ⓒCourtesy of GKIDS
GKIDS, the Academy Award-winning producer and distributor of acclaimed and artist-driven globally inspired cinema, announced during its Anime NYC 2026 industry panel its acquisition of the upcoming live action adaptation of 5 Centimeters Per Second. The coming-of-age romance is directed by filmmaker and photographer Yoshiyuki Okuyama, director of the feature film At the Bench, whose work also includes music videos for renowned artists such as Kenshi Yonezu and Gen Hoshino, and is based on the animated film by acclaimed director Makoto Shinkai (Suzume, Your Name.) of the same name, becoming the first live-action adaptation of one of his titles. GKIDS plans to reveal additional details on the film’s North American theatrical and home entertainment plans later this year.
The upcoming 5 Centimeters Per Second was released domestically in Japan on October 10, 2025 and stars Hokuto Matsumura as “Takaki Tono”, Mitsuki Takahata as “Akari Shinohara”, and Nana Mori as “Kanae Sumida”. The feature film has since received four nominations for the 2026 “Awards of the Japanese Academy”, including Hokuto Matsumura for “Best Actor”, Keisuke Imamura for “Best Cinematography”, Koshiro Ueno for “Best Lighting”, and Noa Shiroyama for “Newcomer of the Year”, who performed as “Young Akari Shinohara”.
This acquisition builds upon GKIDS’ growing catalog of contemporary live-action cinema. Following the upcoming bow at the Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals, GKIDS is set to release “Look Back” – the upcoming feature directed, edited and adapted for screen by Palme d’Or winner and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Hirokazu Kore’eda (“Shoplifters“), which is the first live-action adaptation of the best-selling and globally beloved manga “Look Back” from globally celebrated author Tatsuki Fujimoto (“Chainsaw Man“).
Last year, GKIDS entered this historic new phase with its theatrical release of the Oscar-nominated and record-breaking Japanese box office phenomenon “KOKUHO“ alongside theatrical re-releases of the comedy-drama cult classic “Linda Linda Linda“ directed by Nobuhiro Yamashita, and the acclaimed 2016 global hit “Shin Godzilla“ from director Hideaki ANNO and co-director Shinji Higuchi. GKIDS also handles distribution for a number of Makoto Shinkai’s seminal films, including the original “5 Centimeters Per Second“, “Your Name.“, “Weathering With You“, and more.
Synopsis:
After transferring to the same elementary school, Takaki and Akari became best friends. However, their lives change when both their families are forced to relocate. After a year of separation, Takaki is about to reunite with Akari. As he sits on the train from Tokyo, memories of the past rush through Takaki’s head, his meeting time with Akari drawing ever closer. Takaki and Akari begin to wonder if they will ever be able to see each other again, and share their secret feelings. Join Takaki on a journey into three interconnected tales of love and lost innocence that span the minutes and months of their lives.
[tf-tv]
Staff
Director: Yoshiyuki Okuyama
Original Animation: Makoto Shinkai
Screenplay: Ayako Suzuki
Producer: Hiromasa Tamai/Dai Sano
Composer: Ayatake Ezaki
Cinematographer: Keisuke Imamura
Production: Spoon.
Produced by FUJI TELEVISION NETWORK, INC. / CoMix Wave Films Inc. / TOHO CO., LTD
International Sales: CoMix Wave Films Inc. (Asia) / Pony Canyon Inc. (Outside Asia)
About GKIDS:
GKIDS is the Academy Award-winning curator, producer, and distributor of artist-driven, globally inspired cinema dedicated to connecting North American audiences with distinctive stories from around the world. Widely celebrated for its leadership in the “animation is film” movement, the studio has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape for feature animation in the U.S. and internationally for nearly two decades. GKIDS represents the work of many of the world’s most acclaimed animation filmmakers, including Makoto Shinkai (“Your Name.”, “Weathering With You“), Satoshi Kon (“Perfect Blue“, “Millennium Actress“), Tomm Moore (“Song of the Sea“, “Wolfwalkers”), Mamoru Hosoda (“Mirai“, “Wolf Children“), and serves as the North American home of Japan’s legendary Studio Ghibli.
Upcoming theatrical releases include the highly anticipated “Godzilla Minus Zero“, the follow up to director Takashi Yamazaki’s Academy Award-winning “Godzilla Minus One“, and “Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom“, the latest Aardman feature in the beloved Oscar-nominated film series. In addition to the Oscar-nominated “Kokuho“ and “Little Amélie” and “the Character of Rain“, recent theatrical releases are the box office hit “Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution“, Mamoru Oshii’s cult classic “Angel’s Egg“, and the critically acclaimed “All You Need Is Kill“, alongside groundbreaking television series such as “DAN DA DAN“, “NEON GENESIS EVANGELION“, and “Arcane: League of Legends“.