A Date with 5 Centimeters Per Second - Part 2
Oh, hay, it’s June 16. Remember to say hello to this bloke for the rest of us in a few days? With a heavy, large stick nicknamed Envy? (Srsly, you UK fanboys ought to hang out and get it on more often. Enjoy your Shinkai.)
The months preluding to summer are rather busy; finding an appropriate Sunday evening to spend with the film was not easy. The warm air assaults outdoor travelers adjusting to the changing season but I’ve adapted rather quickly for a change. Perhaps a typical day walking the farm-lined country road of Tanegashima was not unlike the day I spent watching Baseball, doing errands, singing praises, and watching the struggle of Takaki Tono on a film-tuned HDTV running the BRD version of the film, 5 Centimeters Per Second. I had to feel comfortable about it, after all.
This time around I actually spent two hours watching both the Blu-Ray and DVD region 1 versions of the work, as I was joined by a co-conspirator who required subtitles. The re-tuned TV, as previously mentioned, is a Sony KDS 60A2000, to these specs. And sure enough, the opening scene in Okashou no longer pounces my visual senses like a sour Warhead. The interplay of the intermittent sunlight through the trees really stood out in the few scenes that offered the said visual magic. The scene when Akari pets the downtrodden Chobi was particularly exciting, which was a new find. (Well, as exciting as 5cm can be.)
The same goes for the surfing action; Sumida’s dark complexion remained both in her dusk-creeper mode and when she’s paying tribute to the ocean gods via her stretching exercises. The seaside glitter worked the same wonder as the twinkling stars–which now twinkle properly as she climbed the grassy knoll for the nth time.
It was also fun to just look at random things–the anti-theft mirror in the convenience store scene was a good example. The contrast between the lit train and the dark, snowy night was still appreciable but the night wasn’t as dark as I remembered. On the other hand, the train rides with the sun up was a little less exciting as the animation skipped out on some of the shadow animation coming in, at least some of the time.
It was like having a blown-up version of the pictures from Sora no Kioku in your living room, measuring 60″ from the diagonals. And having the ability to just hit pause and walk up to it was pretty awesome. I know I did that for a couple scenes. Like the shot from Okashou, entering the classroom in the morning–noticing the bags hanging from the desks and chairs, and reflection from the ceiling lights–it was sweet.
Unfortunately, I’m not sure it was all good. For example, the scene where Sumida’s sister admired her successful ride along the grassy shore was a little too windy that the grass can’t keep up? Or the simple character animation of making a paper plane…maybe Sumida needs to take notes from Alto Saotome. The simpleness contrasted with the elaborate details that confronted the viewer every five seconds, perhaps for the better, but I’m not sure.
Anyways, I enjoyed it, again. I have to apologize that there’s just no good way for me to make screen caps, so that promise may never be fulfilled. Instead, maybe it’s about time that I made a promise with a place beyond the clouds next?
Do you think they’ll let me pause the showing at the National Film Theatre in London to really appreciate the movie?
1. Steal 35mm reel.
2. Turn it into slides
3. ???
4. Profit
If it makes you feel any better, I’ll be making notes during the interview and post what parts of my own handwriting I’m actually able to read online afterwards. TBH I was expecting a ‘no photography’ rule anyway since all cinemas seem to have a blanket ban on all photographic/recording equipment, for copyright/piracy reasons etc.
After that e-mail reply I’m pleasantly surprised that he’ll be doing some signings afterwards though - I was kinda resigned to a short “hello, hope you enjoy my movie…” and little else. It makes the time and expense all the more worthwhile I guess…you do realise I’ll be braving the Tube at rush hour for this? ^_^’
The fact that he’s going to all this trouble for his fans puts my respect for the guy up another notch actually.
According to Lastarial there will be limited amount of Shinkai goods for purchase at the show, so another heads up.
Omono,
Not sure how to take that remark but, thanks for referring to my blog. Looks like you’re enjoying the BD version of the movie very much and for good reason. Kouji’s blog makes some nice comparisons snapping photos of his HDTV:
http://tangerine.sweetstyle.jp/?eid=767210
Maybe you noticed the details too:
- More detail in the snow. You can see the 1px sized snow too now.
- The quality of the paper is much more apparent.
- The rays of light are also much more visible, even the small faint ones.
- 1px flies are visible prancing about in the light.
- The crystals making up the LCD on the mobile phones are visible.
I’m thinking of picking up to after barely being able to watch the rip but, that will be after I get an HD setup going =P
Martin,
I will be trying to do the same. Just hope it’s not too dark to scribble. All for the event coverage!
Lastarial,
Now where did you hear about the Shinkai goods? I’m presuming it’ll be in the shop.
Thanks for the link; I think I caught most of the “enhancements.” There’s a lot of cuts in that movie that looks way better than the DVD version, so it’s hard to remember them all unless I do a side-by-side thing. But at the same time the scenes that didn’t have as many hi-def improvements look a little quiet compared to the ones that do.
Most of my post was about luminal definition and color accuracy, but that’s probably more a factor of my display than the BRD master. Well, you can see more things in the hi-def version, and that does affect stuff like that.
I think BFI’s site has the tidbit Lastarial got it.
And it’s just “omo” :)
I’ll be doing my best to record the interview, but we’ll see how it goes. I could go clandestine, or try and swing it by being a proper journalist for once.
Omo,
Ah, sorry! Was abbreviating your blog name.
Never noticed that bit before. Must have been added some time after I got my reply from them ^^;
It’s incredibly easy to sneak in a voice recorder. I have one for such a purpose, in fact. And it beats handwritten notes anyways; most interviews of these sorts require an ex-post-facto transcription to be of any use, so the recording is honestly just a replacement for taking notes.
But maybe your train creds can get you somewhere. Godspeed.