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izzydizzy13 · 6 months ago

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ok real talk for a second

how are we avoiding AI gang?

Like, I see a lot of people quitting Instagram bc of their policy to feed art to the Meta AI, and I agree that it is not Cash Money of them to do that... but I am also not entirely sure how it changes anything, because doesn't literally *every* website populate Google? If so, doesn't Google's AI take that anyway, as well as any image AI that uses Google as a database? so most of them, from what I can tell...

Am I fundamentally misunderstanding how this works? I ask because most of the art I have seen here recently hasn't been glazed as far as I can tell visually, and while Tumblr isn't feeding images straight to AI the same way Instagram is, I am still worried for y'all. I kind of hope I AM just confused, because it would be fantastic to have places where I could upload unglazed works in their pure, unswirly form. I just thought I could Glaze my future works and upload them wherever I would usually upload, including Instagram because, well, their AI isn't any better at reading it than Dal-E as far as I'm aware. It is gonna be quite annoying though, because it takes upwards of an hour to glaze something to the Default strength, and I like uploading silly little doodles that only took like 5 minutes in and of themselves lol, so I'll have to be more picky about what I post...

Anyways, I am gonna start using Glaze on my art at the minimum, I tested it with an older work and it's not very noticeable. I'll drop the glazed piece here for anyone who has been curious about how it would affect their art visually and been too scared to try using it

the grass looks bad because of me, that's my fault for not knowing how to draw grass. The Glaze is that swirly triangular pattern that is most noticeable in the exact middle of the image, on the shorts and leg. It is virtually invisible on the face, which is the part I care most about anyway. So, while yes it would be an annoying affect if it were something really aggressively well-rendered, I've got very few issues with it for my more cartoony art style. It's the default amount of glaze, so not the highest tier of protection possible but enough.

I didn't really care about AI theft when it was still in its infancy, I still don't think it's the end of the world or anything like that, people enjoy art for the personal connection it has with its artist, and I like to think AI will never fully replicate that... not to mention that all of these AIs are in for a legal nightmare once someone sues for copyright infringement ... but, with how high quality the images are becoming and how thoroughly integrated it is into many of our browsers and websites, I still don't wish to help it any further if at all possible.

For anyone who wants to utilize this anti-AI Glaze, here's the link to downloads for Glaze

There is a browser version as well, though it requires an invite (automatically granted to anyone who doesn't use AI via email) I haven't tried that one yet, my computer is thankfully able to run the desktop version so I've had no need to get an invite.

If this is the first you're hearing about Glaze, I should also mention that there is a thing called Nightshade on this very same website. It does a very similar thing to Glaze, except for that it also gives AI models incorrect information when fed to it that, through a bunch of technical stuff that I don't understand, actually makes the AI worse than it was before. I've decided to just use the regular Glaze since, personally, my goal isn't to screw over the devs who made the AI, even if it's something I disagree with. I just don't want my work utilized, so I will Glaze it and move on. I can't really blame anyone who uses Nightshade though, just explaining why I don't.

I was also wondering if any of y'all have a contingency plan in the case of AI developing to the point where Glaze doesn't work anymore... like are we just gonna have to delete everything from the last however long we've been glazing or what? yike

#ai art #anti ai #idk what tags will be good here I'll be real chat #may the Tumblr algorithm do its thing #artist on tumblr

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dakt37 · 4 years ago

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Avengers Assemble - Feral Outlaw Stony

So I've been expanding on this concept I doodled before Christmas, where Steve goes with Tony into the no-tech dimension at the end of season 3. Probably a lot of stuff isn't canon-compliant (beyond the obvious change that is), but "It's an AU so I do what I want" rules apply. Anyway.

The tl;dr is: The two of them spend a little time puttering around the weird no-tech dimension, and then get absorbed into Battleworld. They become explorers, helping people out and falling in love along the way.

(Once again, I feel like someone must have had this idea already, but I’ve never looked.)

