I know Shinkai's visual tendencies lately has been to not focus too much on realism in his films1 but the preview of his supposed latest short named Neko no Shuukai is something different:

If this is truly Makoto Shinkai's work, then I'd have to say that I'm quite pleased that he's actually branching out. I'm just having a hard time believing that it's his, even if the character designs and background match his style.

UPDATE: Looks like a few other bloggers say that it's his work. Huh.

1. 1. He mentions this on an interview on the Five Centimeters Per Second DVD. This actually might be why I found 5 CM Per Second so much more visually striking than The Place Promised in Our Early Days