Whisper of the Heart

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Whisper of the Heart

G,

2006,

1h 51m,

Kids & Family/

Romance/

Anime

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96%

24 Reviews

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Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

Popcornmeter

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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Phil Hoad

Guardian

Sep 16, 2026

3/5

With the trademark Ghibli charm and airy optimism in almost every frame, it's something more than a rough gem but, lacking the symphonic flow of Spirited Away et al, not quite polished to sparkling.

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Romey Norton

DMovies

Sep 20, 2026

A

Nearly three decades after its original release, Whisper of the Heart remains an appealing example of anime’s ability to make the ordinary feel magical.

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Jennie Kermode

Eye for Film

Sep 18, 2026

5/5

Pure, concentrated Studio Ghibli.

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CJ Sheu

Critics at Large

Jun 10, 2025

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

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Lisa Laman

Culturess

Jan 7, 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

Nov 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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Yoshifumi Kondo

Director

Brittany Snow

Shizuku Tsukishima

David Gallagher

Seiji Amasawa

Courtney Thorne-Smith

Shiho Tsukishima

Cary Elwes

The Baron

Harold Gould

Shiro Nishi

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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)

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