Byousoku 5 Centimeter
5 Centimeters per Second

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Like others, I saw the anime first. I thought it was quite good and started to look for the manga for alternative ending. Well, I found a lot more.

First, I don't cry, ever. My eyes get little wet sometimes but that's all. Well, that was before I started reading Byousoku 5 Centimeter. After the first 2 chapters I had no choice but to take a break. My eyes were something similar to waterfall during the first reading session.

After reading more chapters (and taking some more breaks) I found feelings I didn't know to exist. Romance is so dramatic, beautiful and pure that it makes ... me wanna go out to the rain and sing Red Light Pledge (and I don't even know the words).

Art is made by Seike, Yukiko. They have not made other mangas but I sure hope they will do in the future. What I'm trying to say is that the art is really awesome. By awesome I mean perfect.

When I wacthed the anime I found some characters rather annoying. That's all gone in the manga. Couldn't really ask for better characters. So, again, perfect would be the right word to choose.

I loved the manga. It gave me much more than I asked, it will stay on my heart forever.

"Every minute felt like an eternity time, clearly as if it had a malicious intent, slowly ebbing away from me. I clenched my teeth and keeping myself from crying was the only thing I could do"

It all started when I was discussing the anime with a friend. It turned into a sort of debate on whether the ending to the anime was depressing or happy. Did he move on or just “chicken out.” Did Takaki get the short of the stick or was it really a good thing that it turned out the way it did. It kept going on or a while, in ... the end, we just agreed to disagree, but my curiosity was already stirred. So, I did the one thing I do about everything, I read.

Knowing that the manga went beyond that of the anime, even if it’s only a short time after, I decided to try give it a try. Knowing that any small amount of closure would have been better than none at all. Ready, if for anything else, to at least be swept by the waves of emotions that is, 5 Centimeters Per Second once again.
I was right, but in a whole other way I didn’t even consider. The side characters, more specifically Kanae. While the anime is focused only on Akari and Takaki most of the time. The manga gives us even more of them and a little extra. We get to know and care for Kanae. Who’s role is a combined ten minutes if anything in the movie.

For those that don't know what the manga is about: Takaki and Akari, both knowing the feeling of being the new kids in class, form a sort of bond in a short enough time. Akari has to move away because of her dad's job and they try not to let the distance tear apart their friendship by still keeping in touch through letters and such. Time and distance isn't on their side though and these two are but one example of growing up and apart.

This manga could mean many different things to many different people. That’s actually one of it’s charms. Somewhere along the way we’ve all been dealt a crappy hand in the game called Life (I think I just quoted Eminem lyrics). It flows effortlessly. We see through different stages of life, not the good moments either but more of the moments that change you. Or that you are forced to take action in. How it really isn't just one person living but that (shockingly) there are other people our lives are tied to by an invisible string.

I think what really made me love this manga was the realism of what happens to relationships even if you don't want it to. It was just how it unfolded. It isn't just about their relationship in 5 Centimeters Per Second, we get to experience other characters even if for a short while.

The art is great, beautiful even. The sadness on their expressions is in perfect harmony with the story and dialogue.
If I had to choose, hands down I choose the anime. Because even though the ending is more or less different, the beauty in this anime, what makes it flow together so well. Is not only that the story is lovely but that the music fits the melancholy and nostalgia Takaki is feeling. That the animation is beautifully done and executed to the point that almost every screenshot could be a wallpaper. It’s all those things that made the anime a winner. BUT it has to be said that the amount of detail Shinkai adds to the scenery is amazing. Not many do, some just let characters take the spotlight as a whole.With each passing page I saw myself being drawn not only to the story but I looked forward to the next scene. The next expression, the next sakura tree...

The manga, it’ll break your heart with it’s characters, something that the anime could only graze. But the magic of it, honestly, is in the way the soundtrack, animation (colors), and how it flows together to make it one heck of a trip.

Out of the billions of people on Earth these two people found each other, in one of the most bittersweet manga I have read.

I was 14 when I saw the first part of the anime on TV. It was melancholy and beautiful, and I loved it immediately. I didn't know there was more to it until five years later, when I watched it again. After watching part 2 and hearing Kanae's story, I cried harder than I had ever cried since I was a child.

After that I had to read the manga. The art is AMAZING, much more satisfying than Shinkai's anime, and there is a lot more development to the characters that allows you to understand where they are coming from better.

The epilogue that is part 3 ... in the anime is also much more expansive, so there is a lot more about what happens to the characters in adulthood. If you were on the fence about reading it, that in itself is enough reason to do so.

More than anything else I have ever seen, this manga perfected the portrayal of unrequited love: from the anxiety of trying to admit your feelings, to the lightheaded joy of finding that your crush has the slightest thing in common with you.

