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Sianeka

  • Southern California
  • Joined May 2, 2013
  • ? / F

5 Centimeters per Second is the purported speed at which a cherry blossom petal falls from a tree to the ground, and like the ephemeral cherry blossom, the powerful love of two people separated by fate withers from the harsh toll taken due to the effects of time and distance on their relationship. This heartrending tale explores the effects of such a passion.

Tono Takaki and Shinohara Akari meet in elementary school and become very close friends.  Their relationship deepens even further in middle school. Then Akari has to move away, due to her parents' job changes but they keep in touch via correspondence.  They have a memorable meeting again, spurred by an upcoming move even farther away to be made by Tono. Life continues and over time, the distance and lack of contact erode their closeness, although each continues to feel affection for the other.

This movie, however, isn't really about these two characters. The focus of the movie truly is the atmosphere, and the affect of distance on the relationship. The graphics are gorgeous - truly stunning visuals, noteworthy scenic settings, spectacular lighting effects, smooth flowing animation. Character designs are not as memorable as there is nothing special to distinguish each person but this isn't so important as the movie really isn't about these characters but instead is focused on telling their story and is focused on their relationship and the effects of time and distance on that relationship.  The true leading character of the story is Time and the true plot is about the passage of Time. Soundtrack is suitably apropos, with full-sounding but understated instrumentals and perfectly orchestrated background sounds; nothing is ever jarring or out-of-place and nothing is missing. The amazing visuals and perfectly integrated accompanying soundtrack mesh perfectly to create the rich, moving, and affecting bittersweet atmosphere that defines this movie.

The movie's director Makoto Shinkai's vision of love and the pain of a desperate and hopeless love is precisely depicted, with not a note out of place. We feel the anguish of these characters and their enforced separation, as circumstances escalate the time and distance between the two leads. We are left to perceive and savor these feelings, as we are not given further plot advancements nor additional character development upon which to focus our attentions.

The story is told in three distinct episodes. Each episode is a tone poem or the summoning of a mood, of the wondefully lush atmosphere of despair and longing felt by the characters involved. There isn't very much actual "story" related to us during these episodes, and they all involve a time skip to a new place and time in the lead character's life, but the evocation of the emotions brought out by each little dramatization relates the tale more effectively than a more detailed and linear presentation would have.

8/10 story
9/10 animation
9/10 sound
7/10 characters
8/10 overall

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