Tokuma Shoten, Nippon Television, Hakuhodo & Studio Ghibli pr esent
WHISPER OF THE HEART
Shizuku Honna Yoko Seiji Takahashi Issei
Shizuku's Father Tachibana Takashi
Shizuku's Mother Muroi Shigeru
Bar on Tsuyuguchi Shigeru
'World Emporium' Pr oprietor Kobayashi Keiju
- Hello. - Hot, isn' t it.
I' m home.
Thanks.
You don' t need a bag f or just milk!
They put it in one.
Just say 'no'! ...pour me some, too.
Dad, want some barley tea?
Please...I' II come there.
- The wor d pr ocessor open? - I' m still printing.
I should buy an electr onic notebook.
You could' ve gone to your aunt' s. too.
No. Shiho wears me out.
Oh, I' ve got work tomorr ow.
Do you need lunch?
No, I' II eat out.
The library' s busy going to a bar-code system.
I like the book-car ds better.
Me, too.
Hey, this isn' t right...
What?
Did you leave out a line?
You' r e right!
Let me go f ir st. I have to get this right or my prof will complain.
Amasawa Seiji
This guy...
You can r ead, but don' t stay up too late.
Yeah... good night.
I thought I' d seen that name bef or e...
Here, too...
Amasawa Seiji
He' s taken all these books out bef ore me.
Amasawa Seiji...what' s he like? Is he good-Iooking?
Amasawa Seiji
Shizuku! Get up!
I' m leaving!
Did you sleep in your clothes? Put the rice on.
'Bye!
Oh, no! I' ve got to meet Yuko!
My purse...
You ran back upstairs again?
Yeah.
That' s funny...
Try by the phone...
Yes!
...wher e you left it.
I' m late! Lock the door!
Silly!
It' s flying so low!
Today' s a lucky day!
Is it ever hot!
How' s it going?
Hit it!
Hi, Shizuku!
Hi!
Miss Kosaka?
Tsukishima? What ar e you doing here?
Could I ask a f avor?
Nothing weir d, I hope...
Let me in the library!
What?
Can' t you wait till school starts?
I' ve r ead all my books, and the public library' s closed.
I m reading 20 bef ore school starts.
You ve got high-school entrance exams, don' t f orget.
Hurry it up!
Her e it is!
Bring it here.
Give me your card and the book car d.
Yes. ma' am.
No one' s ever borrowed this book!
It' s r ar e. They don' t even have it at the public library.
Donated
'Amasawa' ...Miss!
Do you know who this 'Amasawa' is?
Look what you made me do!
Someone gave it to us. I wouldn' t know him.
Ask an older teacher.
Shizuku!
What ar e you doing her e? I' ve been at the f ront gate since 11!
If I have to stand in the sun I get mor e fr eckles!
Sorry!
Relax, Har ada. You take fr eckles much too seriously.
They' r e a serious problem, Miss!
Yeah, yeah...OK, out of her e, both of you.
Move up! Move up!
I tried, but it' s not going to work. Why not just sing it in English?
'White clouds spr eading up over a hill...
'...a r oad winds up to the town.'
'An old house with small windows...
'An old dog waits f or me to come home...
'Country road leading f ar away...
'The road to my old home town...
'West 'Ginia, my mother the mountain...
'My good old home town.'
- That' s not bad. - Yes. it is.
It' s trite.
Yeah?
I wr ote another one.
'Concr ete r oads, everywher e...
'Cut down all the tr ees, filled in the valleys...
'Western Tokyo...
'Tama Mountain...
'My home town is concr ete roads.'
What is this?!
But what' s this 'pr oblem'?
You don' t need the lyrics yet...
No...ar e you in love with anyone?
What?
Studying f or entr ance exams would be easier having someone.
We could encour age each other.
Yuko! You' re in love!
You got a love letter?!
Shh!
When? Who? Is he handsome?
He' s in another class. He' s not bad.
Meet him, then! If you don' t like him, just say no!
Yeah, but...
So there' s someone else you like!
You can' t hide it from me! Conf ess!
It' s Su...Su...
Tsukishima!
Bring me my bag, will you?
Sugimura!
That blue sports bag.
Come on, Tsukishima!
Throw it over her e.
Shut up and go back to the bench!
I' m f irst-string, and we' r e thr ough to the r egionals!
Yuko?
You' re in love with Sugimura?
What am I going to do? The way I r eacted, he might know!
