No, actually, if you look at the story closely, you’ll see that most of Takaki’s life-turning points were those during his childhood days. Those memories with Akari and the girl from Cosmonaut were the memories which made Takaki the way he is at the present. So it’s highly logical that time would pass by quickly before Takaki’s (and our) eyes because there’s no meaning in the present for Takaki. If you have fallen in love with someone from a long, long time ago, and didn’t even had the chance of closure, then you’d understand why Takaki acts the way he does in the present.

@Mike: Glad to see my post is encouraging viewership of this movie. It was big a while back but I don’t know if the R1 crowd is picking up on it. Hope you enjoy the movie!

@Owen S: That’s an interesting observation, looking back on it – back when they were taking their tentative steps, it was painfully slow, and as they were growing up their distance and the story’s speed increased exponentially. I suppose I should read up on your 5cm posts, if your viewpoints are so different. I think a rewatch with the notes of others in hand might really do wonders for this film.

@Martin: Yeah, the montage caught me out; I think the third story was much shorter, or at least, I wasn’t sure of where it was heading as much as I kept asking “is this the ending?”. I personally didn’t like the song, but maybe I’m used to the screech of female J-pop.

And there always seems to be more to discover about this movie, true, even when I’ve only read a little about it. I’ve already heard an interesting theory from my friend (like, real life friends, I have those) about how the title symbolizes how while 5 Centimeters Per Second seems slow, before you know it the cherry blossom has already fallen (time has passed) and you can’t ever get it back (you can’t put the petal back on the tree, after all). Quite a movie.

I found that parts of the movie were hit or miss in terms of ‘feeling with your heart’; perhaps it’s my lack of experience that made stuff like Cosmonaut moving, while Cherry Blossom / 5 Centimeters Per Second had me involved in a more superficial way in rooting for Takaki instead.

The montage ending really benefits from a rewatch, mind – you have a better idea of what’s going on. It’s an unusual approach too, so I think it was arranged that way to convey something deep and thematic. *shrugs* It’s a nice song though.

The funny thing is, I’ve read numerous posts on this movie and each one has something profound to to add, this one included. Because of the ‘feeling’ I just mentioned, there are some thoughts of mine on it that can’t be expressed in words, however many I try to use – no matter how much the cinema ticket, DVD or Blu-ray disc or whatever it is I buy to watch this again will cost, it moved me in a way few other movies have. That’s kinda priceless.

It’s one of those movies where it’s less about what the story gives to you, and more of what you take away from it.

Truer words have never been said. I’m glad you got to watch this, and it’s always interesting to see another viewpoint about Byousoku, even if they differ greatly from mine. Did you notice the parallel that the pacing had with Takaki’s feelings for Akari? I thought that was a nice touch, if anything.