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I have been eyeing this series for a while but always put it towards the bottom of my to-watch list due to its obscurity. Now that I finally managed to watch it, I have to say I'm very surprised this series hasn't had more recognition.

The series is a collection of several virtually unrelated short stories each spanning 1-2 episodes and a final episode tying them all together (sort of). It may seem a bit off-putting to some, but I found that this partitioning was a great decision on the part of the team and managed to keep the whole series lively. I can confidently say ... that there isn't even one scene that feels dragged on, which is a fact that many longer series could learn a lot from.

Story

If you're looking for original plot, prepare to be disappointed. All of the stories in this series follow classic romance/drama plots - there's a young girl fleeing from arranged marriage, a hard-working girl taking care of her drunkard father, a stalker story - in short, it's the same plots used in tens if not hundreds of romance stories for centuries. However, you shouldn't judge the book by its cover, as each of these stories is not only very well polished, but also has a little unique twist somewhere that sets it apart from the sea of mediocre romantic fiction. Of particular interest are the endings; I'm yet to see a series with ending as well-fitting as Kita e's. They're neither universally sad nor universally happy, but every one of them felt just right - as if it was meant to be and the story couldn't have possibly ended any other way. The only reason this is not a 10 is that some of the stories have a little bit more drama than romance, which is not necessarily bad, but not what I personally prefer.

Art

The animation is certainly good, and the colours in particular strongly enhance the serene atmosphere. However, there're two problems: first is the character proportions being a bit unnatural for adults which the characters are supposed to be. The second is that the details quality seems to jump wildly every once in a while. Some scenes feel very awkward - as if the artist had a great vision and selected the best colours for the job but ended up not being able to put them into shape so the whole scene is flooded with distorted lines, strange camera angles, blurry borders and clashing surfaces that no longer feel three-dimensional. Thankfully, that happens only a few times and the rest of the show is drawn very beautifully.

Sound

The voices are cute and background audio is good on the whole, but there're a few points where the silence lasts longer than it probably should, and in the last episode the tinkling of diamond dust that's supposed to be so very special didn't sound much better than nails on a chalkboard to me, but it's probably just my own prejudices. The opening song is simple and lively but feels a bit out of place, since the rest of the show is somewhat mellow and nostalgic. The ending, with its slow, flowing vocals and gentle music, on the other hand, complements the atmosphere perfectly.

Characters

Most of the main characters are very likeable and the few that aren't at least have very distinct and memorable personalities - there're almost none of the usual cardboard filler extras anywhere in this anime. Despite the brevity of each story, the writers managed to fit quite a bit of character growth into them, which probably has a lot to do with the fact that they were using tried and true plots rather than inventing their own problems and solutions to fit the characters.

Enjoyment

The show is as enjoyable as they come. Its gentle, nostalgic atmosphere puts the viewer at ease, while the excellent pacing keeps it from getting boring. Being divided into short stories also makes casual watching much easier since you don't have to keep track of a hundred intertwining plots.

On the whole, Kita e is a very solid show that puts together the best parts of romance anime and polishes them to perfection. Highly recommended.

An interesting movie, but so filled with frustrating moments that for me personally the viewing experience wasn't particularly enjoyable. On the whole, it's similar to the Korean movie My Sassy Girl, minus the humour and well done ending of the latter.

Story

I have to admit the plot is quite unique for an anime. I was yet to see a love story start with the girl asking the guy to lend her money out of the blue. The fact that pretty much everything that matters happens under the surface is also a nice touch, but it leaves the viewer to reach a lot of his own conclusions, ... some of which I feel should've been enforced by the script writer.

Art

Generic 80s-90s anime style; blurry details, very similar-looking characters, colourless eyes, etc. Not at all impressive.

Sound

The background audio is fine, though not strikingly good. The voices are not very good, as they feel a bit artificial and there's plenty of clipping (eg whenever a female shouts, which is quite a few times). The ED song is very nice but I couldn't appreciate its soft melancholic atmosphere since the rest of the movie was filled with frustration.

Characters

Well, they are certainly memorable, but I can't even count the number of times I was frustrated by each of the three main characters. That doormat of a male lead could drive the most patient of people starking mad with his inaction and self pity. The heroine isn't much better - I suppose she was meant to be a tsunderekko, but while the tsun side is apparent throughout the movie the dere one seems to have been left as an exercise for the reader (or watcher as may be the case here).

