Makoto Shinkai’s Distant Star images shown on the Official Website.

Makoto has revealed images for his upcoming movie, the staffs will remain the same as on the 5cms movie project. There will be updates on the movie itself, which still be changed later on.

The said movie will be about a Lively film, an adventure, action, and romance about a girl and saying farewell to those she loves.

Mokoto Shinkai is known for making 5cm — 5 Centimeter Per Second Movie.

[Source]

Quoted:

According to Anime!Anime!, Shinkai Makoto appeared in an Animate concert of his image album “Promise”. He revealed draft concept of his new work. He said it will be the longest full scale anime movie he’s ever made and the main character is a cheerful girl, who plays an active part of the story. “We have been depicting the process of parting from a beloved person for the last ten years. Now we are trying to take one step ahead of it. If we get separated from our loves, how can we overcome the situation and what awaits after that? We tackle the question through the vivid girl character”.

According to Shinkai’s web diary, he set to work on the new movie last May mainly with the staff of 5 Centimeters per Second.

Sources:
Anime!Anime!
Shinkai’s web diary

 OMG! I’m already so excited about it! It sounds kind of like a sequel to Byousoku, though I’m sure when I watch it, it’ll feel like a totally new story in itself. With his excellent writing and directing skills, surreal plots relating to humans interaction and emotions, and top-notch animation quality, I’m looking forward to another masterpiece by one of the greatest anime directors ever.

Writer and director Makoto Shinkai was in London again last week. He went to James Allen Girls’ School to host a showing of 5 Centimetres Per Second and demonstrate animation techniques.

Shinkai recently spent a year in London working on his English skills.

When Japanese teacher Hiroshi Okura asked him to come and talk to the girls, it was the school’s latest step in a process that began with teaching Japanese at GCSE and A Level and went on to include introducing aspects of culture including taiko drumming, ikebana and kabuki, as well as setting up an anime club.

James Allen pupils are not just learning a language, they also have the chance to learn about the culture that surrounds it. It’s a great way to teach.

In our class on 24/11/2009 we reviewed and discussed ten ‘esssential masterpieces’ chosen by Helen. The class divided into groups to discuss what each person considered the ‘essential masterpieces’ that they would recommend to new fans, and why. Each group fed back through one person. The group could choose the same title/s, or each member choose a different one, and they could be titles from Helen’s list or others. These are Helen’s notes of the feedback.

Azusa, Becky, Sarah: Although we considered titles outside the list, Hayao Miyazaki’s film My Neighbour Totoro has to be among our recommended titles because it’s suitable for all ages from child to adult. We would recommend the same director’s Princess Mononoke for anyone aged 14 plus. The male and female leads are both equally strong and important to the story, so it’s good for both genders. The powerful focus on the conflict between ecology and civilisation is thought-provoking. We would also include Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, because, as an Oscar winner, it ’s a film than non-fans have probably heard of, so it makes a good access point. Winning the Oscar raised anime’s profile in mainstream media.

Andrew, Brian, Naomi, Soraya: We all consider Mamoru Oshii’s Ghost in the Shell, Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira and My Neighbour Totoro essential viewing for new fans. But to introduce people to anime we would choose titles to appeal to the individual, as different films appeal to different people. For example, Soraya got into anime through a four-part historical fantasy/horror tile called Doomed Megalopolis, (directed by Rintaro) a very uncomfortable story about honour which showed her the power of anime. Yet her sister thought it was “wierd” and that Princess Mononoke was “rubbish”. Wicked City, Demon City Shinjuku and samurai anime like Ninja Scroll (all three titles directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri) were also mentioned as possible access points.

Adam, Rhiannon, Ruth, Steve: We think Akira and Shinchiro Watanabe’s TV series Cowboy Bebop are essential viewing. Akira has everything Western viewers want –  a dystopian future, super-powered orphan children, a corrupt military brotherhood, hero-worship, idols shot down, grotesque elements, fabulous technology, guns and sadly no boobs. It was animated to a very high standard and still looks fabulous. A key character dies, which is not normal in Western films. Being a movie, it has a higher “prestige value” than a TV series, perceived as more serious. After watching this, it’s interesting to watch Cowboy Bebop and see where the two coincide. Cowboy Bebop has a tiny story where nothing much happens. It’s very episodic and bitty. It has a wider appeal in that it has boobs and guns but also hot male characters so it appeals to both genders. There’s a downbeat, unhappy ending, a doomed love story and a theme of failure. The technology of its world is good, but not in the foreground of the story (as in Akira.) The soundtrack is wonderful.

