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46 out of 54 people found the following review useful: Great movie, greater emotions., 2 September 2007 Author: AndTheRoo from Malaysia
"The movie is named 5 Centimeters Per Second for the speed at which cherry blossom petals fall, petals being a metaphorical representation of humans, reminiscent of the slowness of life and how people often start together but slowly drift into their separate ways." Beautiful. Absolutely an instant masterpiece by Makoto Shinkai. I enjoyed Voices of A Distant Star and The Place Promised in Our Early Days, But I never thought that he could pull off another great film.Plot-wise, it has similarities with his previous works(Voices of A Distant Star), but it manages to create a different atmosphere here. Watching all 3 short stories consecutively, I'll have to say the final chapter was the best among 3. The pinnacle, however, is the first one. Second chapter is a little slow-paced, but it matches the movie theme nicely.Can't have much complain towards the music. As usual, Tenmon proves he's got the talent with emotional piano pieces. The theme song is nice as well.Animation & visual effects is stunning. Makoto Shinkai definitely gets a solid certificate to be one of the best visual directors out there at the moment. Overall, a 9/10 for me. It's almost flawless, but nothing can be perfect, right? ;)
26 out of 36 people found the following review useful: Features in Deep film, 1 March 2008 Author: mr-dxxxx from Shanghai, China
Having viewed the previous two films of Makoto Shinkai,I am enchanted by these animations.It is a beautiful and a little sorrow story in the film,but you will find the story is depicted in a totally different way after finishing reading the novel of it.Especially the 3rd chapter:5 cm per second.In the film,there are a myriad of description about Takaki,while few about Akari.Admittedlly,the plot is evolved in the eye of him.However,there are almost equal depiction about Takaki and Akari in the novel.I like the feature of Takaki,he is a industrious kid thought physical trouble(his health condition is not very good in youth)and changing of the environment(he always moves) give some disadvantage in his young days.Later he entered a Univ in Tokyo,and in his campus life he also had some beautiful affections with his workmate in some social work.So he undergo certain pain emotionally,but this makes him a more strong man.He is also a boy of achievement:in the novel,he work as a programmer in a big company,and he has considerable income.Although succeed in career,Takaki's emotional life is not supposed to be very perfect.He still care about Akari even after having worked for a few years,or even in relationship with his girlfriend.The reason why he is so confused in the film is that somebody is haunting around him.But after the train passed by,the girl(she is supposed to be Akari) in the other side of the railway disappeared.Our actor know that she had pursued her happiness.Okay,let's him start a new life!
25 out of 39 people found the following review useful: really really good, however, its just toooo sad, 23 May 2008 Author: Samuel Orozco (orozcosamuel1@hotmail.com)
This movie is basically three separate chapters, each of them showing different degrees of separation between two people.throughout the movie you'll see one of the best animation scenes in history. Its superb!!, images are incredibly neat and well done. In this department I would give the movie an 11 out of ten.first chapter is absolutely flawless, its amazing, one of the best pieces of animation I've ever seen, maybe even the best. You are captivated by the characters amazingly fast, its fantastic. another 11 out of ten.Second chapter is also very good but.. the first chapter is so perfect that you don't think much of the second one.last chapter is good. actually it is PERFECT, it allows the movie to make its point. in other words, it ends the way it has to. I did not give this chapter a 10 ONLY because it made me really sad ( I don't think I'm spoiling anything by saying this). I thought it was going to end in a completely different way.Anyway, I recommend this movie a lot, just the animation and the first chapter makes it worth it. If you like the ending you could probably rank it as a 9.5 or ten.
