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Can an animated movie make you feel things? Can it conjur up emotions from the viewers? Not all can of course, but if you look to Japan and to movies like the one on hand here, the answer is yes. Generally speaking anything that came out of Studio Ghibli can be considered high quality. And I speak past tense, because it does unfortunately not exist anymore.

But they put out so many movies, you will have a good time (re)visiting them. This is one of them, with unlikely two leads ... well unlikely at first to actually be together. It feels so real relationship wise, it really gets to you. Even following the cat, is something you may or should be able to connect with curious wise. A very good movie, with colorful characters - no pun intended.

This was on the TCM channel late one night, and I discovered it by accident, having just turned on the TV, which often helps me get to sleep. I didn't expect an anime movie to be this involving, but I stayed up for what turned out to be a very pleasant movie.

The story tells of a young girl named Shizuku who enjoys reading, and has a desire to write stories herself. She notices that many of the books she has checked out of the library show the same name of a boy who has checked out all these books. She becomes curious who this person with similar tastes to her own is.

It turns out to be a boy from her school; they meet, and almost like an old MGM musical, initially have friction, but it's obvious they are warming up to each other. The scene where they sing "Country Roads" together is charming and joyous. Their budding "first love" romance is sweet, but beyond that, has an extra dimension, in that they inspire one another to utilize their talents to pursue their dreams and ambitions.

The animation is exquisite; the backgrounds resemble paintings, almost looking like real places, not animated pictures. There's even quite a bit of attention to create a three-dimensional world.

Good, uplifting movie, with a lot of heart and optimism. Well written, and you can't help but love these appealing characters, and root for them that a happy ending comes their way.

The films story starts slow paced and very unpretentious in the first couple of minutes, but it's made to be this way, so you can really start to get in love with the young Shizuku, a school young girl that loves to read dozens of books at the same time and it is in love with a boy that she doesn't even know, but she knows that this boy read all the same books that she got from her local library. This is a very simple love story that you probably saw in a dozen of other films out there written in a slightly different way, but the distinction in this movie that makes it so special to millions of people around the world is that it was made in the Studios Ghibli, and they have something in that studio that makes even the simplest romantic film become a striking piece of art.

Unlike the majority of Disney movies you should not expect scenes animated in the most cutting-edge technology available with pompous special effects, because they almost don't exist in Japan (since it's just too expensive to employ for them) but instead they made this movie full of beautiful imagery scenarios painted by hand with the most care of the world, each scene animated with the same level of care, something that I can't feel in these regular Disney movies (except Lion King and Pixar's). It's scenes that shows the city that Shizuku lives, with the cars passing by, the narrow roads where Shizuku runs through when she goes to the school or back home, or even when she contemplating on how gorgeous can be a sunset. The city itself is a character in the movie, and it serves to tell you that there's also beauty in mundane things and not something exclusive to the sceneries that you see in the post cards.

The characters don't develop a lot, and some could literally be excluded from the story since they don't affect the story so much. Everything is very centered in Shizuku, her day by the day at school, with her friends, and the series of coincidences that like destiny leads her to the love of her life, but this don't become such a letdown, because at the end the reason why the story works so well it's because we are discovering with Shizuku those beautiful things that we can see and appreciate, or the joy that is to share with our friends simple but unparalleled moments like singing together the same song (I bet that you don't do it that much, but you know that you would enjoy doing it too).

So, it's a movie that starts without too many promises but little by little throws you good images with a few dialogs to not let you guess the characters intentions too much (or to avoid you start to anticipate the characters next lines)and then when you get used to the movies pace, you will be probably feeling the same feelings that this girl will be going through. Be you a man, you will probably going to see some parts of the movie and will think to itself "yeah, I passed through this once", so much believable the situations of the story are. It's not about pet monsters, or beast princes and princess, but it's about real persons in the real world. And how good it is to see that there are movies like this exist besides the regular commercial "fast-food" animated movies.

When I first heard of Whisper of the Heart, I didn't feel a significant need to find it and watch it. How good could a teen romance be, a genre that's been beaten to death? Little did I know how much I'd love this film.