After the feedback was complete, Sarah added that the works of Makoto Shinkai should also be recommended to new fans, as well as the movie The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.

Towards the end of the session, the class broke into the same groups to discuss the clips reviewed. Each group was asked to decide which one title from Helen’s list they would recommend to new fans as ‘essential viewing’, and why. One person fed back for each group.

Adam, Rhiannon, Ruth, Steve: We would recommend Akira. We think movies are easier to “get into” than TV shows, which demand more time and attention than a new fan might be willing/able to give. Also, Akira is visually stunning and very stylish – if you like Akira you will like anime. It’s very fast and action-packed, unlike say Ghost In The Shell which is more story based. Newcomers need more time to get into anime so they can learn to appreciate more complex stories and older material.

Andrew, Brian, Naomi, Soraya: We would recommend Ghost in the Shell. We agree with the point about TV series, that they are harder to get into so a movie is the best starting point. Visually, Ghost in the Shell has a lot to recommend it. We think the more adult story is a plus point – many people see anime as childish, and it counters that argument.

Azusa, Becky, Sarah: We think that all the points made about Ghost In The Shell are correct, but we would choose My Neighbour Totoro. It’s accessible to people of any age, and it’s one of those stories where you would not feel ashamed to admit you like it, even though it’s very simple. Also, not everyone is into science fiction so not everyone would find a story like Ghost In The Shell accessible, even though it does raise a lot of interesting points for discussion whether you like anime or not.

Voices of a Distant Star is a twenty-five minute film by Makoto Shinkai of 5 Centimetres Per Second fame. Much like 5cm, Voices is about the relationship between two teenagers kept apart by both time and space and there are many thematic similarities between the two films. However, where 5cm is grounded firmly in reality, Voices is set in the year 2047, a future in which humans are engaged in a space-faring war with aliens called Tarsians. A girl named Mikako volunteers to join the UN Space Army, leaving behind her friend Noboru. The couple continue to communicate via email using their mobile phones, but as Mikako travels further and further from Earth the messages take longer and longer to reach Noboru.

Voices is comprised mainly of voice-over monologues by both Mikako and Noboru, but there’s also some action as Mikako pilots her mech in space battles against the Tarsians. Though the action is well-implemented and helps to vary the pacing, there should be no doubt that the real draw of this film is its emotional impact. Over the course of Voices‘ short runtime, Shinkai captures the beauty and heartache of Mikako and Noboru’s relationship to create an extremely engaging and moving film that accomplishes a greater resonance than its length might suggest.

One of the remarkable things about Voices of a Distant Star is that it was created almost entirely by Shinkai himself, and for a one-man job the animation is quite an accomplishment. There is some roughness throughout (for me, the CG mechs were the source of most of this), but the film also manages to impress on at least a few occasions and never looks bad. It’s certainly easy to see how this, as a groundwork, blossomed into Shinkai’s now-recognisable visual style. While Shinkai took on all writing, directing and visual production duties, the beautiful, largely piano-based soundtrack is provided by Tenmon, who has worked on all of Shinkai’s films to date. It’s a moving score that complements the story perfectly and plays a large part in the emotional impact of the film.

Voices of a Distant Star is a film that will probably – hopefully – be looked back on in years to come as the start of something special. Makoto Shinkai decries claims that he is “the new Miyazaki”, and I’d rather not make such judgements myself, but Voices is a testament to his dedication, his vision and his ability to create films with a real emotional resonance. If, like me, your experience of Shinkai began with the more recent 5 Centimetres Per Second, you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t trace his works back; Voices is a beautiful film that should not be missed.

Apparently Makoto Shinkai’s artbook (空の記憶) is known as “The sky of the longing for memories”? ROFL @ the Engrish. On the other hand, excuse me while I go fap over it for the next few days after my copy arrived in the mail.

Another great anime movie post on Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist.  See title above.

