The film follows the story of fourteen year old Shizuku. Shizuku is a lover of books, and has made it her goal to read twenty books before vacation's end. She ends up meeting Seiji, a guy who is equally as interested in books as she is... and after their rocky start, the two become close friends. Seiji has a dream to be a world class violin maker, which inspires Shizuku to pursue her own dream of being a writer. Of course, following your own path is difficult, especially when there are other things that should take priority, but Shizuku persevers, promising to write a full novel before Seiji's return from Corona.
Why
Whisper of the Heart is my favourite film. Hands down. Period.
That's not even just saying animation, oh no. It is my favourite film ever This film is inspiring, beautifully drawn, and beautifully narrated; I can't really emphasise how much I love it. I love the relationship between Shizuku and Seiji, especially, but I also just love Shizuku. The film tells you it's okay if you don't know what you want to do with your life, that trying new things from the norm is fine, and that following your own path is key. I just... it's a gorgeous feature. I've recommended it to many, many people, as it's often somewhat underappreciated and unknown in Ghibli's catalogue. Do yourself a favour if you haven't: watch it! Trust me. You won't regret it.