’s relationship. Jumping from one extreme (them being desperately in love) to another (them moving on without each other) would make the movie seem too rushed so watching them from an outsider’s point of view really helps the flow of the movie.
The third and conclusive part of the movie takes a totally different tone as we now see that distance and time have indeed brought Takaki and Akari apart, resulting in Takaki becoming a depressed and bewildered computer programmer. Akari on the other hand seems to have let go of the past and is happily moving on with her life with the man she has chosen to marry. All that’s left is for Takaki to also let go of the past and move on, which he finally realizes at the very end of the movie. The railroad crossing scene at the movie’s closing is the perfect symbol of 5Cm/Sec’s message and Takaki’s realization that he must forget the unchangeable past and move on with his life.
The only thing that bothered me a bit in 5Cm/Sec is that I think it would have been better if more focus was put on exactly how Takaki and Akari drifted apart to the point that they did in the third episode. In the first two episodes we get the impression that they’re so madly in love, so even if they couldn’t see each other in person, if they really did love each other couldn’t they call or e-mail each other all the time or something? What exactly happened for them to reach the point where they would start going out with someone else? Their relationship seems to give the impression that two people have to constantly be together physically or else they drift apart. This is a pretty strong message (though I’m not saying its totally false because it definitely isn’t) so I think it would have really helped if perhaps one more episode was added to show the steps leading up to them eventually not having any contact with each other at all (maybe from Akari’s perspective since Takaki gets most of the focus in the movie).
Besides the outcome of Takaki and Akari’s relationship being a little unclear, the overall message of the movie is very memorable. Instead of the romance between the two protagonists being unfaltering, 5Cm/Sec gives the much more realistic view that love does not always stand the test of time and distance, and people’s hearts change over time. Takaki comes to realize this in the end and he also learns that one must not dwell on a past that cannot be returned but must instead move forward and make an effort to find other and perhaps better things in life. Thus, when the trains pass and the girl is no longer there, he realizes that he is wasting his life simply waiting for the past to return to him; just as she has moved on, so must he. But if true love is supposed to conquer all, even time and distance, then were Takaki and Akari not really in love with each other? If they had been able to see each other regularly, would they still have ended up drifting apart? These are some questions that the movie gives us to ponder.
In conclusion, I think 5Cm/Sec is a must-see for any anime fan, especially those who love beautiful artwork in their anime. Since it’s only about an hour long, it couldn’t expand too much on any one subject, such as each character’s development, but that’s its only flaw really. With its high-quality animation and unique, universal message, I think 5Cm/Sec can be enjoyed by just about anyone who enjoys thought-provoking and aesthetically pleasing movies.
Johnson said,
August 2, 2008 at 12:19 pm
wow thats how i really feel to when i watched the movie months ago i couldn’t get it out of my head! Btw i really love the review!
xEvious said,
August 14, 2008 at 7:03 am
I just watched this movie a minute ago. I really love it and i also like the review. I thought they’ll be together..but..its doesnt happen….how sad…..
marc said,
August 17, 2008 at 5:34 pm
i’m curious if takaki and akari were in touch during the second part. despite us seeing him e-mailing all the time. there was a scene where takaki asks something like, “when did i get in the habit of writing messages to nobody?”
nat said,
August 26, 2008 at 6:53 am
akari and takaki did drift apart in the 2nd episode. that was the whole point of the 2nd episode. he was constantly thinking of her and writing messages meant for her, but could never bring himself to actually send them. i can definitely relate to that, since i have the same habit as well of typing messages and never sending them, especially if i feel i’ve drifted apart from that particular person..
also i don’t think that what they experienced wasn’t “true love”.. it’s hard for even “true love” to withstand distance and time. particularly because they were so young when they fell in love, coupled with the circumstances surrounding them.. they just couldn’t be together. so i wouldn’t say that their love wasn’t “true”. it just wasn’t meant to be. and that’s what i thought was really sad…
Rich said,
August 26, 2008 at 6:30 pm
I agree, I thought it was sad but it was real. I didn’t really get the last episode because Akari sends Takaki that text after she finds the letter. Did she tell him what she had always wanted to, what was in that letter, or just dream about it and smile and move on?
Makoto said,
September 24, 2008 at 6:18 am
Actually in the last episode, the person who sent Takaki the text was his ex-girlfriend and not Akari. Translated, the text says:
“Hello Takaki. Its been a while, hasn’t it? How are you? Although I’ve been extremely confused, I realized that there are some things I have to tell you.”
So my interpretation is that as Takaki is unable to move on with his life, he broke up with his girlfriend of 3 years, completely removing her from his life. The final message he sends her, which says that although they’ve sent 1000s of messages to each other they couldn’t even get even 1 centimetre closer to each other confirms this I guess.
If Takaki and Akari actually had the means to communicate with each other through their cellphones… could the ending have been better? But I guess the best things are left in memories :)
SS said,
November 28, 2008 at 1:33 am
moving at 5 centimeter per second, whereever is close enough for “I love you.”
Okasho
The gorgeous cherry blossom at …what a scene to capture in an instant but yet only for awhile then something gets between you, something not in your control, stepping over you 5 cm per second or vice versa? Pulling you down like a eternal pendulum. But this is gorgeous? Those two were gorgeous. It was a blossom!
