Whisper of the Heart: young love can be tricky to portray, but this magical KONDOO Yoshifumi’s animated film makes it look easy. Is there a cuter reason to fall in love with someone unknown than realizing both read the same books out of a library? That’s what the protagonist, a high-schooler and budding writer, does, and she is as adorable as that notion makes her seem; vivacious, serious, responsible, sweet, she is another great Ghibli heroine; wonderfully voiced by HONNA Yooko, who has great chemistry with TAKAHASHI Issei (who plays the boy, also a sweet, original, and responsible kid). The animation is wonderful and colourful, with a great recreation of Tokyo. The use of music, particularly “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, which has a relevant plot presence, is quite solid.

Read what I wrote before: Whisper of the Heart