Fox Pathé Europa has released The Place Promised in Our Early Days (Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho) DVD in France from April 15. The French title is La Tour Au-delà Des Nuages.

DVD Details (Franch):
http://shop2.foxfrance.com/fr/produit_53_dvdnews_50141.php
http://publikart.net/la-tour-au-dela-des-nuages-de-makoto-shinkai

(Thanks for your info, Hexorl!)

I have translated Mr Shinkai's recent history updated on April 28.

Source (Japanese):
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/colum.html

--------------------------------------

I came back to Japan the other day. I was away from Japan just only a year and a bit, but I feel everything I see in here is beautiful and everything I eat is delicious. I really enjoy even just walking down a street.

I have been visiting my parents to meet again with my cat Sayuri. While I was in abroad, the saddest thing was I couldn't see her. So, I was nervous while in the local train going to my hometown to meet her. A year for a man is 4-5 years for a cat. I was afraid that she might have forgotten me.

Then, actually, Sayuri seems to have totally forgotten me! When I met again with her first, she ran away. I tried to hug her but she scratched me. After I stayed with her for few days, fortunately she seemed to be thinking "Hmm? I have known this guy?" but I can't win back friendly relationship with her like the past still yet. The only thing that save me is Sayuri herself is totally friendly with my parents and she looks happy.

My guess is that the separation with me was too painful for Sayuri, so she thought "I have to forget him, I have to forget him," and finally, she actually forgot about me. I guess so. Because she is a cat.

This incident was kinda shock for me, so I become dispirited and came down with a cold for some days. I feel Sayuri is telling me that we can lose certain type of feelings even if it was just a year. Sayuri, I'm so sorry I had left you.

Sorry all I'm talking in this homecoming report is about my cat. Please don't worry too much about me because this is not a very serious event. I have recovered from a cold, so I'm fine now. Of course Sayuri is much more fine than me. I hugged her (she didn't want it though) to took this picture. Her face looks a little strained, as I suspected....
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/sayuri0428_L.jpg

-Makoto Shinkai

Good news for fans in Australia. Madman Entertainment announce they have gotten license 5 Centimeters per Second.

http://www.madman.com.au/htmlmail/newsletters/2009_04_apr/

They also announced this news at anime convention Supanova in Brisbane in the beginning of April.

Hope they release DVD soon.

(Thank you for the information, icie!)

I have translated Mr Shinkai's recent history updated on March 28.

Source (Japanese):
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/colum.html

--------------------------------------

I departed from London yesterday. I flew from Heathrow Airport by Olympic Airlines, and now I'm staying in an island in Greece. I'll stay here for a while before going back to Japan.

This picture is a view from my room in London in early morning.
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/london0326_L.jpg

The cloud streaks in the sky are airplane tracks. The sky over London is busy because planes, flying from some hub airports around the city, always come and go. Thanks to the many people I came across in London, my days at there just over 1 year became memorable. However, even so, I have to say wholeheartedly now I have been relieved by leaving�@away from scattered free newspapers on seats in a old narrow train of tube, always crowded cafes and pubs, many architectural structures over hundred years old proudly standing in the city, and cool Londoners walking happily in a beautiful street.

A Slow Boat to China is a short story included in Haruki Murakami's The Elephant Vanishes (English edition), which I bought when I just came to London. In the story, a Chinese girl mumbles a line "This was never any place I was meant to be." London is the place in where vast amounts of people from distant places gather and filled with flood of different languages. I myself was one of the foreigners at there. It was so free and wonderful feeling. However, I think I may have had in the back of my mind the words I quote above.

On the other hand, I have never, ever felt Tokyo or Nagano (my hometown) were "the place I'm meant to be" even when I was in this island with smell of ocean, in Finland with sprinkling of snow or in Istanbul with complex historical background. So, at the very least, I want to always make "what I should do" clear to myself even if it would be a temporary one.

Well, I have written about this and that excursively. Anyway, I miss Japanese foods now. I feel like to eat curry and rice at Matsuya.... Whew.

-Makoto Shinkai

(Translator's Note: Matsuya is reasonable beef bowl restaurant chain. http://en.wa-shoi.com/?page=100568)

I have translated Mr Shinkai's recent history updated on February 15.

Source (Japanese):
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/colum.html

--------------------------------------

Over 2 months have passed since the last update. I'm spending ordinary days with no special events to report. I have received some e-mails asking kindly like "Are you alive?" Yes, I'm alive, I'm fine as usual. Thank you for your concern.