As it flourished, all the other things seems less important. Why is that? She forgot about her very own letter too. Why is that?
Why taking the solitude trains back to the distance. Why is that?
Cosmonaut
“It will be just fine,” you said. “Do your best! I know you can…” as you said… They are claiming a centimeter by a centimeter. Aimed and set. Getting closer and closer? Closer to where? Like where is the rocket is: nowhere.
Byōsoku 5 Centimeter
Five centimeters per second vs an expanding worldS going at speed you attempt to keep up…oh man..!!! T.T
jhimsan said,
December 8, 2008 at 5:46 am
I really did agree in this film its feels like “two people have to constantly be together physically or else they drift apart”. but then i realize that this film didnt mean it at all.
maybe its nice if there’s a chapter from akari’s prespective, but im afraid that would make this film too clear so the film would lose it artistic sense.
well,from my prespective it goes like this :D
at chapter 1, the author really wants us to think that takaki and akari are really in love, and theyre love is true and pure. but after all, theyre just a kids ‘thought’ theyre in love. there’s a big difference between before and after the kiss, thats true, moreover, takaki is so-o-o naive that he think he would inside akari’s warm forever. and he thinks akari really needs him to not be alone.
at chapter 2, however, theyre just start their relationship and unfortunately they separated so far. so, although they sent letter to each other for some time(in the ending song, takaki and akari both happily receive a letter, but then, the letter is no longer come.), at some point, both takaki and akari dont know anymore what to say(in the ending song, akari confused what to write to takaki and i think that when takaki–too– start writing message without sending it, even he wanted to tell something, he dont know about akari anymore.), because they both changed, and they slowly dont know each other anymore. however, its akari whom takaki always wanted to see, from the first chapter, i somehow realize that takaki is the one who didn’t want to lose akari very much. and for me, this chapter is really an important chapter, in this chapter, theyre feelings start to separate, which is the meaning of the film /:s…
so, that’s true nat said that theyre just wasnt meant to be together. and, yeah, thats sad… well, i really glad to see takaki’s smile at the end of the movie xD though i think that akari is so mean to choose to forget about takaki, that even she dont wait the train to make sure that the man is takaki??
well, its maybe just to send the real message from the film after all :D i want to believe that akari find that takaki is precious as well.
this film is reaaallllyy awesome!!! xD
Ilasir said,
December 16, 2008 at 9:42 am
I keep seeing this talk about “physical closeness”, but that’s not what I got out of it at all. Nor was it just puppy love. I hate to sound cliche, but the fact is that real life rarely works out according to literary themes like “love conquers all”. Long distance relationships don’t tend to work out well, especially amongst younger people. If they had been able to see each other regularly, it is quite likely they would still be together. But situations change. In the beginning, they were alone with each other, and didn’t really have any other firends, and didn’t seem to get along well with their peers. So it made sense to develop and keep a strong attachment with only each other. But after seperating, they entered situations where that wasn’t always the case. People aren’t always the same. A lot of behavior is situational. So when they got the oppurtunity to drift apart, it would be more work NOT to go with it. Especially considering the lack of communication oppurtunities.
Jen Franco said,
January 2, 2009 at 6:27 am
This is such a great movie. I can’t even begin to describe how I felf after watching it. It led me in retrospection about my own relationships. I tell you, watching a movie like this is enough to send you thinking about the bleak realities of life.
It makes me really sad to think that two people who are THAT in love still can’t be together. *sobs*
Kuryous said,
January 14, 2009 at 10:50 pm
I enjoyed reading your review, thank you. I for one thought the ending was perfect. It’s something that really sets this movie apart from the others; not another cliche’, and that’s one of the main reasons I can’t stop thinking about it. I agree completely that the Japanese voice actors really helped convey their love and longing in the movie, I loved their voices. I didn’t really notice that their wasn’t much music in the movie, but now that you’ve mention it, I think maybe that’s the reason why I have the ending song playing in my mp3. ‘5 Centimeter Per Second’ really is an inspirational work of art.
Juuud. said,
February 2, 2009 at 5:52 pm
I really loved this movie.
A friend of mine told me to watch it, and boy, it was amazing.
The ending was unexpected. It was sad, but, hey, it’s life.
Also, I am NOT an anime fan. When I first saw that the movie was animated, I was a little disappointed- but after I saw the BEAUTIFUL animations, the sky, and everything else, oh, it was all so beautiful. The soft music, I loved that too.
It was a great movie, sad in the end, but it’s life, and we all have to move on.
I do have to say though, the skies, and the overall animations were really appealing to the eye.
totitot said,
February 23, 2009 at 7:27 am
very nice review and a great movie… i do agree that the third episode was kinda unclear and a bit frustrating but the entire movie was great… though ultimately i would have preferred for takaki and akari to end up together… because the first episode was too damn good!!!!!
Brent P. Newhall said,
February 24, 2009 at 5:28 pm
I agree with Ilasir – I think the point was that physical separation strains love. I think one of the reasons Takaki didn’t contact Akari was that distance. He didn’t know what she was like anymore, which scared him. So he’d write messages, but couldn’t bring himself to send them.