Don' t worry. He' s too dense.
What about the guy who wrote you?
I' II think about it a while.
I see.
At least your par ents ar en' t always after you to study.
Silence isn' t always gr eat.
I wonder...
- Oh, no! - What?
I f orgot my book! I' II go back.
I' II ride you.
No. You' II be late f or cram school.
I' II call you.
That book...
Oh, is it yours?
Her e, 'Tsukishima Shizuku' .
How do you know my name?
Guess!
My library card...
I' d f orget about 'Concr ete Road', though.
You read it!
Jerk! Jerk! Jerk!
Jerk!
'I' d f orget about "Concr ete Road"... '
Get lost!
I' m home.
Shiho? You' r e back alr eady?
I' m beat!
I got a ride with someone who was coming this way.
Where' s Mom?
Summer Intensive Seminar. Oad' s at work.
You could clean up a little...
What about dinner?
I' m going to wash the rice.
Shizuku! The br eakf ast things ar e still out!
I' m getting to it!
Mom' s busy! We' ve got to help!
Do the rice and put away the washing. I' II take a shower and make dinner.
Aunt says come see her when you get into high school.
Ar e you studying?
Don' t think you can take it easy just because Mom and Dad don' t bug you.
I know!
She even wanted me to bring home soy sauce!
That' s your aunt, all right.
It was the same thing last year.
Yes! It was miso! Boy, was it heavy!
Two kilos of it!
Shizuku! Get up and vacuum by your desk!
I' m washing the sheets.
And airing the bedding.
Where' s Mom?
Long gone.
Put that stuf f away and take Dad his lunch.
Me?!
Why not? You' r e going to the library.
Shall I go instead?
And you' II clean the toilet, the bath and the balcony and go to the Co-op?
Don' t f orget to turn the bedding and f ix dinner.
I' m going!
Shizuku!
Mail these. will you?
What?
M-A-l-L!
You don' t have to read them!
Take the paper-clip off.
Your boyf riend?
Idiot!
Hey cat...ar e you alone?
Where are you going?
What' s out there?
Hey! Answer me!
I get off here. What about you?
See you.
Hey! A cat!
The library' s that way!
And it f elt just like the start of a story...
There he is!
No Entrance
What a hill! How f ar up is he going?
Cat?
Does he live around here?
Hey, cat! Wher e ar e you going? Do you live around her e?
I never knew ther e was a place like this way up her e...
That' s not nice! Going around teasing dogs!
Maybe you' r e teasing me, too.
I never guessed ther e was a stor e like this up here either...
Cool!
Ar e you that cat?
Oh, hello...
Um...
That' s all right. Look ar ound all you want.
The Bar on gets bor ed.
Is this doll 'the Bar on'?
Yep. Bar on Humbert von Jechingen. Quite the name...
Sorry.
Thanks. I' m f ine now.
That' s a great clock.
It was sitting in some castle, all rusted out.
Look...
It' s beautiful. What is it?
Wait and see.
What great dwarf s!
So you' r e a young lady who knows about dwarf s, are you?
Watch the f ace...if it works.
A f airy!
The light shines on the glass. Come up here.
A princess?
That' s right.
Are they in love?
But they live in diff er ent worlds. He' s king of the dwarf s.
Only while the clock is striking 12 is she changed back fr om a sheep.
But he appears every hour...
... and waits f or her.
The artisan who made this must have been disappointed in love.
That' s why they both look so sad...
This clock' s f ast, isn' t it...
Only about f ive minutes. though.
Oh. no!
I' ve got to be at the library!
Can I come back sometime?
Sur e...but go lef t to get to the library!
I' m right above it!
What a f ind! A place where stories start!
Fantastic!
Tsukishima!
Tsukishima Shizuku!
Isn' t this yours?
Forgetful, ar en' t you.
Thanks...but how...?
Guess!
The cat! Is that your cat?
You sure eat a big lunch!
No!
'Concr ete r oads, everywher e' ...
It' s not mine! Hey!
Oh, her e you ar e...
What' s wrong with you?
It' s har d to explain.
I f elt like I' d f ound a treasur e hidden in a cave.
Then what someone said buried me alive.
Sounds complicated.
Getting mor e books?
Seven more to go.
Still at it? What about lunch?
I' II buy something.
You will? Thanks. then.
June 16 th...
Wow! Amasawa' s r ead this one, too!
What' s he like?
No! He' s not you!
Shizuku! Hurry!
I' m late!