10 out of 12 people found the following review useful: Fantastic scenes, Powerful story, 28 November 2007 Author: tr_fanatic-2 from Romania
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
The movie is subtitled "a chain of short stories about their distance" and I can think of no better way of summarizing it without giving away the mystery."5 Centimeters Per Second" can be classified as a love-drama film as it contains plenty of both.I recommend this movie even to those that dislike anime, because if you watch just four minutes of the movie you simply forget you are looking at a Japanese-style film. The emotions are very powerful and you just cannot help but love the characters. It was very hard for me to give it 9/10 stars, but I felt like the second episode was missing something.-- Story: "5 Centimeters Per Second" is composed of three chapters/episodes. Makoto Shinkai does a fantastic job at creating a story that immediately finds a way into your soul. Despite being an anime movie, there are no Sci-Fi nor any Fantasy elements. It is simply a reflection of life with it's struggles and obstacles, that come together in deep moments.**SPOILER**The first chapter tells the story of close friends Takaki Tōno and Akari Shinohara and how time and space forces them to go their separate ways. After graduating elementary school the two keep in touch by writing letters and visit each other one more time before Takaki and his family move further away from Akari's town. Despite the two's mutual special feelings, they do not speak about them until their last meeting.The second chapter introduces Kanae Sumita, a classmate of Takaki that falls in love with him, but cannot express her feelings to him. One day she notices Takaki staring into the distance and understands that he is searching for something far grater than her.The third episode finds our character in very different situations. Years later, we see Akari somewhat happy, getting ready to marry a man, but still melancholic after finding an old letter of hers addressed to Takaki. In another place in Japan, Takaki has a job, but lives alone and cannot let go of his past memories.**/SPOILER**-- Art and Animation: The environment instantly sucks you in and you find yourself immersed inside the same dream-like situation like Takaki Tōno. The movie has one of the greatest artistic presentations of it's genre. Many may shy away from the prospect of watching a movie that has love and drama as center elements, but the movie is worth watching for the art alone. Makoto Shinkai has created perfect environments, enhanced by light and details such as individual grass seeds moving in the wind. The style of animation is fantastic. Takaki's simple gestures of frustration while waiting in the delayed train speak out better than any words. --Characters and voice acting: At first glance the characters look like the average Japanese hikikomori (introvert), but it's hard to imagine any other characters taking part in such sweet and heart-warming situations. All the three (soon to be adults) find it hard to express their feelings which gives the viewer something to relate to. The voice acting is relatively good. Although the fast-pace Japanese language may be hard to get used to, the actors' whispers and thoughts are able to send out powerful emotions.--Music: The music, composed by Tenmon consists mostly of piano elements and also a song used for Episode 3: "One more time, one more chance" written and performed by Masayoshi Yamazaki. All these go extremely well with the melancholic atmosphere of the movie. --Overall: If you like beautiful art and animation, plus a good story, then "5 Centimeters Per Second" is a must-see. Even though it is only one hour long, the movie talks about heart-braking situations and hidden feelings, things we can all relate to. Just make sure you have a box of tissues with you before watching. :)
6 out of 7 people found the following review useful: It moved me beyond words, 26 April 2008 Author: dbborroughs from Glen Cove, New York
Three interconnected stories about love and loss and how some hearts change and some don't. Part one a boy goes to meet a girl who lies at the end of a long train ride. Part Two a girl in the boys new high school tries to attract his attention. Part Three years later. The tales are bitter sweet lovely and delicate. They are not perfect, but since they are almost tone poems of emotion its okay.I missed this at the NY Children's film festival and had to wait for the DVD release...Oh man I thought it was tough for parents to explain the Girl who Leapt through Time-What would parents and young kids have made of this? I know the kids would have trouble processing it since their experience wouldn't allow for it and the parents would probably be broken hearted...mommy why are you crying? How do you explain this sort of emotion to a child?As for me, I have no idea what to say... Similar and yet different to the directors Voices From a Distant Star, this is a film about distance and communication (or lack there of) and how the heart approaches what it yearns...I am moved to somewhere beyond words. Echoes of my own life aside there is something about the emotion that moves you-why am I crying? I don't know. The wall against such things has been punctured and while the tears were never a torrent there was a few moments where they definitely flowed.Its not perfect-frankly I don't know what it is, but it moved me...Take my advice, and that of the song at the end-tell the person you love that you love them.------------PS In theory the three parts of the movie can be seen separately...but in reality I doubt that they would work as well in parts- certainly the third one won't since all of the emotion come from the first two parts.
5 out of 6 people found the following review useful: Most beautiful movie ever, 22 March 2009 Author: Bence Locsei from Hungary
What you will definitely notice first is the animation. The drawings are beyond compare I have never seen such beautiful artwork in anime ever. This is 11 of 10 stars, not one less.So, the plot. I don't think there is anything more beautiful in the world as pure, young love, everyone who was in love as a child can emphasize with that. No hesitation, no questions, just two souls melting in harmony. I fear as we grow older, most of us loose their capability of feeling that way, there is just to much stress and influence on us, what a pity. So... to the point; never has a movie (not just anime) projected this feeling of a young soul desperately in love more precise and moving than this one. I am a 26 year old man and I don't know when I cried the last time, but at a certain point in the movie I found myself dropping a big tear.But beware: the movie is about chapter one. The second, still beautiful and honest, with a great metaphor and the very nice idea of changing the lead character, giving another angle on the subject, can just not compel with the first. And as many others, I did not like the last chapter either, but it is need to be said, that this plot does not harmonize with a good old fashioned Hollywood happy end, as most of the viewers would expect, or rather demand, I could say. This is a Japanese movie and Japanese movies take another angle on life itself. Just take it as it comes. This is definitely art.If you are a romantic one, and open to art movies, this will become a piece of your soul. Honest thanks to the makers.
