Byousoku 5 Centimeter (5 Centimeters per Second)

Takaki Toono and Akari Shinohara are close childhood friends that harbor feelings for one another. However, due to certain circumstances, the distance between them begins to widen. Having promised to keep in touch with one another, they are challenged by distance and time, but their unfaltering love remains. Even so, the strong emotions they feel may not last forever.

Byousoku 5 Centimeter is a drama that revolves around the difficulties of being in a long-distance relationship. Despite the time they spent together being nothing but a distant memory, Toono and Shinohara refuse to give up on seeing each other again, thus unknowingly hurting those around them.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Edit
Background

Byousoku 5 Centimeter was published in English as 5 Centimeters Per Second in an omnibus volume by Vertical Inc. on June 26, 2012. It was also released in Polish by Studio JG from March 9, 2015, and May 1, 2015; and in Brazilian Portuguese by NewPOP Editora from July 2015 to December 2015.

Edit

Related Entries

More characters
Characters

Toono, Takaki

Main

Sumida, Kanae

Main

Shinohara, Akari

Main

Sumida, Sister

Supporting

Mizuno, Risa

Supporting

Reviews

Jan 20, 2021

Caninse

Recommended

I'm writing this review upon one reading and before I've actually watched the film, and I can already say that this is a story that, as you get older and upon multiple readings/viewings, becomes more and more clear and real to you.
Story: 10
As a twentysomething who, by my own admission, feels lost in life, the story already extremely realistic in terms of the main message of the story. Life isn't a novel where at the end it says "and they lived happily ever after." It's one where people go in and out of your life, occasionally crossing paths with people from your past while meeting ... new people along the way. And along with that, there will be people you will meet and then will leave your life physically, but leave an impression that lasts with you forever.
This story isn't about two kids who fall in love as children and then find each other again and get married. This is a story that many people have experienced. One where you wonder "if this had/hadn't happened, could my life be different right now?" I know I myself have, and I'm not even especially old yet. For me, that made the epilogue (which I know isn't in the movie), especially relevant, as, without giving a spoiler, my own life is currently there and really made the ending hit home for me.

Art: 9
The art style is wonderfully done and is very clearly based off of the movie's animation style from I've seen. There's the occasional moment where the art style feels a little off for the tone of the story as a whole, but I don't think it ever gets too far off that it's an obstruction to the story.

Character: 10
The characters are wonderful. They're human. They feel like people likely have met in your life. They have real wants and needs. They have flaws and questions. They don't need some unique character trait to make them "different" or be trying to do something insane with their life. They are the type of person who exists in the real world. That is commendable, as, being someone who has tried writing short stories, creating realistic characters is not always the easiest thing to achieve.

Enjoyment: 8
Now, I only give this an 8 not because I didn't enjoy it, but because it is admittedly dry at times. That isn't to say it suffers there, but much like novels written in the 19th century like Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights, it caters to a specific type of audience. If you're one who enjoys a story that doesn't need major drama or conflict to make its message apparent, you will enjoy this a lot. If you are expecting a conflict even in the range of Your Name (same author), you might come out a little underwhelmed, as this is much more of a realistic look at growing up.

Overall: 9
This is certainly a story that deserves to be read numerous times, as I can say upon even one reading that by the next time I read it, something in it will leap out to me as a thing I couldn't relate to during the reading I'm writing this review with, but do on the subsequent one. It's a book that, in a way, matures with you.

Open

Gift

Nov 19, 2017

comiclove

Mixed Feelings

Like its source material, '5 Centimeters per Second' is the mediocre piece of Shinkai's work in manga. Same issues with the story and characterization, but at least the art is consistent.

[Story - 4]

Same story as before: childhood friends try to keep their love alive despite the amount of distance between them. While I still dislike this story and its themes, due to how blatant and unrefined the execution is, I can admire that the pacing is a lot more suitable for a story with such melancholic ambience. I also appreciate that there is more thought given to portraying how more characters besides just these two ...

Open

Gift

Jun 23, 2023

TogaDoga

Not Recommended

The manga was just well bad, to say the least. The MC can't move on from his first love which triggered me a lot. You would think that the childhood friends would stay in a long-distance relationship and this would have a predictable ending but a likable one, but it never happened. It basically punched you in the face and said f you while you were kneeling down in pain. I was so bored that I fell asleep twice. The art was good, I won't lie about that. But at the cost of the whole story being likable, it just made it worse for me.

Open

Gift

More stacks

Interest Stacks

Works licensed by Editora Newpop(Brazil) - Obras licenciadas pela Editora Newpop Part 4

by Vivian_Lira666

40 Entries · 8 Restacks

Works licensed by Editora Newpop(Brazil) - Obras licenciadas pela Editora Newpop Part 2

by Vivian_Lira666

50 Entries · 9 Restacks

501 Mangas que leer en español 0 - 50

by Nxxtx

50 Entries · 2 Restacks

More recommendations
Recommendations

View All

More news
Recent News

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

Poll: Byousoku 5 Centimeter Chapter 9 Discussion Aya-Brea - Jul 23, 2011	12 replies	by CPtits »» Sep 7, 9:48 AM
Ending of manga vs anime? R_TF - Jun 18, 2016	25 replies	by hoangviet81193 »» Nov 19, 2023 2:43 AM
Poll: Byousoku 5 Centimeter Chapter 6 Discussion Zinvy - Jul 11, 2011	13 replies	by ku_po_po »» Nov 8, 2023 2:22 PM
Poll: Byousoku 5 Centimeter Chapter 11 Discussion ( 1 2 ) JK - Aug 1, 2011	59 replies	by Euroqean »» Oct 14, 2023 8:24 PM
Can I read this first? removed-user - Mar 2, 2021	1 replies	by AnzaiJiro »» Sep 17, 2021 2:48 PM

Byousoku 5 Centimeter
5 Centimeters per Second
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

Resources

Edit
Synopsis

Edit
Background

Related Entries

Visit MALxJapan
MALxJapan -More than just anime-

More characters
Characters

Reviews

Interest Stacks

More recommendations
Recommendations

More news
Recent News

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

More featured articles
Recent Featured Articles

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

Byousoku 5 Centimeter5 Centimeters per Second Edit What would you like to edit? SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

Resources

EditSynopsis

EditBackground

Related Entries

Visit MALxJapan MALxJapan -More than just anime-

More charactersCharacters

Reviews

Interest Stacks

More recommendations Recommendations

More newsRecent News

More discussionsRecent Forum Discussion

More featured articlesRecent Featured Articles

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

Byousoku 5 Centimeter
5 Centimeters per Second
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Edit
Synopsis

Edit
Background

Visit MALxJapan
MALxJapan -More than just anime-

More characters
Characters

More recommendations
Recommendations

More news
Recent News

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

More featured articles
Recent Featured Articles