Pass my umbr ella.
Rain every day this term!
At least you' r e studying because you want to.
Sorry.
Study har d!
Don' t you worry!
Shizuku!
Hi!
Hurry! We' II be late!
I hate all these tests!
One every day!
Did you answer?
No.
Did he say anything?
I' m going to say no.
Yeah? Maybe that' s best.
Sugimura!
Better hurry!
I know!
Time' s up. Gather the papers.
See you this af ternoon.
Let' s go see Miss Kosaka.
Let me go to the teachers' room first.
Sure.
- Tsukishima! - What?
I lucked out on the test!
Isn' t that nice.
Everything I studied was on it!
So you' re not just a baseball goof...
Yuko' s good at guessing, too. Why not study with her?
With Harada?
- Hey, Sugimura! - What?
Come on!
Stop fixing me up!
Was it obvious?
I never just guess!
Sorry!
Excuse me...
A library-book donor? Gee, I don' t know...
Sorry to bother you at lunch-time. There' s this stamp in it.
Oh...
That' s Dr Amasawa.
I' ve r ead it. It' s a good book!
Yes, very.
What kind of person is he?
He was chairman of the PTA a f ew years ago.
The PTA? Would you know his given name?
His given name?
Mr Kimura, do you r emember that Dr Amasawa' s given name?
Dr Amasawa? It was 'Koichi' .
Amasawa Koichi...
His youngest son' s in your year, Tsukishima. You don' t know him?
He is?!
Thank you very much!
Goodbye!
Sorry!
Shizuku, wher e ar e you going?
What a surprise!
Tell me about it!
What' s with you?!
Sorry!
Hey, where are you going?
He ignored me! Of all the nerve!
Who is he? Wher e ar e you going?
He' s a jerk! He won' t make me avoid him!
I' ve been carrying her lunch all over!
Tsukishima with a boyfriend?!
Looks like springtime has come f or Shizuku at last!
It isn' t true!
You met a prince fr om one of your books?
Is he handsome?
I just want to f ind out what he' s like!
Come on, Yuko, you hear d his name. Tell us!
Yuko!
It happened too f ast.
'Ma', something, 'Masaki', maybe...
Hmm?
Hmm...
But it' s like Tsukishima to run out without hearing the end of something.
You want to know, but you don' t...
Your heart beats in misery and ecstasy!
How terribly romantic!
Should you r eally tease a girl who has just written your lyric?
- You f inished?! - Let' s see!
O Shizuku! O gr eat poet! We will not transgr ess again!
All right, then.
I' m not sur e...
I don' t know about old home towns, so I wr ote about what I f eel.
This is gr eat!
'Country r oad. this old r oad...
'lf I go right to the end...
'Got a f eeling it' II take me...
'...to that town, country road.'
This is good, Shizuku. I like it.
It' s not har d to sing?
We' II manage.
We can give this to the juniors and sing it at the teachers' thank-you!
There, too?!
Slow down!
I like this part.
'I left because I was alone and I had nothing...
'Pushed away my sadness and pr etended I was strong... '
Ladies, the bell.
The sun' s come out!
Shizuku!
Come to the choir r oom! We' II show them your lyrics.
No. I' m going to the library.
There' s another test tomorr ow...
I' II study ther e.
Bookworm!
'Bye
Harada...
Can I talk to you f or a minute?
It' s closed.
Have these flowers been watered?
Bar on' s gone... maybe someone bought him.
World Emporium;Nishi Shiro, Prop.
'Nishi Shiro'...maybe that jerk' s name is 'Nishi', too.
Shizuku! Shizuku!
Yuko' s on the phone!
You' II go deaf, Shizuku.
Yuko?
What? I can' t hear you.
I' II be ther e in a minute.
'Bye.
- Wher e ar e you going? - Not f ar.
What' s wrong?
Shizuku!
What' s the matter?
What am I going to do?!
The guy who wrote the letter got Sugimura to ask me to answer it!
Uh-oh...
Why you, of all people?!
Hey!
That guy is so dense!
But he doesn' t know how you f eel about him...
I' II apologize to him. But I can' t go to school tomorrow looking like this.
And miss the test?
Yeah.
Oh.
Idiot!
What?
It was easy.
The library again, Shizuku?
I' m going to Yuko' s.
Say hello.
Tsukishima!
Wait up!
About Harada...
...then she started crying. Did I say something wrong?
She said, 'Why you, of all people,' didn' t she?
