Comments on: 5 Centimeters Per Second Re-Watch: A Bittersweet Analysis of a Bittersweet Tale http://blog.eternicity.net/2009/01/02/5-centimeters-per-second-re-watch-a-bittersweet-analysis-of-a-bittersweet-tale/ In search of anime enlightenment Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:25:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Blonde Emo http://blog.eternicity.net/2009/01/02/5-centimeters-per-second-re-watch-a-bittersweet-analysis-of-a-bittersweet-tale/comment-page-1/#comment-7493 Blonde Emo Tue, 11 Oct 2011 06:11:15 +0000 http://memories-of-eternity.com/?p=1305#comment-7493 Ah...thank you for summarizing this. You helped me understand it. You're awesome. Ah…thank you for summarizing this. You helped me understand it. You’re awesome.

]]> By: Daniel http://blog.eternicity.net/2009/01/02/5-centimeters-per-second-re-watch-a-bittersweet-analysis-of-a-bittersweet-tale/comment-page-1/#comment-7465 Daniel Fri, 26 Aug 2011 05:42:09 +0000 http://memories-of-eternity.com/?p=1305#comment-7465 The last smile... well going threw the analysis and the comments I couldn't find anyone saying something close to what I felt... Akari still thought about Takaki once in a while with a bittersweet feeling, but the new guy would usually dismiss those thoughts... why? because she found another love. Takaki... well he tried forgetting... he thought that he should try living, having a girlfriend because life can be lonely ... but in the end he couldn't stop thinking about Akari... until one day he had the feeling that he was becoming emotionless... no emotions at all... and that was even scarier than the pain... he thought he lost everything... he even resigned from his job, to try to find something that might shake his heart ... anything that might awaken his feelings again... that's when he crossed path with that girl... his eyes sparkled, the feelings came back ! OVERFLOWING WITH EXCITMENT! He thought: maybe it's her!!! He waited a long time for the train to pass by.... but nothing ... it wasnt Akari... then he realised it was ridiculous, but he also didnt forget, he wasnt really alone, he still had his love for her, he wasnt empty after all. He wasnt lifeless, he wasnt emotionless. **Maybe he thought that he could only keep that feeling inside of him and start heading forward. Accepting that ghost, and living side by side with it. It'd be a way to stop chasing for the real one. I don't know if that's what they wanted to show, but I've seen myself sooo much in this smile... I use to roam streets I knew expecting to see her (my special someone)... and once I thought I saw her on the corner of a street we used to walk together... but It was just a random girl... and I started laughing out loud at myself. I was just so obssessed it was ridiculous... but at the same time it felt good to feel that excitement instead of that dark and heavy numbness, nothingness. True love (obssessive love) can fuck you up... and the only cure is time.... a looooong time. Psychologist say it takes from 2 weeks to a year to get over someone... they've never met the right one... it took me more than 6 years and even after that I still had dreams about her... and the only thing that saved me was to finally meet someone else who finally made my heart beat again. I wish you guys and girls the chance to spend as much time as possible with someone like that. Love is hard, but it's the thing that can make a whole life worth living. Peace and love boys and girls. Dan out The last smile… well going threw the analysis and the comments I couldn’t find anyone saying something close to what I felt…

Akari still thought about Takaki once in a while with a bittersweet feeling, but the new guy would usually dismiss those thoughts… why? because she found another love.

Takaki… well he tried forgetting… he thought that he should try living, having a girlfriend because life can be lonely … but in the end he couldn’t stop thinking about Akari… until one day he had the feeling that he was becoming emotionless… no emotions at all… and that was even scarier than the pain… he thought he lost everything… he even resigned from his job, to try to find something that might shake his heart … anything that might awaken his feelings again… that’s when he crossed path with that girl… his eyes sparkled, the feelings came back ! OVERFLOWING WITH EXCITMENT! He thought: maybe it’s her!!! He waited a long time for the train to pass by…. but nothing … it wasnt Akari… then he realised it was ridiculous, but he also didnt forget, he wasnt really alone, he still had his love for her, he wasnt empty after all. He wasnt lifeless, he wasnt emotionless.

**Maybe he thought that he could only keep that feeling inside of him and start heading forward. Accepting that ghost, and living side by side with it. It’d be a way to stop chasing for the real one.

I don’t know if that’s what they wanted to show, but I’ve seen myself sooo much in this smile… I use to roam streets I knew expecting to see her (my special someone)… and once I thought I saw her on the corner of a street we used to walk together… but It was just a random girl… and I started laughing out loud at myself. I was just so obssessed it was ridiculous… but at the same time it felt good to feel that excitement instead of that dark and heavy numbness, nothingness.

True love (obssessive love) can fuck you up… and the only cure is time…. a looooong time. Psychologist say it takes from 2 weeks to a year to get over someone… they’ve never met the right one… it took me more than 6 years and even after that I still had dreams about her… and the only thing that saved me was to finally meet someone else who finally made my heart beat again.

I wish you guys and girls the chance to spend as much time as possible with someone like that. Love is hard, but it’s the thing that can make a whole life worth living.
Peace and love boys and girls.