Cut for excessive rambling.

~~~

Not all the areas we see in the show are present in Battleworld when Steve and Tony first arrive, so the boys spend most of their time traveling around, mapping the place out as it expands. A lot of my ideas rely on them still having little-to-no access to modern conveniences. Obviously someplace modern has to show up for them to get their hands on a pickup truck and a motorcycle, but I’m picturing a post-apocalyptic junkyard that’s been picked clean of anything obviously useful. They get the vehicles working by sheer force of “I’m Tony-fucking-Stark.” But like that fully functional NYC area is way too convenient, so it’s not around yet. (tbh I’m not even sure if it’s an alternate NYC or theirs, in which case it wouldn’t show up until the other Avengers do anyway)

They get the low-down on the "Battleworld" concept by eavesdropping on one of Beyonder's* welcome speeches. They realize that they are uniquely off the grid, because Beyonder didn't know they were in the no-tech dimension when he added it to Battleworld. They decide it's advantageous to maintain this secret status, but they're still Avengers™️ so they can't NOT help out wherever they can. But they don’t stick around any one place for long. Basically, they become vagrant vigilantes in addition to surveyors. They get a lot of their “stuff” (clothes, tools, toiletries, etc) as payment for odd jobs, or gifts from grateful locals they rescue. They get some food from populated areas as well, but also rely on foraging and hunting while on the lam. They have definitely eaten dinosaur at some point.

(*He doesn't get the nickname "Beyonder" until the other Avengers show up. In this AU Steve and Tony refer to him as "The Entity" or "Suspenders." You can probably guess who tends to use which.)

On top of the survival story, it's also a getting-together story. Steve and Tony flirt and pine and bicker and flirt some more, until a squabble turns into a confession and they finally start kissing. There’s plenty of time for “it’s cold in this wasteland and we only have one blanket, oh no,” but they’re firmly established as romantically involved by the time the other Avengers show up and they have the final showdown with Beyonder.

Anyway a lot of the AU notes I've been making are about the functional side of their Big Camping Adventure. So here's a bunch of lists about vehicles, gadgets, and navigation.

Vehicle stuff:

If Tony is riding passenger on the motorcycle, he can clip his repulsor boots into special footrests that reroute the energy and give the bike a speed boost.

The bike has a tow cable. Steve can harpoon things using a spring-action firing mechanism, including cliff faces to help him scale steep terrain. The cable can also be uncoiled manually, like when Tony takes flight while holding the end so he and Steve can clothesline hostiles.

Steve can stick his shield several places on the bike depending on what’s convenient. On the front as a windscreen/battering ram, on one side for easy grabbing, and even on Tony’s backpack so Tony can snuggle in properly while riding passenger and keep both their backs protected.

They probably don’t even need a ramp to get the bike into the bed of the pickup. Steve just picks it up and puts it there.

The evolution of Marsha (the truck) into a full Hulkbuster-style mech takes a long time. For the majority of their time in Battleworld, it’s just a truck with an ever-increasing number of weird add-ons.

Marsha can function as a tiny camper home. The cargo bed liner is a false bottom, which can be pulled up and rearranged to form a cover/roof. Underneath the liner, the actual truck bed is about a foot deeper, with most of that storage space taken up by a mattress and bedding.

Tony can pull a cable out of Marsha’s steering column and plug it directly into his arc reactor. This unlocks extra features and weapons. He generally has things balanced so that Marsha drawing power doesn't affect him any more than his armor drawing power would. But on rare and desperate occasions, he can overclock and hurt himself. Steve of course hates when he does this.

Turnabout is fair play though: at least once, something else damaged the arc reactor, so Tony plugged into Marsha to draw power from the battery for his electromagnet while he repaired the arc.

Gasoline can be difficult to procure, so both vehicles are hybrids. Tony just keeps adding new power conversion elements as they go along, based on what they can find.

F in chat for Tony’s armor:

Tony dismantles the armor he’d been wearing when they first went into the no-tech dimension.

Obviously he keeps skeletal versions of the repulsor boots and gloves in-tact enough to function.

He also keeps most of the helmet, for when he’s riding with Steve on the motorcycle. Mostly because Steve insisted. It's gutted of tech though, so if the faceplate stays as part of the design, the eyes are just holes (like in the classic comics).

The rest of the pieces are kept in a large packing trunk.

Tony repurposes some parts into useful gadgets for himself and Cap, plus the odd toy for other Avengers (like Widow’s new stinger gauntlets) because he’s optimistic like that.