Yeah. A guy on the baseball team asked me.
No!
She didn' t want to hear something like that f rom you!
Don' t you under stand?!
No, I don' t!
Tell me!
You r eally ar e dense, you know! She likes you!
What?! No way! I don' t need this!
You don' t? How do you think Yuko f eels?! She stayed home sick today!
But...I like you!
What?!
Don' t make jokes at a time like this!
It' s not a joke!
I' ve liked you f or a long time!
Not me! You can' t!
You don' t like me? Or do you have a boyf riend?
I don' t have a boyfriend...
But...
I' m sorry!
Wait!
Tell me the truth!
But we' ve always been f riends... I like you. but not...
I' m sorry. I can' t say what I mean.
Just friends?
For ever?
I see...
I m the one who' s dense!
The par cel delivery lef t this with me.
Thank you...again!
You don' t have to do this!
We couldn' t eat all these ourselves.
Oh, you' re home...
Shizuku?
Hi.
Have you been shut out, too?
Do you live here? Ar e you hungry?
You' r e not very nice. Just like me.
Why do we change, I wonder? I was always so sweet...
Books don' t even excite me like they used to.
There' s always someone inside me saying, 'Things aren' t that easy!'
I' m not very nice.
Hey! Tsukishima!
Moon lets you pet him?
Moon, you' r e not coming in?
Is that his name?
He' s like a full moon.
That' s why I call him that.
Isn' t he yours?
He won' t stay in one house.
I hear d him called 'Ball' at one place.
I' m sur e ther e' s others.
So he does the r ounds...
Yes! He commutes, on the train!
The train?
Yes, by himself! That' s how I came her e. I f ollowed him.
And he br ought me to a neat stor e, just like out of a story.
I insulted him.
I said he wasn' t very nice. Just like me.
You' r e not like Moon at all!
He' s half-devil, he is.
- Um... - Would you...
Is your gr andf ather sick? The store' s been closed and I thought...
He' s f ine. It' s a weir d stor e. He doesn' t open very often.
I' m glad he' s all right.
I can' t see Bar on thr ough the window. Did he sell him?
That cat doll? You want to see it? Come on.
Close the door.
It' s like we' r e in the sky!
Afraid of heights?
No, I like high places. This is gr eat.
This is the time it looks best.
In her e.
Perf ect timing.
Sit there.
The clock' s gone!
The one that was there?
Grandpa' s delivering it today.
Did he sell it?
It was her e being f ixed.
I wanted to see it again.
It took thr ee years. He f inished it the day you f orgot your lunch.
That lunch!
I know it wasn' t yours.
Look into the cat' s eyes.
Quick. bef or e the light goes.
Engelzimmer... 'angel' s room' .
The artisan accidentally scratched it with a cloth.
It' s beautiful.
The Bar on won' t go. He' s a tr easure.
A treasur e?
It means something to him. He won' t say what, though.
Look as long as you like. I' II be downstairs.
Turn on the light if you want.
It' s weir d. I f eel as if I' ve known you f or years.
Sometimes I really want to see you...
You look sad today, somehow...
Had enough?
Yeah. Thanks.
Ar e you making a violin?
Uh. yeah.
Can I see?
It f its like this.
You made all that? By hand?
Sure!
Amazing!
The shape hasn' t changed in 300 years.
The sound comes fr om the craftsman' s skill.
You made all those?
No way! There' s a violin-making class her e.
But one of them is yours?
Yeah.
Which one?
That one.
This one?
Wow! You made this? It' s like magic!
How can you talk like that with a straight f ace?
Why? It' s what I think.
Anyone can do that.
I' ve got a long way to go.
You can play, can' t you?
A little.
Play f or me, OK? Please!
Listen...
Please please please!
You have to sing, too.
Me? I' m tone-deaf!
Perf ect!
Sing. You know this song.
'Had a dr eam of living on my own...
'...with no f ear of being all alone.
'Pushed my sadness down inside of me...
'...and pr etended I was strong as I could be.
'Country r oad. this old r oad...
'lf you go right to the end...
'Got a f eeling it' II take me...
'...to that town, country road.'
'It doesn' t matter to me how sad I might be...
'I will never ever let a tear show in my eye...
'lf my f eet are moving f aster that' s because I only want to...
'... push away memories...
'Country r oad. this old r oad...
'...could go right to my home town...
'I won' t go ther e, I can' t go ther e...
'...can' t go down that country road.
