Whisper of the Heart

Dir: Yoshifumi Kondo

1995

*****

It was terribly sad that director Yoshifumi Kondo passed away after directing just one film but what a fantastic legacy he has left. It was hoped that Kondo would succeed Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata after their retirement and his death shocked the studio to its core. His death was thought to have been caused by over working and Miyazaki's work ethic changed dramatically as a result which effected the future of the studio greatly. It's clear to see why he was chosen as Hayao Miyazaki's successor when it would come to it, I do wonder if the nods to previous Ghibli films were indeed his idea and the mutual respect is evident in Ghibli's later films, with many characters returning in back-ground cameos. It is also the only Ghibli film to have it's own spin-off, which is as close to a sequel as fans are ever likely to get. Whisper of the Heart is not really my kind of Ghibli film if I'm being honest, I'm more a fan of the fantastical films and the ones with funny little animals although the detail of the animation here is quite breathtaking and it has elements that I adore. I have a gripe when it comes to Japanese romance films involving school kids too, but that is a personal thing, this is quality Ghibli and in a way a blueprint to future films. There is so much of the future classics in Whisper of the Heart and it also utilizes themes from the earlier films. It's a greatest hits film in some respects, probably why I don't love it as much as the other films that I see as originals but why it's one I've re-watched most as all the important Ghibli boxes are well and truly ticked. For starters, Shizuku is a strong female character, something that the studio built on following Kiki's DeliveryService. It is also filled with magical subtleties that would become one of the studios signature moves. The fantasy vs melodrama is also at its most balanced here, with one never overpowering the other, it's almost the perfect (or should I say essential) Ghibli film without being the best, if that makes any sense at all. Certainly a game-changer for the studio for more reasons than one.