I have to say, I am a massive Shinkai fan, and I’ve watched almost all of his stuff.  This is definitely one of my favorites.  A little light on the sci-fi/backstory side, but the characters and conflict (and animation) are top notch.  Anyone who hasn’t should totally check this out.  I also linked to the earlier 5 centimeters per second post in my hello post.  It’s right down the page from here.  Anyway, check out Pat’s post here: http://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com/2009/10/place-promised-in-our-early-days.html

And don’t worry, I will not only talk about anime.  I promise.

I recently went and bought a Chinese artbook from a Comics Connection outlet, newly opened in City Square Mall in Serangoon. CC is currently having a promotion on their artbooks: 30% off all artbooks in all outlets.

Sora no Kioku (Chinese), S$23.70

It’s all in Chinese, which is good for me, since I can actually understand what’s being written in the book now. It’s good reference for drawing landscapes, and teaches several techniques the master himself uses in his work.

I wanted to review Eve no Jikan, but I figured I’ll start with Pale Cocoon seeing as how it’s hard to talk about Eve no Jikan without background information on the creators.

Yoshiura Yasuhiro (director and script writer) and Studio Rikka (animation production) have frequently been compared to Makoto Shinkai due to the highly detailed animation quality in their first OVA Pale Cocoon. Yes, I know Mizu no Kotoba came first, but I am not going to compare it to Other Worlds or She and Her Cat.

It is the year 2218, and we learn that mankind is no longer living on Earth, as it has been ruined. Ura works in the Excavation department and is fascinated by the image records of the sky, sea and Nature in general on Earth while it was still a beautiful world. One day, he finds a corrupted mysterious image record and tries to restore it.

The animation is definitely above par for shows back in 2006. It is mostly dark yet clean, seeing as how mankind is now living in some underground high-tech facility. The only bright colours are from the images of Earth, and this serves to remind us of how we should appreciate the beauty of Nature while we can still experience it, instead of only looking back and wondering if everything were a lie when they are gone.

The plot is simple, but the focus is in the overall message. People have given up hope of ever returning to Earth, as they grow up learning that Earth is ruined, and passed the message down blindly, relying only on the image records, even Ura himself. Despite his fascination with Earth, we never see him actually taking the initiative to act on his desire and view it with his own eyes. We can only guess at the reasons – probably the people didn’t want to be reminded of the great loss of the Earth; or that they didn’t want to see the consequences of what their forefathers had done; or that they were contended with living in their narrow world, never venturing out of their comfort zone; or just because they didn’t want to end up like Rika’s grandmother. However, touched by the restored image record, Ura finally gathered the courage to go above-ground. The ending is the message of that image record “Pale Cocoon”, one of hope, optimism and faith in the future.

While watching this OVA, one can’t help but compare it to Hoshi no Koe. In my opinion, the cinematic techniques are very unique, which I find to be a distinctive feature even in Eve no Jikan. However, the characters are not that memorable, I find it hard to relate to them, and the story not as impressive as Makoto Shinkai’s works. To summarise, Pale Cocoon is a good watch in itself, just try not to compare it with Shinkai’s works or you’ll find yourself disappointed at what could have been a great film.

A animação “5 cm Por Segundo” do diretor Makoto Shinkai conta a história dos colegas de classe Takaki e Akari. Durante o tempo em que estiveram juntos, se tornaram amigos íntimos. A profunda ligação dos dois é colocada à prova quando Akari se muda para outra cidade por causa de seus pais. Antes de cada filme do ciclo de Animação Contemporânea Japonesa será exibido um curta do estúdio de animação japonês 4°C, com produções de novos artistas.

serviço

o quê: 5 cm Por Segundo (Animação, Japão, 63 min, 2007, DVD)
quando: 22 de setembro, às 20h
onde: Biblioteca Roberto Santos
endereço: Rua Cisplatina, 505 – Ipiranga
telefone: (11) 2273-2390
entrada: gratuita – retirar ingressos com uma hora antes de cada sessão
informações:www.prefeitura.sp.gov.br

ofori’nin tavsiyesi üzerine yaklaşık 2 gündür bu animeyi izlemeye uğraşıyorumm. ve en sonunda başardım.. ilk izlemeye başladığımda yarım saat izlememe rağmen seslerde sorun olduğunu anlayamamışım.. saflığıma falan denk geldi herhalde, ama 32. dk.’ya kadar nasıl farkedilmez bilemiyorum konunun beni pek de açmadığını düşünmeye başlamıştım ki sorunu farkettim.. başka bir siteden 2. defa indirip izlemem baya sürdü ama her anına değerdi gerçekten de.. ve en sonunda oturup izledim..