Electronics use precious metals like gold and copper, so Tony scrapes some out to pay for things in certain areas of Battleworld, like the cowboy town or the pirate area. He might also barter with other general bits like wires and screws, but he avoids parting with any actual full tech.

Plug-n-play Gadgets

Since the power draw for Tony's electromagnet is actually fairly minimal, Tony makes use of the arc reactor as a charging station, mostly when he sleeps. It's not like there's a corner store they can drop by to get a pack of batteries. Things he charges include (but are not limited to):

Flashlight for Steve. The bulbs for it came from the eyes in the Iron Man helmet. Note: Tony doesn't need a flashlight himself because he can turn up his arc brightness apparently, lmao.

Camp stove. Steve questioned Tony building one for a hot second because hello we can build campfires to cook over? But then it’s raining and they're in a cave and Tony is like, "if you fill this space with smoke I will divorce you before we're even married." And Steve is like "camp stove wow yes okay." Also they had camp stoves in WW2 so honestly it was simply a Himbo Moment to disregard the virtues of one in the first place.

Walkie talkies. I know they had Avengers comms but I like the aesthetic of walkie talkies more. Maybe the comms relied on satellites that they obviously don't have anymore or something.

Navigation:

Speaking of a lack of satellites, the GPS in Tony’s armor is rendered useless. Steve is real smug about it and pulls out his old-fashioned compass. But Battleworld also doesn’t have proper poles, so it just spins wildly for a few seconds and then points at Tony’s electromagnet. Not to be deterred, Steve declares, “Well, you’re never lost if you can find Polaris.” They look up and realize that the night sky, despite having stars and a moon, is not at all arranged the way it is on Earth.

Tony takes this as a Challenge. He builds a sextant, then spends the next several nights in a row muttering math under his breath as he painstakingly creates a hand-drawn star chart. This, combined with landmarks, becomes the primary way they orient themselves as they roam around Battleworld.

Many nights, Steve and Tony lie in the bed of the pickup together and make up constellations named after other Avengers and friends. Steve makes a copy of Tony’s star chart and sketches artistic renditions of the constellations on top. To close this post with an interesting visual, here’s an example of what Tony’s star map might look like vs what Steve’s would more resemble:

#avengers assemble #avengers assemble AU #battleworld AU #Feral Outlaw Stony AU #stevetony #dakity yaks #Dakt rambles about Avengers stuff #long post

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itsmeizumine · 4 years ago

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COMMS ARE OPEN!

[ID: a 6 panels presentation explaining how OP’s commissions are going to pan out. First panel has scripts divided in two columns. The first column says “Hello, fellows! It’s me, Izumine, and right now I’m taking digital art commissions! I really need to buy new PC and I would be extremely glad if you spread word of this commissions for me. Thank you so much!”. The second column says that payment is to happen via Nubank Pix system and OP’s other social medias’ handle; “itsmeizumine” on Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. From the second panel onward, OP’s gonna showcase the types of commission they are willing to take.]

[ID: Second panel is titled “Silly Doodles”. There are three drawings on the panel, all of them very simple and cartoonish. The first drawing is of a kid reenacting “Will Smith Showing Off His Wife” meme, with a speech bubble that says “Bitch, I love and appreciate you” stylized to add comedic effect. The second is of someone grimacing, with “OUCH...” written behind them. The third drawing is of a surprised person, with a speech bubble that says “*GASP* what- NO WAY!!”. There’s a script at the bottom right that says “Silly doodles are fun to draw and use, specially as stickers! They are the quickest to make, and cost 5 USD*.”. The asteristiks are going to be addressed on the 6th panel.]

[ID: Third panel is titled “My Style” and has a column of script right under it that says “I don’t face much trouble with either headshots or full body, but I don’t dig rendering a lot, so my price table is this: a) SKETCH: 10 USD. b) FLAT COLORS: 15 USD**. c) RENDERED: 20 USD**.”. By the side of this column, there are three versions of the portrait of a boy, showing the different finalizations the price table announced going from the simplest (option a) to the most difficult (option c), left-right. At the bottom left of the panel, there’s a script in parentheses that says “This is good to make portraits of loved ones!”.]

[ID: Forth panel is titled “Mimicking”. Under the title, a column of script says “I can imitate your favorite show’ style on a drawing of your OC! I’m particularly good at: BNHA, SvtFoE, The Loud House and Adventure Time. But I can give a shot to any other ones!”. There are four drawings of original characters to the left of the column, each into the styles of the shows OP mentioned. A serious girl using Yuuei’s uniform and sneakers; a boy dressed as a prince from other dimension dancing with a girl in a poncho blouse and pleated skirt, both seemingly in love with each other; a kid wearing a vest, a long-sleeved blouse, pants and boots, expectantly looking to the forth wall; and a fire monk in their casual garb, content; respectfully. In the midst of the drawings there’s a box that says the price is 15 USD**.]