'Country road, when tomorrow comes...
'I' II be like I always am...
'Want to go back ther e, can' t go back there...
'Far e thee well...
'... country road.'
That was fun!
I' m Tsukishima Shizuku. We met the other day.
I was hoping you' d come back again.
These ar e my musical friends.
Nice singing. You' re the lucky one who was ther e when he f ixed the clock...
Seiji has some pr etty friends.
'Seiji'? Ar e you Amasawa Seiji?
Yeah...didn' t I tell you my name?
No! It says 'Nishi' outside.
That' s Grandpa' s name. I' m Amasawa.
Oh, no! First I was buried alive, and now the sky' s f allen in!
What dif f er ence does it make what my name is?
A lot! You' ve been calling me by my full name!
You never asked me mine!
I never had the chance!
My image of Amasawa Seiji...
What?
...was someone quiet and gentle.
You read too many books.
So do you!
That was fun. They' re nice people.
Come back. They' II like that.
Just to listen. Singing' s too har d.
But you' r e a good violinist. Is that what you want to do?
There' s lots as good as me.
What I want to do is make violins.
Yeah... you' r e good at that.
Ther e' s a school f or it in Cr emona, Italy.
I want to go ther e.
And not go to high school?
My par ents ar e dead against it. Grandpa' s my only ally.
It must be gr eat to know what you want to do.
I' ve got no idea at all. I just go fr om one day to the next.
I don' t know if I can go or not. I f ight with my parents every day.
Even if I go, I won' t know if I have the talent until I try.
I' II see you home.
No, it' s not f ar. See you.
Tsukishima...
Yeah?
You' ve got a talent f or poetry.
What you sang back ther e was fine, but I liked 'Concr ete Roads', too.
You told me to f orget that!
Oid I say that?
Yes!
I did?
Thanks f or everything. Good night.
Don' t f all asleep with the light on again.
When did you decide on your f utur e?
What?
Your futur e!
Isn' t yours Suginomiya High?
I don' t mean that!
I' m at university f inding that out.
Good night.
Mom' s class is canceled so now she sleeps in!
Morning!
Run f aster!
You go ahead!
Hour 1.Spar e Period
Great!
Shizuku!
You look awful!
You sure got better f ast!
I hear you wer e out with a boy last night.
Who told you that?!
A little bir d... who said you were like lovers.
We are not!
Harada...l' II tell my f riend the answer' s no. Sorry.
I' m sorry, too.
That' s OK.
Did you see Sasuke on TV last night? It was great!
This f ormula will be on the mid-term, so r emember it!
That' s all!
Is Tsukishima here?
Amasawa? What do you want?
Is Tsukishima in this class?
Tsukishima? Yeah, she' s her e.
Tsukishima! You' ve got a visitor!
A male!
Ther e she is.
Seiji?
Can I talk to you?
Yes!
Tsukishima' s got a boyfriend!
No, I don' t!
What is it?
I' m going to Italy.
What?
Come with me.
- Wher e ar e we going? - The r oof!
Wow!
We can' t talk with all those people ar ound.
Sorry. I wanted to tell you f irst.
Let them think what they want.
My dad f inally gave in. On one condition.
What' s that?
I appr entice in a workshop ther e f or two months.
Apprentice?
The guy who runs it' s very strict. He' II see if I have talent or not.
Also if I have the patience to stick it out.
Otherwise I go to high school.
I hate that they' r e leaving an escape r oute...
...but it' s a good chance.
When do you go?
As soon as I get my passport. Dad' s talking to the school today.
Soon, then...
Gr eat! Your dream' s coming true.
Well, I' II do the best I can.
- Um... - Well...
The rain' s stopping.
Yeah...
Look over ther e.
Ther e might be a rainbow...
What' s Cr emona like? I hope it' s nice.
It' s an old town, with lots of violin makers.
It' s great. You' r e on your way.
I f eel like a f ool.
I was hoping we' d go to the same high school...
What a stupid thing to think...
I saw your name on the libr ary car ds a long time ago.
We passed each other in the library.
I even sat beside you ther e.
I r ead all kinds of books so my name would be on the car ds bef or e yours.
I...
I' II sing your song to myself in Italy.
Me, too.
Don' t push!
Hey!
Look out, she' s mad!
Run!
- Her e. - Thanks.
Excuse me.
Finished alr eady?
I' m meeting Yuko.
If you' r e by the station, get some milk.
