The Visual Language of “5 Centimeters per Second”, From Animation to Live Action
Byōsoku Go Senchimētoru, or 5 Centimeters per Second, was an experiment by Makoto Shinkai in its time. Released on March 3, 2007, the film produced by CoMix Wave Films presented a direction that differed from Shinkai’s earlier works such as Someone’s Gaze, Voices of a Distant Star, She and Her Cat, and The Place Promised in Our Early Days. In this film, he set aside elements of fantasy and focused instead on everyday reality. Because of this approach, many viewers regard it as one of Shinkai’s most significant films.
The film weaves three chapters of Takaki Tōno’s romantic journey, from childhood to adulthood. From the outset, it does not rely on major conflicts. It moves through daily details, the passage of time, and distances that slowly expand. 5 Centimeters per Second refers to the speed at which cherry blossom petals fall, a measure that seems small and almost trivial, yet not in Shinkai’s hands.
The story begins in Takaki’s childhood, when he meets Akari Shinohara in elementary school. Their closeness grows from small routines and a shared sense of understanding. That bond begins to fracture when geographical distance enters without compromise. Akari moves to Tochigi, followed by the news that Takaki will move even farther away to Kagoshima. A long train journey, unfriendly weather, and things left unsaid shape Takaki’s first experience of love. What once felt whole gradually becomes fragile and difficult to reach.
The film follows the emotional rhythm of Takaki’s life. As a teenager, he continues to move forward while his heart and thoughts remain tied to the past. In Tanegashima, he appears quiet and withdrawn, making those around him feel both close to him and distant at the same time. Even later, when he lives in Tokyo as an adult, work and routine fail to close the distance he continues to carry.
Visually, the film embodies the Japanese aesthetic of mono no aware, an awareness of impermanence. Shinkai pays close attention to background details, clouds, power lines, convenience stores, reflections of light on train windows. The world is depicted with careful clarity, set against characters who feel lonely and emotionally vacant. It suggests a world that continues to move forward while memories, hopes, and time remain intertwined without resolution.
Nearly two decades after the release of the animated film, 5 Centimeters per Second returns in live action form. The film will open in Indonesian cinemas on January 30, 2026, following its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival 2025 and its release in Japan in October 2025. Directed by Yoshiyuki Okuyama with a screenplay by Ayako Suzuki, the film stars Hokuto Matsumura as Takaki and Mitsuki Takahata as Akari, alongside cast members including Nara Mori, Yuzu Aoki, and Aoi Miyazaki.
Makoto Shinkai shared a personal response to the adaptation. He admitted to feeling uneasy at first, as if he were handing over a relay baton to a younger generation. “But once I was drawn into the visuals, and in the end, to my own surprise, I cried,” he said. “I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Okuyama and the entire crew,” Shinkai added.
Okuyama described the two year production process as his first experience of fully understanding what it means to create work as part of a team. “Over the past two years, I have devoted almost all of my time to this project. For the first time, I truly felt from the depths of my heart what it means to create something together as a team. We worked on this film with sincerity and respected every step of the process,” he explained.
This live action version offers a new perspective on a story that many already know, without erasing the trace of its animated origin. It continues a dialogue about distance, time, and the effort of letting go, themes that have kept 5 Centimeters per Second present in memory and discussion since its first release.
