The hitmaker director Makoto Shinkai, known for works such as “Your Name,“ “Weathering With You,” and “Suzume,“ will see his 2007 animated film “5 Centimeters per Second“ adapted into a live-action movie, set for release in fall 2025. The lead role will be played by Hokuto Matsumura (SixTONES), marking his first solo lead role in a film.
The theatrical anime “5 Centimeters per Second,” originally released in 2007 as Shinkai’s third commercial film following “Voices of a Distant Star” and “The Place Promised in Our Early Days,” is renowned for its stunning visuals, music, and poetic dialogue. Even more than 17 years later, the film remains beloved not only in Japan but worldwide.
The story follows Takaki Tōno over 18 years, from his childhood days spent with his elementary school crush Akari Shinohara, to his high school years on Tanegashima Island, and finally his adulthood as a system engineer in Tokyo, where he struggles with feelings of stagnation and frustration.
While the original animation is a 63-minute series of three interconnected short stories depicting Takaki’s childhood, teenage, and adult years, the live-action adaptation, based on a script developed in consultation with Shinkai, will be expanded into a roughly two-hour feature film.
Matsumura, who auditioned for and played the role of Sōta Munakata in Shinkai’s box-office hit “Suzume” (which earned over 14.9 billion yen), will star in this adaptation. Shinkai commented, “I feel a sense of life’s mystery in having the actor I trust most, Hokuto Matsumura, take on the lead role.”
Directing the live-action film is Yoshiyuki Okuyama, known for his work on commercials such as Pocari Sweat and music videos for artists like Kenshi Yonezu (Kanden, Kick Back) and Gen Hoshino (Souzou). This will be Okuyama’s first large-scale feature film, following his anthology film “At the Bench” (scheduled for release on November 15). The screenplay is written by Fumiko Suzuki, known for films like “Ai ni Ranbou” and “Bishu: The World’s Kindest Clothes.”
Comments from Director Makoto Shinkai (Original Creator):
“The animated film ‘5 Centimeters per Second‘ that I directed nearly 20 years ago is an incomplete and immature work. However, it is precisely this imperfection that has allowed the film to be loved for so long. I could never create a film like that again, nor could I recreate it. Therefore, I am excited to see Okuyama and his young, passionate team take on ‘5 Centimeters per Second‘ once more. I also feel a sense of life’s wonder in having Hokuto Matsumura, the actor I trust most, take on the lead role. Please make this film one that can only be made now, and I eagerly await its completion.”
Comments from Lead Actor Hokuto Matsumura (SixTONES):
“Having watched the original film countless times, I feel the weight of responsibility every day. This story has deeply impacted many people’s lives, and the fans have their own interpretations and worlds, just as I do. At first, I hesitated to join this live-action project, thinking someone as inexperienced as myself shouldn’t participate. But the passion and love the production team, including Director Okuyama, holds for the original, along with Shinkai’s words, “I want to see Hokuto in this role,” gave me the courage to take on this challenge. This film is being made by people who were influenced by and admired ‘5 Centimeters per Second.‘ With great respect for the original creators and the fans, I will take on this role with all my heart.”
Comments from Director Yoshiyuki Okuyama:
“I feel a special connection in being able to shoot a story woven by Makoto Shinkai when he was 33 years old, the same age I am now. Every day, as I work on ‘5 Centimeters per Second,‘ I’m reminded that there are things you can only create now and gazes that will inevitably be forgotten. Together with a team I wholeheartedly trust, I will carefully and sincerely approach every scene and every second of this film, as if gently placing a warm hand on Takaki’s back, who harbors a sense of loss and frustration. I will pour all the sentimentality I have left in me into this project, and I hope you will look forward to it.”
Comments from Screenwriter Fumiko Suzuki:
“I first saw Shinkai’s ‘5 Centimeters per Second’ when I was in my twenties. Many of the team members first saw it as middle or high school students. This profound original work evokes different emotions depending on when in life you encounter it. With a mix of excitement and tension, I’ve taken on the task of adapting it. I focused on the theme of human connection—how people come together and drift apart. Through many conversations with the deeply sincere Director Okuyama, the dedicated staff, and the genuine cast, we’ve woven all of that time into the script. I hope this film will reach the “now” of many people.”
Producer Masahiro Tamai:
“We are grateful not only to Makoto Shinkai and CoMix Wave Films for supporting this ambitious challenge of adapting such a beloved work into live-action, but also for their valuable insights and advice. With Director Yoshiyuki Okuyama, actor Hokuto Matsumura, the cast, and incredibly talented experts in each field—whether it’s the script, visuals, sound, or design—this project brings together a wealth of talent, skill, and refined artistic sensibility. I hope you will look forward to more updates as we approach the film’s release.”