You' r e the one who drinks it all!
She' s slacking off these days.
- Did I make you skip cram school? - lt' s OK.
My head' s in a whirl.
Hello, Shizuku.
Hello.
Hi.
Hello.
I' II make some tea.
Dad and I ar en' t speaking.
Boys ar e so lucky!
When he comes back to gr aduate, he goes again f or ten years!
That' s like f or ever!
But it' s like f ate br ought you together! Cool!
It' s too good to last. Two people read the same books...
...except one' s going f orwar d while the other stays behind.
Yeah...
Kinuyo was in his class f or a year.
She said he was har d to get to know, but good-Iooking and smart.
Don' t tell me that, will you!
I just f eel worse!
Why? He likes you, doesn' t he? He told you!
Now I' m not so sur e...
I don' t get it. I' d write every day... we' d encour age each other...
You can' t say 'go f or it' to someone mor e ambitious than you.
Maybe...
But I don' t understand what you want.
Can' t you be in love without your f utur e planned out?
You have talent.
All the juniors liked your translation of 'Country Roads' .
You can expr ess yourself, too... unlike me.
'There' s lots as good as me' .
That' s what he said.
He' s going to f ind out if he has talent. Well, so will I!
I' II write a story!
There' s one I want to write. If he can do it, so can I.
But it' s exam time...
I don' t car e. Thanks, Yuko. I f eel empower ed.
- You going? - Yeah.
Good night.
Tell your mother hello.
You go f or it, too.
Sugimura will realize.
'Bye.
It' s so easy! I just have to do something. too!
Moon?
Muta?
Mom! Muta' s gone again!
Muta!
'Muta' ...
'Whisper of the Heart': Listen to the voice of the woods...
The Baron as the hero?
Would you mind?
I ask because Seiji says the doll is a treasur e of yours...
You didn' t have to ask!
Of course you can. But on one condition.
Yes?
That you let me be the f irst person to r ead your story.
Um...
All right?
Do I have to? I don' t know if I can write it or not...
It' s the same f or a craftsman.
Don' t expect perf ection at f irst.
Here, let me show you something.
This.
Look at it.
It' s called 'mica slate' .
Look at the seam.
Like that...
It' s beautif ul!
It' s called 'beryl' . You f ind it in emerald ore.
Emerald? The jewel?
Yes.
You and Seiji are like this stone.
Rough, unpolished, still natural.
I like stones that way.
But making violins, or writing stories, is dif f er ent.
The r ough stone is inside you. You have to f ind it and then polish it.
It takes time and ef f ort.
You see the or e that makes up most of that stone?
Yes.
You could polish that, but what you' d get would be worthless.
The smaller part inside is pur er.
Ther e might even be a better stone deep inside wher e we can' t see.
I' m sorry. Old people like to preach.
I' m scar ed. What if ther e isn' t a beautiful crystal in me?
But I want to write. And you' II be the first one to see it.
Thank you. I' II look f orward to it.
A rough stone...lapis lazuli...
Let us go f orth together...
...in sear ch of the tr easur e of lapis lazuli!
Have no f ear. Space is def ormed on the night of the new moon.
Far away things loom large, nearby things look small.
Fly! We will rise on the updraf t.
Make haste! The planetoids converge!
Good! We' r e riding the wind!
Straight up to that castle!
It' s so high!
It' s not so high once you' r e there!
When the air curr ents mingle in the afternoon, you can touch the stars!
Huh?
That' s r ar e! Shizuku looking at non-f iction...
He' s making a violin in his cell...
Seiji!
I thought you' d gone!
Grandpa said I might f ind you her e.
I leave tomorrow.
Tomorrow...
Don' t worry. I' II wait her e till you' r e done.
Sorry I can' t walk you home.
That' s OK. I' m glad you came.
I can' t come to the airport, but I' II wait f or you.
Yeah. It' s only two months.
I' m sorry I' m always so depr essing. I' II do my best while you' r e gone.
I' II see you, then.
Have a good trip!
I and Luisa, my betr othed, wer e born in a distant land.
In that town, magic still lived...
...and in the veins of its artisans flowed the blood of sor cer ers.
It was a poor doll-maker' s appr entice who f ashioned us...
...but Luisa and I were happy...
...because he had made us so we could love others.
But then...
Shizuku!
What' s going on? Tsukishima!
I' m sorry. I wasn' t listening.
Pay attention! This is important!
Sorry, sir.
Harada, you read.