I beg of you, don't turn this film away because of the premise, which might strike some as sounding sappy. When Studio Ghibli is involved, you can't go wrong. It's NOTHING like you'd expect from any teen romance from anywhere. Whisper of the Heart has none of that fake, self-indulgent crap that permeates Hollywood, movies about teens that pander to clichés and don't give a damn about real characters or love or true feelings. Whisper of the Heart doesn't fall back on cliché and formula. It's a truly great film. It's a remarkably honest and heartfelt look into a 14-year-old's life, her family and friends, how she falls in love, and there are moments so stirring, so wonderful and yet so simple. Yoshifumi Kondou, the director, showed all the qualities of being a master of animation. It's a real tragedy that he passed away. The film is full of moments that are real and beautiful that use animation, not to exploit the story, but to enhance moments with the simplicity they need in their presentation. And the screenplay, written by the great Hayao Miyazaki, is free from false sentimentality and melodrama. He gives us real characters here, ones so well written that anyone who has been a young teen can relate to them.

Whisper of the Heart is as good an animated film as you'll find. It's a one of a kind anime and it's beautifully done. Are you tired of Hollywood films peddled to you off a studio assembly line? Tired of clichéd romances that have no emotion or humanity?

You want something with real depth, soul, and heart? Seek out Whisper of the Heart. It's beautiful, and refreshingly done. You might just love this film as much as I did.

I was blown away by Whisper of the Heart. It is perhaps slow and simple, but it is also charming and poignant with great characters especially. The animation as always is wonderful, the stunning backgrounds and colours especially look absolutely amazing. And the visual effects are great too and do a great job of enhancing the story. The music is gorgeous and never feels obtrusive, and the song is absolutely lovely. The script is memorable too, while the simple yet very rich story still manages to touch me, as do the beautiful, subtle messaging and great characters here. Shizuku and Seiji are both likable characters with real warmth to them. The voice acting is excellent from all involved, especially Cary Elwes who is perfect as the charming handsome Baron. All in all, stunning and one of my favourites. 10/10 Bethany Cox

A very moving animé film from Studio Ghibli, as good as anything either Miyazaki or Takahata have made. It's a very simple and down-to-earth movie about a young teenage girl who is experiencing her first love, as well as doubts about her future. Whisper understands its characters as few films do, and I became quite intimate with our heroine, Shizuku. It also has a sense of mood unmatched by any other film I can think of set in everyday life. The way it feels to live in a cramped apartment, the emotions of the first day of school, and the way the sky looks after it has rained – so many generic memories of my life brought right to the forefront, as if they were the only moments that mattered. The film enveloped me so completely, I could smell the odor of the antique shop. The music is so wonderful, the score by Yuji Nomi. And I never could have imagined that John Denver's song `Country Roads' would make me weep. Well, it was in Japanese, but still. It's frightening. Each Ghibli film I see makes me think that the next one cannot possibly match it, yet each film inevitably does. 10/10.

Whisper of the Heart is the perfect English title of this masterpiece.

It was such a joy to watch an animated film so effectively produced that you start to forget it is an animation. Characters become real; situations and thoughts and feelings come alive. The story is clean, decent and uplifting in every way. Plus, American viewers get an accurate glimpse into the way younger Japanese teens are viewed and view themselves.

I lived in Japan for several years as a child, and a number of the background sounds (the peculiar insects singing in the trees, the electric trains passing) and customs (bowing to elders, enjoying the wonderful soups, singular focus on school success) struck a deep chord of remembrance. This film is fashioned with such detail and consideration for artistic elements -- I just loved it. I wish my kids were still under 10 and I could have shared it with them. Nowadays, I'm afraid the older boys (over 12) would lack the patience to enjoy the film because, frankly, it bears no relation to high-action animation from Japan or the U.S.

I found this film by accident on Turner Classic Movies, and viewed it the English-dubbed version. There is also a subtitled version, but if you want to enjoy it as a family with youngsters, you'll prefer the English language version. The English voices are clear and well done.

It's a beautiful story with a timeless theme presented with loving care. This film is so good, and so insightful, that I would suggest it could be shown in schools or home-schools for its cultural content alone. And if you have an ounce of sentimentalism, sense of wonder or appreciation for creative beauty, then you'll watch it all by yourself after the kids have gone to bed.

I have never seen such a touching love story between two young people, driving each other to achieve their aim in life by doing self-discovery. What makes me realize is we don't have to know someone in real life to push ourselves to achieve something. They can be far away from us or a stranger to be our role model in life.

This story can occur in reality and who knows? The story line is simple but very interesting. It also makes you think whether you have such an inspiration in life, whether our partner give us an inspiration in doing what we want in life or just live another day.

All in all, this love story inspires me and it will be one of my favorite anime at all times.

Every once in a while, I like to pop in an animation to watch and this time, it was an effort by Studio Ghibli, most well known for its works that are written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. This particular film was only adapted from a Japanese comic book series by Miyazaki, but the Studio Ghibli animation style is clearly seen over the course of the film.

