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Whisper Of The Heart

Yoshifumi Kondo

The animation in this deceptively simple girl-meets-boy high school love story teems with the little mundane details of ordinary lives — from the clutter in a small apartment, to rush hour traffic, to apparently insignificant sightings like a stray cat teasing a dog. The confessions of love in a sun-dappled courtyard, and the conversation on the windy school terrace between the main characters all capture the mood of young love through beautiful drawings. Another highlight is a delightful violin version of the song ‘Country Roads’. In short, a visually enchanting coming-of-age movie, the depth of its maturity belies the simplistic treatment of the theme.