I feel the prices in UK has come more and more down than months before because of the strength of Japanese yen. Therefore, in the end of 2008, I bought a MacBook Air SSD model on impulse. It is much better than I had expected. MacBook Air is slimmer than paperback book (Translator's Note: standard Japanese paperback is 15-20mm in thick), so I can bring it out short travel or just going into town putting it in my bag, and its performance is perfect; I feel some surprise to the speed. My Macbook Air has got many scratches because I treat it casually, but I think it may be the most comfortable computer I have ever owned.

On the other day, I went to watch Quidam by Cirque du Soleil. Mr Norihisa Taguchi, skipping rope artist, proposed me to go together to Quidam since the both of us staying in London. The show was great. I saw Cirque du Soleil's show for the first time, but I was amazed. I felt like the stage become low-gravity area.

By the way, I haven't decided the date when I go back to Japan yet, but I have to prepare. Although I don't have special addiction to London, when I think about that I can't stay here more, I sorta feel "I don't want to leave here." I have already visited the British Museum for many times, but I brought a camera there for the first time last week. Curiously, when seeing shape of varied gods in the pre-Judaism/Christianity age, I feel a kind of nostalgia like I have been brought back to my childhood.

-Makoto Shinkai

Today (February 9) is the 36th birthday of Mr Shinkai. Happy birthday!! :-)

Cherry Blossoms Falling, English-language fan forum for Mr Shinkai's works, will hold online meeting event Global Shinkai Day 2009 on Feburary 27 to 28. For convenience of participant from other time zone, they have put countdown clock (green) on the bottom of their site.

I think this is the biggest online event for wold-wide Shinkai fans ever held. The below press release from CBF tells you more details. Join it!

-----------Press Release from Cherry Blossoms Falling------------

ANIME FANS WORLDWIDE TO CELEBRATE GLOBAL SHINKAI DAY 2009

Fans of Japanese anime creator Makoto Shinkai are gathering worldwide in cyberspace February 27-28 for Global Shinkai Day 2009. The unofficial English-language fansite Cherry Blossoms Falling (http://cherryblossomsfalling.myfastforum.org) is hosting the event with discussion and contests, calling upon fans from every part of the globe to show their appreciation and support for the works of this highly-acclaimed director. A chat widget will be available on the main page for fan discussions. Contests will held for inspired fan-made works in art, film and essay. No subscription is necessary to participate. Participants who own copies of the four anime by Mr. Shinkai (She and Her Cat, Voices of a Distant Star, The Place Promised in Our Early Days, and 5 Centimeters Per Second) are encouraged to watch these in chronological order during some portion of the 24-hour period beginning at 8 pm EST. A proposed schedule is posted on the site.

The unofficial Chinese-language fansite (http://www.shinkai.cn) will also be participating, showcasing fan-made short films inspired by Mr. Shinkai's works. The unofficial Japanese English-language fansite Makoto Shinkai Fan Web (http://daike.hp.infoseek.co.jp) is also lending its support through news and information.

Please contact laz_long87@yahoo.com for more information.

----------Press Release from Cherry Blossoms Falling End------------

Also you can see this news on Anime News Network (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2009-01-09/anime-fans-worldwide-to-celebrate-global-shinkai-day-2009).

Japanese major construction company Taisei Corporation adopted anime-style TV spots in this season. They asked to make two spots to CoMix Wave and Mr Shinkai's staffs: Mr Ushio Tazawa (character designer in The Place Promised in Our Early Days) and Mr Takumi Tanji (background artist in 5cm per Second and The Place Promised- ).

The voice acting in the spots is by Mr Masato Hagiwara, same to the main character (Takuya) in The Place Promised-.

Taisei Corporation's Website (Japanese):
http://www.taisei.co.jp/
You can watch the CF at below page:
http://www.taisei.co.jp/about_us/library/cm/tvcm/index.html

And, Mr Takayo Nishimura (character designer in 5cm per Second) joins new anime series Konnichiwa Anne (English Title: Before Green Gables) as character designer and key animation director. Its story is based on Canadian writer Budge Wilson's Before Green Gables which was published as 100th anniversary of Anne of Green Gables in 2008. Konnichiwa Anne starts from April 5th, 2009 on BS Fuji as 30th anniversary of old anime series Akage no Anne (Anne of Green Gables) broadcasted in 1979 in Japan.

Interestingly, Mr Shinkai said on an interview article that he had received strong impression from the old series in his boyhood. It's a strange coincidence.

