Director Makoto Shinkai, known for the films Your Name and Suzume, admitted that he only came to fully understand the main characters of 5 Centimeters Per Second after watching their portrayal in the new live-action adaptation of his 2007 anime film.
Speaking at a stage event for the film, Shinkai reflected on his connection to Takaki Tono and Akari Shinohara, admitting that even as the creator, he had not grasped their personalities during the original anime’s production. “I didn’t really know who Takaki and Akari were when I made the anime. I especially never fully understood what kind of woman Akari was,” he said.
“But Matsumura, Takahata, and Director Okuyama taught me. I feel like I’ve finally gotten to know them,” Shinkai added, crediting actors Hokuto Matsumura and Mitsuki Takahata, as well as director Yoshiyuki Okuyama, for bringing new depth to the story.
Shinkai had initially felt uneasy about the live-action project, wondering if it was a good idea. However, he told the audience that his doubts vanished after reading the script and attending the film’s first screening. He even found himself moved to tears while watching the film.
“I didn’t know how I should watch it, but as I did, I found myself crying for reasons I couldn’t quite understand,” he said.
He speculated the emotion might have stemmed from remembering the pain of making the original film or being moved by the story’s expansion.
Shinkai concluded his remarks by reflecting on the origins of the anime. “Back then I was much more emotionally delicate. I’d almost cry just from walking in and out of a convenience store, or from seeing car headlights reflect on a phone booth. I wondered if I could make a film out of those kinds of fleeting feelings, and that’s how 5 Centimeters per Second was born,” he explained
He said the new film takes those “inexpressible emotions and shaped them into something more accessible, creating a truly beautiful work.”
Shinkai expressed deep gratitude to the cast and crew, saying that the film had impressed him so much he did not want his presence as the original creator to overshadow their work. He emphasized that he simply wanted to thank the team for bringing such a beautiful and moving adaptation to life.
5 Centimeters Per Second live-action film is set to hit the Japanese theatres on Oct 10, 2025.
Source: Comic Natalie
