‘5 Centimeters Per Second’ Insider Movie Review
Makoto Shinkai’s touching animated drama that explores two kids’ experiences with friendship and distance
5 Centimetres Per Second is a very moving animated drama. Written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, “Byōsoku Go Senchimētoru” (its Japanese title) is about two best friends, Tono Takaki and Shinohara Akari. They first became friends as kids in school.
One day, both of their families moved away. This forced the two friends to separate. Both of them wanted to keep their friendship alive. So, they kept in touch no matter what happened.
Through the story, Takaki goes on a journey to visit his childhood friend.
This drama is separated into three distinct chapters. Each one depicts the two friends at different stages of their lives. These chapters show the different perspectives of their lives from their own eyes and that of the people around them.
Breaking it all down
I’ll be completely honest …
I thought I was a tough guy, but this story made me cry.
This animated story has some of the best visuals I’ve ever seen. But more importantly, the storyline is so well-written. It’ll definitely touch the heart of even the toughest man or woman who watches it.
The movie is divided into three chapters or episodes. Each looks at a different time in Takaki and Akari’s lives. After watching the first, things might feel a bit confusing. But by the third, all the dots connect. Everything makes perfect sense.
We can all relate to the relationship between the two main characters. Firstly, they’re childhood friends. Also, there’s clearly some romantic tension involved. But then, they get separated by circumstance, time, and distance. That reminds people of all the close friendships that have faded away in our lives.
“In that moment, I realized where his heart was.” — Akari Shinohara
Visually, I also find the attention to detail very impressive. The main characters are animated very well. On top of that, the animators pay close attention to the things, places, and people around them. They’ve clearly devoted a lot of attention to the background scenery. This truly brings the world to life in this movie.
I feel like the soundtrack was also an important part of this movie. The romantic piano score does a good job in amplifying the emotions felt in the dialogue between the characters. The movie is only 63 minutes long. Still, don’t be surprised if you spend a significant portion of that time with tears in your eyes. I know I did.
Essential Movie Details
By the way… did you know?
- “5 Centimeters Per Second” comes from how fast cherry blossom petals fall to the ground
- Makoto Shinkai didn’t want to include science fiction or fantasy elements to this story, unlike his other movies
- At the Asia Pacific Screen Awards in 2007 ‘Best Animated Feature Film’
- This film became a novel in 2007, and later a manga (Japanese comic) in 2010
In The End
Hey, I’m not a big fan of animated movies. Even less so, Japanese anime-style ones.
But I’m glad that I made an exception for “5 Centimeters Per Second”. It’s a good reminder of how time and distance affect our lives.
The story will leave you feeling wistful. But that also makes you appreciate the friendships you have in your life.
Romantics will enjoy this story. Honestly, I didn’t know I was romantic until I saw this movie.
Clearly, it was written by a romantic as well. This is obvious when you watch Makoto Shinkai’s other films, like “The Place Promised In Our Early Days” (2004). That’s another film of his that you must watch.
You’ll walk away from this movie with a bittersweet feeling in your chest. It’ll make you reminisce about your own childhood friends and loves. You may even feel inspired to reconnect with some of them.
Where to Watch
Ready to watch 5 Centimeters Per Second online free after our IMDB, Wiki & Rotten Tomatoes style movie review? Well, instead of hitting up Netflix, Reddit, 123movies, Prime or Putlocker for 5 Centimeters Per Second streaming, just visit us at Homestream.
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Ashley Mills grew up in Nevada and graduated with a degree in government from UNLV. After working at Final Cut Magazine as an editorial assistant, she became a freelance writer in California, where she eventually began to write about movies for the Arts & Leisure section of major publications.
In 2015 she became the movie critic at the a popular Northeastern newspaper, where she stayed for nearly two years before moving to Delaware to be the movie critic at a local newspaper. She left in 2019 and began working at Homestream. She writes entertainment pieces on movies, television shows and popular culture.
You can connect with Ashley on Homestream’s Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or by visiting our website.
