First Impressions / Miscellaneous

Summary:

During one spring in elementary school, Shinohara Akari had told her friend Toono Takaki that sakura petals fall at a speed of five centimeters per second. At the time, she had commented on how it looked like snow and had hoped that they could see it together the next year. However, the two had been separated after graduating elementary school and keep in touch only through letters. Akari starts writing to Takaki half a year after graduation, though soon it seems that the distance between them would grow even more because Takaki has to move from Tokyo all the way to Kagoshima. As fall and winter pass by, Takaki thinks about going to see Akari in Tochigi before he has to move away. They eventually decide on a date, March 4th, and Akari mentions in her letter that there’s a sakura tree near her home.

When the day arrives, Takaki has the train ride out to Tochigi all planned out. Akari had said in her letter that she’d be waiting at the train station at 7PM, but Takaki notices that it has started to snow that afternoon when he boards the first train. As he begins his journey, Takaki remembers how he and Akari had spent so much time together when they were together because of how similar they were – they both transferred into their elementary school and both preferred the library. They had been teased by their classmates for being a couple, but they weren’t afraid as long as they had each other. The two of them had thought that they’d end up going to the same junior high school, but that didn’t happen. Takaki then remembers then night when Akari had called him up to tell him that she was transferring schools. She had apologized, but he was helpless to do or say anything.

Takaki’s uneasiness suddenly starts to grow when he finds out that the heavy snow is delaying the trains. As he continues his trip towards Iwafune in Tochigi, the delays mount and it’s soon 7PM. He thinks that Akari must be getting anxious, but soon his thoughts go back to the day she called him to tell him that she was transferring schools. He feels ashamed that he wasn’t able to use gentle words towards her who was so much more insecure at the time. Although he’s going to see her now, he spent two weeks also writing her a letter that he’s brought with him. When Takaki loses this letter to the wind after he reaches into his pocket to get his wallet to buy a drink at a station, he still continues on. Things get worse when the train he’s riding stops completely because of the snow – he’s now almost two hours late.

It takes two more hours for the train to get moving again, and Takaki spends the time trying not to cry. He eventually arrives at Iwafune at 11:15PM and expects Akari not to be waiting anymore. Thus, Takaki is surprised to find her still there, asleep in the waiting room of the station. She cries when he wakes her and the two share the bento that she prepared. When he declares that it’s the most delicious thing he’s ever eaten, she thinks that he just feels that way because he’s hungry. The station manager soon indicates that he’s closing up, so the two have to leave. Akari leads Takaki to a solitary tree out in a field of snow – it’s the sakura tree she mentioned in her letter. The two then experience the sensation of spring as Akari catches a snowflake in her hand and thinks of it as a sakura petal. She even compares it to snow, just like she had done when they were young. It is under this tree that Akari and Takaki gravitate towards each other and kiss.

At that moment, Takaki feels that he could understand where his heart and soul are and can share his experiences, but in the next moment, he becomes unbearably sad. He realizes that they can’t stay together and that there’s an overpowering life and endless time ahead of them. However, the uneasiness that has a hold on him melts away until only Akari’s soft lips remain. Akari hugs him after the kiss, and the two end up spending the night together in a shed after talking for a long time. When Takaki has to leave on the morning train, Akari tells him that he’ll definitely be ok from now on. As the train pulls away, Takaki asks her to take care and write and call. Takaki thinks to himself that he didn’t tell Akari about the letter that he was going to give her, but later lost. What he doesn’t know is that she also had a letter with his name on it that she didn’t give him. Takaki feels that the world changed because of the kiss and he now wants the strength to protect her. As he thinks about only that, Takaki continues to watch as the scenery goes by outside the window.

For a complete translation, visit Bikasuishin.
Preview:

Yahoo Japan started streaming this first part (of three total) titled Oukashou a few days ago to promote the Byousoku 5 Centimeter film, but I wasn’t able to fit this into my schedule and watch it until now. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect from this other than some really amazing animation quality, and I think it’s safe to say that that lived up to expectations. The backgrounds and landscapes in this are easily some of the best I’ve ever seen animated. The music was also as good as that on the trailers, though I wish that particular piano song had been played for longer. However, if the story sucked, then the production quality wouldn’t matter. Fortunately, that was not the case.

Throughout much of it, I thought that Takaki wouldn’t make it to see Akari and that the first part would end in disappointment. The narration was done in such a way that it was like I could almost feel Takaki’s frustration and pain. Instead though, Takaki was able to see his childhood love and the two got one night together before having to separate. I loved all of the recurring themes and symbols like the snow and the bird, and how the beginning and the (near) end of the episode tie together with Akari saying that the sakura petals falling are like snow. Of course, all the snow and sakura petals also make for some beautiful scenes to complement the story. Still, if I had one complaint about this first part, it would probably be that it started a bit too fast and complicated. All the flashbacks had me confused enough so that I didn’t catch on how quickly time was passing by until Akari’s third or fourth letter. But maybe I just wasn’t paying enough attention at the beginning.

In any case, I loved watching this and hope that the other two parts are just as good. The preview would certainly suggest it. But, in my opinion, this is definitely something that should be bought on DVD to fully enjoy the quality. Now I’m going to go back to listening to Yamazaki Masayoshi’s One more time, One more chance…

54 Comments

  1. I really love Makoto Shinkai’s other OVAs and I hope this one lives up to the rest. One of the things I wanted to be in this OVA was the “War”-theme in the back. Like Hoshi no Koe had the war in space with aliens in the back and Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho E had the war between the North and the South. But it looks as if this new one doesn’t have it.

    Does Tenmon still do the music for this OVA?

