Makoto Shinkai’s 5 Centimeters per Second is getting a live-action movie adaptation, with the release date set for Fall 2025. Hokuto Matsumura from SixTONES was cast as the main character, Takaki Tono, while Yoshiyuki Okuyama will be the director. Spoon is credited for the production, while Toho will be the distributor.
Makoto Shinkai commented on the announcement, saying that he is excited that a young and passionate team led by Director Okuyama would be taking on the project. He describes 5 Centimeters per Second as a very immature and unfinished work from nearly 20 years ago, saying that he could never recreate such a film now due to it being driven solely by initial impulses.
The director also commented:
“I feel a special connection to be directing the story that Makoto Shinkai wrote when he was 33, now that I am 33 myself. Although it is just a number, it feels like a fateful encounter. Every day, as I face 5 Centimeters per Second, I realize that there are things that can only be made now and perspectives that we will eventually forget. I want to carefully and sincerely craft each scene and every second, together with the team I trust wholeheartedly, as if placing a warm hand on Takaki’s back, who carries a sense of loss and anxiety. I’m leaving all the ‘sentimental’ feelings that remain within me in this work, so please look forward to it.”
Hokuto Matsumura commented as well, explaining how he sees the challenge:
“Since this is a work I’ve watched countless times myself, I feel the weight of responsibility every day. This original work has deeply influenced the lives of many people. Every fan has their own interpretation and world of the story, and I am one of them. I found myself hesitating to take part in the live-action adaptation of such a beloved work, feeling unworthy. However, the admiration and love for the original shown by Director Okuyama and the production team, along with the words from Mr. Shinkai, ‘I’d like to see Hokuto take on this role,’ gave me a reason to take on this challenge with this team. This project is being created by a team of people who were inspired and influenced by 5 Centimeters per Second. With respect for the original team and the fans, I will take on this challenge with all my heart.”
5 Centimeters per Second released in 2007, with Makoto Shinkai directing at CoMix Wave Inc. The movie won Best Animated Feature Film at the 2007 Asia Pacific Screen Awards. It also got a novel and manga adaptations.
The story follows Takaki Tono through different periods of his life and his relationships with the girls around him.
Source: Official Website
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