Ask someone their favourite Studio Ghibli film and they'll invariably start with one title before two or three more come tumbling out. The longevity of these hand-drawn animated films is remarkable when you consider that, during the decades Studio Ghibli has been crafting stories, studios like Pixar and Disney have been pushing CGI animation forwards.
But the endurance of Ghibli is all in the simplicity. Beautiful, elegant animation and simple yet complex tales are something we can’t get enough of – gift-wrapped stories from Ghibli.
A coming-of-age story with plenty of heart
If we were going to elevator pitch this 1995 Studio Ghibli classic, it might go something like this:
Girl meets boy via their mutual library borrowing record. A girl and a boy reveal their life goals to each other. The boy leaves to pursue his dream. The girl throws herself into pursuing her own dream. We won’t give the ending away, but this simple coming-of-age tale will leave you feeling as enriched and enchanted as many other Ghibli films do.
A beloved Ghibli classic returns
No. Originally released in 1995, Whisper of the Heart is returning to cinemas in a new IMAX presentation, giving audiences the chance to experience this beloved Studio Ghibli classic on the biggest screen possible.
Whisper of the Heart is a gift from earlier, 1995 to be precise, but these timeless classics can see the light of day during any decade and are always gratefully received.
Experience Ghibli bigger than ever
The joy of a Ghibli animation is in the details. The clean lines, fluidity of movement and the way nature is detailed. Such simplicity amplified in IMAX shows the genius of Ghibli. Catch Whisper of the Heart in IMAX at Cineworld soon.
Meet the voices behind the characters
Depending on whether you see the subtitled Japanese original or the dubbed version, these are all the actors voicing Whisper of the Heart:
Japanese Voice Cast
Shizuku Tsukishima - Yōko Honna
Seiji Amasawa - Issey Takahashi
Asako Tsukishima - Shigeru Muroi
Seiya Tsukishima - Takashi Tachibana
Shiho Tsukishima - Yorie Yamashita
Baron Humbert von Gikkingen - Shigeru Tsuyuguchi
Shirō Nishi - Keiju Kobayashi
Yūko Harada - Maiko Yoshiyama
Ms Kōsaka - Minami Takayama
UK English Voice Cast
Shizuku Tsukishima - Brittany Snow
Seiji Amasawa - David Gallagher
Asako Tsukishima - Jean Smart
Seiya Tsukishima - James Sikking
Shiho Tsukishima - Courtney Thorne-Smith
Baron Humbert von Gikkingen - Cary Elwes
Shirō Nishi - Harold Gould
Yūko Harada - Ashley Tisdale
Ms Kōsaka - Vicki Davis
The legacy of director Yoshifumi Kondō
The talented Japanese animator Yoshifumi Kondō worked as an animation director at Studio Ghibli and was widely expected to one day join Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata as one of the company's directors. Many believed he would eventually become one of Studio Ghibli's leading creative voices and help guide the studio into a new era. Tragically, Kondō died at the age of 47. Whisper of the Heart was the only film he directed.
The fan-favourite cat who earned his own movie
Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, the dapper cat figurine who symbolised the importance of creativity and believing in yourself, won the hearts of legions of fans, so much so that he got a film of his own, The Cat Returns, in 2002.
Before fame: Issey Takahashi's Ghibli debut
Fans of Issey Takahashi can hear one of Japan's future stars at the very start of his acting career. He voiced Seiji while still a teenager and later became one of Japan's most recognisable screen actors, starring in numerous acclaimed films and television dramas.
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