Unlike the other Miyazaki films I've seen, this one is not a fantasy, set in some far off world. Rather, it's a young romance story set in modern Tokyo. The basic plot is that our active bookworm hero Shizuku Tsukishima is living out her daily life in the last year of middle school. She starts noticing that all the books she's reading have been previously checked out by a Seiji Amasawa and becomes curious to know who he is. Along the way, she pursues mysterious cats, discovers herself and tries to find her way through the complicated relationships of middle school.

For the most part, it works. We walk with her through her teenage self-discovery. The bad part is that it's sunk by a wandering, sometimes directionless, story. Her "relationship" with Amasawa is the link of the story, but the point is her self-discovery, at least that's how the story's set up, but it seems to keep switching gears and at the end, we have an abrupt conclusion that doesn't fully resolve or even allow us to fully grasp her situation. I feel like the story was crammed with too many ideas and this anime would've been better set up as a miniseries or a short series. It might be the limitations of a serialized source material, but it just wasn't focused and coherent enough for a film.

That said, the moments that happen in the film are very memorable and surprisingly full of coherent emotion and insight. And I like that--it kept me interested in the film, despite the fact that I often felt that I was watching the story in fast forward or the highlight reel.

I liked it, although I wish it either took its time or dropped out some elements. 7/10.

This has to be one of the greatest, most inspiring films. The story's about a young girl and how she meets the boy of her dreams. It sounds rather cliché but it's actually off the beaten track. Even though the characters are in 8th grade, they're rather mature and understand the consequences of their actions. It's very heart warming and nice, and rather different, in a very good way, than what most people would think. You get to see the characters develop and go through crushes, friendships, and many other things that are just part of growing up. The best part is that the film makers don't exaggerate or make it over dramatic; they make it so that you care deeply for the characters and identify with what they're going through. The movie also has the song "Take Me Home, Country Roads" as it's main theme, and the characters even sing it in the movie in a moving scene. It may sound strange at first, but everything's very tastefully and well-done. The movie also makes one remember that dreams do come true, even when you least expect it, and that sometimes reality can be better than your greatest dreams; and in light of the times we're living in, it makes you appreciate the smaller but more important things in life.

I remember this fondly but I wonder now if I might be a bit more hostile to it if I saw it now.

Like a lot of movies of this...type, there's something in its rhythm, the very tonality of its writing and visualiziation that makes it oddly hypnotic. It's a curiosity to be sure for reasons that the trivia section can inform you on in addition to a strangely urban and realistic adventure compared to the more rural/fantasy aesthetic its writer is more used to.

We start with a somewhat interesting mystery: who is taking out these books that she is? It gradually leads us into this plodding little pre-adolescent romance though the core of the film us the purpose we hold with our lives making much of the conflict seem rather internal and abstract so the movie has to rely on fiction within fiction to meet its quota of awe-inspiring imagery.

She seemed like a fairly happy person before he made her have an existential crisis so the conflict by the end seems a little manufactured on top of that.

Frequently saccharine with its approach to young love (Little Manhattan is a Generation beyond this), it's a movie that you need to sort of meet half way but I didn't mind at the time.

Probably a movie best watched in your teens.

Mimi wo Sumaseba, (English title Whisper of the Heart) is a rich and wonderful film, worthy seeing again and again (and again). It's a reality-based love story between two bright middle-school students. Shizuku, 14, lives with her elder sister and parents in a typical apartment. She really enjoys reading and, as the film begins, she is working on a school project to translate the words to John Denver's song, Country Road. Seiji, 15, lives with his parents, but we see him only at his maternal grandfather's place-where he is studying to become a violin maker. The story is based around how they meet, how their relationship develops, and how Shizuku challenges herself to embark on a major writing project entitled Mimi wo Sumaseba. Along the way, we meet some very memorable characters-including an indifferent and overweight stray cat that seems to be pulling everyone together. Japan saw more of that cat last year, as he reappeared in Neko no Ongaeshi.

As is true for most of the films from Studio Ghibli, the artwork of this film is superb. The night scenes in the city, the flies dancing in the fluorescent lighting, and the startlingly realistic clutter of a typical urban Japanese family residence all are depicted in the first few minutes of the film-and the images don't let up all the way to the closing credits. While many viewers might see the film as near-perfect and give it a 10, I give this film a 9 out of 10 rating because I'm a guy and I don't like my tear ducts filling up with joy more than once in a film. I'll probably raise that to 10 after another viewing.

