For this day,
I carefully revisited both the original animated film and the novel,

and finally went to see
the live-action version of 5 Centimeters per Second

For almost an entire week,
it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say
that I lived with this story

As much as my expectations were high,
there is just so much I want to talk about—!

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From the beginning,
what I was most curious about
was how the live-action film would reinterpret the original

Because of that,
it was impossible not to include details from the movie in this review

If you prefer to avoid spoilers,
please read only up to the review section—!

Table of Contents

Plot Summary
Differences from the Original
What Worked & What Didn’t
Review
Disappointing Points & Scenes I Want to Rewatch
Questions (Anyone who knows, please tell me!)

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Plot

Familiar Framework, but a Distinct Identity of Its Own

The overall structure remains the same as the original

Part One follows Takaki and Akari, who shared their childhood together, gradually drifting apart

Part Two portrays high school–aged Takaki and the unrequited feelings of Kanae, who quietly loves him

Part Three shows Takaki as an adult, still unable to let go of his memories of Akari
The foundation of the story is unchanged

However, the relationship dynamics are adjusted,
new characters are introduced,
and the narrative structure along with subtle details unfold differently

Because of these changes,
the film feels rooted in the same story,
yet like a slightly different work altogether

For that reason,
even if you haven’t seen the original,
you can fully enjoy this version

(Though I have to say—watching the original beforehand might make it even better!)

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Differences from the Original

A Structure Centered on Adult Takaki

The biggest difference from the original lies in the narrative structure and its emotional center

The original unfolds in a quiet, chronological flow

Part One — Takaki and Akari’s childhood — becomes the emotional starting point of everything

In contrast,
the live-action version moves back and forth

Adult Takaki recalls his childhood in fragments,

and those early memories are no longer the central focus

Instead,
they function as a device to explain the emptiness of the present-day Takaki

Notably, the film adds entirely new material that was not in the original

We see Takaki’s daily life after leaving his job,

and through this addition,
the film delivers its core message more directly

Kanae’s older sister is reimagined as Takaki’s high school teacher, expanding her role

This strengthens the connection between past and present

Additionally,
by creating interactions between Kanae’s sister and the science museum director with Akari,

the story becomes richer

and even gains a subtle sense of tension

Personally,
I found the science-related elements —

and the narrative threads surrounding the museum director —

particularly compelling

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What Worked & What Didn’t

What Did You Expect? A Matter of Taste

I noticed that reactions to the film are quite divided

I believe the biggest reason, again, lies in its structure and narrative focus

Compared to the original, the live-action version significantly condenses the childhood storyline

Because of this, the tenderness, anxiety,

and the romantic elements of approaching and waiting

feel less powerful than in the original

And since the structure itself is different,
the emotional amplitude and rhythm naturally change as well

In the original animated film,
the emotions truly erupt toward the final act

So some viewers may feel disappointed
when the live-action adaptation unfolds in a way they did not expect

A faithful, scene-by-scene adaptation certainly has its own charm

As seen in works like Look Back (2024),
which received praise for carefully preserving the original emotion on screen

However, this version of 5 Centimeters per Second
retains the emotional core of the original

while adding what comes after love

and in doing so, proposes a new direction

For that reason,
I personally see it as a meaningful adaptation

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Review

Personally, I enjoyed it very, very much

At first, the overly realistic tone felt slightly unfamiliar

But at some point,
that feeling completely disappeared,
and I found myself fully immersed

The film respects and inherits Makoto Shinkai’s original work

while adding new devices and narrative layers

to create a distinct identity of its own

The fact that we can still experience the original’s beautiful landscapes and delicate use of light in live-action form proves that

I also found the direction to be impressive

The stylish hook-ups used to shift between timelines,

the symbolic moments created through changes in focus,

and even the meaning embedded in the directions Takaki and Akari are walking toward

There was so much to take in

While the unique emotional texture and subtle sentiment of the original cannot be replicated,

the live-action version offers a different kind of emotional depth

If you revisit the original film and novel beforehand,
I believe you’ll enjoy this adaptation even more

I truly recommend giving it a watch

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Disappointing Points & Scenes I Want to Rewatch

There were also moments that felt slightly disappointing to me

Personally, I found it harder to fully sense young Takaki’s emotions

There was one scene in particular that I had been looking forward to

In Part Two, when Kanae looks at the trailer carrying the rocket and says,
“It’s five kilometers per hour”

In that moment,
I expected Takaki to react with a bit more liveliness

But the emotional expression wasn’t quite what I had imagined

As I reflected on why it felt disappointing,
I realized something

While revisiting the original film and novel,
I had unconsciously defined certain scenes in my own language

Because of that,
I naturally expected the live-action version to unfold exactly as I had pictured it

And when it was expressed differently,
I felt let down

Looking at it from another perspective, however,

perhaps the restraint — the lack of overt emotional reaction —

was intentional

It may have been a way to portray Takaki’s awkwardness and anxiety

as someone for whom everything is still new,
and who is drawn as somewhat timid

I was reminded that when we approach something with a fixed answer already in mind,

we risk missing many things along the way

Since I enjoyed the film so much,
there are countless scenes I’d love to revisit

Among them,
there are a few moments I’ve made a mental note of to watch again

The scene where Kanae goes to karaoke with Takaki and sings

felt so tender and gently fluttering

The atmosphere was incredibly sweet

And the scene where Takaki shares a beer with his teacher

and speaks about his childhood on his own

was especially memorable

It was the first time we truly see him smile

and it felt as though a tight knot in my heart had finally loosened

There’s also the rooftop scene

After exchanging a bit of small talk with his senior,

Takaki is left alone, eating the taco he was handed

In the background,
children blow soap bubbles into the air,

and the soft sounds drift around him

Without a single line of dialogue,

the scene quietly shows

that no matter where he is,
no matter what time it is,

he is still thinking about the moments he shared with her

It was a beautifully restrained and powerful sequence

The final sequence was truly the highlight

When Takaki, sixteen years later, arrives beneath the cherry blossoms

the petals and the snow falling at the same speed

are shown through subtle shifts in focus

That delicate detail completely struck an emotional chord with me

And Akari’s line

is something I don’t think I’ll ever forget

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I think I’ll wrap up my thoughts here

Thanks to 5 Centimeters per Second,
it has been a genuinely meaningful and enjoyable week

I’ll end by sharing one lingering question

(Still holding on until the very end…)

Questions (Anyone who knows, please tell me!)

One thing I kept wondering about while watching the film

was the frequent use of what felt like handheld camerawork,
especially in the early sequences

The frame often trembles slightly,
as if it were intentionally unstable

I’m certain there must have been a purpose behind it,
but I couldn’t quite pinpoint the reason

If I had attended a GV,
this would have been my question

My personal interpretation was that
perhaps it symbolizes Takaki’s lingering, unresolved anxiety

But I’m not entirely convinced by my own explanation

If you noticed something similar
or have any thoughts or insights about it,

please feel free to share them in the comments

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A Tender Emptiness Nothing Can Ever Fill — Review of 5 Centimeters per Second (2007)