Official Website (Japanese):
http://www.nippon-animation.co.jp/before_GG/

The Old Series 30th Anniversary Website (Japanese):
http://www.akageno-anne.jp/

I have translated Mr Shinkai's recent history on December 28.

Source (Japanese):
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/colum.html

--------------------------------------

2009 is going to finish soon. But the year-end in UK is not as big event as that in Japan, so I don't feel special mood even in the last days of the year now. I'm spending normal everyday life.


Here is report about the special lecture I did at James Allen's Girls' School on 18th December. The below picture is the girls of Japanese language class are singing theme song One more time, One more chance for me before showing 5cm per Second.

http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/jags1_L.jpg

I really enjoyed their sweet beautiful chorus with live keyboard accompaniment by their Japanese language teacher. I was so moved as if it was the highlight of the lecture. (Laugh) Of course, they sang the song in Japanese for me. But their pronunciation suddenly became fluent with a lot of confidence when they sang English lyrics part, and I felt it was so cute. Every student did great on the stage.

This is my stage greeting.
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/jags2_L.jpg
I'm in the centre. Tim (right side in the picture) helped me as translator, same with at the former stage session. Tim is interesting young man who is a magician, but working at Japanese IT company, speaking Japanese in Kansai accent, and going to be a Protestant preacher. The tall man in the left side is our producer happened to visiting here to see (?) me.

Their theatre is great. They say it is used for theatrical performance by students at other times. The showing of 5cm per Second was English subtitled version.
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/jags3_L.jpg

Using 5cm- and short visual works as examples, I gave them explanations about how animation was made starting from location hunting and writing storyboard.
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/jags4_L.jpg

In the last of the lecture, I did live performance of movie making, and some of the students actually tried it with me.
They happily painted art by using tablet with great eagerness; they used tablet for the first time.
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/jags5_L.jpg

This is the autograph session after the lecture. One of them brought DVD of my work! Usually, many (almost 98%) of the guests who come to my event are male fans, but all were girls this time (you know it was at girl's school). Such a event may never come again, haha.
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/jags6_L.jpg
I was sorta excited in the unusual situation.


One year has passed since I left Japan. I expected that so many big changing would not happen on myself even if I have stayed abroad. Actually, I have not changed including what I want to do and what is important for me. This is my impression for this staying. It may be fortunate for me that I have realized that people are living doing what they should do in any place. I'll stay here a little more.

-Makoto Shinkai

I have translated Mr Shinkai's recent history on December 1.

Source (Japanese):
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/colum.html

--------------------------------------

Just a month still remains this year, and London is getting colder and colder everyday. I think Tokyo is so cold in nighttime in this season, but London is ALWAYS cold in both day and night. I have bought a heavy sweater and a coat. But, it's cold though.

I'm going to do special lecture at James Allen's Girls' School in London on December 18, so I visited the school for pre-tour on the other day. Of course, there are lots of girls in school uniform, so I sorta felt I might have come to the wrong place. I got nervous even when I went to school restaurant to have lunch. I saw their Japanese language class. The teacher of the class was a young Japanese (he is the organizer of my special lecture) , and the students, who have been learning Japanese language for 4 years, was in the 12th grade. (It is 3rd grade of high school in Japan.) I had a preconceived notion that Japanese language might be hard to learn to native English speaking students. However, I was amazed that the students in the class were skilled enough to read and wright Kanji. When I received a quiz of Kanji with them at the class, I wrote down an answer "‹}‚ª‚µ‚¢" for isogashii (busy). It should be spelled as "–Z‚µ‚¢" (how embarrassing I am!). A girl sitting beside my seat was getting perfect answer. My bad, hahaha. ....Er, it's no laughing matter.

Their Japanese language class was new for me too. I remember I had learned kanou doushi (possible verb) in junior high, but it was taught as "potential form of verb" in the class. The functions of PfoV is converge to modal verb including "can" in English. It means the differences of grammatical terms show our differences of the language structures between us. Anyway, comparing with English, Japanese language is confusing even only in conjugation of verbs.

Changing the subject, I sometimes hear funny rumors about me. "In reality, Shinkai is not in abroad now. He is living in Atami. (Note: Atami is a hot-spring resort close to Tokyo)" or "I heard Shinkai has married in London." (Laugh) I think those are pretty interesting! In fact, of course not. The rumors are not true.

-Makoto Shinkai

I have translated Mr Shinkai's recent history on October 13.

Source (Japanese):
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/colum.html

--------------------------------------

Autumn has come fully. London is filled with the aroma of autumnal leaves.