Dan out

]]> By: Kyoko http://blog.eternicity.net/2009/01/02/5-centimeters-per-second-re-watch-a-bittersweet-analysis-of-a-bittersweet-tale/comment-page-1/#comment-7421 Kyoko Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:22:30 +0000 http://memories-of-eternity.com/?p=1305#comment-7421 Very nice analysis , it really is well done !! Very nice analysis , it really is well done !!

]]> By: LeriJin http://blog.eternicity.net/2009/01/02/5-centimeters-per-second-re-watch-a-bittersweet-analysis-of-a-bittersweet-tale/comment-page-1/#comment-7410 LeriJin Sat, 28 May 2011 13:36:07 +0000 http://memories-of-eternity.com/?p=1305#comment-7410 I saw the movie a minute ago and immediatly searched for an analysis, just in case I missunderstood the plot. But it seems I did not. Really good job! But what I missed was your interpretation about text messages Takaki wrote in the second chapter, the text messages that weren't sent to any address, but obviously were supposed to reach Akari, you know? I'd like to hear your opinions about that. I think each and everyone of us is afraid to end up like Takaki. Although at the end he really seems to find the strength to look forward to the present. He could have went the other direction, trying to follow the young lady, who seemed to be Akari...but he did not. I saw the movie a minute ago and immediatly searched for an analysis, just in case I missunderstood the plot. But it seems I did not.
Really good job! But what I missed was your interpretation about text messages Takaki wrote in the second chapter, the text messages that weren’t sent to any address, but obviously were supposed to reach Akari, you know? I’d like to hear your opinions about that.
I think each and everyone of us is afraid to end up like Takaki. Although at the end he really seems to find the strength to look forward to the present. He could have went the other direction, trying to follow the young lady, who seemed to be Akari…but he did not.

]]> By: clannadkanon http://blog.eternicity.net/2009/01/02/5-centimeters-per-second-re-watch-a-bittersweet-analysis-of-a-bittersweet-tale/comment-page-1/#comment-7393 clannadkanon Wed, 20 Apr 2011 05:56:15 +0000 http://memories-of-eternity.com/?p=1305#comment-7393 WHY!!!! DAMN!!!! THEY LOVE EACH OTHER SO WHY DIDN'T A HAPPY ENDING FOR THE BOTH OF THEM CAME? ONLY AKARI WAS HAPPY AT THE END! WHAT ABOUT TAKAKI? I REALLY HATE THIS KIND OF ENDING EVEN THOUGH IT JUST SHOWS THE CRUELTY OF REALITY! WHY!!!! DAMN!!!!

THEY LOVE EACH OTHER SO WHY DIDN’T A HAPPY ENDING FOR THE BOTH OF THEM CAME?

ONLY AKARI WAS HAPPY AT THE END! WHAT ABOUT TAKAKI? I REALLY HATE THIS KIND OF ENDING EVEN THOUGH IT JUST SHOWS THE CRUELTY OF REALITY!

]]> By: ETERNAL http://blog.eternicity.net/2009/01/02/5-centimeters-per-second-re-watch-a-bittersweet-analysis-of-a-bittersweet-tale/comment-page-1/#comment-6853 ETERNAL Tue, 16 Nov 2010 04:26:22 +0000 http://memories-of-eternity.com/?p=1305#comment-6853 Thanks for the comment. I understand what you're saying and, to be honest, I think I agree. I wrote this post almost two years ago and my opinion of it has matured a bit, but it's a good observation nonetheless. Thanks for the comment. I understand what you’re saying and, to be honest, I think I agree. I wrote this post almost two years ago and my opinion of it has matured a bit, but it’s a good observation nonetheless.

]]> By: Viewer http://blog.eternicity.net/2009/01/02/5-centimeters-per-second-re-watch-a-bittersweet-analysis-of-a-bittersweet-tale/comment-page-1/#comment-6846 Viewer Sat, 13 Nov 2010 16:15:28 +0000 http://memories-of-eternity.com/?p=1305#comment-6846 I agree with most of your analogy, but there is one part that I disagree on. You said at some point that Akari moved on quickly and got married and was happy, when that is not necessarily the case. In the movie, I believe that Shinkai wished to show that Takaki and Akari were very similar in terms of personality and feelings. The man whom Akari ended up getting married to was most probably the boy he had been rather close to during high school (as seen in the ending sequence), who would have eventually confessed his love to her, leading to their reunion. The reason why she didn't refuse was because, like Takaki, she is "too nice." Takaki also had a very similar scenario. Kanae loved him very much, but Takaki was still reminiscent of the times between him and Akari, which make it impossible for him to love Kanae. However, if Kanae had confessed to Takaki, he probably would have accepted and gone out with her and eventually married her, as Akari had done in her case. In the ending scene, you can see that even when married, Akari still remembers Takaki and still possesses fragments of feelings towards him, as Takaki would have undoubtedly done if he were married to Kanae. So in the end, what I'm trying to express is that there is some sort of mirror effect. If you re watch the movie again, picture this : Everything that Takai is feeling, Akari is feeling. They are just so similar, and only have different endings due to the gender factor. Sorry if I wasn't so clear, but I wanted to express my views on this. :) I agree with most of your analogy, but there is one part that I disagree on.

