Whisper Of The Heart (DVD, 2006, 2-Disc Set)

There are certain studios that have a reputation that stands tall. Studio Ghibli is such an animation studio. When one hears about their new or old work, you usually can expect a high caliber product. For whatever reason I am late in seeing Whisper of the Heart; although it came out in 1995 it was not until 2006 that it was released here, so I am at least 5 years behind. Nevertheless the film really stands the test of time and captured my attention.

Story: The story is based on a shoujo manga (girl's comic) by Aoi Hiiragi, but with a screenplay adapted by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki. I have to admit that I had my own ideas of what type of story this would be, based on my experiences with other films the studio has produced. I was expecting a grand scale adventure. That is exactly what is here, but in a different vein than usual, compared to the more shounen (boy) adventures of the other films, even though most of those have female protoganists. This story is more about Shizuku's relationships (with family, friends, and new people/animals/objects she meets) and her thinking about her future. As a male, I thoroughly enjoyed it, even with its romance elements. It is a very well balanced film. The characters are very realistic. The script is well written (there are minor changes in the English version, nothing too annoying though) and the voice cast does excellent in bringing it to life, which brings us to the next aspect...

Sound/Music: The original Japanese voice cast is stellar, as are the English ones. Disney has really been doing a good job with dubbing the Ghibli films. I am someon ewho usually prefers the Japanese audio to dubs, but this one was more than just passable; I really enjoyed it. The sound effects are great, and the musical score by Yuuji Nomi is delightful and uplifting. The theme song is memorable and really establishes a good mood, literally from beginning to end but without being boring. It comes up again and again but in slightly different ways, which is nice.

Visuals: Once again, the reputation of the creators'shines through, as this is the visual masterpiece it is expected to be, coming from Studio Ghibli. The backgrounds are stunning. There is simply no way to emphasize the amount of detail that went into them. The environments are not just static places for the characters to be placed on, however. Many people, cars, and animals populate the scenes in a way that brings the movie to life. The way the sunrise was animated is very realistic; one may even mistake it for a video of the real thing. There are some fantasy parts inspired by the work of surrealist Naohise Inoue; they are wonderfully done. The animations on the characters' faces and expressions are very well done; the simplest things that we do as humans when interacting with one another are not overlooked. So even though the character designs may be thought of as simple by some, they really are a good vehicle for bringing the characters to life. There are many details to catch on subsequent viewings that I am sure could be missed the first time around, even cameos/references of other Ghibli works.

Overall, I really enjoyed this film and I think that most people will as well. I wish we could have seen the late Yoshifumi Kondo direct another film, because he did such a great job. So far Laputa has been my favorite film by them. However, this one really moved me and is competing for the Number 1 spot. And when that can happen, its a good thing.

I just saw this movie last night and I was more impressed with it than I thought I'd be.

I had expected "Whisper of the Heart", as a Studio Ghibli film, to have a whacky storyline, like Miyazaki-san's "Spirited Away", "My Neighbor Totoro" and his other films.

However, I had never seen a Studio Ghibli film that HADN'T been directed by Miyazaki-san. The few reviews that I had read didn't really give me the feeling that it WAS odd, but there were no indications that it WASN'T odd, either. Would it be a boring film without the spectacular creatures and flying machines that so often graced Miyazaki-san's films? Despite my hesitations, I decided to give "Whisper of the Heart" a chance.

It certainly rose to the occasion! There were no oddities, but that is part of the charm of the film. It's so realistic to life and relationships that many people could enjoy it. I have many friends who have reservations about watching anime BECAUSE of the oddness of many anime movies. "Whisper of the Heart", while pleasing any anime fan, can also please those who are not into most other anime. It is a sweet love story with a lovely message about following your dreams.

I highly recommend it to anyone. I watched it with a 12-year old and a 9-year old, and they both enjoyed it immensely (they want us to buy a copy of it for ourselves!). It may be boring for children younger than that, though, and I'm not sure if a young boy would like it because it's somewhat romantic. But I know I enjoyed it!

Recommended! ^____^

A wonderful story of two kids who start out annoyed by one another but begin to grow fond of eachother. This fondness begins to turn into a love story that niether of them expected bringing on a new adventure of each of them discovering their feeliings for one another. Such a simple and beautiful movie very romantic in the sweet puppy love kind of thing. Miyazaki has a way with romance in all his movies this is one of my favorites.

Okay, so they're early teen not tween, but you get the idea. I should preface my review with the disclaimer that I am not a big fan of the sappy romance. That said, this one is relatively well done. The animation is beautiful and there is some good character development and some genuinely tender moments. I did like that there wasn't any graphic or even implied physical intimacy. I did have a hard time stomaching the let's-get-married-scene between 14-year-olds thing, but what can I say? More grown up than most of Studio Ghibli fare. Not as silly as the sequel "The Cat Returns." Definitely worth a watch especially for the romantically inclined.

I decided to purchase Whisper of the Heart based solely on its repeatedly being mentioned alongside the great anime writer/producer Hayao Miyazaki. His films are magnificent, so I figured since this one was recommended by Miyazaki fans that it would be just as superb. It was certainly a good film with a solid storyline, well-developed characters, and first-rate animation. I had hoped for a more imaginative bent, though; compared to Spirited Away or Totoro, it felt bland.