Whisper of the Heart Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

Whisper of the Heart Blu-ray Movie Review

Whisper of the Heart is a live-action adaptation and sequel to the beloved Japanese anime and the original manga. Based on the original manga created by Aoi Hiiragi, Whisper of the Heart is a charming production with some fun elements for fans of the original. Licensed by Capelight Pictures and MPI Media Group in North America, Whisper of the Heart was also distributed by Sony for part of the overseas marketplace. Produced by Hirotaka Aragaki (Lonely Castle in the Mirror, The Emperor in August), Yoshiya Nagasawa (Big Man Japan, Goemon), and Asami Nishi (Hakuba no Ohjisama ~ Junai Tekireiki), Whisper of the Heart is just for the fans. The theme song is performed by Anne. Released in Japanese cinemas on October 14, 2022, Whisper of the Heart might not win over newcomers with its tale expanding on the original that became a cult classic but it does offer some interesting elements for fans of the original.

Shizuku Tsukishima first meets Seiji Amasawa as a middle school student. Shizuku always has her nose in a book and has nothing but love for literature and the imaginative worlds explored in the tales that she reads. Seiji, on the other hand, desires nothing more in life than to succeed at becoming a cellist.

The determination to follow his dreams leads Seiji on a unique path towards pursuing his dreams. At the same time, Seiji encourages Shizuku to follow her own dream: to write books and become a successful novelist. The two young companions make a vow to each other to pursue their dreams.

Flash forward ten years and the two are now adults. Shizuku Tsukishima (Nana Seino) and Seiji Amasawa (Tori Matsuzaka) are both still pursuing their lifelong dreams since childhood. Shizuku now works full time as an editor for a children’s publishing house company and oversees the books for the publisher while still seeking to become a successful novelist herself. Meanwhile, Seiji is attempting to keep the dream alive while pursuing his goals as a cellist in Italy. Can their childhood dreams still come true and can true love bring them together once more?

The performances aren’t perfect but the lead actors do a decent job in their respective roles. Nana Seino is the more impressive of the two actors as the would-be novelist Shizuku. The performance feels like it was heavily inspired by the original anime and like the actress wanted to bring her best to the role. The performance is arguably the best thing about the feature-film.

The performance has some nuance and depth and is more charming than expected. Opposite Seino, Tori Matsuzaka does an admirable but also somewhat unremarkable job as Seiji. The performance by Tori Matsuzaka isn’t quite as nuanced as the performance delivered by Nana Seino. Tori Matsuzaka seems less inspired by the role and though he does an adequate job it lacks the same degree of passion.

The cinematography by Lorenzo Di Nola (How to Save Your Darling, Dante’s Divine Politics) and Kôichi Nakayama (Have a Song on Your Lips, Five Minutes to Tomorrow) is one of the highlights of the entire production. The visual sense of splendor of the film is something that adds a lot to the production and to the experience. The cinematography is lush and organic looking. Cinematographer Nola does great work here and that is something to commend.

The score composed by Hiroshi Tanaka adds some reasonable background music to the production. The score is neither a major highlight or a big detractor. The score is decent enough but it simply fails to be comparable to the classic score of the original anime film. By comparison, the music here is modestly engaging and not as impressive. One can’t help but wish for a more invigorating score.

Written and directed by Yūichirō Hirakawa (Until the Break of Dawn, Burn the House Down), Whisper of the Heart is an entertaining film on the whole. The film does add some nice charm to the storyline of the original manga and anime. Hirakawa does a decent job in the director’s chair for the production and manages some fun callbacks to the original that fans won’t be able to resist.

Despite some decent direction, the Whisper of the Heart film still isn’t as good as it could have been and it leaves something to be desired on some level. This is underwhelming to find when one stacks it up beside the anime film and if one expects the same degree of filmmaking finesse one will walk away feeling frustrated and disappointed by what the filmmakers have done with the follow up.

Nonetheless, fans of the original who are interested and open to a live-action sequel and who are willing to accept the inherent melodrama of the production will find it to have some engaging elements that add to the experience. Though the film might feel like a bit of “official” fan-fiction this isn’t something that will necessarily disappoint all viewers. Perfect storytelling? No. Yet Whisper of the Heart does have some interesting performances and other merits.

Whisper of the Heart Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by MPI Media Group, Whisper of the Heart (Live Action) is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high- definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.39:1 widescreen. Presented with a quality high-definition encode, the transfer retains a naturally cinematic image. Clarity and definition are excellent on the release. The transfer does have some slight banding in a few spots yet the bulk of the presentation is crisp and organic looking. The colors look great on the release. The transfer is well encoded and there are no significant issues to report.

Though this isn’t an action intense film (this is no similar comparison to one between the animated and live-action Lord of the Rings) and there aren’t a lot of scenes with fast-paced motion, so the encoding was arguably a bit easier for the distributor, the film nonetheless benefits from the quality offered by the format. The Blu-ray release benefits from a solid bit-rate too. Blu-ray remains the best way to watch a movie with superior picture-quality compared to streaming video services (which offer view with a more compressed image and lower bit- rates). For videophiles seeking the absolute best picture-quality possible, Blu-ray is the essential option.

Whisper of the Heart Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (with English subtitles) and an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 option. The original Japanese language version is the default audio selection on the disc. The lossless audio encoding on the release is engaging sounding. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and organic sounding. The audio encoding capably handles the score and soundstage. The audio has good depth and fidelity. Audiophiles seeking the absolute best sound quality won't settle for anything less than Blu-ray disc and streaming quality simply cannot compare. Blu-ray remains vastly superior to streaming video services because of this feature. The English subtitles on the release are excellent as well. The release capably preserves the soundstage.

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

The one area of the release that is underwhelming is the supplemental package. The release could have benefited from a more robust bonus features package. The extras on the release are sparse and the release would have been better with behind-the-scenes documentaries, making-of featurettes, audio commentaries, cast & crew interviews, art galleries, and more. Unfortunately, fans won't find anything about the making of the film and there are no direct comparisons between the film and the manga or anime feature. (An interview with a reaction to the film by Hayao Miyazaki would have been especially interesting – favorable opinion or not).

Trailer (HD, 1:03)

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

Whisper of the Heart has received a live-action sequel to the beloved manga and Japanese anime classic gem by Studio Ghibli. The feature-film has a notable performance by Nana Seino as Shizuku Tsukishima. The production has some nice aesthetic elements and there are some good things about the film. Even so, the film also has a melodramatic and fan-fic approach that won't please or win over everyone. It's melodramatic through-and-through and not as good as the original anime feature-film. Nonetheless, entertaining and worth a watch. Fans of the original should consider checking it. Recommended.