Whisper of the Heart: A Story of Promises by Seiji Amasawa and Shizuku Tsukishima

Last time, I considered “Whisper of the Heart” as “The Story of Sugimura.”

I deliberately focused on characters other than the protagonists, but I feel it would be an “escape” not to properly consider the main characters, so I want to think carefully about Seiji Amasawa and Shizuku Tsukishima.

Looking back, my impression of the two has changed clearly with age. When I was a student, seeing Shizuku start writing a novel before her high school entrance exams, I used to think, “This girl is trouble. Run, Seiji!” But now, my impression is completely different.

The important thing, I believe, is that both Seiji and Shizuku “made a promise with their parents.”

*This article is an English translation of the original Japanese article, “【耳をすませば】天沢聖司と月島雫が紡ぐ約束の物語“

The Promises Seiji and Shizuku Made in “Whisper of the Heart.”

Seiji, Who Fought Properly with His Parents and Made a Promise

The character of “Seiji Amasawa” is depicted as a “perfect being” in a sense. Seiji has his own dream, confronts his parents, and wins the chance to study abroad. Perhaps not many people in our country can truly relate to “Seiji Amasawa.” I might only think so because I wasn’t like “Seiji Amasawa” back then, but Seiji’s way of life is incredibly cool. Although he had help from the old man at Chikyuya, he couldn’t have lived that way without a firm resolve within himself.

So, what does “living that way” mean? I think it means he “made a promise with his parents.” In other words, he’s not an ordinary guy who just complains about his un-understanding parents. The old man’s help might have been significant, but he persuaded his parents and made a pact with them.

I sincerely hope Seiji Amasawa succeeds as a violin maker, but even if he doesn’t make it, Seiji will keep his promise, return to Japan, and push forward toward another goal. I believe Seiji has that fundamental strength to live.

Seiji is a character even a man could fall for, but Shizuku Tsukishima, who fell for him, also made a pact with her parents.

Shizuku, Who, Though Not to Seiji’s Extent, Faced Her Parents Properly

When I was a student, Shizuku Tsukishima seemed like a “crazy girl,” but watching it now, I think, “Shizuku also kept her promise to her parents properly.”

All the “adults” in “Whisper of the Heart” are terrifyingly “understanding” people (the prime example being Shizuku’s father). Shizuku is undoubtedly depicted as a “protected being” by these adults. Of course, it is because she is aware of this situation that she feels impatient seeing Seiji Amasawa’s way of life.

At first, Shizuku’s novel writing began as a “secret project,” but as her grades conveniently dropped, her family found out that something strange was going on.

Her father’s subsequent decision might be hard to imagine in a normal situation (at least, I don’t think I could do it). However, it turned out to be a brilliant move, and it’s a great scene that shows how that father, as a man in the minority, has navigated his way in that household.

And Shizuku keeps her promise to her parents and returns to being a “normal student preparing for exams.”

Now, I can’t recall why I once thought Shizuku was a “crazy girl.” She is an extremely respectable protagonist.

What Happens to Them Afterwards?

Now, what makes me squirm when watching “Whisper of the Heart” is the “promise of marriage” depicted at the end.

The sight of Seiji hugging Shizuku with his right leg stretched out is very innocent, but many people probably can’t watch this scene without feeling a bit awkward.

Something along those lines. In any case, having such negative feelings means that person has an “admiration for the two,” and their desire to affirm that scene more than anyone else is manifesting in a contrary way.

Of course, it would be natural for their story to become one where they “shared a special time but walk different paths,” like in “Roman Holiday,” “Breath of Fire,” “La La Land,” or “5 Centimeters per Second.”

However, as I’ve stated in this article, “Whisper of the Heart” is a “story of promises.” Therefore, the two get happily married afterward. Because they “promised” (though they might break up later).

Appendix 1: The Poster That Deceived Japan That Summer

What comes to mind when you think of the poster for “Whisper of the Heart”? Is it the one with Shizuku and Seiji riding a bicycle together? The one that comes to my mind first is the poster using the image below.

Since I didn’t see the movie in theaters when it was released, I had long misunderstood “Whisper of the Heart” because of this poster’s image. I think the trailers broadcast on TV also featured the Baron quite heavily. When I first watched “Whisper of the Heart,” I was surprised at how different it was from my image of it.

How to promote this film, which has even fewer fantasy elements than “Pom Poko,” must have been a significant issue. I don’t have the materials to know whose idea it was. However, I suspect that the promoters intended to completely deceive Japan that summer with this poster.

Perhaps my favorite thing about “Whisper of the Heart” is this poster.

Appendix 2: The Lie the Old Man from Chikyuya Told

The person Shizuku first showed her novel to was, for some reason, the old man from Chikyuya. The scene where the old man and Shizuku eat Nabeyaki Udon together is quite a “nice scene.” However, Toshio Suzuki apparently had a “realization” watching this scene, saying it looked like a “love scene” no matter how you look at it. Of course, he says this was not Director Kondo’s intention, but rather that of Hayao Miyazaki, who drew the storyboards. Well, now that he mentions it, it does feel like a strange scene.

Looking at it from that perspective, I start to wonder if the old story the old man told was true. A dramatic past that conveniently matches the story Shizuku wrote. It seems suspicious. Of course, he might have lived abroad and there might have been a woman he loved, but perhaps it wasn’t the beautiful story the old man told, but ended as a one-sided crush.

In the end, we’ll never know, but it’s undoubtedly a point where one would normally be skeptical and think, “There’s no way such a convenient story exists!”

Well, I don’t think it’s a very good way to watch a movie, though.

The images used in this article are from the “Studio Ghibli Still Images” collection.