Thursday 31 March 2016

Isabella's Reading Corner: 5 Centimeters per Second



5 Centimeters per Second story by Makoto Shinkai & art by Yukiko Seike
Published June 26th 2012 by Vertical


5 Centimeters per Second is a really sweet, sad story about a boy named Takaki & a girl named Akari who meet & fall in love, but drift apart when she must move away with her parents. It is mostly told through the eyes of Takaki, who develops such a strong bond with Akari that it is hard for him to let go, even if he may never see her again. 

Takaki’s feelings are full of intensity and emotion. This is a heartbreaking and beautiful tale - brilliantly evocative of a romantic first love. As the story delicately unfolds we are allowed to witness their snippets of time together. Takaki’s memories are depicted with an almost dream like quality and we are left to wonder how much of those feelings have been built up in his mind.

For anyone who has ever experienced unrequited love, even if you are not a fan of manga, this book is for you. 

From the publisher:
Love can move at the speed of terminal velocity, but as award-winning director Makoto Shinkai reveals in his latest comic, it can only be shared and embraced by those who refuse to see it stop.

Takaki Tohno quickly befriends Akari Shinohara when she transfers to his school. They grow closer to each other due to similar interests and attitudes; for instance, they both prefer to stay inside during recess due to their constitutions. As a result, they form a strong bond. 

Upon ending their school year, Akari moves to Tochigi, due to her parents' jobs. The two keep in contact by writing letters, but eventually begin to drift apart.


You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner post on 5 Centimeters per Second here.

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