Her first attempt at a novel, inspired by an intriguing cat statue called the Baron owned by her crush's grandfather, makes for a balanced blend between fantasy and reality (whereas the film's eventual spin-off, The Cat Returns, dives headfirst into absurd fantasy territory).
The great "what-if" from Studio Ghibli's history, Whisper of the Heart was the only feature directed by Yoshifumi Kondō before his untimely death in 1998. It's hard not to think about what else could have been, but Whisper of the Heart is still a wonderful piece about young love in and of itself. Falling for a talented young violin maker inspires Shizuku to explore her own creative talents as a writer. Her first attempt at a novel, inspired by an intriguing cat statue called the Baron owned by her crush's grandfather, makes for a balanced blend between fantasy and reality (whereas the film's eventual spin-off, The Cat Returns, dives headfirst into absurd fantasy territory). The fact that translating and reinterpreting John Denver's song "Take Me Home, Country Roads" is at the center of the movie adds an extra resonance to American viewers watching translated versions of these Japanese films. — C.H.