Whisper of the Heart

I don’t know how to get started. Whisper of the Heart by Studio Ghibli was such a sweet and sentimental animated film. It’s inspiring at the same time. If you’ve watched The Cat Returns, you’ll like Whisper of the Heart. There are some connections.

I think I should share a part of the film’s plot.

Shizuku Tsukishima is a 14-year-old student at Mukaihara High School, where she is best friends with Yuko Harada. Living in Tokyo with her parents Asako and Seiya, as well as her sister Shiho, Shizuku is a bookworm and is keen on writing. One evening, she looks through the checkout cards in her library books. She discovers they have been checked out by a young man named Seiji Amasawa. Over the next few days, Shizuku encounters Seiji, who often annoys her. Finding a cat riding a train, Shizuku follows it to discover an antique shop run by Shiro Nishi. In the shop is a cat statuette, “The Baron.”

I’m stopping here. Watch the film and enjoy the story. It’s simple but it’s great.

I enjoyed the animation or cinematography of this film. I also loved how this film had those “non-sense” gestures. There was a time when Shizuku was trying to turn off her lampshade but she wasn’t able to do so in one, two, or three tries. Like what anyone would do, she got up. It was simple but I liked it. There was also a scene when her father put out a cigarette. I just liked those “unnecessary” but “essential” scenes.

There were also words of wisdom to live by from Whisper of the Heart, like most Japanese films animated or not. I love what Nishi Shiro said regarding someone’s ability or skill.

“When you first become an artist you are like that rock. You’re in a raw natural state with hidden gems inside. You have to dig down deep and find the emeralds tucked away inside you. And that’s just the beginning. It takes a lot of hard work.”

There was also another from Tsukishima Seiya, Shizuku’s father. I thought he was a cool father when he had a talk with Shizuku regarding her project. It was nice. I actually got reminded of the Ninomiya chefs.

  

It’d be nice to have parents, or someone, like Tsukishima Seiya. Blessed are those who have someone like him in their lives. He was inspiring.

In the same manner, Amasawa Seiji and Tsukishima Shizuku were equally inspiring. It was nice. Well, I really enjoyed the sweetness and sentiments ofWhisper of the Heart. Seiji wanted to become a violin maker while Shizuku was inspired to pursue writing. I was about to say, “It’s sweet,” when I remembered how Seiji happened to have read some books that Shizuku was about to read. That was sweeter.

I’d love to watch more animations like this. I think I’m now officially a fan of Studio Ghibli, though I haven’t watched all their animations.

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Originally posted on: 14 April 2013

Reposted on: 3 August 2013