Full-time comic artist

At this point, the fact that she was even showing concern for Yoshihiro Togashi was already a huge sacrifice on her part as his girlfriend.

……

The title of Tori Akino Mirai's new short story is "5 Centimeters Per Second," with a subtitle called "Cherry Blossom Sketch."

Just by looking at the title, the style of Tori Akino's short stories is immediately apparent.

Naoko Takeuchi calmed herself down, opened her big, curious eyes, and looked inside.

Did you know? It's said that the speed is five centimeters per second.

"Huh? What?"

"Cherry blossom petals fall at a speed of five centimeters per second."

The preceding dialogue was nonsensical, but it did mention the name of a comic book.

As the girls were playing around, they ran to the other side just before the tram arrived.

The tram separated the two sides, and as the tram disappeared, the plot got back on track.

Six months after Shinohara Akari moved to Tochigi, she finally wrote to Takaki Tono.

Because of this, the boys and girls began to communicate with each other through letters.

In summer and autumn, through Takaki Tono's perspective, Akari Shinohara shares her life and cares for Takaki Tono, while Naoko Takeuchi senses the girl's innocent heart.

“Ah, how wonderful,” Naoko Takeuchi exclaimed.

During adolescence, there is the tentative exploration and approach between boys and girls, and the irrepressible stirrings of their hearts.

In the manga, the timeline shifts to winter, the weather is getting colder and colder, and it's snowing in Tochigi.

Takaki Tono is moving to Kagoshima.

"It's no longer a distance where we can meet by taking the tram whenever we want."

The birds took flight, soaring above the clouds and flying into the distance.

Takaki Tono and Akari Shinohara made a promise.

Meet at 7 p.m. on March 4 at the waiting hall of Iwafusa tram station.

This was their first meeting a year after they left.

March 4th arrived, and it was raining heavily. As soon as school was over, Takaki Tono went to the train station and took the train.

It was 15:54 PM, and snowflakes began to fall.

Takaki Tono inevitably recalls his past with Akari Shinohara.

He and Akari Shinohara were kindred spirits. Because they were both small and prone to illness, they both enjoyed reading in the library.

We can talk about the contents of books every day, such as the strange creatures in the Cambrian period.

Takaki Tono and Akari Shinohara are always together.

Because of this, he was teased by his classmates.

But as long as they don't leave each other, they are strong enough to be inexplicably unafraid of these things.

Takaki Tono imagined that in the years to come, they would go to junior high school together and stay together forever.

Shinjuku Station has arrived, and Takaki Tono began his transfer.

Despite it being his first time at Shinjuku Station, he wasn't flustered.

My heart is pounding, it's like a deer's tail is pounding, it's anticipation.

When he changed trains again, he recalled the story of Akari moving house and changing schools, and having to go to a public school in Tochigi for junior high school.

Takaki Tono was in great pain, but he could also sense Akari's pain.

He could only hug his knees and curl up in frustration.

“There’s so much narration,” Naoko Takeuchi remarked. “It has a very shoujo manga feel to it.”

Narration is used to draw the reader's emotions into the work.

The narration in "5 Centimeters Per Second" was also used quite precisely, allowing Naoko Takeuchi to fully feel Takaki Tono's emotions.

When we were in elementary school, we were very happy together and we weren't afraid of anything.

In the second semester of sixth grade, Mingli moved house, and the two were separated, which was painful for both of them.

After six months of recovery, at Akari's initiative, the two began to communicate.

But not long after, Takaki Tono was to move to Kagoshima.

Under the pressure of separation, a year later, the two finally brought up saying goodbye.

Takaki Tono began to look forward to it.

Naoko Takeuchi could see through the feelings of both of them and felt them deeply.

It was 5:10 p.m., and the express train was delayed by 10 minutes.

After Takaki Tono got on the bus, the buildings decreased, and the vast expanse of white snow felt empty and desolate.

Afterwards, the train stopped at the next stop, and all the passengers got off. Takaki Tono stood by the door, staring blankly at his watch, until a passenger next to him couldn't stand the cold anymore and closed the door.

Because the next express train was delayed, the express train that Takaki Tono was riding kept stopping at the station.

It was already 7 p.m., the agreed time, and there were still several stops to go in the snowy weather.

"The unprecedented snow scene outside the window and the slowly passing time, coupled with the throbbing pain in my empty stomach, added to my unease."

Takaki Tono felt uneasy.

At the next station where he needed to transfer, the snow was falling heavier and heavier, and the station was empty, filled only with loneliness and cold.

"Is it the same on Akari's side?" Naoko Takeuchi wondered.

It was already 19:40 PM, and he still had to wait at the station.

Hungry and cold, he wanted to buy a hot drink and put it in his pocket. He also accidentally took out the letter he wanted to tell Mingmei. Soon the letter was swept away by the wind and disappeared.

Long-distance relationships are really tough.

Naoko Takeuchi felt a pang of sympathy as she looked at Takaki crying pitifully in the manga.

Just then, a flash of light appeared—the headlights of an approaching express train.

……

The time was 20:54. Because the blizzard disrupted the schedule, the express train temporarily stopped.

In the empty carriage, Takaki Tono, wrapped in a trench coat, stood alone with his head down.

Two hours passed just like that.

He gritted his teeth, trying to hold back his tears.

"Akari, if only you were home..."

……

"Phew," the comic has already reached page forty.

Naoko Takeuchi looked up from the manga, feeling a sense of oppression; she needed to calm down.

It wasn't what she expected at all; the story of lovers gradually opening up to each other in "The Garden of Words" actually had a bitter taste.

"I feel very bad."

She had a premonition.

It was only at this point, when she detached herself from the story, that she discovered the unique aspects of this work.

"Tori Akino's style seems to have changed, but it also seems to have remained the same."

Familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar.

The artist's drawing skills are superb. Whether it's cherry blossoms fluttering in spring or trams in a winter blizzard, the paintings are exquisite and possess a realistic beauty.

But it lacks the style of Akino Toriyama's earlier works, that carefree attitude of a shonen manga author.

Out of curiosity, Naoko Takeuchi turned to the cover.

"Plot: Tori Akino Mirai"

"Artwork by Akemi Akimiya".

“Huh?” Naoko Takeuchi was taken aback. “So the painting was done by someone else.”

"I had no idea that there were amateurs with such amazing drawing skills."

She had never heard of this name.

"She's a female cartoonist, no wonder."

This made her even happier.

Akemi Akimiya's art style is more in line with "5 Centimeters Per Second," conveying a gentle and narrative feel.

After a brief respite, Naoko Takeuchi continued reading.

……

The agreed time was delayed by about six hours.

When Takaki Tono arrived, it was already midnight.

After getting off the tram, he walked quickly and soon arrived at the bus shelter.

"This series of expressions is drawn really well."

Naoko Takeuchi turned around; it was Yoshihiro Togashi speaking.

"I felt lost and frustrated at first."

"Then his pupils dilated violently, his mouth opened slightly, and he looked incredulous."

"Then he exhaled a breath, closed his eyes tightly, and buried his mouth in his scarf. You could tell he was trying hard not to cry."

"Frustration, disbelief, surprise—the emotions were expressed very well."

"Tori Akino-kun has improved again. His writing style is no longer like that of a shonen manga artist. He has ventured into another realm."