[ID: Fifth panel is titled “Landscapes”. There are two big drawings. The one at the left shows a empty main avenue prepared to start a community fair. The day is sunny and there are little flags and lace tinsels hanging from building to building as there are flower garlands and wreaths decorating the shopfronts. The floor is made up from packed dirt and cobblestone and there has a kiss booth and a roasted chicken stand at the edge of the street. The drawing on the right is the WIP of a staffroom from a mechanic workshop. There are two different levels at the same room. In the lowest there’s a small kitchenette with lights hanging from a support beam made out of steel and a sofa with a remote control atop of it. In the highest, the ground has the same metal texture of a bus’ floor; there’s a ladder, four tires piled together with plants around them and a shelving unit attached to the entryway. There’s a box that says the price for the art pieces is 25 USD**.]

[ID: Sixth panel is titled "Yes, can do/ No, can't do". The text that follows right after is divided in two columns, each column under one segment of the title. The column under the first segment lists Lettering, NSFW art (though, OP says it's debatable) and Mecha/Armor as things they can also do. The column under the last segment lists Gore (OP clarifying that they can work with blood, but nothing more explicit than that), Hate Material and Animals (and by extension, Furries) as things they can't do. Under these columns there's a box that explains the asterisks. It says "Single asterisk: In case USD is not your currency, we'll follow the procedure of converting the values using it as reference. Double asterisks: This is a minimum price. Might be upped depending on the complexity of your commission, but don't worry! We'll discuss it before settling on anything. And! We'll only start negotiations if you read and agree with my Terms of Service, so that's that as well.". This is all there is to the last panel, and with that the presentation ends.]

(TERMS OF SERVICE BELOW, READ IT ATTENTIVELY)

if DM me about any commission you're interested to do i'll assume you've read everything and are 100% okay with it, so don't even try if you're aren't. this is not up to debate.

there's stuff worthy of taking notice before asking a commission from me:

i need my commissioner to be somewhat available for communication. i'm gonna share my process with you and i need your feedback during it to go on. any sort of adjustment gotta happen there, as i'm not returning to the finished piece to retouch it on any way or form nor do i allow anyone to make any changes to my artwork.

i'm not delivering the finished piece until you fully pay me. no debate on that. and i reserve the right to cancel and refund any commissions at any time for any reason.

unless you oppose to it during the process, there's a chance that i might use the commissioned artwork on my social medias as a way to promote me and my services. if that bothers you or makes you uncomfortable, you gotta tell me.

you retain all rights over the intellectual property of the commissioned piece and i assure you i won't make any claims over it, but the artwork is mine nonetheless. it's for personal use ONLY until stated otherwise, and you CANNOT profit from it or use it commercially unless we discuss it beforehand.

i won't make you NSFW art if you're under age, for obvious reasons. any minors asking for commissions of any other kind need have permission from their legal guardian, unless they have their own bank account.

if you want to eventually print the artwork, please state this before we get started on the commission. my default set-up is made for small files that are going to pixelate once you size them up to make, say, a poster. it's going to reflect badly on the end result of my work and i can make it right from the start if only you warn me first.

and i won't lower the price of any commissions below where they are now. the prices are as accessible as they can be. i'll work hard on each and every piece ever commissioned and and i need money like any other person too, respect me and my work.

i’d like thank anyone commissioning, reblogging or sharing the link of this post with possible future commissioners right now. hopefully i’ll be able to buy a new computer and make even better art to share with you guys soon!!

#izumine #digital art #art comissions #digitalcommissions #digitalart #art commission info #art commission prices #art community #terms of service #commisions open #i feel like i'm flooding the tags uselessly but oh well #izumine talks #image description #it's the first time i've ever done one #is it helpful guys?#feedback is greatly appreciated #signal boost #artists on tumblr #small artist

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billyboymiki · 4 years ago

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5 Works Tag Game