Even if it were 20 minutes shorter, which it should have been, Whisper of the Heart is still stretched pretty thin. It's the simple story of a childhood crush, and it doesn't really have anything that makes it stand out. The fantasy sequences feel out of place and the protagonist isn't that likeable. The spin-off, The Cat Returns, is a better film.

Whisper of the Heart by Kondou is the most endearing, personal, magical, and majestically warming Anime based Reality I've seen in a while. It's up there with Grave of the Fireflies, and Barefoot Gen--even though this film's contents is more in the line of soul mates, aspirations, personal treasures, unrequited love, and John Denver.

Disney bought the rights for it, so for those whore lacking--be patient, although you can always get a Jpn DVD version that contains English Sub, just be sure that your DVD plays that certain region.

A great anime for those who seeks solace and inspiration, nothing more nor less. Sure it lacks violence, guns, nudity, fast cars, robots--and amongst others that can render a film to the point of being excessive, brutal, and profane--but with love, destiny, personal adventures, and a sensuous story--you couldn't go wrong with this lovely thing.

I cannot emphasize it anymore than that--watch it with a love one.

Most action movies are pure fluff, relying on clichés, special effects, and bravado to win over the mostly male audiences that keep them in the pipeline. They are junk food. They provide the illusion of satisfying us but they are not nutritious or filling at all. But then there are those action movies which are so solid, well-written, well-acted, well-paced, and well-done that we don't even think of them as action movies. They are the action movie gourmet meals. Think of Lawrence of Arabia or even Full Metal Jacket. Movies like that are outside the traditional action realm, and tend to have much wider appeal. They are entertaining and smart.

Likewise, the action movie's female counterpart, the romance movie, tends to be fluff, relying on overwrought acting and writing, schmaltzy music, and clichés. Even rarer than the "good" action movie is the good romance movie. A movie that realistically depicts love and interpersonal relationships without relying on any clichés or overwrought acting or writing. City Lights is one example of this, the works of Ernst Lubitsch are another. Think of his movie The Shop Around the Corner. It's a love story that works by depicting real "moments" (as critics like to call them). Instead of being a hammy soap opera, these movies work by touching us on a real level. You don't cringe watching these, you don't say to yourself "Who talks like that?" and you don't hear schmaltzy music all of the time to let you know what emotion you are supposed to be feeling.

I'm bringing all this up to make the point to any guy who is reading this that "Yes, there are good romance movies you will like." Whisper of the Heart is a movie like that, and BOY is it a good one. You've heard of the rare romance movie that both men and women like equally, this is one of them. Guys will like it because it isn't junk food. Comparing this movie to typical romance garbage like Up Close and Personal is like comparing a piece of filet mignon to a Slim Jim. People talk like real people, they have real problems that 14-year-olds have, and they relate to their family like real 14-year-olds do.

This movie should be easy to find on DVD and for once I do not hesitate to say "watch it dubbed." Miyazaki himself says that his movies should be seen in the language of the viewer, and not subtitled, so that you can devote your full attention to the image on the screen and not to reading subtitles (I make the exception for Princess Mononoke which IMO has a inferior dub). It was written by Miyazaki but directed by another very talented man who unfortunately died not long after making this, his only film. The influence of Miyazaki shows in this film, although the animation style is a little different, and the style of the backgrounds is *very* different. I do not know what process was used, but I'd say they based all of the backgrounds on real photographs. The lighting in them is so well that some of them could easily pass for photographs on an NTSC display unless you look at them long and closely. The pacing in this film is also very well-done. Too many directors hurry through pacing, they don't want there to be any silences because they don't know how to use silence. This director does.

I had no idea what this movie was about when I first hear about it. Upon purchase, I read the back of the DVD box, but had the feeling there was nothing useful written on it; I assumed it was probably written by someone who hadn't seen the movie; a correct assumption. I long ago decided that a film is a film, whether its live-action or animated doesn't matter, all that matters is that the film is good. That decision was made after watching a few Ghibli films, so I trusted that despite the vague packaging and rather hokey English title ("Whisper of the Heart", not a direct translation), this Ghibli film would not disappoint. It didn't; this film is quite good.

This is arguably the most realistic Studio Ghibli film to come to the US (because all the fantasy elements reside in the Shizuku's imagination), which is far from a bad thing. While I still hold Mononoke, Nausicaa, and Spirited Away firmly atop the highest echelons of animation and cinematic excellence, I don't hesitate to position this film very close, if not beside those gems, despite its lack of giant insects, flying cities, apprentice witches, wolf-girls, magic forests, spirit bathhouses or moving castles.

