5 Centimeters per Second

From the same guy that did Voices of a Distant Star (and with a slightly similar subject), 5 Centimeters per Second has beautiful animation and a melancholic feeling throughout. It speaks of the hopes of youth and the alienation inside one's soul as time passes. I liked all three chapters, although the last was really short and it ended with a sudden and badly chosen ending song.

As a fan of anime films, I highly recommend it, but it is not for everyone. There is no action, no sci fi, no definitive ending; just the thoughts of young people as the go through life. The feeling in the movie is strong and I've rarely seen something so introverted as this. But that is a good thing for me. Give it a try, it lasts only one hour.

"5 cm per second. The speed at which cherry blossom petals fall." It looks like Makoto Shinkai has directed another little minimalist masterpiece. Bearing a distant resemblance to underground coming-of-age classics such as My Life as a Dog, 5 cm interweaves three short stories seen from the viewpoints of different characters. Each story revolves around a specific time period in the protagonist's life: his last days at primary school, graduating from high school, his early life as an adult.

Through the prism of an early sakura-blossom romance, the film primarily explores the themes of distance and loneliness, though it does so in a gentle way that is akin to recollecting your most beautiful sunrise memory rather than resorting to being dark and gloomy.

The music blends in very well with the movie, enhancing the emotional experiences conveyed, while passing almost unnoticed - as should happen in the best soundtracks. The animation is top notch and the quality of the drawings is just mesmerizing. You may often get the urge to pause the movie just to explore the richness of the tapestry.

If you can find it, it's well worth a watch.

9/10

Makoto Shinkai's sophomore effort is an intimately crafted, elegantly narrated & gorgeously animated tale of young love & yearning desires that's far more grounded than his debut feature and paints an exquisite portrait of real world struggles. A touching & nostalgic reminiscent of first love that's affectionate, heartwarming & emotionally stirring in just the right doses.

I could copy almost my entire review of THE PLACE PROMISED IN OUR EARLY DAYS, Shinkai's previous film. More Takahata than Miyazaki... check. The same wistful, nostalgic tone is woven throughout these three episodes of youthful romantic pinings turned into bittersweet adult reminiscences. Breathtaking animation... check. The artistic style is uncommonly beautiful, with extraordinary attention to detail, gorgeous color and lighting, and images that deftly evoke a sense of melancholy. If all anime looked this astonishing, I'd watch more of it. Satisfying human elements but oversentimental... check. I could relate to the feelings expressed by Takaki, Kanae and Akari -- surely there is something nearly universal about those unrequited adolescent yearnings that can resurface years and years later -- but had to roll my eyes a bit at all the tinkly piano and whispered voice-over. Where this film surpasses its predecessor is in its lack of a goofy sci-fi subplot. There is a rocketship involved, but it's a background element purely for metaphorical purposes. Without that sort of distraction, I was more easily charmed by the gentle rhythms, pleasant characters, and lovely visuals.

The plot itself is average and trivial. The story revolves around unfulfilled first love and a couple separated by time and distance. It seems to be a bit overdone in terms of its importance and the two main characters seem to make their life and relationship a lot more difficult than it really is. The whole story resembles those from the poems written in the age of Romanticism. However, it is not very appealing and genuine if we look at the mobile phones owned by the two main characters - they never use them properly to contact each other. Despite the plot which isn't any spectacular, the animation is very good. Maybe the characters are not anime masterpieces but the nature & surroundings are presented in a great detail and they have truly amazing colours - I haven't seen such a brilliant background in any anime I have ever seen.