Rules: it’s time to love yourselves! choose your 5 (ish) favorite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and post or link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2020. tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

I got tagged by @tippenfunkaport and @caramelaire for this tag game!!

I’m not one to compliment myself on anything honestly. Recently I remember thinking about how I barely drew anything this year. There was a part of my brain nagging at me to check how much I had drawn last year. So, I uh did. Turns out I drew basically nothing?! I triple checked this in fact. My DeviantART, Tumblr AND my camera roll. Nothing . . . I drew 5 very basic pinback button designs and that was it. I couldn’t believe it; but, it made be feel so much better about what I did this year. Basically my whole instagram is all artwork from this year, since I am actually really new to IG. I got super close to 40 works this year!

Now onto the works! They are in order of when I drew them 😊

Glimmer Inspired Patterns

I wanted to teach myself how to make patterns on Clip Studio so bad! I watched a couple of YT tutorials, and I can’t even remember why I decided to make She-ra ones specifically; I’m glad I did though! The Glimmer one means so much to me. Just looking at makes me so happy! The fact that so many people have now called it ‘aesthetically pleasing’ makes me feel as though I actually created a work that others could relate to. That was enough praise for me; to create something for myself that everyone else loved as well 💖

Glimbow Cuddle

This was my first real She-ra artwork. When I saw there was a Glimbow Week again I knew I had to join this one. I don’t know if anyone knows this; but, drawings take me forever to make. I used to be strictly a traditional artist and still prefer to draw rough drafts on paper. I couldn’t decide if I wanted them on Glimmer’s window seat or in Bow’s dads’ library. I was afraid of doing backgrounds; so, both sounded absolutely terrifying. I decided to go for the fireplace even if it meant fancy lighting on top of the background aspect. I think I actually spent more time on the lighting that’s hitting Bow than on anything else in this picture. It was worth it though. I studied how the show did backgrounds and lighting for a while. I tried so many different attempts at how I wanted it to look and ultimately went with this one! I love it so much 🥺

Bow’s list with doodles

Ah, yes the drawings I did for Tippen’s birthday!! I knew I wanted to draw a scene from ‘Tuna Cans’, but I was worried to try something like this. You see, I’m somebody that likes to stay in a comfort zone and only uploaded fully rendered perfect artworks. This year was the first time that I let the ‘fun’ aspect overrule my perfectionism. I’m so happy that I stepped out of my comfort zone for this, because I love Chibi styles so much. I can’t even explain the absolute joy I had drawing these. I didn’t tell anyone what I was up to, so it was just me laughing at myself for being an absolute goofball. The end result and everyone’s reactions were more than I could have ever expected. I’ve decided I’m going to revive this style soon as well so please look forwards to it!!

Space Suit Squad

Okay, so I cheated a little with this one! I couldn’t just pick ONE of the squad. Honestly though, I drew these with the thought of making them into prints in the back of my mind. I taught myself how to draw a space background and I’m really proud of it! So much in fact that the one in the final pictures is the first and last one I ended up doing! If I had to pick my favorites I think I’d have to pick Glimmer, Bow and then Catra. I LOVE the way I draw Catra I don’t know why? Maybe the eyebrows I’m not sure 🤔 It took me a while to decide on expressions and poses; although, I figured these were the ones because I could look at them and go ‘yep that’s them.’

Winter Glimbow

This one took me soooo long; I actually had to tell myself that I should put my pen down because it was done and I should stop touching it!!! I was sketching pictures in my sketchbook to make more patterns for my Redbubble account, and of course I’m like 100% Glimbow brainrot. My brain went, oooo you know what would be cute? If this skate was actually Bow’s and not just generic. So, I ended up sketching Glimmer’s as well. The heart that their skates make is like the cherry on the top for me, it had to be done! I’m not sure I did the background justice on this one? It doesn’t matter to me though because the concept was worth the effort. It was snowing here and I needed this picture like I needed air, even if it wasn’t even December at the time I posted it 🤣 I liked this one so much that I have similar ideas for the other seasons sketched out as well 👀

I’m sorry that I ramble so often. I’m like this quiet person; yet, it’s hard for me to get out everything I want to say? I’m horrible at it actually my brain runs at a hundred miles a minute and I’m not good with words most of the time. This turned out as more of a thought process than my actual feelings on each one I suppose. SO, in conclusion. I drew A LOT, I stepped out of my comfort zone, taught myself digital art and patterns. I let myself come to terms with the fact that not every piece of art has to be ‘perfect’. I drew at least 5 FULL backgrounds and I never used to draw them! I’ve also always been one for simple shading and lighting, and I do think there’s a time for that type of style, while other times sometimes a more difficult one might be appropriate. I’m glad that I did both because now I know I can do both, and they each give a characteristic that I adore 🥰 Thank you to everyone that has followed me through this journey, or just anyone who read my rambling! I have an honorable mention under the cut and some originals for anyone that made it this far! 💖

