5 Centimeters Per Second
Overview: Remember a time before cell phones could be found in every pocket? Or when even accessing the world wide web was something only readily available in a library? Back then letters still filled up postboxes and moments just felt so much more precious when captured on Polaroid film. Now life seems to move at the speed of light. Our memories are captured and shared with the world on social media platforms. And love, which is already capricious, can feel like it is moving at terminal velocity.
Pages: 464
Story: Makoto Shinkai
Artist: Yukiko Seike
Recommendations:
Review By: Jason Schulte
Rating:
The tale unfolds with a young lad venturing into a new town, where he crosses paths with a captivating girl. Their friendship blossoms, hinting at something more, until fate intervenes. From then on, we witness his journey through life, haunted by memories of her. The overall vibe of the book is quite melancholic, focusing on lost love and the missteps taken in moving forward.
I must admit, this book is a brisk read. However, I found myself bogged down by unnecessary filler frames that could easily be trimmed. The story itself had moments of intrigue, but they were often overshadowed by lengthy sections that seemed to drag on.
What really irked me was the predictability of the plot, only to be thrown off course at every twist and turn. It’s like the author was playing a game of literary cat and mouse with my expectations.
In the end, I believe this story would have been more enjoyable if it had been condensed. While it delves into the aftermath of lost love, it tends to meander at a sluggish pace. Unfortunately, it just didn’t quite hit the mark for me, no matter how much I wished it would.