Synopsis "5 Centimeters per Second: One More Side "

A contemporary classic, 5 Centimeters per Second won animator Makoto Shinkai international renown as a rare talent. Indeed, he just might be one of the most powerful bards of romantic longing and thwarted love working today in any medium. This official novelization narrates from the other side--for instance, from the point-of-view of the girl rather than the boy in the legendary first segment, "Cherry Blossoms"--to tell a story that is both deeply engaging for first-timers and astonishingly fresh for fans of the film. The author of fantasy novels based on the Shining videogame series, Arata Kanoh is best known for his imaginative prose adaptations of the masterpieces of Japan's hottest animator. Most recently, his take on Your Name was the #1 Kindle bestseller at Amazon Japan.

Makoto Shinkai

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Makoto Shinkai (1973 in Koumi, Japan) is a director, screenwriter, animator, producer, and visual artist who has revolutionized the contemporary anime landscape. After studying Japanese literature at Chuo University and actively participating in literary and drawing clubs, Shinkai began his professional career as a graphic designer at the video game company Falcom, where he developed cinematics for popular titles and took his first steps in digital animation

His artistic career took off with the short film She and Her Cat (1999), a work that won several awards and opened the doors of the industry for him. However, it was Voices of a Distant Star (2002), a self-produced work, that established him as an emerging figure thanks to his innovative visual style and emotive narrative. Shinkai is recognized for his attention to detail: his works stand out for meticulously drawn landscapes, vibrant skies, and a lyrical atmosphere that captures contained and subtle emotions

His stories explore universal themes such as physical and emotional distance, the passage of time, and the invisible ties that connect people. Films like The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004), Journey to Agartha (2011), and especially, Your Name (2016), the third highest-grossing anime film of all time, have cemented his reputation as one of the most personal and admired voices in current animation cinema. His recent filmography includes Weathering with You (2019) and Suzume (2022), both praised for their emotional depth and visual spectacularity

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