I don’t usually do news blogging, but there’s always that occasional RSS feed that excites me to jump into the fray, even though the prey has already been mauled by a starving tigress, then picked at by vultures. So shall it be.
ANN reports on an exclusive announcement from ADV Films, a leader in anime licensing in the US, that they have obtained the license for the three-part full-length theatrical film Byousoku 5 Centimeter – a chain of short stories about their distance (5cm per second). The well-renowned independent director, Makoto Shinkai, who has also crafted such stunning, heartwarming stories such as the Voices of a Distant Star OVA and The Place Promised in Our Early Days (both also licensed by ADV) has put together three individual parts that will be released in Japanese theaters later in the year (the first, Oukashou, was shown last December), and on DVD in December.
For those who have had the pleasure of seeing Oukashou a few months after its release last December through the graciousness of fansubbing groups, they know that this is breaking news nearly on par with the licensing of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. For those who haven’t, watch the YouTube video again. I personally never saw this coming [so soon], seeing as how only 1 of 3 of the parts have been shown in Japan still. Though 5cm may not appeal to those who aren’t crazy for drama/romance, the sheer fact of such a gorgeous production being brought over to the US cannot be ignored. Tack on the reputable reputation of Makoto Shinkai, and you’ve got a DVD that anime enthusiasts should feel ashamed not to have added to their shelf collection.
I’m not a picky anime semi-otaku, but after watching the sub, I can’t wait to see this is HD quality…! Not to mention, the story of 5cm is quite similar to my own personal experiences in pursuing the love of my life, Chessi. I have shown her Oukashou, and I think she feels the same way that I do about the story and the struggles of the characters involved. I plan on showing her the rest, keeping the DVD in our collection forever.
ADV, you guys have outdone yourselves yet again. Without a doubt, you are a company that really knows what the fans want. Thank you.
Currently Listening To: Hellogoodbye – Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! – “Oh, It Is Love”
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2007-06-23 at 09:43:07
Diego
Pleased to meet a fellow Shinkai fan!
They’ve already released the entire film (i.e. all three parts) in Japan; the DVD is coming out on 19 July. Even so, this is (as you say) something of a lightning-fast release – certainly the fastest I can remember. The theatrical release may be out of bounds for me (since I don’y live in the US) but I’m definitely looking forward to the DVD in December. A perfect Christmas stocking stuffer, if I do say so myself. ^_^
“stunning, heartwarming stories” = I think that’s an excellent description of Shinkai’s work. I usually describe his films as “hauntingly beautiful”, since his magnificently animated settings form such a rich backdrop for stories that deal with isolation and loss.
I shall look forward to your opinion on the complete film. Since the theatrical release will precede the DVD, I’m sure you’ll get to see it way before I do!
2007-06-24 at 01:44:30
storymode
Hi there, Diego! Thank you for your reply.
I read your entry and I think there might be a big misconception in your reading of my entry. 5cm isn’t going to be shown in US theatres. The theatre releases were only in Japan and ANN is saying that all of them have not been shown yet. Also, if they had been shown, I would have caught wind from somewhere about there being a RAW video of it available.
ADV Films is not a movie company, but an anime licensing company that releases anime on DVD. If the Japanese DVD is going to be released on 19 July, then…I suppose ANN meant that it would be released on DVD in US stores in December? Where did you find that date info from? I was under the impression that they were referring to the Japanese DVD…Hmm…And yes, the theatrical releases in Japan will precede the DVD [most likely in Japan], but the US probably won’t see it for a long while, as that is how licensing goes.
I would agree with Shinkai’s “hauntingly beautiful”. I suppose I never perceived his work as conveying something that would linger in the minds of those that watch, but they do.
2007-06-24 at 02:10:37
Diego
Hi, and thanks for replying! I’m sorry for the length of this reply to your reply; I tried to pack in as much information as I could.
I cobbled my info from a number of sources (ANN included), but this paragraph from Wikipedia pretty much summarises everything:
“The first part of the film was debuted on Yahoo! Japan as streaming video to Yahoo! Premium members from 16 February to 19 February, 2007. On March 3, 2007, the full length featured film had its theatrical premiere at Cinema Rise in Shibuya, Tokyo. The film consists of three segments: Ōkashō (桜花抄), Cosmonaut (コスモナウト), and Byōsoku 5 Senchimētoru (秒速5センチメートル), totaling about an hour of runtime. As in Shinkai’s previous works, Tenmon composes for this film’s soundtrack. The DvD is set to be released on the 19th on July, 2007 according to Makato Shinkai’s Official Website.”
The “theatrical tour” mentioned in the press release refers to the US event, and the December date refers to the US DVD release. As for the lack of raws, I suppose it’s simply because the DVD hasn’t been released yet and, with the lack of a TV broadcast, there are no alternative sources of footage. I had the same problem when I was looking for Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo; although it was released in 2006, the first raw only appeared in April of this year (when the Japan DVD was released) and the first subs followed in May.
If you live somewhere in the Long Beach area (or have any plans of attending the 2007 Anime Expo there), you’ll get to see it even earlier. The ADV press release also states that they “will debut a 35mm subtitled version of 5 Centimeters per Second at two late night screenings Saturday June 30. A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at the ADV Films booth at Anime Expo. Both showings will take place at a theater within walking distance of the convention center and Expo hotels.”
2007-06-24 at 12:46:34
storymode
Have no worries about lengths with me.
Now that I think about it, why in the world would they show three individual 25-minute segment in theatres? Of course they would have shown the entire thing at once, and those who had Yahoo! Premium would have taken the RAW from that. The licensing makes perfect sense now. I was stuck in the usual subbing process and completely missed that truth. Then again, I hadn’t done my homework to know that it was streamed either.
Thank you for clarifying your information. I was being lazy and could have potentially Wiki-ed myself. I always thought ANN was concise with their information, but they completely left out info about Anime Expo. I’ll be sure to do more research next time, thus the reason why I tend not to do news entries. No time for that sort of thing. Unfortunately, I won’t be anywhere near AX, but then there’s the DVD release in December, which I’m fine with.
Thanks again! ^^
2007-09-24 at 11:52:09
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