Who directed Studio Ghibli’s 1995 film Whisper of the Heart?

Yoshifumi Kondō directed Studio Ghibli’s 1995 film Whisper of the Heart.

Whisper of the Heart was Kondō’s first and only feature-film directing credit. Before directing it, he was a highly respected animator who worked closely with Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata on major Studio Ghibli productions. His animation credits included important work on films such as Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbor Totoro, and Princess Mononoke.

The film follows Shizuku Tsukishima, a middle-school student who discovers that many library books she borrows have already been checked out by Seiji Amasawa. Their developing friendship encourages both characters to take their creative ambitions seriously.

Kondō died in 1998 at age 47, only a few years after Whisper of the Heart was released. Because Miyazaki wrote the screenplay and provided storyboards, some viewers incorrectly identify him as the director. The film’s later spin-off, The Cat Returns, was directed by Hiroyuki Morita instead.