I have moved again. It is the third room in London. (Laugh) I got the idea to move to other area in London, because the minimum lease-term for the previous room ended. And, I decided it without thinking rather long time. This picture is view from the window of my new room.
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/london1011_L.jpg
The skyscrapers you can see in a distant view is a waterfront redevelopment area along the Thames. The new area I'm living in now is totally different from the previous, quiet residential area. The new area is lively enough to allow young people for drinking even in midnight. My daily life has not been changed from before though; it is routine days.

One of my friends living in London helped me to the move. He is producer of sneakers, and it is glad to say that he gifted me a new model of New Ballance. This picture is the sneakers.
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/sneaker.jpg
It is remarkably comfortable shoes, but I feel it is sorta too good for me, so I'm enjoying to use it little by little. You can get more details from here. In Japan, it seems that you can purchase it from Mita Sneakers and Atmos Tokyo.

They have began to decorate streets for Christmas, I guess it is same in Japan. The daytime is getting shorter, so I'm spending longer time in my room than before. I enjoy reading stocked books which bought at secondhand bookstores. Furthermore, I'm making a plan of new work little by little. I think I would need much more time until I show it to you as a completed anime. But I believe it will be a biggest one in my works. I'm happy if you wait it with patience.

-Makoto Shinkai

I have translated Mr Shinkai's recent history on August 24.

Source (Japanese):
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/colum.html

--------------------------------------

Same as last report, I have updated here after a long interval. My life has not changed. I go to school, drop into museums, take a stroll in a park, and after that I cook meals, read books, watch DVDs or listen CDs, and go to bed before it gets too late. August is nearing an end. The daytime is getting short and the nighttime is getting long day by day.

Usually I don't take pictures so much, but I went to walk with my camera today. That is the only way to make something to report. (Laugh)
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/london0824_L.jpg

1: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/cat0824_L.jpg
There are overwhelmingly number of dog lovers than cat lovers (I feel so because I see every kinds of dogs at park in a fine day), but, of course, I can find cats. He is big house-hold cat. I often see him around my apartment.

2: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/cat0824B_L.jpg
He is so wide-open cat. When I stroke him, he gives me this pose soon. Ah, I wonder if Sayuri is doing fine! I meet her in my dream almost every week.

3: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/amusement0824_L.jpg
The terribly wide car parking space beside the park has changed into amusement park without notice. This is a mobility amusement park which opens only a short time. Sorry to say, I saw only a few visitors at that time because it was rain in AM. It was overly desolate, comparing with the famous festival being held at Notting Hill in the same day.

4: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/ferriswheel0824_L.jpg
The framework of this Ferris wheel looks so spindly. I'm not up for getting on it (Laugh). The base of the wheel is a big cargo truck.

5: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/church0824_L.jpg
Though it depends on the area, there are surprising number of churches around my apartment. I can hear hymns come from there in Sunday. Their community is properly working.

6: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/burger0824_L.jpg
Today's lunch is hamburger bought at a stand. The storekeeper was munching an apple while grilling meat. He looked unmotivated, but the hamburger tasted nice.

When I moved to Tokyo after graduating from high school, I spent almost 3 years before I have become to like the towns and the landscapes in Tokyo. Some people can orient oneself very quickly to new place, but I know I rather need much time to shake down.

While wandering around my house today, I felt I'm finally getting into a relaxed state little by little, after 6 months since I started living here. The sky with no electric cables, strange sounds of an ambulance car, unfamiliar language, coins and bank notes different from Japan; each time I felt nervousness from such things. But, now I feel it has been softened a little.

When I think I have to go back to Japan before I find my legs perfectly in London, I feel sorta reluctance because I might throw away precious experiences at here. Nevertheless, I do want to make anime in Tokyo with my staffs. I still have some time before it though.

-Makoto Shinkai

I have translated Mr Shinkai's recent history of July 11.

Source (Japanese):
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/colum.html

--------------------------------------

Long time has passed since last report. I have received some e-mails worrying about I might have gone missing. I'm doing fine. London is in very cool summer. All I'm doing now is to go to school, to have lunch at pub or in China town with friends (or by alone), to take a jog in fine day, to buy foods at supermarket every three days, to make dinner and eat it, to go to bed around 12:00am. In Tokyo, I went to drink when the spirit moved even at 12:00am. Comparing to that, I'm spending rather calm life at here.