Now, certainly, long-distance relationships can work. I think this is an example of one that didn’t, and how long one person struggled with it. One of the problems here was that Takaki kept himself in limbo — unable to start a new relationship, and unable to re-connect with the old one. And he ultimately lost a lot of time that way.
I and a compatriot talk about this in great detail on our podcast at http://brentnewhall.com/otaku_no_video/archive.php?id=34 if you’re interested.
In any event, thanks to Yumeka for the review! Great to see a long, thoughtful, and emotionally involving review.
E.J said,
February 28, 2009 at 8:52 am
First off…great movie. I loved the art, it was amazingly beautiful and very detailed. The story was so brilliant and real. Just Amazing.
I believe that the ex-girlfriend mentioned in the 3rd ‘episode,’ was Kanae. My reason to believe is a half second image in the third episode where it seems that Takaki and Kanae were on the same bed. You have to pause it just in time to see it.
Great review, it made more aware of the things that a missed.
Thanks
Joedaman said,
March 27, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Just finished this movie, and I don’t think I have been so touched by such a realistic anime, or movie in general.
To the dude above me, I doubt that it was Kanae in bed with Takaki. Throughout the entire third episode you get to see a black haired women, who is Takaki’s ex. That’s who is in bed with Tohno.
This movie is so grounded in reality that it makes the movie even more depressing, and I know for sure that this movie will be among my top rated DVD’s ever, period.
just another lover of great movies said,
May 7, 2009 at 6:03 am
this was perhaps the most stunning and beautiful movie I have ever seen and it wouldn’t stretch the truth if I said: ‘I have never been as moved by any movie or anything else of the sort’, this was also a stunning review and comments page because what i didn’t get in the film was made clear on this page and it made the movie all the better (although a little sadder).
“This movie is so grounded in reality that it makes the movie even more depressing, and I know for sure that this movie will be among my top rated DVD’s ever, period.” -Joedaman (post above)
I cannot agree with you more. This will also be among the greatest movies I will ever have the privilege of watching. I was so moved by this movie that if I so much as see the movie case it pulls at my heartstrings.
Thank you so much Makoto Shinkai, Yumeka and all the people that posted you have made my week and my top rated DVD’s all that much better
steven said,
September 6, 2009 at 12:32 pm
this movie was definitely one of the best anime ever in my opinion.
it touched me just as much as a movie with live actors.
i loved the ending too, it’s cool how takaki decided to move on after not seeing akari on the other side of the train. beautiful.
Java Lu said,
October 5, 2009 at 5:58 pm
I have a different take on why and how Akari and Takaki drifted apart and never got back.
my reasoning: In episode 3 during the theme song, it shows Akari and Takaki both checking mail box for each other’s mail and neither of them got any. Then notice in episode 1, Takaki promised to write and call(not cell phone) to Akari but we all know Takaki never did that. Akari wanted Takaki to move on since she and Takaki think they will never meet again, as she said in the end of episode 1 that Takaki will be fine with out her, but ofcourse Akari didn’t mean it. Takaki is nervous to write just like the girl who is nervous to confess in second episode that’s why he never wrote but he waited for Akari to write to him as he also did not know if Akari really meant that He will be fine with out her(you will be fine with out me seem to me as a break up sentence). So Akari was waiting for Takaki to contact her the whole time, she even try to write a mail to Takaki on the same pink clove letter as her first letter but she was too sad to finsh it(episode 3 theme music part)because she told him to move on in episode 1. So if she is not contacted as promised, i guess she really thought Takaki has moved on and feel bad if she did send him a letter. Where as Takaki think and took Akari’s word to heart “you will be fine without me”.
So my take is they were both still in love with each other, but hassertation, miss judgement of words and time( time because they only have each others contact when they were 13 years old ) broke them. I bet that when Takaki was writing all those text message he wished that he knew Akari’s number.
Murray said,
October 22, 2009 at 11:53 pm
This, I believe, is the most touching thing I’ve ever seen. I was so inspired by the first episode. Not knowing anything like this myself, the first episode made me feel so hopeful and emotional. I quickly continued to the second episode, where I was deeply touched in a completely different way. The second episode related everything I had felt to real life. It sort of depressed me, but really integrated my feelings into my reality. Then when the third episode ended, I got temporarily upset with whoever it was that made this movie. It was thoroughly depressing and sad; it made me cry. But overall, after reading the great review at the top of the page, I am so glad that I watched this movie and I enjoyed it so much. I just finished about half an hour ago, so my mind is spinning. I probably won’t think of the right things to write in my comment until tomorrow morning but as is the message of this movie(at least to me), life doesn’t always work out. My least favorite thing about it is directly tied the my most favorite. It ends in sadness, but it helps me to understand life and love. Love can be so strong, but it doesn’t always work out, and that’s life. It’s just a part of living and learning. We’re all meant to love and to be happy, but that doesn’t mean that we won’t have sadness. Just thinking about this movie gives me all sorts of emotions. Truly inspiring and touching. 10 out of 10 and 3 thumbs up.