5 Centimeters Per Second is exactly that kind of work.
Those who dislike it find it tedious, its plot pacing slow and confusing.
But those who love it find profound meaning in the story, especially those like Reo Wakaba, for whom it's no longer a matter of empathy.
Instead, the story directly evokes memories of their own past.
In the manga, Kanae repeatedly approaches Takaki, who always gazes into the distant horizon. She tries again and again to speak to him, but her timidity prevents her from uttering a single word.
Similarly, she never manages to stand on her surfboard atop the crest of a wave, despite her love for surfing.
Reo Wakaba felt a pang of sympathy for Kanae's unrequited love for Takaki.
The girl's inner monologues appear alongside beautifully rendered black-and-white manga panels:
Every time I'm near Takaki, my heart aches.
He's so gentle, it makes me want to cry.
The girl sits quietly beside the boy, watching the bright moon and vast starry sky he gazes at. She folds a paper airplane and gently tosses it forward.
Takaki says nothing, and neither does she. Even their inner monologues are silent.
Yet this simple panel—two figures sitting on a hillside, gazing at the night view together—conveys to Reo Wakaba an unbridgeable chasm between them.
Kanae's eyes were filled with Takaki.
But in Takaki's eyes, there wasn't even a trace of Kanae.
On their way home, they saw a massive, specialized transport vehicle carrying a satellite rocket—a relic from the previous era when satellites were launched.
It was a satellite destined for deep space exploration.
A light rain began to fall.
Kanae rode her bicycle behind Takaki, her gaze fixed on his back.
Back home after showering, Kanae stroked her dog's face and smiled.
Kabu, Takaki told me today that he's actually feeling lost too.
So he's just like me. That's wonderful.
A girl who smiled over such a simple thing, a girl who could only confide her longing for the person she loved to her pet cat—Reo Wakaba found his eyes involuntarily reddening.
Meanwhile, back at his own home, Takaki's mind was devoid of thoughts of the girl.
He flipped through documents, researching the satellite transport vehicle they had seen earlier.
That must be an unimaginably lonely journey. To advance alone in true darkness, without even encountering a single hydrogen atom.
How long must we continue like this? Where are we headed?
Another image of the world as Takaki imagined it.
A girl stood beside him, her face so distant he could barely remember what she looked like.
Yet he continued to gaze at her.
Is that Akari?
No, it could only be Akari.
Reo Wakaba turned the page, finding only one line of text:
Cosmonaut: End.
Cosmonaut
Reo's heart began to feel hollow.
Was Takaki's final monologue lamenting the loneliness of the satellite about to be launched into space?
No, he was describing his own life.
Some things don't need explicit explanations in the plot.
As Reo read this, only one thought filled his mind:
Takaki... what happened between him and Akari?
From Kanae's perspective, Takaki, now in high school, simply liked to gaze into the distance alone, editing texts on his phone in a daze.
But throughout this chapter, there was no explicit indication that he was still in contact with Akari.
Had they given up on each other, cutting off all communication?
The moment this thought struck him, Reo's heart jolted.
The tears Akari and Takaki shed when they met at the train station in the second chapter.
The kiss beneath the cherry blossom tree.
Their farewell wishes at the station.
And Takaki's perpetually lost gaze in the third chapter.
These scenes intertwined, ultimately creating a profound sense of emptiness within Reo.
Even two people who loved each other deeply could become like strangers, completely losing touch after just six years?
Reo Wakaba's mind drifted to the name of the manga's author, Shirogane.
He seemed to realize something.
"This manga... it's not going to take a tragic turn, is it?"
Since noon, the official forum of Sakura Weekly had been buzzing with discussions about 5 Centimeters Per Second.
The buzz around 5 Centimeters Per Second grew louder with each chapter.
Japanese manga fans weren't fools; by the third chapter, they understood perfectly well.
5 Centimeters Per Second was nothing like the typical shōjo manga in Sakura Weekly.
It wasn't sweet, it wasn't satisfying, and it lacked those heart-fluttering moments.
All it offered was an exploration of a single theme.
How long could a burning love like Akari's and Takaki's endure under the erosion of time and distance?
How long would it take for lovers who once adored each other to forget each other?
Each chapter's plot left readers aching.
It was painful to read, yet they couldn't stop, desperate to know the story's answer.
On the forums:
"Just let Takaki and Kanae get together already! I feel so bad for Kanae!"
"Shirogane Sensei, do you even have a heart? Why are you making Takaki ignore Kanae like this?"
"If Takaki and Akari have already lost contact, then let Takaki forget the past and accept Kanae!"
"I was literally crying while reading Chapter 3. It's exactly like my crush on my middle school deskmate. He only ever had eyes for his neighbor."
"Shirogane Sensei, stop torturing us! Can't you give us some sweet moments already?!"
"You heretics! Akari is the true love interest. Kanae is just a latecomer. I admit Kanae is pitiful, but Takaki only loves one person: Akari."
"Exactly! If this manga ends with Takaki and Kanae together, I'm dropping it immediately!"
"But the plot in this chapter is so strange! It seems to imply Takaki and Akari have lost contact. What is Shirogane Sensei thinking? Is she even writing a romance manga anymore?"
"Just trust the process. It's just a manga artist's trick. They plant a bunch of red herrings early on, hinting that the main couple can't possibly stay together. But in the end, they always reunite. Over 90% of romance manga follow this pattern. Don't let Shirogane Sensei fool you!"
"Exactly! Kanae and the whole 'missing' thing are just smoke and mirrors. Just watch, Akari from high school will show up in the next couple of chapters!"
"Sigh, you're all just focused on who the male lead will end up with. I'm over here sobbing, thinking about my first love from years ago."
"Me too! I started crying while reading. Shirogane Sensei is truly amazing!"
"High school student? Not a chance. Dropping out of high school to draw manga, though, that sounds about right."
"He probably got his heart broken, which is why he can draw such heart-wrenching manga."
The Sakura Weekly official website forum was flooded with discussion threads.
Compared to the previous week, the forum's discussion about 5 Centimeters Per Second had increased exponentially.
Most manga fans had their eyes wide open.
During the first week of serialization, not many details were apparent. By the second week, something felt off.
By the third week, anyone who had carefully read all three chapters couldn't help but feel deeply moved.