öyle ahım şahım bir konuya sahip bir anime değil bu.. o kadar sakın ve olağan bir şekilde ilerliyor ki konu başladımı bitti mi anlamadan sonaeriveriyor film.. birbirini seven iki öğrencinin hayatından kesitler izliyoruz.. bu iki kişinin hikayesi 3 kısıma ayrılmış.. ilk kısımda ailelerin işleri nedeniyle ayrılmak zorunda kalışlarını ve mesafelere rağmen birbirlerine ne kadar bağlı olduklarını izliyoruz.. diğer kısımlarda ise ayrılığın yavaş yavaş onları birbirinden uzaklaştırdığını farkediyoruz ve en sonunda da birbirlerinden tamamen kopmalarına tanık oluyoruz..

duygulu bir hava içerisinde ilerliyor her zaman.. keskin hatlara sahip değil.. olaydan çok durum hikayesi.. açık açık birşey olmasa da içini sızlatıyor insanın.. yaşadıkları duygular o denli tanıdık geliyor ki..ve siz böyle duygulu semalarda dolaşırken güzel bir şarkı eşliğinde bitiveriyor.. boşlukta kalakalıyorsunuz..

duygusal şeyleri severim ben..eğer sizde “izlediğim herşeyden sonuç çıkarmak zorunda değilim” diyorsanız izleyin derim.. fakat “yok ben illa; serim, düğüm, çözüm istiyorum” diyorsanız sizi pek de tatmin edemeyeceğini söyleyebilirim..

fakat kendi adıma çok beğendiğimi söylemeliyim.. özellikle çizimlere bayıldım.. hele o gökyüzü.. her an farklı bir yansıma.. kesinlikle kusursuz.. ayrıntılara önem veriyorsanız sizi son derece memnun edecektir..

isterseniz bu siteden ulaşabilirsiniz..türkçe altyazı gömülü..

Harem anime, where to begin….? The anime community is swarming with such series, and they’re popular for the various female stereotypes that you can squee over. You have the Tsundere, the Moemoe, the Kuudere, the Yandere, the Genki Girl, the Ordinary Girl, the Ojou. You get females with mature/childish personalities/bodies, all for your picking. There are tons of fanservice thrown in, especially during beach episodes with swimsuits and boobs everywhere.

As for the plot, as Lucky Star pointed out, the protagonist usually is some loser guy who scores with no girls, but suddenly finds himself surrounded by tons of popular girls who, for some weird reasons, are still unattached and interested in this loser guy.

The ending? If there is a Childhood Friend, or if the first girl that the loser guy bumps into is featured slightly more than the rest, you get your One True Pairing. If not, the loser guy gets a happily-ever-after living with all the desirable girls under one roof.

For a more comprehensive coverage, check tvtropes. Beware though, I gave you ample warning.

The first few harems that I watched are Ah! My Goddess, Ai Yori Aoshi, Love Hina and Ranma ½. Series like DearS, Futakoi, Happy Lesson and Magikano put me to sleep. Series like Rosario + Vampire and Sekirei have tons of fanservice, but still put me to sleep.

Poeple watch harem series for the lulz, for the fanservice, for the cute girls, for the light-hearted plots. Much as I enjoy looking at cute girls, I prefer more depth in their personalities. I want at least something more in the plot, rather than watching something with as much plot as Transformers, which successfully put me to sleep in the cinema. So why am I still watching harems if I dislike them so much? Well…  my general policy is to watch almost everything I can get my hands on, to get an idea of the otaku community’s preferences. So what are some harems that I feel deserve special mention? Read on.

I was almost crying out of despair when watching episode 1 of Sister Princess. Wataru Minakami failed an entrance exam (loser guy~), but was enrolled in a school in Promised Island where he found out that he has twelve sisters who threw themselves all over him. Obviously a marriage between Harem and Brother-Sister Incest, with each sister having a different honorific term for the loser. How the heck does he have so many sisters w/o even knowing of their existence?! Seeing as how I hell am NOT into such fetishes, sorry, NEXT!