You wer e up until 4 again?!
It' s OK. I' m not sleepy at all.
But you' r e spaced out all the time! Like just now...
I was thinking. I' ve got to organize what I want to write.
I' m not hungry.
Shizuku? So you are home...
Turn on the lights!
At least you could bring in the laundry!
Shizuku! Come here!
Shizuku' s her e, isn' t she?
She' s not hungry.
- Sorry to keep you waiting. - Sorry to trouble you.
This way...is anyone in the guidance off ice?
Please.
I' m back!
Hello.
You' r e home early, Shiho.
I' m beat!
Want some coff ee?
Yes, please.
Mom, can I talk to you?
What?
I' m thinking of moving out.
I' ve f ound a place.
But can you aff or d it?
I' ve saved from my job.
I f ound another one at a cram school. I' II get by.
I guess I' ve made you help me out too much around her e.
I' II talk to your f ather.
You will? Great!
Money' s tight till I graduate in the spring and get working...
...but I' II help you out then.
Sounds good.
Sorry to go during your master' s thesis...
Thanks.
You helped enough just with sorting out data.
And Shizuku can concentrate in her own r oom. She' s acting weird.
You think so too?
The school called me. Look at this.
What is it?
She' s gone down a hundr ed places!
She' s at her desk all the time... what' s she doing?
Good evening.
Hello.
Excuse me.
What high school will take you with marks like this?!
I' m not going to high school!
Use your head! What can you do with a middle-school education?
I can decide my own future!
Watch your mouth!
Face the f acts! The school makes its r eport on you after the second term!
You' re a f ine one to talk!
You don' t study! You just work part-time!
I do what I have to!
You' r e the one who isn' t doing that! Don' t you understand?
I' ve got something mor e important to do!
Like what? Tell me.
Shiho, Shizuku...that' s enough.
But Oad...listen to this girl!
Both of you come out her e and tell me about it.
Shizuku, change out of your unif orm.
Come on.
I see. Is it true what Shiho says?
I do so car e about my marks!
You just said you wer en' t going to high school.
You said I wouldn' t get into one!
Shiho...can Shizuku and I talk alone f or a bit?
Yes.
Where' s your mother?
At the Tanakas.
I' m back.
Hi, Mom.
Is your dad back?
Could you come her e, Asako? I' ve been hearing about Shizuku.
Coming.
All right, Shizuku...
Is what you' r e doing now more important than studying?
Can you tell me what it is?
When it' s time.
Is this something you have to do right away?
I' ve only got thr ee weeks lef t to do it!
I' m testing myself.
I have to.
Testing yourself? How?
How will we know if you don' t say?
Is it something you can' t even tell us?
Seiya!
Oh...sorry.
Whatever you' r e doing at the library, I admire how har d you' r e working.
Let' s let her do what she wants.
Not everyone has to be the same.
I should know that if anyone does...
OK, Shizuku, do what you believe in.
But it' s not easy when you walk your own road.
You' ve only got yourself to blame.
And join us at mealtimes, all right?
Yeah. We' re a f amily.
Yes.
Call Shiho.
I' II make some tea.
Shizuku...
I know what Dad said, but what he r eally wants is f or you to study.
I know. It' s written on his f ace.
I' m moving out next Sunday.
You' II have your own r oom.
You' r e leaving home?
Yep. So smarten up!
Hurry!
Only the one is real.
Which is the real one?!
Hurry!
Luisa... you' ve f inally come... but I' ve gr own so old...
Shizuku...
Come in...I was f ast asleep.
I' m sorry to bother you. I' ve brought my story.
It' s f inished?
You pr omised you' d be the f irst to r ead it.
It' s a novel!
'Whisper of the Heart'
Can you r ead it now? I' II wait as long as it takes.
But you' ve worked so har d on it... shouldn' t I take my time?
You can stop if you don' t like it. I hate to ask, but...
My heart' s pounding...
I see. I' II r ead it right now.
Come sit by the f ire. It' s cold.
Now we won' t be bother ed.
Can I wait downstairs?
It' s OK. I' m not cold at all.
Of course...but...
You' re asleep her e?
Shizuku...l' m f inished.
Thank you. It' s very good.
It' s not!
Say what you r eally think! I couldn' t write what I wanted!
The last half doesn' t make sense. I know that!
Yes...it' s rough. blunt, unf inished...
...just like Seiji' s violin.
You' ve shown me the rough stone you' ve just cut out of the rock.