    Warukyure
    Reply

  10. Good thing you were finally able to catch a glimpse Omni. The animation quality on this is really tear worthy. I can only imagine how nice it’ll be to watch this on DVD though. As for the story, it works well with the animation, so I’m content.

    Likkun
    Reply

  11. Can anyone really call this a ‘movie’ though? It’s more like an OVA material even if they show it in theaters. It’s a short movie at best.

    I think it could be cool to play this in my HDTV or something, but other than that, I don’t know what to think about the small feature. I’ll wait until they bring it all together in Bluray or HD-DVD in the future.

    Shippoyasha
    Reply

  12. I guess that depends on your definition of movie, but I agree with you this felt more like an OVA. It even had a satisfying enough conclusion that still makes me want to see the other parts, but perhaps not as much as if it ended on a cliffhanger.

    Omni
    Reply

  14. Wow… O_O… the art in this looks amazing! It seems to have blown the pants off of KyoAni, whom I had regarded had the best art in all anime! Can’t wait to watch this myself!

    DarkS Umbreon
    Reply

  17. Yes, it might be the best half-hour of animated drama I’ve ever seen, too. Sound, sight, and story all work together beautifully to produce what is like a religious experience. Somehow conveys the truth of things. Real Art.

    I like SF, but I found myself preferring this to his other work. The simplicity of it made the feelings come through better for me, without confusing plot or technology (except for the great scenes on and around the trains).

    hashihime
    Reply

  18. Definitely better than his SF, imo. These are two people in love. They’re separated. It’s about sheer longing, and needs no explanation for plot devices. (Shinkai’s not so hot on fleshing out his technology, I find)

    The visuals are incredibly beautiful. I believe this is what you show people when they say 2D animation is in the past : the way you use computers to create dazzling beauty. It’s way shinier and prettier than any 3D CGs I’ve seen.

    verityisle
    Reply

  24. OMG!!! this anime so romantic
    i thought akari had gone to her home and can’t meet with takaki anymore
    but she waited takaki until he came “so romantic”
    and i like the last part which takaki said to himself he will protect akari
    waited for the subs ^_^

    muhi_kira
    Reply

  26. sweet! im downloading chinese subbed version right now! cant believe how time flew so quickly, it’s already february, and waiting for 5cm hasnt been that painful.
    so when will the 2nd episode be out? does anyone have any idea?
    on a sidenote: Happy Chinese New Year to all Chinese lurkers like me! Got Pork?

    psychohare
    Reply

  29. Makes me wish I lived in Japan… because I’d love to see this on the big screen — it’s one of the few movies that I’ve ever felt needed to be watched on the big screen. I love the music, too, and love the piano piece — short as it is. I hope it’s the incomplete version, because I’d like to hear the whole track, but you never know. It’ll probably be awhile before I can see the whole story complete, but hopefully they’ll release the soundtrack very soon to keep me occupied, because I’m buying that.

    Belle Starlia
    Reply

  30. I’m much impressive with his new anime with the perfect storyline animetiongraphic sound and music Its reach my heart.The true love can’t divided by the distance.Its can explain by this story.

    wahahaha
    Reply

  31. My wife has spoken and I am at a loss to give her any rebuttal. Her comments.

    1. Such high quality graphic, yet why such old fashioned directing/editing?
    2. Good dialogue, yet for a movie of this quality, shouldn’t we be able to feel the emotions and the situation from the scenes and facial expression changes?
    3. Much time has been invested in beautiful scenes, yet why so little movements for the main character after the initial running scene, and was all the scenary neccessary?
    4. The monologue and flashback narrates for us the connections between the two, but isn’t the movie relying too much on the narrations to describe the situation, thus hard to fully symphathize with the characters.
    5. Do trains really stop at the middle of no where for such lengthy delays? Don’t they usually not leave the train station and wait things out before moving to the next station if they feel anything to be wrong at the next station or in the way to the next station?

    She gave this movie episode A+ for the graphic/animation, and D+ for pretty much everything else other than music.

    wontaek
    Reply

  32. Allow me to better explain the point. Much emotions were stated by the narrations but seldom were those emotions seen in the people’s faces. If this story is about the relation between people, shouldn’t we see them more than the background scenes?

    wontaek
    Reply

  34. Again, it’s basically a short movie in a part of mini-movies of the same ilk.

    And Wontaek, I believe they used the scenery to pretty much convey the feeling of isolation and not really the individual characters’ backgrounds or story necessarily. And I’ve been on trains that went on longer delays than that. Especially in snow storms.

    As for the movie itself:

    I just watched it and I must say that the movie struck a nerve with me. To the point of tears a few times. Why? Because it is very realistic. I had almost the same experience (minus the kiss and sleeping in a cabin) with a girl I used to be childhood friends with, and I can sympathize so much with how Takaki must have felt and how agonizing it can be just to live out your life like that and to lose friends to the flow of time.

    Shippoyasha
    Reply

  39. The single “One more time, one more chance” will be released on March 3 as a maxi-single, I believe. As for when the movie’s coming out on DVD…patience. it won’t be for a while.

    thedarkhorse
    Reply

  48. Note to self…

    Makoto Shinkai can really give a good anime based on his last project,
    the problem is he would leave you hanging and let you think.

    I don’t Think were going to have a TakakiXAkari Reunion on this one.

    Probably one of the saddest anime I have ever seen.

    Note to Self…

    If Tomino wants to be Chased with Torches or Pitchforks…again

    He should use Fukuda or Makoto Shinkai to ruin it all LoL

    VerbatimEX
    Reply

  50. This looks to be a really great film – watched the sub of the first part, enjoyed it immensly. Can’t wait to see the rest…
    Amazing animation, great detail, but still manages to keep the focus on the story and the characters without outshining the visuals, which can easily happen in many movies.

    OmegaStealth
    Reply

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