Director Makoto
Shinkai, known for his hit works like “Your Name,” “Weathering with You,” and
“Suzume,” will see another of his films transformed into a live-action
adaptation. “ 5
Centimeters per Second ” has been confirmed to be brought to the
big screen in fall 2025, with Hokuto Matsumura, a member of the group SixTONES,
as the lead. For Matsumura, this will be his first film as a lead
actor, which adds a special touch to his career.
The original film,
which was released in 2007, was Shinkai’s third commercial work, following
“Voices of a Distant Star” and “The Place Promised in Our Early Days.” Its
poetic approach, coupled with stunning visual storytelling, evocative music and
distinctive dialogue, won the hearts of audiences both in Japan and around the
world. More than 17 years after its release, it remains a beloved
work.
The story follows the
life of Takaki Toono, who, over the course of 18 years, experiences different
moments in his life ranging from childhood, where he meets Akari Shinohara, to
his youth and early adulthood, where he struggles with a sense of emptiness and
anxiety in Tokyo. Unlike the original work, which had a running time of
63 minutes and was divided into three parts, the live-action version will be a
nearly two-hour film, the result of discussions between the production team and
Shinkai himself.
Director
Yoshiyuki Okuyama, known for his work on music videos for artists such as
Kenshi Yonezu and Gen Hoshino, will be in charge of directing this adaptation. This will be his first large-scale
feature film, which has generated high expectations among fans of his visual
style.
Shinkai, who will not
be directing the film, commented on the adaptation: “ I’m very
excited to see a young and enthusiastic team taking the reins of ‘5 Centimeters
per Second. ’ I couldn’t replicate that work now, and so I’m confident that
this new interpretation will reflect what can only be done in the present .”
Matsumura himself
expressed that he feels overwhelmed by the responsibility of starring in such
an influential work, having seen the film numerous times and felt its impact
over the years. He added that working under the encouraging words of
Shinkai, who told him that he wanted to see him play this role, convinced him
to accept the challenge.
Fans of
“5 Centimeters per Second” will be eagerly awaiting more details about this
ambitious adaptation. With
such a talented team and such a beloved work, expectations for this project are
high.
Source: OriconNews
(c)2025「秒速 5 センチメートル」製作委員会
