There isn’t a single anime director that I love as much as Makoto Shinkai. He is well known for his shows like Voices of a Distant Star (Hoshi no Koe), the critically acclaimed The Place Promised in Our Early Days (Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho), and his most recent theatrical release 5 Centimeters per Second (Byousoku 5cm).
What do these shows have in common? Yeap, these 3 shows revolve around the same theme - distance. I don’t think there’s another director who can interpret “distance” in such a beautiful yet heart-wrenching way.
For those who haven’t watched any of Makoto’s work, perhaps this may open your eyes to his works and get you interested!
Voices of a Distant Star
Voices of a Distant Star revolves around the 2 main characters - Mikako and Noboru - who are classmates. Like most romance that blossom during the bitter-sweet high school time, both of them enjoy each other’s companny, doing simple things like going to the nearby convenient store together, taking shelter at a run-down hut when it rains.
Mikaku and Noboru both know that they have feelings for each other, although neiher of them express their feelings explicitly. Don’t you think love is at its deepest when it is unspoken and yet both lovers know it?
However, things get harder when Mikako leaves for the Space as she is drafted to the UN Space Army in a war against the a group of aliens. Both of them keep in touch by sending text messages using their mobile phones. However, as Mikako journeys further from earth, the longer the messages take to reach Noboru on earth, and vice versa. It takes weeks at first, then months, and then, years!
Such is the anguish of loving someone at another end of the earth… no, universe.
The Place Promised in Our Early Days
Also known as Beyond the Clouds, the Promised Place. It tells a story of lost and found love, friendship and promises between three friends - Hiroki, Takuya and Sayuri.
The story takes place in post-war Japan, where its Southern part is occupied by the US, and the Northern part by the Union (presumably the Soviet Union). A strange and mysterious tower is constructed by the Union in Hokkaido. The three protagonists, fascinated by the mysteries of the tower, make a promise that they will one day fly to the tower.
Things take an unfortunate turn when Sayuri suddenly disappears from their lives. Without her, Hiroki and Takuya eventually drifts apart. , However, as the story progresses, both of the guys put aside their differences and reunite to fulfill their promise to Sayuri.
Like Hoshi no Koe, one of the underlying themes is distance: the distance between Sayuri and her two friends when she is trapped alone in the parallel universe, and the distance between Hiroki and Takuya as they drift apart after losing Sayuri. It also deals with reunification and lost love…
5 Centimeters per Second
5 Centimeters per Second, subtitled “a chain of short stories about their distance”, comprises of (yeap, you guessed it right) 3 short stories. The short stories are titled Oukashou (Cherry Blossom Extract), Cosmonaut, and 5 Centimeters per Second.
The stories revolve about the a boy named Takaki Touno, which each segment dedicated to a certain period of his youth. The first segment takes place upon Takaki’s graduation from elementary school, and second when he was in high school, and the last segment when he enters the work force as a computer programmer.
Each segment tells a compelling story of Takaki’s experience with love. It’s a series of short love stories that paint a bitter picture of sweet childhood love, painful separation with his loved one, unrequited love and then finally the depressing realization of how time and distance can cruelly lead two lovers to different space and time where the fragile connection that they once shared is inevitably lost.
IMHO, the insert song “One More Time, One More Chance” is one of the saddest anime love songs besides Toki o Kakeru Shoujo’s theme song and insert song. *sobs* The lyrics of these songs basically sum up the stories of the animes.
I Cried Watching Them
Putting below-par character designs aside, these 3 beautiful shows are not to be missed for they touch you at the deepest corner of you heart. Not to mention the beautiful art of Shinkai Makoto will definitely leave you in awe.
This post is tagged 5 Centimeters per Second, Shinkai Makoto, The Place Promised in Our Early Days, Voices of a Distant Star
This post filed in *Feature, 5cm per Second, Beyond the Clouds, Shows You Must Watch, Voices of a Distant Star
5 Comments
I’ve only watched 5 Centimeters per Second and i must say it’s a masterpiece.I did cry when i was watching too.Did not try out both of his 2 other movies,guess i’ll go watch it.
Ashlynne: I, too, started with 5 Centimeters per Second. Then I watched The Place Promised before Voices of a Distant Star.
For me it was Beyond the Clouds, Our Promised Place–> Voices of a Distant Star–> 5 Centimeters per Second. Beyond the clouds was easily the best, followed by 5cm, and finnaly Voices.
All were amazing though. Voices only got last because of the ‘odd’ animation. The story was great, and yeah, I cried at least once in each I’m sure. Obviously over sensitive… ¬¬
Ashlynne: Lol, Voices was produced entirely by Shinkai on his Mac. Although the animation looks odd, IMHO it’s godlike considering he did it alone.
Me three. I started with watching 5 cm per second. Did not know about Voices of Distant Star until reading your post. Thank you for the recommendation. Now I am feeling sad for the rest of my weekend. Of the 3, I like 5 cm per second the best. Its OST helps me through so many delays at the airports.
They were nothing I’ve ever seen before.
Voices was the first one I’ve ever seen. Then The Place Promised In Our Early Days and then 5cm Per Second.
Mr. Shinkai’s storytelling is incredible.
And the last few minutes of his films always get me right here *points to heart*
And it doesn’t hurt that he makes the BEST background art either.
5cm’s ending was just brilliant, along with “One More Time, One More Chance.”
There is no other song in the world that is more perfect for 5cm Per Second.
I CANNOT wait for his next film.
Man! D:
I almost got teary eyes while reading your post about the Voices of a Distant Star! TAT
I wanna watch them!
The first I’ve watch was Byousoku 5cm. :’o
And of course I cried! xD
It was beautiful and touching. -sobs-
Ah~ thinking about it makes me cry. Lawl. x’3
I can’t wait for more films made by him. *w*
It’d be awesome as always…
Now! Better go look for those two anime’s! -runs off- Hehe~ x’3
Incoming Links
Leave a Reply