Review of Whisper of the Heart
Whisper of the Heart is another Studio Ghibli film that focuses of love, life, and what it is like to be a teenager. It is a bit sappy and predictable, but if love stories are your thing then you will probably like this film. To put it short, the story is about a bibliophile who dreams of living in a fairy tale until she meets a special someone who shows her that fairy tales can be a reality if one looks hard enough. The story of Whisper of the Heart is a heartfelt and somewhat realistic story of what life couldbe like for a young girl who dreams of love and adventure while reading countless stories about fiction and fairy tales. It starts slow and finishes slow. I am a bit surprised there was enough to the story that it would fill nearly two hours. It flows like a slice of life story and leaves you feeling inspired and encouraged like most slice of life stories should. What I found to be the most interesting element about the film was the few references to other previous and future Ghibli films. It was fun to try to pick out the little references here and there to see to which film they could go. That is all I will say about the subject. It is up to you to find the references yourself.
The animation was great. What else would you expect from a Studio Ghibli film? There is not much else to say about it. I enjoyed the art as always, which is a large part of why I like Studio Ghibli's films.
Sound wise, the film was inspiring. The music fit each mood perfectly. The voice acting was great too. I loved the voices that went with each character. They just seemed to fit almost perfectly, as if the characters could indeed be alive.
The characters are another reason I watch and love Studio Ghibli's films. They relatable and often address thoughts, fears, and emotions that are common or have been personally felt. Whisper of the Heart is no exception. The main character was lovable and relatable as well as admirable. Her resolve to do her best and be her best was inspiring. I have noticed that Studio Ghibli has an affinity for short brown haired heroines. The other characters in the film were likable as well, predictable and tropey but likable.
Overall, I enjoyed myself watching the film. It was sappy and hard to believe at times, at times most of the time, but it was enjoyable. It was a slice of life story that was refreshing but shallow. One you do not really know why you watched it, but you enjoyed yourself nonetheless. If you like, those type of stories, you will like the film but if you do not you might want to watch it anyway just so you can say you have watched it and complain to your friends later.
Whisper of the Heart was, overall, a good film, not great but good. It is a lesser known, lesser-watched film but worth your time if you chose to watch it. The story is relaxing and free flowing but shallow while the characters are relatable. Nevertheless the animation is great and the sound wonderful. The enjoyment is there too. It a great film for a lazy evening or spacer between loads of homework.