The DVD version of this 1995 Studio Ghibli release is finally available here in the U.S. Was it worth the wait?

By Yuzuko Nakamura
Gargoyle staff reporter
Posted Wednesday, May 10, 2006, The OG, arts

“Whisper of the Heart” (Japanese title: “Mimi wo Sumaseba” — “If You Listen Closely”) is a 1995 Studio Ghibli animated film, released this March on DVD by Disney. The movie is based on a manga by Aoi Hiiragi, was written, storyboarded, and produced by Hayao Miyazaki, but directed by the late Yoshifumi Kondou.

“Whisper of the Heart” is a story about ninth-grader (middle school third year) Shizuku Tsukishima (voiced by Youko Honna), a bookworm who discovers a recurring name on the library cards of the books she checks out: Seiji Amasawa.

On the way to the library during summer break, Shizuku notices a cat riding alone on the train with her. Thinking this might be the beginning of a fantasy adventure like the ones she loves to read, Shizuku follows the cat past the library to an antiques shop, which eventually leads her to Seiji Amasawa (voiced by Kazuo Takahashi). Over the course of the summer, Shizuku falls in love with Seiji, who turns out to be an avid book reader as well as an aspiring violin craftsman.

The film is a look at what it means to be an artisan. Shizuku and Seiji both start out rough in their craft, writing and violin-making, but, by following the whisper of their hearts, are able to pursue their dreams and improve.

The movie opens with a scene of Tokyo streets and train stations, set humorously against the background song “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” which is coincidentally the first song I ever karaoked to. The song reappears to good effect several times in the movie, including in an arrangement with a violin, cello, recorder, tambourine, and lute accompaniment.

My favorite character is the train-riding stray cat, Moon. The frowning expression on Moon's face and his habit of teasing dogs is the source of a lot of humor in the movie. Moon also has a nice side, as he's always there for Shizuku to talk to when she's feeling down.

My second favorite character would be Seiji, who is an extremely driven and mature boy in the same grade as Shizuku. His dream of becoming a master violin maker and his efforts toward that goal are surprising in someone so young, and Shizuku herself feels sort of overshadowed by it and pressured to work toward her own dream of becoming a novelist.

The word to describe this movie is sweet. Some of the plot twists are extremely predictable. Then again, there are some parts that completely surprise you — for example, one of Seiji's lines at the end (I won't reveal it because then it won't be a surprise).

Also, the romance is slightly idealized. Two middle schoolers finding true love in the span of a few months? Maybe not too realistic. However, the story is very sweet and the characters are very lovable. You come away with a smile at the end.

As a side note, several of the background shots of western Tokyo found in this movie are drawn from an actual Tokyo suburb, Tama City .

[Note: A complete English translation of the manga on which “Whisper of the Heart” is based can be read online here.]