The hitmaker Makoto Shinkai, known for works like Your Name, Weathering with You, and Suzume, will see his animated film 5 Centimeters Per Second adapted into a live-action movie, set to release in the fall of 2025. Hokuto Matsumura, a member of the six-member group SixTONES, will take the lead role. This film marks Matsumura’s first solo lead role in a movie.

The original animated film 5 Centimeters Per Second was released in 2007 as the third commercial work by Shinkai, following Voices of a Distant Star and The Place Promised in Our Early Days. Its poetic world, crafted through stunning visuals, music, and unique dialogue, garnered widespread popularity. Even 17 years after its release, the film continues to be beloved not just in Japan but around the world.

The story follows the protagonist, Takaki Tōno. It spans 18 years, from his childhood days when he bonded with a transfer student, Akari Shinohara, during their innocent time together in elementary school, to his high school years spent in Tanegashima after they were separated, and finally, to his late twenties when he works as a systems engineer in Tokyo while struggling with a vague sense of frustration and stagnation.

The story follows the protagonist, Takaki Tōno. It spans 18 years, from his childhood days when he bonded with a transfer student, Akari Shinohara, during their innocent time together in elementary school, to his high school years spent in Tanegashima after they were separated, and finally, to his late twenties when he works as a systems engineer in Tokyo while struggling with a vague sense of frustration and stagnation.

The original animated film, which runs for 63 minutes, is divided into three interconnected short stories covering Takaki’s time as an elementary and middle school student, a high school student, and a working adult. The live-action film, however, will be a full-length feature of approximately two hours, based on a script developed through consultations with the original creator, Shinkai.

Matsumura, who played the role of Sota Munakata in Suzume, which was directed by Shinkai and grossed over 14.9 billion yen at the box office, has been cast as the lead for this adaptation. Shinkai commented, “There’s something fascinating about how life works, as Hokuto Matsumura, the actor I trust the most, will be taking on the lead role.”

The live-action adaptation will be directed by Yoshiyuki Okuyama, known for his work on the Pocari Sweat commercials, music videos for Kenshi Yonezu’s “Kanden” and “KICK BACK,” and Gen Hoshino’s “Create.” Okuyama also has the upcoming omnibus feature film "At the Bench," set for release on November 15th. This will be Okuyama’s first time directing a major full-length film. The screenplay is written by Ayako Suzuki, known for works like "Ai ni Ranbou" and "BISHU."

Comments from the Original Creator and Key Staff

Makoto Shinkai, Original Creator and Director
The animated film 5 Centimeters Per Second that I directed nearly 20 years ago was a very immature and incomplete work. But perhaps because of that very incompleteness, it has continued to be loved for so long. I can no longer make a film like that, driven purely by the desire to confront the unknown, and I certainly can’t recreate it. Therefore, I’m very excited that a young and passionate team, led by Director Okuyama, is once again engaging with 5 Centimeters Per Second. There’s something mysterious about life, as I feel that the actor I trust the most, Hokuto Matsumura, will be leading the film. I hope this becomes a movie that only they can make in this moment. I’m eagerly awaiting its completion and fully supporting them.

Hokuto Matsumura (SixTONES), Lead Actor
Because this is a work I’ve rewatched many times myself, I feel the weight of responsibility every day. The original has deeply impacted the lives of many people, and each fan has their own interpretation and personal connection to it—I am one of those fans. I hesitated at first, feeling unsure if someone as inexperienced as myself should participate in the live-action adaptation of such an iconic work. But the admiration and love that Director Okuyama and the production team have for the original, and Shinkai’s words, “I want to see it with Hokuto-kun,” gave me the courage to take on this challenge with them. This project is being made by a team of people who, like me, were inspired by and longed for 5 Centimeters Per Second. With respect for the original creators and the fans, I will approach this role with everything I have.

Director Yoshiyuki Okuyama
There’s something fateful about being 33 years old—the same age Shinkai was when he first crafted this story—and having the chance to direct 5 Centimeters Per Second now. Every day, as I work on this film, I’m reminded that there are things you can only create at a certain moment and perspectives that may one day be forgotten. Alongside a team I deeply trust, I want to approach each scene, each second of filming with sincerity, urgency, and respect, as if placing a warm hand on Takaki’s back as he carries his feelings of loss and frustration. I will pour all the "sentimentality" I still hold inside into this film. Please look forward to it.

Screenwriter Ayako Suzuki
The first time I watched Makoto Shinkai’s 5 Centimeters Per Second, I was in my twenties. Some members of our team first saw it when they were in middle or high school, and it’s a deeply profound original work that evokes different feelings depending on when you first encounter it. It has been both a joy and a source of great tension to face such a work. Together with Director Okuyama, the staff, and the cast, who are all sincere and full of trust, we engaged in countless discussions, and I have poured all of that time into the script. I hope this film resonates with people in the "now."

Producer Masahiro Tamai
I’m deeply grateful to Makoto Shinkai and everyone at CoMix Wave Films for not only accepting the audacious challenge of adapting this timeless masterpiece into a live-action film but also offering their guidance throughout the project. We have assembled a team of extraordinary talent in their respective fields—Director Yoshiyuki Okuyama, a frontrunner as a filmmaker and photographer, Hokuto Matsumura, the cast, and experts in scriptwriting, visuals, sound, and design. I hope you’ll look forward to future updates leading up to the film’s release.

Source : ORICON NEWS