CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

Has Whisper of the Heart been released in America?
Also, What is it about?
I've seen some AMV's with it in them and it looks cool. I'm curious as to if it is available.
Thanks!

It's a Ghibli film (1995?) that's about a girl who sees a guy's name ahead of hers in every book she checks out. Since this guy seems to be on the same wavelength as herself, she wants to meet him. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong ... I'm pulling this out of memory from an article I read a while ago.) I'm pretty sure that it's a total love story. I have no idea if it's been released in the US or not. Sorry!

This movie is available on laserdisc from Japan and in fan-subtitled versions elsewhere.

Fourteen-year-old Shizuku notices something strange...all the library books she has checked out have been borrowed before by some boy named Amasawa Seiji. (Since "Whisper" is based on a shoujo manga, or girls' comic book, you can bet that at some time during the movie she will meet this mysterious Mr. Amasawa.) Shizuku loves books and reads them whenever she can, and so she makes many trips to the library. When she encounters a cat commuting on the city's rail system, she follows him to a little shop, where her story begins to unfold.

Much of this movie is about creativity. Inspired by what she has seen and done, and encouraged by her friends, Shizuku writes an adventure story with a fierce passion that writers, artists, builders, and programmers will recognize. For young watchers, this movie may validate and encourage their own passion. Their parents should watch also, and in some cases consider if they are ready to cut their potential prodigies some slack rope in pursuit of their dreams (in Shizuku's case, though, it was more than enough to hang herself with). Speaking as someone who was on the receiving end of such freedom, this reviewer attests to its potential value, although neglecting other areas of one's life can be hazardous to one's normal development.

This movie is set in modern-day Tokyo and is a fun way to learn about school life there without the distractions of magic and martial arts that distort reality in other anime. Viewers see how students court one another in middle school: one of Shizuku's friends gets a "love letter" from an admirer who cannot just walk up and introduce himself - it's just not done that way in Japan, as a rule. (Shizuku is a bit of an aberration, though; her parents, who are remarkably liberal as Japanese parents go, don't require her to go to cram school every night to fill her with facts that will get her into the best possible high school.)

Though unusually heavy on the synthesizers, the music is lively and fun. Animation quality is equal to other Studio Ghibli works: inimitable backgrounds, but not enough drawings per second when detailed motion is depicted. There is a slight blurring of fantasy and reality in this movie, but the story features mostly real people living mostly real lives, which is a nice break from most American animation.

Approach: Upbeat, shoujo-style romantic.

Parent's guide: Recommended for all ages. No violence at all, no nudity, no sex, and no foul language, except for one crass word in translation ("p----d"). Boys of certain ages are likely to be bored. Shizuku's older sister appears in a brassiere for a few seconds. Since it has absolutely nothing to do with the story, it is probably culturally obligatory (or cleverly placed to snap the boys to attention just as they nod off, perhaps). The ending has an event which may not seem natural to American viewers; a study of Japanese culture will explain it.

Note: Shizuku's mom and dad seem to let her stay up late. Very, very late. Parents should be prepared to explain why sleep is important for growing bodies.

Thanks!

Sounds interesing, thanks! ^_^