Whisper of the Heart (aka Mimi a Sumaseba)

Objective Rating (How much merit I think it deserves):
7/10
Subjective Rating (How much I personally like it):
7.5/10

Year released: 1995
Runtime: 111 minutes
IMDB page: here


Well, animated films will usually get really high ratings from me. I love the genre, the way things are presented. The animators are in TOTAL control of what appears on screen, which is both a good and bad thing. Good for obvious reasons, but also bad because they have to pay attention to every little detail, because there is no surprise, no spontaneity, nothing can possibly appear on the screen without meticulous planning, which makes it all the harder when a good animated film does appear organic and spontaneous and realistic. Japan traditionally does very well in this category, and Studio Ghibli, led by the famed animation master Miyazaki Hayao, can only be said to be the best of the bunch. Almost all films from of Ghibli come with high recommendations.

Plot: The heroine, Tsukishima Shizuku, is a 14-year-old junior high schooler who reads a lot and has a knack for writing. In many of the books she checks out of the library, she finds the name "Amasawa Seiji" (you have to put your name in the books you check out), who is apparently a very fast reader and has similar tastes in novels. Shizuku becomes curious as to who this mysterious Seiji is. One day, she follows a smart stray cat to a scenic neighbourhood on the top of a steep hill, where she discovers a neat little shop showcasing a doll, a cat dressed as a human baron. The shop is run by a friendly old man, and Seiji is apparently his grandson...?

Script: based on the comic series Mimi a Sumaseba by Hiiragi Aoi. It is just so sweet and innocent. The characters are struggling with the feelings that arise with adolescence, crushes for a special someone, uncertainty about what they want to achieve in life, all the good stuff. And these feelings are demonstrated with such details and sensitivity, with slight tastes of nostalgia and melancholy.

Production: You are constantly amazed by Ghibli's attention to details, the beautiful palette that they use to portray the ordinary as something you can relate to, even though it's 2D. If you have seen one Ghibli film, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Though, granted, a bit of the flavour is lost because a lot of the circumstances are strongly cultural so if you are not Japanese and have not lived in Japan, you might not get exactly how closely matched to real life these films are.

Watching Ghibli films is kind of like drinking tea. It's to be savoured, so it takes some patience. If you really just want to quench your thirst with some Mountain Dew (I know, soda just makes you more thirsty), then you are probably not a Ghibli person.