You said at some point that Akari moved on quickly and got married and was happy, when that is not necessarily the case.
In the movie, I believe that Shinkai wished to show that Takaki and Akari were very similar in terms of personality and feelings. The man whom Akari ended up getting married to was most probably the boy he had been rather close to during high school (as seen in the ending sequence), who would have eventually confessed his love to her, leading to their reunion. The reason why she didn’t refuse was because, like Takaki, she is “too nice.”

Takaki also had a very similar scenario. Kanae loved him very much, but Takaki was still reminiscent of the times between him and Akari, which make it impossible for him to love Kanae. However, if Kanae had confessed to Takaki, he probably would have accepted and gone out with her and eventually married her, as Akari had done in her case.
In the ending scene, you can see that even when married, Akari still remembers Takaki and still possesses fragments of feelings towards him, as Takaki would have undoubtedly done if he were married to Kanae.

So in the end, what I’m trying to express is that there is some sort of mirror effect.
If you re watch the movie again, picture this : Everything that Takai is feeling, Akari is feeling. They are just so similar, and only have different endings due to the gender factor.

Sorry if I wasn’t so clear, but I wanted to express my views on this. :)

]]> By: SarahRHCP http://blog.eternicity.net/2009/01/02/5-centimeters-per-second-re-watch-a-bittersweet-analysis-of-a-bittersweet-tale/comment-page-1/#comment-6557 SarahRHCP Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:14:49 +0000 http://memories-of-eternity.com/?p=1305#comment-6557 What a lovely analysis! You helped me understand some of the finer details in the movie :) All I can say as to how Akari was able to move on, or seemingly so, is maybe because they say 'when a heart breaks, it never breaks even.' Maybe where Takiki felt all that emotion at their first kiss, how he felt her soul as well as his own, wasn't reciprocated as much with Akari? Although I do believe Takiki reached a turning point when he seemed to accept that he would always love Akari and so is able to turn away and keep moving in his own direction, away from her. Quitting his job seems to back this up as it seems like a drastic decision for him to make. I loved this movie simply because of how real it was. Life isnt always how movies make it out to be. Typically, Takiki would have quit his job, found Akari, made a lovely speech about how he's never stopped loving her and they'd have skipped off happily to watch the cherry blossoms fall, but does that ever really happen? It's refreshing to see an ending that's so real, and one the majority can relate to in some way, and I think this is what makes this movie so timeless :) What a lovely analysis! You helped me understand some of the finer details in the movie :)
All I can say as to how Akari was able to move on, or seemingly so, is maybe because they say ‘when a heart breaks, it never breaks even.’ Maybe where Takiki felt all that emotion at their first kiss, how he felt her soul as well as his own, wasn’t reciprocated as much with Akari?
Although I do believe Takiki reached a turning point when he seemed to accept that he would always love Akari and so is able to turn away and keep moving in his own direction, away from her. Quitting his job seems to back this up as it seems like a drastic decision for him to make.
I loved this movie simply because of how real it was. Life isnt always how movies make it out to be. Typically, Takiki would have quit his job, found Akari, made a lovely speech about how he’s never stopped loving her and they’d have skipped off happily to watch the cherry blossoms fall, but does that ever really happen? It’s refreshing to see an ending that’s so real, and one the majority can relate to in some way, and I think this is what makes this movie so timeless :)

]]> By: KENNTH http://blog.eternicity.net/2009/01/02/5-centimeters-per-second-re-watch-a-bittersweet-analysis-of-a-bittersweet-tale/comment-page-1/#comment-3747 KENNTH Sun, 09 Aug 2009 03:23:30 +0000 http://memories-of-eternity.com/?p=1305#comment-3747 What it showed me was that even love can't withstand time. What it showed me was that even love can’t withstand time.

]]> By: ETERNAL http://blog.eternicity.net/2009/01/02/5-centimeters-per-second-re-watch-a-bittersweet-analysis-of-a-bittersweet-tale/comment-page-1/#comment-3053 ETERNAL Sun, 08 Mar 2009 02:31:08 +0000 http://memories-of-eternity.com/?p=1305#comment-3053 <blockquote>The sakura tree actually mean that even when 2 petals originated from the same branch, the might end up falling in different places. Byousoku 5 Cm itself mean the speed of a person's changing by passing of time.</blockquote> Thanks for raising that point, it's been bugging me for ages. Now I no longer have to make up a vague excuse when people unfamiliar with the movie ask me why it has such a strange title.

The sakura tree actually mean that even when 2 petals originated from the same branch, the might end up falling in different places. Byousoku 5 Cm itself mean the speed of a person’s changing by passing of time.

Thanks for raising that point, it’s been bugging me for ages. Now I no longer have to make up a vague excuse when people unfamiliar with the movie ask me why it has such a strange title.

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