While Ren was getting KO'd by his wife, Jada, his new project, 5 Centimeters per Second, was set to release soon. Ren posted the film's promotional poster on his Weibo page.
The poster was a collage of the main characters—Gui, Mingli, and Chengtian—all gathered under a beautiful cherry blossom tree, with petals swirling in the air and gently lifting the girls' hair, adding to their beauty.
At the top of the poster, a single line read:
"If cherry blossoms fall at a rate of five centimeters per second, how long would it take for two hearts to come together?"
"Interesting… is this explaining some hidden meaning behind the title 5 Centimeters per Second?" Daniel wondered, reading the tagline.
He was mostly just admiring the artwork.
The Porter's work was as beautiful as ever. His reputation as the "Wallpaper King" wasn't just because of high-quality art—it was his creativity and the stirring images he crafted on top of that artistic detail.
A meticulously drawn image could be achieved with time and money, but it was the Porter's creative vision that made his films unforgettable. After seeing this poster, Daniel's worries about the film's success vanished. Just for the gorgeous artwork alone, he'd watch it, even if the plot turned out to be mediocre.
Although there wasn't a trailer yet, the poster still drew a crowd of Porter fans online.
"Seems promising. I don't know much about the plot, but the poster looks comforting and peaceful," one fan commented.
"It's just a poster! They always look nice. The actual animation is usually way worse," someone doubted.
"Clearly, you've never watched a Porter movie. The quality's never compromised," another fan retorted.
"I bet it's about love and youth!"
"Why cherry blossoms, though? Isn't that a Japanese thing?" a user asked.
"Actually, cherry blossoms have a long history in China," another replied. "They were cultivated in Chinese royal gardens over two thousand years ago during the Qin and Han dynasties. By the Tang dynasty, they were found in private courtyards. Japanese visitors took cherry blossoms back to Japan, made it their national flower, and even changed their country's name to the 'Land of Cherry Blossoms'—otherwise, they'd still be called Wa!"
"But here's a real question—do cherry blossoms actually fall at five centimeters per second?" one user asked, sparking a discussion on the topic.
...
Some time later, 5 Centimeters per Second was officially scheduled for release.
March 14, known in many anime as "White Day," was chosen as the premiere date.
To build anticipation, Ren finally released a teaser trailer online ahead of the date.
Duan, a longtime fan of the Porter since Your Name, loved his romantic stories. The moment she heard 5 Centimeters per Second had a teaser, she glanced at her teacher up at the lectern, then quietly slipped on her earphones to watch.
"That day I promised to meet him… but it started snowing that afternoon."
The pair of characters from the poster appeared on screen, each lost in their thoughts.
"Wow, true to form, Porter's style is stunning…" Duan whispered to herself.
The screen shifted to a bright, sunny slope.
Petals covered the path, and a rain of cherry blossoms fell from the sky. A boy and a girl ran along the path, scattering petals in their wake.
A slightly melancholic song played in Duan's ears, her feet unconsciously tapping along to the beat as the scene built up a soft, wistful atmosphere.
The trailer flashed forward, covering a wide span of time: middle school, high school, and then the adult lives of the main characters…
It seemed like the couple was separated by a transfer, only to reunite years later as adults working in the same city.
The final shot showed the adult protagonists standing on opposite sides of a railway, about to cross paths.
Then came the closing text:
"If cherry blossoms fall at five centimeters per second, how long would it take for two hearts to come together? March 14—meet you there."
"Oh no… does this mean they don't end up together?"
Duan loved happy endings, and she hoped this story would end like Your Name, with the characters reuniting.
But just then, a hand suddenly snatched her phone, breaking her thoughts. She looked up, furious—"Who dares grab my… phone?"
"Duan! Stand up! Come to my office after class!" her teacher barked, his glasses flashing ominously in the classroom lights.
Duan shivered, knowing she was doomed. Standing up with a face of defeat, she murmured, "Yes, sir…"
While Duan's troubles went unnoticed, 5 Centimeters per Second sparked massive online discussion.
"Wow, I don't know what the story's about, but that trailer is gorgeous! And the music's amazing!" someone posted.
"Classic Porter. But judging by the music, this story sounds like a tragedy…"
"I knew it. Porter always makes tear-jerkers. That music alone feels so sad. I wonder what it's called?"
"I think so too. Just listen to the dialogue: 'That day we promised to meet… but it started snowing.' Maybe the snow caused them to miss each other and drift apart. And when they meet again, they're both married, right?"
"Stop it! I refuse to believe that!"
"Honestly, even if it's a sad story, the trailer alone makes me want to watch it for the visuals and the music."
"I disagree. I don't think it'll be a downer. The trailer hints that the leads were close as kids but grew distant over time, yet they meet as adults on opposite sides of a railway. That feels like the start of something new. I think it'll be about separation and reunion."
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