At what speed must I live to see you again?|Mar. 03, 2007|Japan|63 Min.|TV-PG
Genre: Animation;Drama;Romance
Description: “5 Centimeters per Second,” a 2007 Japanese romantic drama anime film directed by Makoto Shinkai, premiered on March 3, 2007. The movie is divided into three segments: “Cherry Blossom,” “Cosmonaut,” and “5 Centimeters per Second,” each depicting different stages of Takaki Tōno’s life and his relationships with the women around him. The film won Best Animated Feature Film at the 2007 Asia Pacific Screen Awards and was later adapted into a novel in November 2007, followed by a manga illustrated by Seike Yukiko in 2010.
The story begins in 1991 when Takaki befriends Akari Shinohara after she transfers to his elementary school in Tokyo. Their shared interests and habits, like staying indoors during recess due to seasonal allergies, forge a deep bond between them. This closeness is evident in their use of given names without honorifics, a sign of intimacy in Japan.
After graduating elementary school in 1994, Akari moves to Tochigi due to her parents’ jobs. Despite maintaining contact through letters, the two gradually grow apart. When Takaki learns his family will relocate to Kagoshima in 1995, he decides to visit Akari one last time before the distance makes it impossible. He also writes a letter confessing his feelings for her. However, a snowstorm delays his train, and he loses the letter during the journey. When they finally meet late at night and share their first kiss, Takaki realizes their relationship cannot continue. They spend the night in a shed, and the next morning, Takaki departs with a promise to keep in touch. As the train leaves, Takaki accepts the loss of his letter as insignificant after the kiss, while Akari quietly holds onto her own unsent letter to him.
Cast director: Makoto Shinkai
Cast actor: Kenji Mizuhashi, Yoshimi Kondou, Satomi Hanamura, Risa Mizuno, Ayaka Onoue, Hiroshi Shimozaki, Masami Iwasaki, Rei Kondo, Takahiro Hirano, Yuko Nakamura
Original name: 秒速5センチメートル