Si tu tends l'oreille

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.

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.

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

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.

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.