Makoto Shinkai English Fan Forum and Site

Laz · Laz Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 1071

I think you hit on the same thing that got me the first few times I watched 5CM. I had a hard time with why Takaki didn't contact Akari. It appears he has every chance in the world to keep that relationship going but he doesn't. It different from the relationships in Voices and the relationships in Place Promised.

As I and other folks on her have hypothesized ... if it was his inability to express himself or some kind of fear ... who knows? He just failed to act.

The more I watch the third story, the more I feel that Takaki turns the corner and I feel that he eventually does move on. *fingers crossed*

Laz

Menasha · vc_bios_b960909 Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 822

Just pure speculation but maybe in a way Takaki wanted to break his connection between Akari. I belive he did the same sort of thing with his girlfriend of 3 years? Forgot her name as well hah.

What I think the message he sent to her saying "I love you after all this time still, how ever even if we send a thousand messages to each other, our hearts will not come any closer."

I just get the feeling from that message that Takaki never loved either of them and just was stuck in a fantasy were it was love?

Anyways I feel Makoto hit the theme he was conveying in his previous works dead on, with 5 CM! I can't wait to see his next project, I have a feeling it's going to be something very different then his past works. I don't think he has anything left to say for that rhetorical theme he was presenting.

Maybe it's just hope haha!

TJM · Tracer Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 11

Thoughts hmmh

well 5CM per second has one of my favorite endings ever.

I thought it was beautifully done.

Phantast · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:26 pm Post subject:

I really liked 5 Centimeters'ending, too.

For some reason, I liked that some things at the end (Takaki's smile, for example) weren't exactly explained, so it was left to your imagination.

On a different note: Is 5 centimeters per second really the speed at which sakura petals fall? Razz

Menasha · vc_bios_b960909 Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 822

Depends on the peddle!

zitch · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:51 pm Post subject:

Phantast · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:13 pm Post subject:

Hmmm... Sadly, I can't read Japanese too well just yet. xD

Junpei · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:41 pm Post subject:

5 Centimeters Per Second

Any faster and it can kill a person. Razz

Menasha · vc_bios_b960909 Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 822

Don't want people drifting apart to fast now do we!

Laz · Laz Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 1071

It's been a week or so since I saw a Shinkai film, so I threw in 5 Cm Per Second tonight .. I feel much better now ....

So ... I guess we need to set up March 4th as a special day on the Forums. Why? you might ask ... well ... I hadn't realized that that was the day on which Takaki leaves to visit Akari. Interestingly enough, that was the day of the US release of the DVD ... I wonder if that was a coincidence or not. Anyway ... March 4ths will need to be celebrated in the future ... perhaps we all take a train ride and report back ^_^. March 4th is also the anniversary of the first time that Takaki and Akari first met.

I was wondering if anyone else noticed this ... but the imagery of the birds in each of the episodes. Does anyone know what kind of bird that is? They seem to appear at the start and end of each episode.

Laz