A long-time favorite from my younger years. I was surprised at how much I liked this 1995 film. It’s animated and targeted for teens, but its graphics are often lovely and its theme is for anyone young at heart.
The story follows a young girl named Shizuku Tsukishima. She’s in junior high school and an avid reader, constantly checking out library books and devouring them. She notices that a boy named Seiji Amasawa had checked out all of the books before she had; a strange cat crosses her path and leads her to a charming antique shop in a part of town she’d never been to before; and the adventure begins.
The theme of the film is about creativity, independence, finding one’s own voice — and how parents and mentors can wonderfully support adolescents who are developing them.
Directed by Yoshifumi Kondō, Whisper of the Heart is a joint production of Studio Ghibli and Disney.