Monthly Archives: December 2014

5 Centimeters Per Second

5 Centimeters Per Second

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  • Characters: 3 /3
  • Story: 2.5 /3
  • Enjoyment: 1.5 /2
  • Art: 1 /1
  • Animation: 1 /1

Overall Score: 9/10

5 Centimeters Per Second in one word: Real.

5 Centimeters Per Second doesn’t exactly have a true main character, but I see it as mainly centered around a young boy named Takaki and his life as he’s growing up. He and his childhood friend, Akari, are forced to say goodbye due to her moving away and thus the story begins. The movie is cut up into 3 parts. The first part is about when they’re 13 and Takaki is on his way to meet Akari before he has to move. The second part is about Takaki and his life in a new location and his relationship with another girl. The last part is Takaki all grown up and him looking back on all his experiences.

The 3 parts seem to each have a certain theme about relationships. The first theme seemed to be something along the lines of realizing that you may never have someone you want even if the feelings are mutual. The second theme was unrequited love. And the last was moving on from the pain of the first theme.

Maybe I’m biased about this anime because I recently went through a break up and this anime brought back so many feelings… but 5 Centimeters Per Second really hit me emotionally.

The journey of these characters and how realistically they’re portrayed was so incredible. There were absolutely NONE of those BS shoujo cliches; and I could really connect with the characters. If you’re looking for an anime that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, this isn’t the anime for you. I knew from the start how this anime was going to end, but I couldn’t help hoping all throughout. The ending is, well, tragic. It’s real, beautiful, but pretty discouraging.

The background art is absolutely STUNNING, though I wasn’t a huge fan of how the characters were drawn. But, I suppose that was the style back in ’07.

So to sum it up:

Pros: It’s a very realistic, relatable story. The characters are very well-grounded and act in the same way a real human would. The art is fantastic, the score is beautiful, and you actually give a crap about the characters. There’s not a single drop of fanservice ANYWHERE and it really gets you emotionally. Especially for anyone that’s going through a difficult time in any sort of relationship.

Cons: The ending will not give you warm fuzzies. The art style of the characters themselves felt very out of place in comparison to the backgrounds. Also, it’s pretty confusing at times. Especially in part 1.

Worth watching? Oh yes. If this is the kind of anime you’re looking for, I mean. It’s not going to be for everyone. Like I said, I guess I’m pretty biased towards 5 Centimeters Per Second just because of the kind of emotional pains I went through recently. But if you’re looking for an anime that’s emotionally powerful and one where you can connect to the characters and events, this is the one for you.