5
Centimeters Per Second Review
(Anime)
One of the
most emotionally charged films I have ever seen!
This was my first time watching a feature length anime and
after watching this film I definitely want to see more.
The overall story arc tells the tale of Takaki and Akari,
both of whom were childhood sweethearts but their relationship is tested as
they grow older and become physically distanced from one another.
The film is split into three chapters, the first "Cherry
Blossom" narrated by Takaki, delves into his train journey to visit
Akari. The second "Cosmonaut" is narrated by a new girl Kanae,
who relays the struggles of being a teenager and looking to the future, whilst
the last chapter "5 Centimeters Per Second" shows Takaki and
Akira as adults, living their own lives, although still somewhat trapped in the
past.
Each chapter was incredibly moving and felt extremely close
to home for me. I am sure that near enough everyone will understand and relate
to the raw emotions; insecurity, pain and anxiety that each of these characters
feel.
The use of narrative worked extremely well, as it focused on
these simplest of emotions. The film is only 60 minutes long but the pacing of
the film is fairly slow, which compensates. Not that there needs to be as the
timing of each story is near enough perfect, although the last chapter felt a
little rushed in comparison to the previous two.
The animation itself was absolutely stunning, putting any
western animation studio to shame. It was beautiful with use of both still
landscapes and backgrounds with animated characters. The use of lighting and
shadows was incredible too, creating the perfect ambience to fit with the mood of
each chapter.
The music was simple, with charming melodies which continued
the whole motif. The final soundtrack piece in the first few moments seemed a
little strange, but eventually melded perfectly into the ending sequence
I am not one to be seriously moved by any film, but this one
did the job. This film proves one thing, but a major thing at that. The
simplest of storytelling, that focuses on the innermost of feelings, which the
entire audience can relate to is the best form of storytelling. Something that
western cinema needs to learn.
9.8/10
No comments:
Post a Comment