Byousoku 5cm…
6 September 2007
I watched it just now and it was fucking gorgeous. Best looking thing I’ve seen in a while. Strangely, I was moved more by the animation than the story or the characters. I was ready to weep watching that rocket take off, the second episode has got to be my favorite. Just the way it felt, the stars in the night sky, space, that damn rocket reaching higher and higher…If anything, it just looked and felt so damn good. The colors, the colors, how vivid and detailed everything was. I think I’ve missed entirely everything it had to offer emotionally, but fell head over heels in love with everything visually.
I mean, Jesus, it looked something that popped out of a dream. It was like watching someone’s romanticized lamentations about life rendered in jaw-dropping animation. I, honestly, could care less about the story, it just looked, just looked…I can’t even tell you how it looked. The snow, the sakura blossoms, the sky, even the sky…
Maybe the world slowed down a little bit, just enough for me to appreciate how fantastic and breathless an experience it was.
Christ, if life looked even half as good as that…even half as good…
You say that like that’s a bad thing. You could always watch it sometime again later. (:
You’ve definitely picked up on the strength and weakness of Makoto Shinkai. As much as his movies are beautifully animated, they feel emotionally detached, almost artificial; it’s like his characters lack an essential spark. For me, he still hasn’t topped his first film “She and her cat”. That’s a five minute short, but along with a Shinkai’s great visual style, its funny and refreshing – especially when compared with his more recent nostalgia-drenched, depressing efforts.
@Owen S – It wasn’t supposed to sound like a bad thing. I just felt like I missed the greater meaning or something behind the film after I watched it. XD
@bateszi – “An essential spark” is a good way to put it. In the end, I really couldn’t feel anything for the characters which is pretty unusual. I’ll have to see “She and her cat” now. For one thing, it’s a five minute short and that alone gives me an impetus to watch it. For another, I’m in love with the animation. =D!
Byousoku 5cm (5cm Per Second)…
“…I can survive, I can endure/And I don’t even think about her/Most of the time…”
Yep, I’ve finally brought my scattered thoughts together as promised. It’s going to be a long one, people, and a few links/track…