5 Centimeters per Second: Difference between revisions

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''5 Centimeters Per Second'' is [[Makoto Shinkai]]'s third film, and was released in 2007. However, unlike his other works, the events here reflect the relentless nature of reality. The end result is a highly polished, but also very depressing, heart-breaking and beautiful romance movie.

''5 Centimeters Per Second'' (秒速5センチメートル, ''Byōsoku Go Senchimētoru'') is [[Makoto Shinkai]]'s third film, and was released in 2007. However, unlike his other works, the events here reflect the relentless nature of reality, with no plot-relevant fantasy or science fiction elements. The end result is a highly polished, but also very depressing, heart-breaking and beautiful romance movie.

The movie's focus is ~~about~~ two people named Takaki Tohno and Akari Shinohara, following them as they mature. It is divided into three episodes that ~~together,~~ comprise the movie. The first part, "Cherry Blossoms", follows Takaki's reflections on his relationship with Akari while they were children. The second act, "Cosmonaut", leaves Akari to depict Takaki as a teenager and is told from Kanae Sumida's perspective. The final part, which is also called "5 Centimeters Per Second", shows them as young adults, in a montage set to the famous Japanese pop song "One More Time, One More Chance".

The movie's focus is on two people named Takaki Tohno and Akari Shinohara, following them as they mature. It is divided into three episodes that comprise the movie. The first part, "Cherry Blossoms", follows Takaki's reflections on his relationship with Akari while they were children. The second act, "Cosmonaut", leaves Akari to depict Takaki as a teenager and is told from Kanae Sumida's perspective. The final part, which is also called "5 Centimeters Per Second", shows them as young adults, in a montage set to the famous Japanese pop song "One More Time, One More Chance".

The title ''5 Centimeters Per Second'' refers to the speed at which [[Cherry Blossom]] petals fall and acts as a metaphor for the nature of love and human relationships.

In addition to the film proper, there is also a 2007 light novel adaptation and 2010 manga both written by Shinkai himself, as well as a second novel, ''one more side''. This one was written by Arata Kanoh in 2011 and provides alternative perspectives on the film, such as Akari's view of the first act's events.

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* [[Dreaming of Things to Come]]: Takaki has a recurring dream of himself and Akari climbing a hill in a surrealistic sunrise. Aside of being a [[Mythology Gag]] for ''Place Promised'', this could be [[Distant Finale|the future]], [[Mundane Afterlife|their afterlife]], or an [[Alternate Universe]].

* [[Don't You Dare Pity Me!]]: {{spoiler|When Kanae starts to tear up at her inability to tell Takaki her feelings, she has an internal version of this.}}

*[[Expy]]: Takaki incorporates elements derived from the male leads in Shinkai's previous works, and shares some similarities to [[The Great Gatsby|Jay Gatsby]]

*[[Expy]]: Takaki incorporates elements derived from the male leads in Shinkai's previous works, and shares some similarities to [[The Great Gatsby|Jay Gatsby.]]

*[[Foreshadowing]]:

**In the first act, Takaki hopes while his train is stalled by the snowstorm that Akari has gone home rather than wait for him in the cold. {{spoiler| This time, she waited. Come the third act, she no longer does.}}

**There are several mentions of the Japanese space program in the second act well before the climactic rocket launch happens.

**In ''one more side'', Risa becomes distressed by Takaki guessing that she has an older brother, but it takes three more chapters to learn why.

* [[Gratuitous English]]: As with Shinkai's other movies, it has a Japanese title (''Byōsoku Go Senchimētoru''/"5 Centimeters Per Second") but an English subtitle; in this case: ''A Chain Of Short Stories About Their Distance''.

* [[I Will Wait for You]]: This is implied in the second act and {{spoiler|subverted in the third act}}: In the period between the end of part two and the beginning of part three, Takaki has {{spoiler|had at least one long-term relationship with another woman}}, and Akari has {{spoiler|become engaged to another man}}.

* [[In Medias Res]]: The last third begins on March 2008, with Takaki working at home before going for a walk. {{spoiler|He then sees Akari again at the ~~train~~ ~~stop~~, whereby the rest of the segment flashes back to him at his old job and old (or at least messy) apartment. It is still implied he had finished his three year relationship by this point, due to the date on the text from his ex-girlfriend showing February 2008.}} Of course once the [[Multiple Endings]] sequence begins, the vast majority is in the form of flash backs since it goes back to their childhood, before returning to the present day.

