Byôsoku 5 senchimêtoru (5 Centimeters per Second) (A Chain of Short Stories about Their Distance) poster & wallpaper
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Kenji Mizuhashi, Satori Hanamura, Yoshimi Kondou, Ayaka Onoue

Director Makoto Shinkai's heartfelt animated drama tells the tale of two close friends separated by chance, and reunited by determination. As schoolchildren, Tono Takaki and Shinohara Akari were insep... read more read more...arable. But shortly after graduating elementary school, their families each moved and the distance between them grew. Despite the fact that each worried they would never see the other again, Takaki and Akari never lost touch. Later, Takaki decides to pay a visit to Akari, and sets out on the road that leads to his old friend. This is the story of Takaki and Akari as told in three parts: From the perspective of both friends, as well as the vantage point of those they both meet along the way. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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90% liked it

4,488 ratings

Unrated, 1 hr. 3 min.

Directed by: Makoto Shinkai

Release Date: March 3, 2007

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DVD Release Date: March 4, 2008

Stats: 644 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (644)

  • fb1033186916
    November 29, 2011
    fb1033186916
    The best animated movie that I have ever seen. Breathtaking scenery over-all makes this film a must-watch. This movie is not only remarkably animated; it's also outstandingly written. It's a poem in motion to be exact, but its harsh reality really hits you in the end, but then ag... read moreain, reality is reality. Its take on love is simple. There are no eyesore plot twist. It's really a simple story with lovable characters and a eye-opener ending. It's only an hour long, but in that short span of time, you'll feel a surge of emotion as it slowly leads you toward the awaited end.
  • 3niR
    August 15, 2010
    3niR
    The feelings, thoughts, atmosphere, etc that was created in this animation made this awesome. I liked the colorful scenes that was applied. But to tell you the truth, the back and fourth of the memories made me confused. I was like what-the-hell-is-happening as I saw this in dubb... read moreed version. It was indeed realistic. It was about life that you can't get everything no matter how perfectly they match with your life (about life partner, I disagree with this concept and I've my own reasons). And as it left me confused throughout the movie, I felt painfully boring when watching this. Not like I haven't watched dubbed before but maybe because it was so-about-reality, I didn't enjoy this much (I'm very imaginative person).
  • husky10000years
    July 22, 2011
    husky10000years
    Time is powerful. It can destroy and it can create everything. From memories, to emotions. And that is what I felt was emphasized throughout the whole movie. However, everything that is grand or beautiful takes a lot of time. This is suggested not only by the name it self, but al... read moreso by a lot of other different things, like the shuttle's flight, and the whole journey by the train. Generally speaking, the whole story is suggesting us that such a powerful thing like emotion, or love to be precise, takes such a long time to be only weakened. No extreme plot twists you see in generic anime, no fast pacing and nothing that changes the flow and life of the entire humanity. It really is a simple story about one relationship, how it was destroyed by distance and time. The art was perfect, just perfect. In reality there is nothing else to say about it. It's just how every person imagines perfection. There are only 3 characters in the movie. Their development was pretty good but not as deep as I expected. Their emotions are felt through the screen and speakers like they were actually someone close to you. It was quite realistic, but only concentrated at one emotion "love". Everything in the movie was done so masterfully that I couldn't see anything but the screen for a whole hour.
  • Junnerayemalinao2012
    May 10, 2011
    Junnerayemalinao2012
    A very dramatic poem about love. It's very heart warming however, those who loves romance may not be too happy with it's "cutting to the good part" premise.
  • Norzeleak
    January 17, 2012
    Norzeleak
    5 Centimeters Per Second is a very subtle and realistic film, in that it doesn't boast emotions or push an agenda. It simply tells a story; a story of various characters, all intertwined through the main character, whom loves a girl. This simplicity and realism is one of the reas... read moreons the story works so well, and, in combination, is what makes this one of the greatest love movies you could find.
  • catlyst
    March 10, 2011
    catlyst
    Makoto Shinkai is the new Hayao Miyazaki (alas, not Goro) of pacing, detail & storytelling, combined with stupendously textured and hued animated visual backdrops. the rocket launch is just a delight to watch!
  • filmguy450
    November 19, 2009
    filmguy450
    One of the most realistic and grounded animes I've ever seen (it's in my top 5 of all time greatest anime movies), it chronicles the life of a boy who an never get over his first love and how that makes him cold and distant toward everyone else. It was created by Makoto Shinkai, ... read morewho is an absolute singular and amazing voice. His style his evident throughout, lots of long takes with the characters slightly out of frame, so we can marvel at the beauty of the backgrounds.
  • Zibbs
    March 31, 2009
    Zibbs
    The narration about the characters thoughts/feelings (I think) is what makes this story(s) so appealing. This is easily a chick flick; if you can call any Anime a chick flick.

    Story 1 is a decent set-up for Story 2, but Story 3 is just a short montage of random shots with a lame... read more song played in the background; terrible resolution for the first two short stories.
  • chibimina7
    November 11, 2008
    chibimina7
    One of the best animated films I have ever seen. On par with Hayao Miyazaki. Kinda reminded me of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time but much more heartbreaking. I still haven't recovered after watching this film and you'll see why after you watch it. Beautiful animation, landscapes... read more, and characters. Nicely told story, poetic. Very realistic. Very memorable. Also, the theme song fits the movie perfectly (One More Time, One More Chance by Yamazaki Masayoshi). One of those films that stays in your mind for days.
  • gigan22
    October 26, 2008
    gigan22
    Being of a fan of Makoto Shinkai's films, I'm sad I did not watch this sooner. This is three short stories each relating to a single relationship. As a whole the movie doesn't quite work as well as Voices of a Distant Star. When taken seperately it's much more enjoyable imo. The ... read morefirst segment is by far the best of the three. Everything gels perfectly and sets up a mood you would hope the rest of the stories would follow. Unfortunatetly that's not the case. The second segment is told thru a different person and didn't quite have the impact the first did. The third segement is a complete throw away. It started okay, but it very quickly turns into a music video and completely destroys all the attachment you had. Why he decided to end this way is beyond me.

View All Byôsoku 5 senchimêtoru (5 Centimeters per Second) (A Chain of Short Stories about Their Distance) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Ronnie Scheib
March 7, 2008
Ronnie Scheib, Variety

exquisite, light-drenched tone poem Full Review

Jeff Shannon
October 5, 2007
Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times

As poet of heartbreak, Shinkai could be accused of treacly mush (the voice-overs are a bit florid, and the saccharine piano score doesn't help), but he's got a delicate touch with sentiment that will ... Full Review

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    • Voice: We humans desperately and recklessly launched something of that mass and size into the air, gazing off into the distance, towards something far beyond our wildest dreams.
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