Toradora and Zero no Tsukaima both deserve special mention together. Hint: What do Taiga and Louise have in common? Ans: their seiyuu Kugyu (Kugimiya Rie), otherwise known as your Queen of Tsundere. If anything, just watch both series for her voice. You can even throw in Shakugan no Shana as a trilogy for Kugyu tsunderes despite it not being a harem.

Wind: A Breath of Heart is another series whose name I will remember, even if the plot does not leave that much impression. Why? 1. The original creator is minori; 2. The CG work is done by Makoto Shinkai. Enough said. Such for the animation, not the plot.

A rare harem that I actually enjoyed is the comedic Nagasarete Airantou, where Ikuto ran away from home and landed on an island with all pretty girls and no guys. Superficial plot? Yes, but at least it comes with laughters.

Another that I enjoyed is Mahou Sensei Negima. Ignoring the filler character named Negi and the other 29 girls in his class, I watch the show solely for KonoSetsu (Konoka and Setsuna). Considering that the scenes in which Setsuna appeared with Konoka is only 1~2% of each episode, I’m now well-trained in selective video-skipping.

Last but not least, the infamous School Days. Either hailed as a masterpiece or total piece of crap. Fans praise it for dealing with adolescent issues such as realism of male hormones and teenager pregnancy. Haters, or at the very least ME, despise him for being a sex-crazed bastard who runs from all responsibilities after having sex with everyone (the school only has 2 guys?) in the school. School Days is most well-known for 2 things, the Nice Boat meme, and the ending. Probably the only episode I enjoyed. I need a Makoto dakimakura to stab him more. If only it is real.
[Edit: Flip of the coin, 2 sides to each story. To be fair, here's a review on why the series is a piece of art. Really enlightening and deep. o_O]

Now, time for the harem I super highly recommend, Code Geass! Hope you enjoy these 2 promotions for Code Geass the harem game! XD

(If only they really are coming out…)

5 Centimeters per Second | Makoto Shinkai, 2007

I’ve little knowledge of anime filmmaker Makoto Shinkai, but after a little research it can be found that he owns quite a cult status in Asia. This could be the reason for the feverish hype that descended upon Japanese movie theaters in the Easter of 2007, when queues were formed around the block for just a glimpse of his latest project, 5 Centimeters Per Second. The film follows a young man named Takaki Tōno, whom we trail from youth to adolescence; witnessing everything inbetween. It is split up into three overlapping stories that trace the route of time – Ōukashō, Cosmonaut and Byōsoku 5 Centimeter – beginning in the early nineties and leading up to the year 2008. At little over an hour in total length, the film could in fact be confused with a three part miniseries, yet it is essential that each segment is watched subsequentially and so is perhaps best viewed as a whole. We open upon a conversation between Tōno and his young friend Akari Shinohara – at which point we learn the reason for the title. Five centimeters per second is the speed that cherry blossom petals fall. The two enjoy each others’ company, and it takes Akari’s parents to move away and take her too for the pair to realise the nature of their bond. After years apart and constant letters, Tōno takes a delayed train to meet Akari in rural, snow-bound Japan.

From introducing us to a spliced view of things in the first segment, Shinkai jumps forward in time with Cosmonaut. Tōno is now well into his teens and completing school at a serene, wind-swept town on the coast. He is the object of desire for young Kanae Sumita, whose perspective we watch this middle story from. No matter how obsessively she is in love wish Tōno, it his clear that his mind rests elsewhere. Eyes to the horizon, he fails to notice this and in the end Kanae settles for the heartbreaking decision of keeping her feelings to herself. This segment is permeated with some quite beautiful wide animation reminiscent of the great Hayao Miyazaki and his flawless landscapes. Indeed it could be said that Shinkai is the rising star to Miyazaki’s grand master. The final part of our triptych of tales is named Byōsoku 5 Centimeter (5 Centimeters Per Second), the title of the film itself. Here we find ourselves in Tokyo, 2008. Tōno has tried with much effort to let go of his memories of Akari by now yet is still finding it hard to shake her face from his thoughts. The movie ends as Tōno quits his job and returns home – stirring up these old memories with a glimmer of hope that he may see his first love once again. With an artform usually reserved for attacking the senses, Makoto Shinkai scupts a tender tale of young love with 5 Centimeters Per Second. Bathing every still in a shimmering, rose-tinted hue that does well to symbolise the intoxication of youthful romance.

Our Rating: