Title: Whisper of the Heart

Genre: Drama

Creator/Studio: Aoi Hiiragi (manga, see comment), Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli

Company: Buena Vista

DVD Info: 1 hour 51 minutes

Summary: A young girl falls in love with a boy who is an aspiring violin-maker.

The Good: Who knew John Denver had Japanese fans (his song "Country Roads" not only appears in the movie, but is actually a major plot point)? This is another different title for Studio Ghibli. In fact, it could actually work as live action, except for the parts about the story the girl writes. (Although I doubt it'd be easy for someone to find a clock like the one in the film)

The Bad: This one's got no action, which may bore young children.

Offensive Material: None.

Overall: "Slice-of-life" anime like this is quite rare, and I certainly wish there was more of it. This one's a nice story and I found it quite enjoyable.

My Review: 4.0 Category: A

Comment: This is based on the manga by Aoi Hiiragi. Other Ghibli titles include: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky, Pom Poko, Princess Mononoke, Grave of the Fireflies, Spirited Away, The Cat Returns, Only Yesterday, and Howl's Moving Castle.