Also ‘If You Listen Carefully’ in Japanese. It is a 1995 Japanese animated, romantic drama film. Directed by Yoshifumi Kondo. Written by Hayao Miyazaki. It is based onthe 1989 mangaof the same name by Aoi Hiiragi.
The film stars Yoko Honna, Issei Takahashi, with others.
It was Kondo’s only film as director before his death in 1998.Studio Ghibli had hoped that Kondo would become the successor to Miyazaki & Isao Takahata.
After watching the spin off , ‘The Cat Returns’ I was very curious about this film. This is better than the spin off, I feel. The minor character like ‘Baron’ & Muta are main in the spin off.
The teenager writing a fantasy novel & experiencing the growing pangs are the main highlights of the film.
“Take Me Home, Country Roads’ was composed by Yuji Nomi. In the film, Shizuku translates John Denver’s song ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ to Japanese for her school’s chorus club. The humorous Japanese ‘Concrete Road’ about her hometown in western Tokyo. The song was also performed by Shizuku’ s voice actress Yoko Honna.
It was the highest grossing Japanese film on the domestic market in 1995. Michael Toole gave it an overall grade of A-. calling it ‘beautiful & evocative, a fine tale of adolescent yearning & aspiration’.
Screenwriter Hayao Miyazaki defended the film’s ending, saying that it was his idea. Miyazaki wanted Shizuku & Seiji to ‘commit to something’.
In Jan. 2020, Sony Pictures announced a live action film sequel. It stars Nana Seino as Shizuku & Tori Matsuzaka as Seiji. It was released on Oct. 14, 2022.
A beautiful film.
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