Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Whisper of the Heart Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 14, 2012

Japanese director Yoshifumi Kondo's "Mimi wo sumaseba" a.k.a "Whisper of the Heart" (1995) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Studio Canal. The supplemental features on the disc include original Japanese theatrical trailers and TV spots; fully integrated storyboards; gallery of conceptual drawings; making of featurette; and more. In Japanese, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Strange friends

Shizuku Tsukishima spends most of her time in the library because she loves books. One day, while browsing she notices a name, Seiji, which appears on many library cards for books which she has read. Curious to find out what the person who likes the same books she does looks like, Shizuku begins asking questions. But no one in the library seems to remember well who Seiji is.

While delivering lunch to her father, Shizuku encounters a runaway cat which leads her to a beautiful antiques shop. The owner, an old and very kind man, earns Shizuku’s respect after he explains to her what makes some of the items he has for sale special. One of them immediately catches her eye – an unusual statue of a cat with dazzling eyes. Before she leaves, Shizuku promises to come back to hear the cat’s story.

A couple of days later, Shizuku returns to the antique shop. This time around she spends time with the owner’s grandson, who turns out to be the mysterious Seiji. The boy tells her more about the cat with the dazzling eyes and then reveals his passion - building violins in Cremona, Italy. At first Shizuku isn’t overly impressed by Seiji, but eventually she finds herself drawn to him.

After Seiji goes abroad to study, Shizuku realizes that her passion is to become a writer and begins working on her first novel. The novel is about The Baron, a feline statue that looks very much like the one Seiji’s grandfather has in his antiques shop.

Inspired by Aoi Hiiragi’s manga and scripted by legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki, Yoshifumi Kondo’s Whisper of the Heart is undoubtedly one of the most realistic films to come out of Studio Ghibli. It is colorful and enormously entertaining, guaranteed to appeal to children of all ages, but it is also surprisingly elegant and mature film that is guaranteed to appeal to grown-ups as well.

The characterization is excellent. For example, Shizuku is a bright and unique girl who has doubts, hopes and plenty of questions which girls her age have. The world where she spends most of her time confuses her because there is a lot about it that she does not understand. This is why she has developed a passion for reading - books allow her to enter a different world where she can see, understand and communicate with imaginary characters that are far more reliable and easier to figure out than the people she meets in the real world. Seiji and Shizuku’s best friend are also believable characters – they are vulnerable, naïve and innocent, like most kids their age are.


Studio Canal’s Blu-ray release of Whisper of the Heart contains Japanese and English-language versions of the film. The two are very different – the former is in sync with the rhythm of the story, while the latter favors a more balanced, traditional narration – but equally effective. Some of the actors whose voices are heard in the English-language version of the film are Brittany Snow, David Gallagher, Ashley Tisdale, Cary Elwes, Martin Spanjers, and Jean Smart.

Whisper of the Heart Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Yoshifumi Kondo's Whisper of the Heart arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Studio Canal.

Studio Ghibli's Whisper of the Heart looks wonderful on Blu-ray. Colors are rich and vibrant but at the same time well balanced, never looking boosted or, worse, plastic. The image also has plenty of depth - the film does not look like a series of beautifully drawn postcards, but rather like a carefully put together mosaic of crisp moving pictures. Additionally, there are no banding or aliasing patterns. Serious denoising corrections have not been performed either. Finally, there are no stability issues to report in this review. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).

Whisper of the Heart Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks. For the record, Studio Canal have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.

The Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is excellent. For example, there are various unique sounds and noises that enhance the terrific atmosphere in the film very well. Yuji Nomi's score also plays an important role in the film, though its primary function is to enhance existing moods and feelings rather than to create them. The surround channels are used sparingly but are still very effective. The dialog is crisp, clean, stable, and easy to follow. The English dub is also surprisingly good. The lines are well spoken and occasionally even matching the intensity of the Japanese dialog.

Whisper of the Heart Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Storyboards - fully integrated storyboards that can be viewed in picture-in-picture mode while watching the film.

• Background Artwork from "The Baron's Story" - a gallery of conceptual drawings used during the fantasy sequences In Japanese, with optional English subtitles. (5 min, 720p).

• 4 Masterpieces of Naohisa Inoue: From Start to Finish - a gallery of conceptual drawings, each adding to various 'complete' pictures used in the film. (35 min, 1080p).

• Behind the Microphone - the English actors that dubbed the English version of the film comment on their work. In English, not subtitled. (8 min, 720p).

• TV Spots - Japanese TV spots. In Japanese, with imposed English subtitles. (8 min, 1080p).

• Trailers - Original Japanese theatrical trailers. In Japanese, with imposed English subtitles. (3 min, 1080p).

• Trailers - a gallery of trailers for other Studio Ghibli films. (10 min, 1080p).

Whisper of the Heart Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Japanese director Yoshifumi Kondo's Whisper of the Heart is undoubtedly one of the most realistic films to come out of Studio Ghibli. It tells a simple but beautiful story that is guaranteed to appeal to children of all ages as well as grown-ups. The film looks wonderful on Blu-ray. If you could play Region-B releases and like Studio Ghibli's films, do not hesitate to add it to your collections. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.