I’m not going to tag anyone; but, if you want to do this PLEASE do it. It was so great to reflect on what I did this year, it really surprised me and I think what you have done will surprise you as well! It’s been a rough year, and in the end we have been here supporting each other and that’s one of the most rewarding parts of being in a fandom! 💜

Glimmer screencap redraw

Another picture where I really tested myself on drawing a background! I love it even if it killed my hand!! The background definitely took the longest on this one too. My sister literally said ‘Wait, you did the background? I thought you just drew her?!’ And that was the only validation I needed!! I ended up thinning out Glimmer’s outline so she matched the background better. If you use the vectors on Clip please use this feature! You can do the opposite as well, it’s super useful!

Oh hi! Remember when I said I couldn’t decide between the two locations? Truth is, I also couldn’t decide if I was going to make it traditional or digital. I ended up getting really mad at the traditional version unfortunately. I haven’t gotten the hang of traditional backgrounds. In the end, I should have also done it in Copic and not cheap pencil crayons 😫

Just some space friends! There is something so rewarding about traditional art. Yes, I can see the mistakes and the proportions are most likely off; yet, it doesn’t bother me? I wanted to also show these bonus drawings because nobody is perfect and I thought some of you might like to see some of my process. Being able to hold it in my hands is something I will never tire of, in a way it’s super rewarding. I keep all my art actually and sometimes I like the rough drafts more than the finished work 👀 Outlining artwork can actually ruin the charm every so often 😔 I do really love the final versions of these though!

Annnnnd the last bonus!! As you can tell the final version stayed pretty true to my sketches! I almost went with a more realistic look and made the symbols ‘stitched’ onto the skates. In the end it felt like it didn’t fit the rest of the drawing unless I wanted to add extra details to the clothing as well. The wings on Glimmer’s skates turned into ‘Shwings’ PLEASE tell me other people know what that is? I had a pair a few years ago and misplaced them. I was doing the rough draft and it popped into brain and I treated it as a joke at first, until I gave it a proper chance XD In the end I fell in love with it!!!

#she-ra #spop #fanart #tag game #billyboymiki #Miki speaks #long post #sorry #my art #I actually cried a little writing all of this 😱#the only thing I wanted to do really bad this year was make an spop amv #I might juggle art and making one so I can get one out at some point

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canvaswolfdoll · 6 years ago

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CanvasWatches: 5 Centimeters per Second

Got there.

Kind of.

Makoto Shinkai has other works listed on his wikipedia page, and maybe I’ll get around to those someday, but for now, let’s sit and be satisfied I’ve watched all the important ones!

Reminder that the score is two good films, two bad films, and two average ones.

Making this a tie breaker!

Also proof that any claims that Makoto Shinkai is the new Miyazaki are unfounded and dumb.

Anyways, time for 5 Centimeters per Second!

It’s a middle of the road story. Backgrounds are beautiful as always, character are flat, and a lot of good ideas that deserve more exploration.

It fits very nicely in the Auteur arc Shinkai went through to get to actual masterpiece Your Name. It was produced after the unwatchable The Place Promised in our Early Days[1] and works off the themes of a relationship stalled by time and distance first used in Voices of a Distant Star. What it lacks is the character complexity he sorted out in Garden of Words and plot structure and humor finally inserted into Your Name.

5 Centimeters per Second is draft three is what I’m getting at.

It’s also not a singular feature, but instead three short films (OVAs? Not sure how to use that term) that share a male lead and played in order, covering four phases in his life: Middle School with recollections to Elementary in part one, High School in part two, and adulthood in part three. Each also have their own title, so let’s go in sequence.

Episode 1: Cherry Blossoms

‘5 Centimeters per Second’ refers to the rate that cherry blossom petals fall. Mystery solved! Go home everybody! We’re done.

Okay, okay, there’s more than that. Basically, our story concerns a boy named Takaki Tono who meets a girl named Akari Shinohara during elementary school. The rest of the class ships these two, but being literal children neither actually have the capabilities to provide any romantic progress, so that’s fine.

