“The feelings were still fresh as if it all just happened yesterday.”

5 Centimeters Per Second by Makoto Shinkai one of the most daring depictions of romance I have seen in anime. The romantic genre of anime is often formulaic for the purpose of leading to the ideal, expected ending. Of course, that just being the main two characters ending up together. Harems are usually the forefront of this, and while not all romance are generic, they often lack an amount of substance beyond just a quick, satisfactory romp. 5 Centimeters Per Second breaks this mold to depict a sort of romance that is overlooked, that being long distance relationships.

The film is divided into 3 parts, each showing the different stages of a love that disintegrates. The first part starts off like how most would perceive an anime romance. They are the anime couple who seemed to be tied by the red string of fate. One of them, however, has to move. Now most would expect the pair to end up together anyway as high school sweethearts. That is where 5 Centimeters Per Second takes its time to shine. Romance often ends right at the confession, yet one never wonders what happens next. Will the couple really stick with one another? The 2nd part shows the male lead who moved in a quite a surprising state. One scene, he appears to have words to text to his lover, but he seems to have not sent it. The sense of reluctance can be seen as the pair slowly move apart. The amount of contact can only last so long. This is seen through the eyes of a certain side character who can clearly see his doubt and frustration. She serves as a looking glass, a sole witness of a dissolving relationship. Personally, I do not find the characters themselves very interesting. They are rather dry, but I feel it at least plays in part of the film’s feeling of disconnection.

The 3rd part is something I see as a true, genuine ending. At this point, the puppy love romance has dissipated with everyone going their separate ways. The boy hasn’t seemed to have gotten over the loss. He is trapped in a state of what could have been. The girl has moved on to her next stage in life. They are adults and the romantic fantasy is nothing more than a novelty to the busy streets of the adult world. The subject matter can be depressing, but nonetheless it is what makes it feel true to life. It is certainly not satisfying to watch yet it is necessary.

In terms of aesthetics, Makoto Shinkai has a knack for making his films very clean looking. There is a solid amount of detail everywhere. The animation always remained fluid. While I don’t care for the character designs, they do rather depict the average person. The music hits off the pathos when it needs to. The track to close off the tragic tale really closes the film as is and encomasses the feeling of what is done is done. While the visuals are stunning, I find the most value within the themes told. Shinkai attempts to defy basic fluff and I think that is commendable. While his other works such as Your Name satisfy in the traditional sense, 5 Centimeters Per Second can be seen as the negative, alternative route. ★★★★