Whisper of the Heart

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Whisper of the Heart

G

2006

1h 51m

Kids & Family

Romance

Anime

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Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

21 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Based on the manga with the same title, this animated film follows Shizuku, an inquisitive young girl and a voracious reader, who longs to be a writer when she grows up. One day she notices that all of her library books have previously been taken out by one Seiji Amasawa. Amid chasing after a large cat, befriending an eccentric antiques dealer and writing her first novel, Shizuku aims to find this mysterious boy who may well be her soul mate.

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CJ Sheu

Critics at Large

06/10/2025

Whisper achieves what we hope the best children’s fantasy does.

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Lisa Laman

Culturess

01/07/2025

Kondō’s sole directorial effort is a masterpiece uncovering so much potent pathos from understated corners of life.

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Josh Slater-Williams

Vague Visages

11/14/2023

When Shizuku and a group of supporting players break into a performance of John Denver’s “Country Roads” about halfway through, this modest gesture takes on a major stirring quality thanks to Whisper of the Heart’s surrounding aesthetic.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

09/18/2021

3/4

A satisfying effort.

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Charles Solomon

FilmWeek (LAist)

07/18/2020

If there's a Ghibli film that is under-appreciated, it's this one.

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Princess Weekes

The Mary Sue

07/11/2019

Shizuku is a fantastic heroine and for all my creatively inclined people, if you haven't seen this movie yet, it'll remind you of the work and honing of craft needed to be great at anything you love.

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Daniel

Apr 26

What a charming movie. Great use of the Country Roads song, including a Japanese version!

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PJ C

03/26/2025

Ghibli gold. As always, Japanese audio with English subtitles is a treat.

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izzy

12/10/2024

such an underrated ghibli film, cute story with a puppy love kinda feel to it. so nostalgic.

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Derek G

10/31/2024

Hands down one of my favorite movies of all time! So glad I was able to see this on the big screen this year for Ghibli fest! I love them showing the less well known Ghibli movies this year!

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Jamie D

02/03/2023

Ah!~ Whisper of the Heart live action was truly a dream come true if I’ve ever lived long enough to see one!🫶🏽 The story stayed true to the original movie w/ uttermost flattery to the all characters as you remembered them The cast chosen both young & adult versions were breathtaking to watch :) Out of all the Studio Ghibli films to get a live action I’m so happy it was whisper of the heart b/c it isn’t a westernized Lovie Dovie romance but a satisfying episodic tale of individual self growth w/ innocence of finding love in the process of living a dream driven life (//_^) Now for my unbiased opinion of the film it's a very captivating story, cute characters, rich imaginative scenes, delightful performances and a heartfelt message!! Giving it a solid 10/10..!!🙌🏾😁 P.s Fingers crossed that they'll make more live action adaptation films from the other iconic Studio Ghibli masterpieces! :)

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maddie R.

@maddierod00 Jun 24

such a cute take on childhood romance

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Yoshifumi Kondo

Director

Brittany Snow

Shizuku Tsukishima

David Gallagher

Seiji Amasawa

Courtney Thorne-Smith

Shiho Tsukishima

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Synopsis

Based on the manga with the same title, this animated film follows Shizuku, an inquisitive young girl and a voracious reader, who longs to be a writer when she grows up. One day she notices that all of her library books have previously been taken out by one Seiji Amasawa. Amid chasing after a large cat, befriending an eccentric antiques dealer and writing her first novel, Shizuku aims to find this mysterious boy who may well be her soul mate.

Director: Yoshifumi Kondo
Producer: Ned Lott
Screenwriter: Cindy Davis Hewitt, Donald H. Hewitt
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Production Co: Tokuma Shoten, Nippon Television Network
Rating: G
Genre: Kids & Family, Romance, Anime
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 7, 2006, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Apr 21, 2026
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 15, 2019
Runtime: 1h 51m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)