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful: superb, 24 March 2009 Author: tomsan84 from Netherlands
Since the story is more like a poem the narration is important to follow. I like to watch my anime in the original language and so I had some difficulty following the subs and watching the movie at the same time. I didn't realize in the beginning it was going to be like it was. I just picked it out from the IMDb list and thought it would be a 'regular' ghibli story line. What was presented to me was beautiful at the least. Some people say that the second story is of lesser interest, but I disagree. This middle story is what hangs it together. It shows how his love is never ending/fading not even a little. I wonder how that 2nd girl managed to life on after he left... She comes out the saddest imo.personally I think the story does drag on a little to much. Its just an hour of material, but it tends to get a little slow now and then, I guess thats part of the poem and I realize that but still..*spoiler warning* The story is very depressing, a whole trail of loved and lost drenches the story and no one ends up pretty. I am all for bad endings, but this is just.. well VERY depressing. Still I love the ending.I do have some minor criticism. First; although the movie is quite realistic I think the people in the story are a little young, it could have started off when they where a little older imo. Second; there are 4 figures in the story. The personalities can easily be ordered by importance. the boy on 1; the first girl on 2; second girl on 3 and that one shy girl which hardly plays a role, but is important. personally I think it would have been better if girl 1 would have been written more into the story in part 3. its to short, and not in balance with part 1.well agree or disagree with the above, I still think its a great love poem.
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful: I kept from crying and felt deadened, 31 December 2008 Author: (Real77) from United States
'Five Centimeters Per Second' is not a complex tragedy. There are stories like this one and there are too few of them; they are saddening stories which are not at all Shakespearian (they aren't to be thought about but felt). I will not ruin this experience for you by describing it, and I do not think that I can. Anyhow, the plot is simple: the story is of how a young boy and and young girl fall in love with each other and how they drift apart over the period of a few years. That's it. There are three episodes inside of this film; the second episode is set some years after the first episode, and the third episode is set some more years after the second episode. There is not actual depth to speak of; again, this is not a Shakespearian tale that requires one to think some, but it's worth so much more to me because it broke my heart and dried me up. This movie is a experience which has to be felt... Watch this movie now...10/10 (of course)
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful: A touching, fitting story "about their distance", 3 September 2008 Author: John Doe from United States
Makoto Shinkai delivers once again. "Byôsoku 5 senchimêtoru," or "5 Centimeters per Second," is the story of a boy and a girl, Takaki Tohno and Akari Sinohara who drift apart after years and years of separation. **SPOILER** Although once best friends, Akari and Takaki both transfer schools, separating them from each other. Years pass and there is no longer any communication between the two. Both try their hardest to communicate with each other through post and a visit, but soon both have little contact. Now both independent adults, Takaki and Akari both lead their own lives but still still long for each other. Finally, there is a bittersweet ending (my favorite part) when Takaki passes an unknown woman (who is heavily implied to be Akari) on the train tracks where they had parted so many years ago. Upon crossing the tracks, both turn to look back but are blocked by two passing trains. After the trains pass, the woman on the other side is gone. **/SPOILER**Animatiion (10/10): Flawless, excellent, breathtaking. You would be hard-pressed to find another animation movie with the picture quality of this one. I also like the fact that Makoto Shinkai uses real-world settings in this movie.Seiyuus (voice actors) (8/10): This is the part where the movie is just a little bit lacking (which is why it received a 9). I thought the voice actors were just a tad bland. There just wasn't enough emotion in their voices for me. However, on the other hand, they were able to portray their characters extremely well.Music (10/10): Amazing. Perfect. All of Tenmon's music is fits the setting. Melancholic piano solos and mellow strings certainly set the stage for Byôsoku 5 senchimêtoru. Particularly, I enjoyed the song "One More Time, One More Chance" because I felt it was a great representation of Akari and Takaki's relationship.I would recommend this movie to anyone. In the last chapter I burst into tears, as it reminded me of a relationship I had like that before. Animation movies certainly don't get much better than this.*NOTE: This is a review of the English subtitled movie.
A stunning film, that made me feel truly alone, 9 June 2009 Author: TrAkILLAuDiO from United States
I rented this movie after watching voices, and place promised, and I knew that there would be the same tone in this film. After I watched chapter one, I honestly felt exactly what the people were feeling, I connected with them on so many levels, this to me is a huge part of what makes this movie so good, it draws you in, makes you feel just what people in the movie are feeling, and makes you think about that first love you ever had. In chapter 2 the story gets more complex, and more emotional at times, and seeing as I had just broken up with my ex fiancé, and another girlfriend, I found myself again feeling that loneliness that creeps into your soul in the small hours of the night. My all time favorite part of this movie is when Takaki is sitting at his desk writing an email, and he clears it out and closes his phone saying, "when did I start writing messages, to no one" I honestly was so amazed with this part of the film, that it became my favorite part, and I honestly love the middle chapter. The third chapter is also breathtaking, and driven so well by the loneliness of Takaki that it seems almost as if you want to turn it off, you want to have a vision of him happy with his life, and you want it to be OK, but it's not, and the music in this chapter is amazingly matched with the tone of his very soul. all in all I loved every last moment of this film. this movie is by far one of the best movies I have ever seen. The visuals are breath taking, and simply amazing, and the story line is one of the best I have seen in a film.
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