Whisper of the Heart

I recently had the pleasure of watching a delightful movie called Whisper of the Heart by animation genius Hayao Miyazaki, head of the animation group powerhouse Studio Ghibli. Miyazaki is probably best known in the United States for his Oscar winning film Spirited Away, his environmental masterpiece Princess Mononoke, the delightful Howl's Moving Castle, and the timeless classic My Neighbor Totoro. He creates wonderful films that fills viewers with a sense of wonder and enchantment. Whisper of the Heart is no exception.

This is a gentle and quiet film, full of life's small wonders and delights. The movie revolves around Shizuku, a young girl with a love of books and a sense of adventure. Shizuku has spent her summer reading book after book from her local library, eager to meet her goal of reading 200 books before school begins again. She thrills to delve into a new stories that whisk her away from her ordinary life in Tokyo. Shizuku also has a delightful sense of fun and whimsy that leads her to one day follow the trail of a strange cat she found riding on the train. What she finds send her on her own adventure, a quest to find herself, with the aid of a new friend Seiji Amasaw, using her love of books and stories, combined with her love of adventure.

This is simply a delightful movie, with sweet little twists and turns. Miyazaki has the unique ability to capture the pure innocence of youth, how delight can be found in even the most ordinary of things- a garden, a puddle, clouds in the sky, a statue, and even a cat. His animation style is both striking and captivating, focusing on small details and using images from Japanese folklore, creating an experience not soon forgotten.

Whisper of the Heart is a lovely slice-of-life film, a glimpse into a young girl's mind as she embraces who she is and her potential in life, and one I highly recommend. It combines the best of all worlds: books, , libraries, and cats, with a sweet romance thrown in as well! Oh, and did I forget to mention that the music of John Denver plays a significant role in the film? If you have the time, I am sure your local library has the film in its collection. For Shizuku's sake, you should check it out!