It’s happening. The very first Makoto Shinkai film to receive a live-action treatment is the 2007 cult classic 5 Centimeters Per Second. 

An omnibus-style anime movie, “5cm” follows the story of a boy named Takaki Tono over the course of 18 years and his waning connection to Akari Shinohara, a girl he once loved and continues to yearn for.

The big news about the live-action adaptation was announced in September last year by CoMix Wave Films—the animation house and official distributor of Shinkai’s movies, including blockbuster hits such as Your Name, Weathering With You, and Suzume—sending fans of the original into a fit of excitement. 

After a long wait, the film studio finally released the first teaser of the movie last Friday, and yes, it was already looking visually stunning and… well… sad—just how fans like it. It also closed with a line from Akari as a child: “The speed at which cherry blossoms fall is five centimeters per second,” which basically explains the title of the film. 

Curious about the much-anticipated live-action version of 5 Centimeters Per Second? Read on as we’ve rounded up eight things you should know about the upcoming film:

It’s going to be a full-length feature

While the animated original’s runtime is a mere 63 minutes, the live-action remake is set to be released as a two-hour feature.

Shinkai claims that the movie he wrote and directed almost 20 years ago feels like an immature and unfinished piece, although he believes that’s the reason why the film has been loved for so long. He also expressed his excitement over seeing the adaptation from a young and enthusiastic team.

Director Yoshiyuki Okuyama helms the movie

Just as 5 Centimeters Per Second is Shinkai’s first full-length film debut, the live-action adaptation is also Yoshiyuki Okuyama’s first major feature film. Previously, the up-and-coming filmmaker directed music videos for popular Japanese artists like Kenshi Yonezu (Kanden, KICK BACK) and Gen Hoshino (Souzou). He also worked on a series of well-loved commercials for Pocari Sweat, capturing the beauty and energy of the youth.

In a press statement, Okuyama said, “I would like to place a warm hand on the back of Takaki, who is carrying a sense of loss and impatience, and shoot every scene, every second, carefully, with earnestness and sincerity, together with a team I truly trust.”

Ayako Suzuki adapted the screenplay

Fans of the animated film can rest assured that the live-action version is approached and done with utmost regard for the original. Screenwriter Ayako Suzuki devoted a considerable amount of time to refining the script, which underwent numerous revisions in collaboration with Shinkai, who also wrote the film’s novelization.

With a focus on slice of life dramas, Suzuki’s past screenwriting credits include heartwarming family drama films BISHU: The World’s Most Gentle Clothes and I Didn’t Love You Because I Was a Family, But I Loved You as a Family (literal titles).

Hokuto Matsumura stars as Takaki Tono

Handpicked by Shinkai himself to play the role of the protagonist, Takaki Tono, idol-actor Hokuto Matsumura is well aware of the weight of the project, humbly sharing that he feels a “heavy responsibility” as the original is a work he has rewatched many times in the past. In the same statement, he said, “I will take on the challenge with respect for the original team and the fans in my heart.”

The SixTONES member has been on an impressive run with critically acclaimed projects in recent years. Shinkai fans would recognize him for lending his voice to the charismatic Souta Munakata in 2023’s Suzume, for which he earned an Annie Award nomination.

He also emerged as a strong contender in Japan’s awards season earlier this year for his role in the 2024 Berlinale Forum feature All the Long Nights, where his portrayal of a young man plagued by panic disorder was met with high praise and accolades, including Japan’s prestigious Kinema Junpo Best Actor Award.

As a romantic lead, he made hearts flutter in 1ST KISS—a rom-com with a time travel twist written by Cannes award-winning screenwriter Yuji Sakamoto, released last February.

Balancing idol work and acting, Matsumura is only about to get busier as he leads the billing for 5 Centimeters Per Second—his first solo lead role in a film.

The young cast was selected from a pool of 500 aspiring child actors

5cm opens with Takaki’s childhood and how he crossed paths with the bookish misfit transfer student Akari, whom he befriends and eventually falls in love with.

To properly convey the emotions that come with young love, the production held an audition for approximately 500 applicants and ultimately selected child actors Haruto Ueda and Noa Shirayama to play the roles of Takaki and Akari, respectively.

This will be Ueda’s first foray into acting, while Shirayama made a remarkable debut in the 2023 drama Dr. Chocolate as a 10-year-old medical genius, starring alongside popular Japanese actor Kentaro Sakaguchi.

In an Instagram story, Director Okuyama noted that the young actors’ performances are filled with purity and freshness, adding, “It’s beautiful.”

The live-action movie will feature the original’s locations

In an effort to capture the worldview and heavily photo-referenced visuals of the original film, the live-action adaptation was shot in the locations featured in the anime, namely Tokyo and Tanegashima. It also covers all four seasons, having been filmed from 2024 to 2025. 

Pianist Ayatake Ezaki is in charge of the music

One of the highlights of 5cm is the memorable music that came with it.

The teaser of the movie has already hinted at the original’s melodies being incorporated into the live-action version, with a poignant cover of Tenmon’s “Memories From Days Far Away“ by pianist Ayatake Ezaki playing in the background.

On his Instagram page, Ayatake, who is taking charge of the movie’s score, posted a video of himself performing the cover. In his caption, he reminisced on how the animated film made him experience a “silent pain” in the back of his heart that kept ringing like echoes.

Fans couldn’t help but wonder, though, if Masayoshi Yamazaki’s heartbreaking song One More Time, One More Chance from the original will still be featured in the live-action adaptation. Perhaps, we’ll find out soon enough!

The live-action remake of 5 Centimeters Per Second is slated for a 10 October 2025 theatrical release in Japan

Mark your calendars! 5 Centimeters Per Second will be screened in theaters across Japan starting October 10, 2025. As for a Philippine release, no announcement has been made yet.

But with how 5cm—and Shinkai’s work, in general—is so well-loved in the country, fans can, at least, hope that local distributors pick up the movie for local screenings, so we can collectively experience the *yearning* that the original brought all over again.

5 Centimeters Per Second official live-action teaser

Are you excited about the live-action adaptation of 5 Centimeters Per Second? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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