So what IS in this film? Plenty to keep me interested, and I loved those other movies. I have nothing but high praise for it, I know (unless you hate Ghibli films, of course) but it deserves it. Essentially a teen coming-of-age and love story, this film has a relatively simple plot. But it is still endearing to me because the way it is presented so genuine and sincere. The interaction of characters - be it between junior high friends, between the young and the elderly, between family, or between two teenagers gradually falling in love – feels very honest and real, whether it's interaction important to the story or merely incidental scenes. The protagonist, Shizuku Tsugishima, is a very likable and quirky, and she has a very expressive face and mannerisms. For the duration of the film I really cared about Shizuku, her life, her feelings, and what happens to her.

This realism of the characters and their feelings and behavior is enhanced by the gorgeous setting: the painstakingly detailed outskirts of 1994 Tokyo. There are expansive urban vistas and scenes of contemporary life every bit as beautiful and awe-inspiring as the best Ghibli work. We see the haughty upper-class neighborhoods and life in a cramped apartment. The scenes of Shizuku's imagination visualized are also original and very nicely done. I also love how Ghibli so authentically depicts cat behavior, in both this film and its sequel.

The orchestral score of this film is magnificent; everything you want in a film score. After watching the film I wouldn't want anyone other than Yuji Nomi composing its score. The grand, lush crescendos are the perfect accompaniment to Shizuku's story, both in moments of melancholy and elation, as her feelings bounce back and forth between these – much like in any teenager. The music also makes the well-placed moments of serene silence all the more powerful, and gives the film on the whole a very complete and vital presence. Both American (surprisingly) and Japanese voice casting are also excellent…this is among the best dubbed Japanese I've ever seen.

It's just a hands-down superb, engrossing, life-affirming film. 10 out of 10. Sometimes makes me wish it were still the mid-nineties. Watch it, and more than twice. I've written 650 words about it, after all.

This is a simple story of the meeting of kindred spirits. I was completely captured by the pace and the atmosphere of the film. If you have any trace of romance in your soul and/or appreciate finely crafted animation and direction, you'll love this.

I, like thousands of other people, had a holiday romance in my early teens. This film sparked off all kind of memories I thought I had buried for life.

My 10 year old daughter also loved this and demanded to know when the sequel (based on the Manga story "Happy Time"?) will be made. (Hopefully in the same style, although, unfortunately, the original Director died a year after this was made.)

A sweet, small-scale anime, which explores all the awkwardness and inner conflict of young love, teen social anxiety and an emergent personal identity. As late summer winds gently blow, we contentedly explore a sleepy Tokyo suburb alongside an aspiring, if apprehensive, young writer. Stumbling upon old thrift shops and secret city perspectives, we delight alongside her, mutually appreciating the sense of freedom and discovery. Little adventures can be the most satisfying, like these fleeting chances to probe and examine the private character of her home town.

That aspect of the film makes for some great, charming, slice-of-life material. And the relationship drama, after school is back in session, doesn't feel overwrought or exaggerated, either. It just... lingers and lingers, way beyond the point of watch-checking and brow-raising. Slow pacing is essential to those earlier scenes, allowing us to really understand and appreciate both character and setting, but it's not as powerful or purposeful in these later bits. Peppered with the usual Studio Ghibli joys and pleasures, it's beautifully realized and sincere, just a bit staid and long in the tooth. The playful flights of imagination so lavishly promoted on the movie poster don't last even five minutes.

I was never supposed to like this movie. I've hated anime all of my life, when one night after work I slumped down in front of the TV and caught this on TCM. I'd watch a little anime just for the weirdness of it, but this movie was beyond the cliché'd nonsense that made me hate anime in the first place. I found something beautiful in this film that I could relate to. How a story about a 14 year old girl in Tokyo could so move a 22 year old dude in south Georgia is beyond me, but it did. Though liking this movie still makes me feel like a sissy sometimes Its still in my top ten. I look forward to viewing more Ghibli films in the future.

This movie is cute and simplistic. Don't expect anything too complex or interesting, but there is a nice story here. It's a bit too long but still.

Really great movie!!!.. when u watch it you get a really good Studio Gibli vibe. I won't say that the film is lacking in anything but I do believe that some parts are a little corny and some scenes are to childish which could have been presented in a better way. Other than this it's a beautiful and Inspiring Romantic Anime Movie.