Enjoyment

The somewhat unusual plot and lively progression could've warranted a quality hour of entertainment, but I felt that the characters' actions buried the few good parts deep beneath the sea of frustration, rendering the film little more than a test in patience.

I'm not a great fan of Studio Ghibli's films, but this one is definitely worth seeing.

Story

The main plot is quite simple but its plain beauty makes it endearing rather than dull. The pacing is very relaxed, fitting with the general nostalgic atmosphere of the story. Of course there're a few flaws, such as a few very cheesy scenes (ie ending) and a side plot which feels somewhat out of place and is almost separate from the main storyline (the couple at Shizuku's school).

Art

The backgrounds are excellent. Not only are they detailed, but also have a certain artsy charm that makes them stand out among the ... sea of look-alike anime depictions of urban landscapes. The only thing that could be improved about these are the colours, as they feel a bit faded. The characters, however, in classic Ghibli traditions are mediocre at best - overly round faces, unnatural movements, ever-open mouths, colourless eyes - definitely the lowest point of this review.

Sound

The sound in this movie (both voices and background audio) is strikingly great. I was very surprised to find a 15 year old movie with such quality audio - it has probably the best channel distribution I've yet to hear, so that even with my badly arranged (all on one desk) 5.1 system it sounded as if I was sitting right next to the characters. The theme song Country Roads fits very well with the rest of the movie and completes the atmosphere without being in-your-face.

Characters

Both main characters are extremely generic - to me they felt identical to the ones in Laputa and the heroine of The Cat Returns, and very similar to the rest of Ghibli's movies. Nonetheless, they're likeable and go through enough character growth during the movie to be more than skin deep. There's also the fact that they seem to act a bit too childishly for their age.

Enjoyment

This is the best thing about this film. Its depiction of an innocent childhood and puppy love is very realistic and brings on a sweet sense of nostalgia. My own childhood was much closer to what's depicted here than any other anime I've seen (or any live action movie, for that matter), so it strikes close to heart with me. The little slice-of-life details are a nice touch, though that does keep the main story in the background for most of the movie's length.

Overall, despite the few flaws it has, Whisper of the Heart is a classic that I would recommend for anyone who can appreciate a nostalgic laid-back love story and doesn't mind the occasional bit of naivete and cheesiness.

Finally, even though the average of the 4 separate scores is closer to an 8 than a 9, I do think that in this particular case the total is much more than the sum of its parts so it does deserve a 9 overall score.

This anime is definitely a gem, but like any gem in the rough, it's not without its flaws. A lot of them, unfortunately.

Story

The story is quite interesting, and fairly original. The quality of its presentation varies throughout the series, however - foreshadowing, for example, is plentiful and very well intertwined into the story, so that little details that you might notice but not think much of turn out to be intricate plot points later on. On the other hand, there're the cheesy "OMG! The sky is falling!" bits usually associated with fantasy series surfacing all around the second half of the series which definitely ... hurts the suspense of disbelief. Another flaw is the climax being stretched into the last 3 episodes which could've easily fit in a single one.

Art

Not bad, but nothing to write home about. It's detailed and fairly pretty, but the sudden switches from ultra-contrasting (butterfly clouds, Hikari's hair and dreams) to ultra-pale colours (most secondary characters, slice of life sections) that happen every few minutes are annoying. The deformed butterfly logo is a definite plus though - very memorable.

Sound

The opening/ending songs are quite generic, but the last episode's ED is nice if only for the fact that it's meaningful in the context, which is a rare occurrence in anime. Background audio is hardly noticeable, but it completes the atmosphere well enough so that's good.

Characters

I'm a bit torn on this point. On one hand, the four main characters are very likeable and by the end I definitely cared about their fate. On the other, however, apart from Akari, all of the characters bring on a sense of deja vu; a reckless protagonist with a funky hairstyle, a troubled past and superpowers - check; a jealous childhood friend - check; a calm and popular big brother - check; a busty foreign drunkard who is actually wise and "cool" - check as well, and those 4 is just the icing.

Enjoyment / Overall

I've enjoyed the series, personally, but it felt like I had to go through all the silly action segments, plain stupid fan service, boring showcases of jealousy and unfunny jokes to get to the few excellent romantic scenes here and there. On the whole it was worth it, but it could've been much better if they didn't try to put in a little of every genre and concentrated on getting just one or two right.