Then Akari moves away, and that’s a real bummer, but they can communicate through letters, and if there’s one thing I can credit this film for is igniting a romance for sending mail to a sweetheart.[3] It’s very charming seeing the words and doodles on a page.

However, Middle School comes around, and Takaki’s family is moving to the opposite end of the archipelago,[4] so now it’ll be even more impractical for the two to meet up.

That’s okay. Takaki can make the trip now. They can meet one final time. At Akari’s home station. At 19:00! This is practical!

Unfortunately, snow storms conspire to make Takaki about 4 plus hours late. And the wind takes his love confession letter away! And this is set in the 90s, so he doesn’t even have a fun app to kill time on the train![6]

Eventually, the train arrives, very late.

And Akari had waited.

Could this have been resolved if they met in the middle and saved some time? Yes, but that’s not important! What’s important is Akari brought a homemade meal, and she waited all that time, and the two have a kiss under a snow covered tree like two stupid kids.[7] Takaki realizes they’d likely never meet again.

Due to the bad weather, the two spend the night in a random shack, then Takaki[8] heads home in the morning.

Akari looks wistfully at a letter she’d brought herself.

It’s a fine segment. The train journey is a good concept, but I feel like it could’ve been slightly lonelier. Open with him on the train, stalled on the last stretch, Takaki reflecting on what brought him here, cutting from him sitting on the train reading Akari’s old letters to the elementary school days to him pacing the aisles of the train to him explaining to his middle school friends he’s moving away. Or something better. Something to make the audience feel the agonizing wait and desperate push to see Akari one. Last. Time.

Episode 2: Cosmonaut[9]

I like Kanae Sumida. She deserves better. I hope she gets her life figured out.

So, we jump ahead to Takaki’s final year of high school. He’s in the archery club. But this isn’t his story to tell, because the kid is not actually a compelling character. Yet he’s captured the heart of Kanae Sumida, a shy girl who’s trying to learn to surf, get the courage to confess her feelings, and plan for her future. The final year of High School is a worrying time.

So Kanae narrates the middle act.

Now this isn’t a distant pining. Kanae often returns to school after attempting to catch waves in order to ‘happen’ to head home when Takaki’s heading out himself. They ride their scooters to a convenience store, where Takaki always gets the same coffee milk drink and Kanae takes her time picking out a drink. When Kanae catches back up with her own drink, she’ll find Takaki texting... someone...

Obviously Akari, but when Takaki takes over narration duties for a short time to reveal a great truth, we learn that the boy hasn’t been sending the messages about dreams of standing with her on an alien world, because it wouldn't be a Makoto Shinkai film without a lovingly rendered night sky and space stuff. It’s also implied that the two haven’t communicated in some time.

Back to Kanae, she’s unable to fill out the future planning worksheet that’s deeply entrenched in slice-of-life anime,[10] and it contributes to her melancholy.

However, when she asks Takaki his plans, he gives a vague answer, revealing he doesn’t have a trajectory set. Kanae finds peace in this, since if the object of her affections doesn’t have things figured out, why should she?

Y’know, it’s that whole unhealthy habit of placing your crush on an unreachable pedestal thing that gets to her.

But hey, it helps. Soul lightened, and between typhoons, Kanae catches a wave. She successfully surfs! Atta girl.

Riding high, she returns to the school to wait for Takaki to finish his archery. She decides that if she can’t confess the same day she rode a wave, then she’ll never be able to.

They go to the convenience store, and Kanae buys a smaller version of Takaki’s drink of choice, because she’s building her future on the afterimage of Takaki, but isn’t fully committed. They drink, then attempt to ride the scooters, but Kanae’s not starting. Takaki offers to walk her home.

On the walk, Kanae attempts her confession.

Only to be interrupted by a rocket launch, which is going 5 kilometers a second.[11] There’s kind of a theme of hearts moving in relation to one another.

Kanae can see in Takaki’s eyes that he’s focused on something. And it’s not her and never will be.

So she abandons the confession, but feels she’ll always carry a flame for Takaki. Which, unfortunately, is what happens when you put someone on a romantic pedestal but lack the courage to confront it. Eventually you decide it’s not worth an attempt, either because you view yourself too beneath them, fear rejection, fear discovering the person isn’t the portrait you’ve composed, or a mixture.[12]

The two reach Kanae’s home, and she cried herself to sleep that night.

It’s a bittersweet story, and yet another good seed that could blossom into a fuller piece. Again, Takaki himself is bland, but if we give him personality, a subplot about an interest in aeronautics and cosmonautics and how he doesn’t even notice the world around him for the ideal girl he drifted away from, and it has potential to be a melancholic full film on its own. Or even keep it as a short film, just build the male lead.