It made me cry all over again, and Sumida Kanae has become one of my favorite characters in fiction. I find myself opening it and re-reading my favorite scenes dozens of times. If anyone asked me my favorite book, I would have to struggle not give this manga as my answer.

After I had watched the movie "5 Centimeters Per Second: a chain of short stories about their distance", directed by Makoto Shinkai, one of the biggest problems with the movie I had was the lack of depth in the relationship between Kanae and Takaki.

In the manga, however, I feel like this relationship was explored more in depth, which left me with a more complete feeling after reading the manga. This also helped build both Kanae, Takaki, and Akari as characters, because narration from Kanae about her feelings revealed more dimensions to each character than what was depicted in the movie.

If you enjoyed ... the movie, I believe that you will definitely enjoy the manga. For me, it started slow. The first few chapters, covering the childhood relationship between Takaki and Akari were dull for me, and it was a struggle to continue reading. Thankfully, once Kanae was introduced and the characters weren't children anymore, the emotions and the way that they displayed them seemed more real, causing an overall maturation of the manga as a whole.

I will not write a whole summary of what happens in the manga because I am sure that many of you have seen the movie; however, I will say that in my opinion, the strength of characters is MUCH stronger in the manga, and I am able to return to the manga, re-read it, and still enjoy it, which I unfortunately cannot do with the movie. (Just not the same as the first time when rewatching the anime version in my opinion :[ )

I rate this an overall 8/10 for these two reasons mainly:

-The slow start, if continued, would have earned the manga an overall 5 in my opinion. However,

-the manga after the first few chapters was EXCELLENT, a 10/10 in my opinion.

Because more of the manga was in the "after first few chapters" category, (8/11 chapters?) I give byousoku 5 Centimeters per second an 8/10.

===== SPOILER REVIEW HERE=====

Disappointment. That is my opinion about this manga. MC is literally piece of shit, and he got what he deserved.

Story (6/10) : This is about a guy who cannot move on, and got stucked in the past, but refuses to do anything about his condition. He is free to do anything, he got the time, he got the means available to look for his beloved, but no, nothing happened.

**SPOILERS**
So MC is separated with his first love, and after some time, they lose contact of each other. MC clings to his past, believing she is the only one for him, ... yet he refuses to contact her, in any way. He refuses to go to class reunions, which one of his classmates MIGHT have FMC's contact. He went to the town where FMC used to live, but he stopped at the station. He thought to himself that she might not be there anymore.

Yes, FMC MIGHT not live there anymore. But it's not like there is nothing left there. Her neighbors? no, he didn't try to contact them. Looking for information about her? nah, not worth trying. Ask his classmates? no, they won't know anyway. Literally nothing.

Art (7/10) : Gotta stay objective, the art is decent, it is not great, not bad either.

Character (1/10) : This is where it gets frustating. There is no character development. Time passed, but there is no change in MC's behavior. Literally nothing, it's like MC refuses to grow up, or even do something about his condition, then proceed to hurt people around him. He is only expecting other people to do something to his situation. MC is like your edgy teenager where he always whine about his problems, but refuses to do anything about it.

Without doing something, you will get no result, and when you get no result, don't rub it on another people's face. Glad FMC moved on. She dodged a bullet there.

Enjoyment (2/10) : Very frustating MC, not really enjoyable.

Overall (4/10) : This manga has potential, but is wasted on its characters.

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.

This manga is one of the best that I have ever read (and will probably read in the future).
I can not think of anything to change about it that would honestly make it any better. I won't lie though, I had to take a break every few chapters (especially after the first two), the emotions that it envoked just hit that hard. It is a very emotional tale of love and loss, one that will leave you both wanting more, and wondering if you could take anymore. Honestly, I loved every bit of this story. It left a piece of ... itself in me after I read it, and I hope it does the same for you.

I don't know if it's just that I'm actually too stupid to understand the plot, but this manga was so very boring and not worth the $23 I spent on it.

The initial plot, not too shabby. It starts off with the "first love" scenario that naturally ends in heartbreak. Then that plot is never addressed again. We find out that the main character never recovered from that heartbreak for like 15 years and we're even introduced to another character that is attracted to him for like 1 chapter and then never again. It just demonstrated heartbreak that lasted and we're shown the development ... of his other relationship that (shockingly) ends in failure.

It was just a lot of things happening with very slow climaxes and weak resolutions.

But, one of the best parts of the manga was near the end of the manga, where you see the 2 main characters cross paths, without recognizing each other despite the heavy impact that they both had on each other's lives. Honestly, they could've gotten rid of the two side-plots revolving the main character and made it a short story that simply resolved there with a realisation that he really must move on from the past.

I don't know, if you're into I suppose "deeper" plots and minimal story action check it out.

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.

