It looks like another live-action anime is in the works. Following successes like One Piece, Hollywood is eyeing the industry for new material, and filmmakers in Japan are doing much the same. For decades, Japanese studios have pursued live-action anime adaptations, and one is now turning its attention to Makoto Shinkai. After all, 5 Centimeters per Second is getting an adaptation with help from Toho.
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According to the distributor, 5 Centimeters per Second is being adapted into a live-action movie with Studio Spoon producing. Yoshiyuki Okuyama is directing the project while Ayako Suzuki oversees the script. So far, a full cast for 5 Centimeters per Second has not been found, but we know one of its stars. Hokuto Matsumura will star in the movie, and fans will know the actor for voicing Sota in Shinkai’s Suzume.
The Story of 5 Centimeters per Second
Now if you are not familiar with 5 Centimeters per Second, you should know the movie is one of Shinkai’s earlier hits. The film made its debut in 2007, and the romantic drama earned several awards upon its release. From its script to its animation and director, Shinkai oversaw every aspect of the film with CoMix Wave Inc. The success of 5 Centimeters per Second put Shinkai on a top-notch trajectory that eventually gave the world Your Name, Weathering With You, and Suzume. So if you love those films, then 5 Centimeters per Second will be up your alley.
The movie is separated into three acts, and each of these episodes jumps forward in time. We start in 1991 as we meet Takaki Tono, the film’s protagonist, as he friends Akari Shinohara in school. The elementary students become fast friends, and as the pair grow up, they develop feelings for one another. As 5 Centimeters per Second continues, we see the couple’s slow evolution as each of them struggles to understand their love for another. However, life is very rarely straightforward and mixed signals begin to block the pair at every turn. From love to loss, 5 Centimeters per Second has it all, so the movie’s live-action future has high expectations to meet.
The Rise of Live-Action Anime
With 5 Centimeters per Second in production, this live-action anime is just one of several to make headlines as of late. Netflix’s One Piece has dominated the space with season two now that filming has begun on the comeback. From Naruto to My Hero Academia, there are a number of anime adaptations floating around Hollywood. In fact, another Shinkai film is on that list thanks to Your Name. In 2017, J.J. Abrams optioned Your Name for a live-action adaptation, and the project is still wading through development. In 2022, we learned the movie had nabbed Carlos Lopez Estrada to write and direct after Marc Webb and Lee Isaac Chung exited the project. So for now, there is no telling whether or not Your Name will actually make it in Hollywood.
What do you think about this latest live-action anime? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.
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Image Credit: Universal Pictures