This picture is the City (financial district of London) viewing from the hill near by my house.
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/london0711.jpg
Different from other district in London, there are a lot of modern high-rise building in there. You can see St Paul's Cathedral at the right side. I see it from far place but I've never been there.

In the other day, it was over a month ago though, the screening event in London for 5 Centimeters per Second was successfully finished. I'm glad to say that many British people and non-British people living in UK came to the event. It was happy time for me. I have uploaded some pictures my classmates (I feel kinda nostalgia from such beings because of my age) took for me.

1: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/BFI01.jpg
This is the building of the British Film Institute at which the screening event was held. It stands along the Thames. I got lost the way to there in the day of screening, then a British fan found me. So I was guided to there by him. (Laugh)

2: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/BFI02.jpg
This is the site of screening.

3: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/BFI03.jpg
This is the talk session after the screening. The big man is Justin, BFI's great person. Another man is Tim who helped us as translator.

4: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/BFI04.jpg
OF COURSE, I spoke Japanese in the talk session. It is impossible for me to do Qs and As in English.....

5: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/BFI05.jpg
This is autograph session. Many people is waiting in the line for me. I appreciated it. I felt the ratio of women might be a little higher than in Japan. I'm glad.

6: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/BFI06.jpg
And, I wanna thank to Japanese fans living in London who came to the event.

-Makoto Shinkai

Four months after 5 Centimeters per Second DVD release in North America, ADV says they have stopped distributing.
This news is from AnimeNation. A few days ago, I saw banners for 5 Centimeters per Second DVD on ADV's site and they had Voices of a Distant Star and The Place Promised in Our Early Days in DVD list at their online shop. However, I can't find those now.
There are no information who now holds the license.

Source:
AnimeNation (English):
http://www.animenation.net/blog/2008/07/11/adv-discontinues-additional-titles/
Anime News Network (English)
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-07-11/adv-tokyopop-discontinues-dvd-print-titles
ADV Films (English):
http://www.advfilms.com/

My friend Xcomp has posted blog entry about the details of the event by BFI in London. His report has details of the interview and question-and-answer session because he understands Japanese.

http://xcomprandomness.co.uk/2008/06/29/meeting-makoto-shinkai-at-london-bfi/

(Thans for your report, Xcomp!)

Amazon.co.jp announces the ranking of top 10 Bru-ray Disc sales in the first half of 2008. In the ranking, 5cm per Second gets the 3rd place, and The Place Promised in Our Early Days gets the 7th place. 5 of the 10 are Japanese anime, and one is Disney's animation.

The ranking is below.

1. Biohazard Trilogy Box
2. Pirates of the Caribian
3. 5 Centimeters per Second
4. I am Legend
5. .hack//G.U. Trilogy
6. Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
7. The Place Promised in Our Early Days
8. The Phantom of the Opera
9. Ratatouille
10. Mobile Suit Gundam F91

(December 1, 2007 - May 31, 2008)

Source (Japanese):
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&plgroup=8&docId=1000153756

A member of Makoto Shinkai English Fan Forum and Site has posted report of interview session in The British Film Institute (BFI) event which was held in June 20 in London.
http://cherryblossomsfalling.myfastforum.org/about131.html

Also, before the BFI's event, cinema magazine Electrc Sheep's site has carried interview article of Mr Shinkai.
http://www.electricsheepmagazine.co.uk/features/2008/06/01/interview-with-makoto-shinkai/

According to the both article, Mr Shinkai's next work will be a feature-length film. I guess it would reflect his life in foreign countries. Can't wait for it!

(Thanks for your info, Laz!)

I translated Mr Shinkai's recent history of April 22.

Source (Japanese):
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/colum.html

--------------------------------------

April is going to the end. Finally London is getting much warm days. I saw a lot of people in coat and muffler in morning and evening yet, but the aroma of verdure is filling everywhere and the time of sunset is getting late. Those raise my expectations for the new season. I sometimes go to the park along the Thames to drink beer with my classmates in the daytime.

This picture shows around my residence.
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/images/london0422.jpg
I'm living in a small room in a flat like this style. This area is a very quiet residential town Victorian style buildings are lining. I sometimes hear faint sounds of overground luggage trains in midnight.

Recently, I have a lot of visitors from Japan. One of them brought me HDDs, one brought color proofs, one brought bottles of wine and Japanese sake, one gifted me instant ochazuke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chazuke), one brought small koinobori (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koinobori). After each of them finished own plans of work or sightseeings, we had dinner or drank, and they went back Japan hurryingly. My plan was to go to somewhere distant, and I had thought I did it, but I sometimes feel it might be totally illusion.