This manga is one of the best stories I have ever read, but in the same time one of the saddest.

The story is mostly about a relation between two people that one day breaks, and this two people don't accept this fact.

During all the story the author is mostly gonna show his point of view about this topic, telling what is gonna happened in this kind of situations and why. At the end he conclude saying what to do, and to be honest I really think that the message of this story is positive.

I also want to highlight that the story is very well written, ... all the dialogues and the drawings are very good. This allows the reader to be able very easily to dive in the word described by the author and then enjoy the reading even more.

By the way this is the first time that I like more an adaptation that the original. For me the manga version just feels more accurate and complete than the movie.

I truly recommend anyone to read this manga, I think that is it almost impossible to be disappointed.

This is one of my favorite manga. It's a heartbreaking story about love, long distance relationships, not being able to quite let go, and moving on with life. It's a modern love story that can hit home for a lot of us! I'm not going to say too much about the story because most people are already familiar with the movie. But, I will say there is MORE to the story in the manga. It gives a deeper look into the characters. Not so much for Akari... who isn't really the focus in the story. (If you want more about her character read the light ... novel - which I will be reviewing once I finish it.) But, overall, I felt like the story was a lot more fulfilling in the manga. It also felt more hopeful.

Story - straight up 10/10!

Art - 9/10. Very well done!

Characters - 9/10! Sometimes the characters can be frustrating...but, that's life...isn't it? They're flawed and relatable. Even long after putting down the manga I find myself thinking about them. Their stories are bitter but there is a sweetness to all of them.

Enjoyment - 10/10! I never used to be a person who liked "sad" stories. This isn't the kind of story that makes me feel happy, per se. But, I enjoy it because I can identify with it. It's heartbreaking and heartwarming in an unusual way. Maybe like a friend who can truly empathize with your hardships.

Overall - 10/10. I can easily recommend this manga to anyone. It has a permanent place on my bookshelf!

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 ... deal with their lives, but that will be expanded upon below.

[Art - 9]

Artwork is as gorgeous as the movie's, if not even more so despite not being in colour. It definitely puts its own 'anime' spin on the character designs while staying true to the movie in terms of maintaining a cinematic feeling. This feeling, like the film, is conveyed through rather stunning, yet quaint, settings such as downtown Tokyo, the beach, etc. etc. Huge kudos to the artist, Yukiko Seike, for pulling this off with major success.

[Character - 6]

While I'm still rather annoyed with the characters, I'm glad that Shinkai decided to expand on their monologues. For starters, at least the male protagonist, Takaki, isn't as.....cringy as the movie made him out to be, as he actually has an arc of realizing he needs to let go. The female protag (Akari), however, is still woefully uncharacterized to the point of only being in the story to serve as Takaki's catalyst for angst.

However, the 2 other prominent women in the story get a LOT more fleshing-out here. Kanae's struggles isn't just with her feelings for Takaki, but with the general aimlessness of life that teenagers often feel. I'm not /quite/ pleased with the implications of her ending, but her arc is my personal favourite from this manga, as it feels so....universal as a life experience. Risa still feels a bit flat to me, and quickly vanishes as fast as she appears, but her dynamic with Takaki was rather enjoyable and thought-provoking since she helps Takaki come to grips with his inability to move on.

[Enjoyment/Overall - 5/6]

It's not as amazing or life-changing as everyone says it is, but 5CM/S is still somewhat enjoyable. I'd actually recommend this over the movie, as it just offers so much more depth than what the movie gave everyone. Feel free to give it a shot if you really want to see angsty romance; Otherwise, skip it over.

can i cry now?

no one died, but i am crying, really, really crying.

i didnt read the reviews because i might get spoiled about what happened, but i should have.. i should have so i could have prepared myself for what happened.

im really sorry but this could be a waste of your time to read my review. but please prepare a tissue or a handkerchief when you read this manga.

it is a great story, but really.. im a crybaby now while im typing this down.

i like the characters. but because of their age when things happened, it was awkward for them and they were both conscious. ... if only.. if only they were able to..

i enjoyed, but it was more like, i was washed away by the waves deep down at the bottom of the ocean (i dont know how to swim), so im gasping and trying to hold my breath while reading and waiting for the next pages on what could really happen.

the art is not that exceptional but considering

SPOILER
this isnt your manga with a happy ending.

if i were on his shoes, what could have i done to convey my feelings to her? aside from what happened during our last meeting, what else could have been the better way. it is not easy to live a life full of regrets. to live a life where you pretend that you are fine with this and that, it is sad. what kind of pain have you suffered all along? she was your happiness.

if i were on her shoes, i should have mustered my courage to give it to him. i should have said it too. i should have looked for ways to reach him. i should have traveled hours to get to him.

this is sad. i do not with you but, this is the type of manga that makes me really hook to reading mangas. the human sufferings.. the pain that every normal human being agonize every minute of life. It is painful but that is life.