You' ve worked har d. You' re wonderful.
There' s no need to rush now. Take your time and polish it.
It' s cold out here. Come inside.
Now...
...now I' ve written it I know.
Wanting isn' t enough.
I have to learn mor e...
... but Seiji' s getting further and further ahead.
I f elt that I had to f or ce myself to write, and I was so scared...
You like Seiji, do you?
How is it?
It' s very good.
When Seiji f inished his f irst violin, we had ramen noodles.
Jumbo size.
Thank you.
Now, where was I?
You f ound the Bar on in a cof f ee-shop...
Yes, in Germany...
I was a student. He looked so melancholic...
I asked the owner to sell him to me.
But he wouldn' t.
The Bar on had a lover, and he wouldn' t separate them.
He was waiting f or her to come back from being repaired...
...at the doll-maker' s shop.
Just like in my story!
Yes... quite the coincidence!
I had to come home, so I' d just about given up.
Then a lady friend of mine...
...said when the other doll came back she would take it...
...and bring the two dolls together.
So the owner gave in.
So I ended up leaving Germany with just the Baron.
I pr omised her I' d come back, and asked her to keep the other doll.
The day the dolls met again...
...would be the day we did.
But then the war started, and I couldn' t keep my promise.
When I was f inally able to go back, I looked all over f or her.
But ther e was no tr ace of her, or the Baron' s lover.
She must have been very important to you...
Your story brought the Baron out of my memory and back to lif e.
Oh. yes...
Hold out your hand.
But...
That stone suits you perf ectly. I' II give it to you.
Now. finish up your story.
Yes.
Thank you!
Goodbye!
I' m home.
Hi.
Where' s Oad?
In the bath. Wher e have you been till this hour?
I' m sorry I worried you. Today I r eturn to studying f or my entrance exams.
So your trials ar e over?
For now.
Oid you eat? There' s curry...
I' m f ine!
'For now' ...
Shizuku, the bath' s open.
Ah, a soldier at ease.
No!
Wait ther e!
It' s a miracle! You' r e her e!
We' re not dr eaming?
I got an earlier plane. Hop on.
Wait...you' II be cold.
Climb on.
I' II get a coat.
No time! Get on.
Hang on tight.
I was out ther e calling you in my head.
'Shizuku!'
And then you appeared!
What a team!
Me, too... it' s like I' m still dr eaming!
How was Cr emona?
A lot diff er ent than I thought. But I' m going to do it.
It' s getting light!
Shall I get of f?
It' s OK.
I made up my mind I was going to ride you up this hill!
That' s not f air!
I' m no man' s bur den!
I want to be of use!
OK! Push!
Almost ther e!
Shizuku! Jump on!
We made it!
- I' II hold the coat. - It' s OK.
Here...
Wow! In the mist it looks just like the sea!
This is my secr et place. It' s almost time.
I wanted you to see this.
Grandpa told me everything.
I didn' t do anything to help... I was just thinking of myself.
No...you were the reason I did it.
I' m glad I pushed myself. I understand myself better now.
I' m going to study har d and go on to high school.
Listen, Shizuku...
... I can' t say how soon it' II be, but...
...would you marry me?
I' m going to be a violin maker... and then...
You mean it?
That' s exactly what I wanted.
Yeah? Gr eat!
Wait...it' s cold...
Shizuku...I love you!
VOICES
Shizuku HONNA Yoko Seiji TAKAHASHI Issei
Shizuku's f ather TACHIBANA Takashi Shizuku's mother MUROI Shigeru
Baron TSUYUGUCHI Shigeru
"World Emporium" Pr oprietor KOBA Y ASHI Keiju
Chief Executive Producer TOKUMA Yasuyoshi
Executive Producers UJIIE Seiichiro & SHOJI Takashi
Based on the Comic by HIIRAGI Aoi (Published by Shueisha)
Scr eenplay & Storyboar d by MIY AZAKI Hayao
Producer SUZUKI Toshio
Original Music by NOMI Yuji
Theme Song "Take Me Home, Country Roads"
Original L yrics and Music by Bill DANOFF, Taf fy NIVERT
and John DENVER
English Translation by lan MACDOUGALL
English subtitles by Aura & Nippon Cine Arts
Pr oduced by Tokuma Shoten
Nippon Television Network
Hakuhodo
and Studio Ghibli
General Producer MIY AZAKI Hayao
Dir ected by KONDO Yoshifumi