Despite being one of the lesser known films to be released by Studio Ghibli, Yoshifumi Kondo’s Whisper of the Heart is a touching story of love, aspiration and inspiration, and is certainly a film that more than justifies wider attention.

The film follows a young girl called Suzuku, a brilliant student and an avid bookworm, who meets Seiji, a boy whose irritable charm intrigues her. When the two grow closer, Seiji leaves to follow his dream of building violins in…