What is more painful here is because for how many years, it has been like that. It has not been released. He didn’t have an outlet on where or to whom he could share it with. No one new, except for her of what he is suffering. How am I going to convey my feelings to what I just read? It is just not enough because the pain is so heavy that I wanted to shout. If I only he shouted, if only he cried, if only he tried to release that pain.. but he didn’t because he didn’t want to hurt anyone.. because he still loved her.

thank you for reading, although you havent grasped anything from that, maybe.

To those who say its boring, I think its warranted in the sense its not a typical story. The whole manga is very thematic, and it never shies away from showing that theme. Without giving spoilers, the manga is about speed and distance. It is a story of relationships and feelings, more than it is actually about love.

Story 10/10
The story seems boring, not much seems to happen. I think the story line itself is meant to be pondered on, to also reflect on our own relationships as well rather than a story where we are actually rooting for a character. The effectiveness of the ... story is based on the deep ideas one can ponder on, and is not the type of story where the reader vicariously lives through the mc. The MC is no protagonist, he is merely a POV.

Character 8/10
I do not think there is inconsistency in the character. I am tbh quite bothered with people saying they hated the character for being dumb and pathetic. You're not meant to be rooting for the character. This is the reason also that we do not follow the character in depth, we are simply given scenes for us to judge. I do not think we were meant to judge the characters' actions but rather to reflect on them. A lot of animes try to do this, but I love 5cm the most because it always make me feel detached from caring about a happy ending. The tone of drfiting apart was always there.

All in all, it is not for everyone, but nevertheless to give this manga less than 10 is just an insult. Thematically and poetically this is one of Makoto Shinkai's best work, far better than Your Name.

*Some minor spoilers in the review for the overall story of 5 Centimeters per Second and its nature*

The manga adaptation of Makoto Shinkai's 5 Centimeters per Second is a very peculiar piece of literature in that, without first having seen the movie it cannot fulfill its sole purpose for existing: to expand on the ending of the film. Some people misinterpret this in saying that this manga has an 'alternate ending', when it really is just the 'full ending'.

If we go further and start comparing the manga to the film, objectively it would stand no chance. It has none of the music, colours, and photographic ... composition that the movie has and the art of the manga isn't anything special. That isn't to say it is bad, mediocre, fine or just 'good', the art is really good: but nothing special. Of greatest note are the backgrounds; they are outstanding compositions of fine lines and rougher inking that allow the fine lines and whole grey shades of the characters to be well defined while also having those characters fit in nicely within the environments. Another thing of note are the panel compositions; the amount of zoomed out angles used are a thing of beauty when combined with the background sceneries Yukiko Seike draws with great detail.

What's a challenge for me is reviewing this in terms of aspects other than the art, which is the only real change between the original and the adaptations. With the story being the same one being told in a different format, the biggest changes don't take away from the overall experience. It's still 5 Centimeters per Second. The pacing is most notably different, but that is really only the scene by scene pacing; overall the story flows very well and it is understandable why the change in format would lead to scenes flowing differently. It's also important to note that when I say 'differently', there is no negative connotation attached to it.

On the subject of characters, nothing is really different, it's still the same story. The only changes are really improvements because they take two characters specifically and do something more with them. This expansion of characterization and resolution of their personal stories is brought about through the final two chapters, 10 and 11. Chapter 10 is the manga take of the 5 minute 'One more time, One more chance' song ending from the film and instead of it being the ending, or where the film ends, there is another chapter and that is reflected in the dialogue and presentation of the chapter. Chapter 11 is the 'full ending' I mentioned prior and ties up everything far more tightly than in the film, and I'm not here to claim that one is superior, its all up to personal preference. However, what i will say is that the ending gives that extra bit of characterization and a '5 years later' representation of that character. It's great, and when looking back at it, the nature of the how the original and adaptation end aren't too far apart.

I really enjoyed reading the manga adaptation of 5 Centimeters per Second, and I found that it made me feel the same way as the original film did: that is really sad at how bittersweet the story is. I could've enjoyed it a lot more had I know about it shortly after watching the film. It really is a manga that has to be read right after watching 5 Centimeters per Second; and like the movie, its very short but very well made.

Prepare a box of tissues before you read Byousoku 5 Centimeter.

Even if you are a rock, this manga has the potential to dehydrate you by exhausting you of your tears. The feels are so heavy they just can't be done proper justice in a review. Both the art and story are perfect and convey the feelings of the characters extremely well. This is a must read if you enjoy emotional dramas, romance, or if you just like to cry. The best part is that this manga also has great reread value, the feels will hit you again and again; and the tears just keep flowing.

TLDR; ... Read, feel, cry.