Cosmonaut is my favorite of the three parts, though.

Episode 3: 5 Centimeters per Second

I don’t feel bad for Takaki. He deserved this ending.

Takaki is a working man now, fresh out of an unsuccessful three year relationship, wherein the woman broke up over text, saying that in all their time together, their hearts had, at best, moved a mere one centimeter closer, because might as well complete the trilogy with the analysis.

His hang-ups on Akari still lingering thirteen years after she moved away during elementary school, and a long term relationship ended because of it, and a depression setting in, Takaki quits his job. Then he just kinda floats about, stops at a convenience store, looks at a magazine article about the rocket launched back in the second act, which is leaving the solar system. What a distance it’s managed to cover, and Takaki’s still got no solid plans nine years since it left the atmosphere.

Takaki and Akari share a narration about a dream of their childhood promise to watch the cherry blossoms someday.

Then the two suddenly cross paths walking over some train tracks. Was that? Could it be? They turn to double check. A train passes, cutting them off.

Then there’s a musical interlude, because it’s a Makoto Shinkai film and you’ve got to have a random AMV just before the conclusion.

We see scenes from the rest of the movie cut together! Takaki and Akari as children! Train ride! Kanae catching a wave! (I hope she’s moved on. Met a nice guy. Forgot the stagnant mess that is Takaki) Takaki’s dull, meaningless life!

Then the train passes.

Akari’s gone. Because of course. They haven’t talked in over a decade, and even if she found that undelivered letter from Act One it doesn’t mean she has to linger. She’s apparently engaged now, and Takaki is a dumb kid from when she was a dumb kid waiting at a train station five hours after the two agreed to meet.

Because nothing waits. The earth turns, the waves crash, rockets leaving the soolar system, and Cherry Blossoms fall at 5 centimeters per second.

So just move on.

Takaki, seeing his last hope of reclaiming the past vanish behind a passing train, smiles and walks off. Did he learn anything? Who cares, he’s unflavored frozen yogurt. Cold and devoid of sweetness.[13]

Takaki refused to live in the present or look to the future, and what do we have? A nothing.

Takaki’s dull.

This act isn’t even a good seed. It’s the conclusion to a narrative I don’t care about. I can’t even offer any advice on it that isn’t ‘cut it, expand one of the previous episodes.”

The Film

It’s fine. It’s an okay movie. Critically lauded, so if you feel like watching it, you won’t feel cheated. But I wouldn’t put it on a list of must watches. It’s not hilariously bad, it’s not specifically boring, it’s not particularly deep, and it’s not Your Name.

It’s the middle of the Shinkai scale of quality. Don’t avoid it, don’t pursue it.

If 5 Centimeters per Second was a person, it’d be Takaki Tono. Defined by the females its features, and not giving the proper due to Kanae.

Thanks for reading. If you like this analysis on an anime film, check out my other reviews (including other Makoto Shinkai films), my webcomic about a living muffin, and maybe support my patreon. I’ve got a Digimon review series that’ll be living there until I finish the first season at least. The show had an effect on me.

Until the snow clears and the train brings my next work,

Kataal kataal.

[1] Do you know how hard it is to get me to quit a movie? I’ll wait for a conclusion. Heck, I sat through 2001: A Space Odyssey![2] You need a whole lot of nothing to bore me off a paltry 90 minute journey. [2] The movie will have its day eventually, I promise. [3] Not that I have a sweetheart. Or the address of any distant friends. Or stamps. [4] Which is fun to say. Say it with me. Arch-i-pel-a-go.[5] We should find excuses to say it more. [5] What’re you, 6? This is a written essay! No one’s talking along with you! I bet you feel real silly. [6] And it doesn’t seem he brought a book. Must’ve been a boring trip. [7] Fun fact! Not only am I pessimistic about any young love (IE, starting in middle or high school), I actively root against them. Because I’m a monster. [8] I’m just now noticing how similar these names are to two Digidestined. Huh. [9] Back in the fourth grade, we did a class play about the California Gold Rush. I was stuck into three songs in a row. The middle one was called Argonauts. I liked it, but not the other two, which I scarcely recall now. It didn’t occur to me that I could simply refuse to perform the other two songs. I also didn’t like my long term sub at the time. Anyways, that’s what I think about whenever I hear the ‘-naut’ suffix. [10] I don’t know how true to life such worksheets are. It’s possibly as accurate as Sailor Fukus in High School. [11] As some who completed a Couch to 5k, that’s official fast. [12] Suffice it to say, there’s a reason Kanae appeals to me. [13] I keep meaning to get frozen yogurt. There’s a place theoretically within walking distance. But then I have to remember to go there.

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