Whisper of the Heart (耳をすませば) is a 1995 Japanese animated coming-of-age drama film directed by Yoshifumi Kondō and written by Hayao Miyazaki based on Aoi Hiiragi's 1989 manga Mimi o Sumaseba. Produced by Studio Ghibli and distributed by Toho, the film stars Yoko Honna, Issey Takahashi, Takashi Tachibana, Shigeru Muroi, Shigeru Tsuyuguchi and Keiju Kobayashi.
Whisper of the Heart was Kondō's only film as director before his death in 1998. Studio Ghibli had hoped that Kondō would become the successor to Miyazaki and Isao Takahata.[1]
A spin-off film, The Cat Returns, was released in 2002, which focused on a minor character of the film, the Baron.
Plot
Shizuku Tsukishima is a 14-year-old student at Mukaihara Junior High School, where she is best friends with Yūko Harada.