* [[In Medias Res]]: The last third begins on March 2008, with Takaki working at home before going for a walk. {{spoiler|He then sees Akari again at the railway crossing, whereby the rest of the segment flashes back to him at his old job and old (or at least messy) apartment. It is still implied he had finished his three year relationship by this point, due to the date on the text from his ex-girlfriend showing February 2008.}} Of course once the [[Multiple Endings]] sequence begins, the vast majority is in the form of flash backs since it goes back to their childhood, before returning to the present day.

* [[Just Friends]]: Takaki becomes this to Akari [[Multiple Endings|(possibly)]] when she doesn't turn back, and Kanae to Takaki when she doesn't reveal her feelings for him.

* [[Last-Name Basis|Last Name Basis]]: Takaki's distance from Kanae is reflected by how, unlike with Akari, he always uses her last name.

* [[Lighter and Softer]]: Unlike Shinkai's previous two films with their bloodshed and violence, here there isn't even a schoolyard scuffle.

* [[Mr. Fanservice]]: Older Takaki is quite handsome even when his life is in shambles.

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** In one of Takaki's flashbacks during "Cherry Blossoms", Akari stops to pet a cat named Chobi, and remarks that it must be lonely for him without Mimi around; in Shinkai's short "She and Her Cat," Chobi is the name of the titular cat, and he has a lady-friend (also a cat) named Mimi.

** A tall tower is present in Takaki's recurring dreams, reminiscent of the Union's tower in Shinkai's previous work, [[The Place Promised in Our Early Days]].

* [[Snow Means ~~Love~~]]: ~~Tohno~~ and Akari ~~kiss~~ ~~under~~ ~~the sakura tree for the first time~~. ~~While~~ it ~~signifies~~ ~~love,~~ it ~~also signifies~~ the ~~coldness~~ ~~Tohno~~ ~~feels~~ ~~when~~ ~~faced~~ ~~with the~~ ~~prospect~~ of ~~being~~ ~~separated~~ ~~from~~ ~~her~~.

* [[Snow Means Death]]: Of Takaki and Akari's relationship, that is. It peaks when they kiss under the sakura tree while it snows, and their relationship goes steadily downhill afterwards.

* [[Snow Means Love]]: Takaki and Akari kiss under the sakura tree for the first time. While it signifies love, it also signifies the coldness Tohno feels when faced with the prospect of being separated from her.

* [[Star-Crossed Lovers]]: ~~Tohno~~ and Akari have more hope for a happy ending than typical cases, but they qualify nonetheless. This is more apparent in Kanae's situation: her {{spoiler|tearful confession is cut off by a rocket launch}}.

* [[Star-Crossed Lovers]]: Takaki and Akari have more hope for a happy ending than typical cases, but they qualify nonetheless. This is more apparent in Kanae's situation: her {{spoiler|tearful confession is cut off by a rocket launch}}.

* [[Technology Marches On]]: The first act occurs in the early 1990s, and as such, cell phones and email are still relatively rare. As the story moves through the second and third act, these technologies become more commonplace.

* [[Theme and Variations Soundtrack]]: Some of the piano arrangements share motifs with "One More Time, One More Chance".

* [[Tomboy and Girly Girl]]: Akari and Kanae never meet in the movie, but Akari is noticeably more intelligent whereas Kanae is noticeably more physically active and assertive. This is played with in the reverse direction: Kanae comes across as being more emotionally fragile than Akari.

* [[Train Station Goodbye]]: When the two lovers finally part at Iwafune Station, they leave behind their innocence and unspoken emotions.

* [[True Love's Kiss]]: ~~Despite~~ ~~Tohno~~ and Akari sharing a kiss early on, life for ~~Tohno~~ remains somewhat of a challenge from there until the ending of the final act.

* [[True Love's Kiss]]: Subverted in that despite Takaki and Akari sharing a kiss early on, life for him remains somewhat of a challenge from there until the ending of the final act.

* [[Unlucky Childhood Friend]]: All three characters find woe in matters of the heart, but Kanae fits the trope best, as she's not a main focus character.

* [[Vehicle Vanish]]: This is perhaps one of the most moving instances, as Akari and ~~Tohno~~ become separated after their last meeting together when the maybe-her is obscured by a pair of trains and gone by the time they finish passing.

* [[Vehicle Vanish]]: This is perhaps one of the most moving instances, as Akari and Takaki become separated after their last meeting together when the maybe-her is obscured by a pair of trains and gone by the time they finish passing.