I talk about demonstration video clip for minori's "ef - a latter tale." To my joy, I received lots of compliments for it. When I receive such compliments for minori's video clips, I kinda feel sorry for it. It is because I'm director of the clips, but actual visual works are made by each specialist staffs. For example, camerawork using 3DCG was made by tsukune.-san, character arts greatly matching with the 3DCG depend on art director sata-san's skill, and detailed background arts are work of Yuuro-san. Well, what did the director do? I say "I feel I did't do anything." My work rate was quite smaller than them. (For your information, I did storyboarding in the initial stage, color scheming and composition in the final stage.)

In this way, there are many case of admiration for director is practically appropriate for staffs. It is same in my original work, like 5 Centimeters per Second. On the other side, director should take all responsibility to failed sequences. It means he couldn't take enough control in the sequences he should take. So, you can send to me complaints and claims. It is OK. (Laugh)

My book of paintings Sora no Kioku, which will be released on April 25 from Kodansha Publishing, includes many interviews with art staffs. (This book is not concerned with minori's works.) You may be able to read struggles or achievements out from it. It is difficult to find such things from the surface of a completed work. I haven't read the book yet though, because I'm scared. (Laugh) About the format "book of paintings," I still have a little confusion because I sorta feel: "Hmm, I'm in trouble. I didn't draw there arts to be viewed taking some time as static images printed on paper!" But I think the book would include good references for someone, especially for who wants to make/draw something by digital method. Take the book in your hand if you are interested in.

-Makoto Shinkai

(Translator's note: In the 4th paragraph, Mr Shinkai didn't mention tsukune.-san sata-san and Yuuro-san are male or female, so I used Japanese common suffix "-san" instead of English prefix "Mr/Ms".)

I translated Mr Shinkai's recent history of March 20.

Source (Japanese):
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~ccs50140/colum.html

--------------------------------------

Recently I hear report about cherry blossoms from my friends in Japan. However, London is in the air of winter still now. It rains off and on, and sometimes it gusts cold winds. Even so, blue sky can be seen in rare cases. On such an occasion, the city is beautiful like a dream, and it is as if lacking sense of reality.

Two months has passed since I left Japan, and one month and a little has passed since I started life in London. I'm gradually getting used to the Tube, bus, foods, language school�Cshopping at supermarket, and I myself as a foreigner.

To tell the truth, I already have moved again. The lease for the dormitory is expired once, and I'd like to get a stable foothold of my life in here, so I spent two weeks to find new flat. If Piccadilly Circus is Shijuku (Laugh; their atmospheres are totally different), the nearest station of my flat is around Nishi-Ogikubo. There is a very big park near. I bought devices for eating, bed sheets and new underwears, put beers in the refrigerator, signed up for the internet provider (it is very slower than in Japan though), bought a printer and a Cinema Display at Apple Store near by Oxford Circus, unpacked my suitcase brought from Japan and put it away to the back of the room. Anyway, finally I have a little settled down and have been able to have room in my heart to looking around.

To change the subject, you know, Arthur C. Clarke passed away. Though I understand such a day would have to come someday, but it's really too sad. When I was junior high student, I had happened to watch "2001" in midnight TV show. I really had wanted to understand the meaning of the things shown in the film, so I had read his novels again and again. I still remember the excitement I experienced when I had read his works. For example, Rescue Party, Childhood's End, The City and the Stars, and Rendezvous with Rama. The Voices of a Distant Star, English title for my work Hoshi no Koe, is based on Clarke's The Songs of Distant Earth. Come to think of it, I remember I have read The City and the Stars over again when I was staying in Tanegashima island for location huntings for 5 Centimeters per Second. The tower of Diaspar rising up from desert sadly but bravely; its figure is the object of my strong adoration still now.

-Makoto Shinkai

BFI Southbank says they have weekend event for anime films Anime Now in June, and Mr Shinkai joins on-stage interview. They plan screening of 5 Centimeters per Second and interview on June 20 (Fri) 18:20. Visit their site to get more details and to book tickets (on sale from May 5).
They also schedules screening of The Place Promised in Our Early Days on June 21 (Sat). It does not have interview.

BFI Official Website (English):
http://www.bfi.org.uk/
BFI Southbank's page for Anime Now:
http://www.bfi.org.uk/whatson/bfi_southbank/film_programme/june_seasons
BFI Ticket Booking by Telephone:
http://www.bfi.org.uk/about/contact.html