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Movies that feel like Whisper of the Heart (1995)

If you loved Whisper of the Heart, the closest films we have are The Red Turtle (2016), The Lion King (1994) and A Christmas Carol (2009). All three share Whisper of the Heart's whimsical and contemplative feel, which is what we rank on before quality. 11 of the 12 picks below are included with a subscription right now on Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads and others, checked against today's data.

Shizuku lives a simple life, dominated by her love for stories and writing. One day she notices that all the library books she has have been previously checked out by the same person: "Seiji Amasawa."

πŸ… 95% Rotten Tomatoesβ˜… 7.8 IMDb β†—TMDB β†—dir. Yoshifumi Kondowhimsicalcontemplativewarmcozydreamlikewistful
Stream it:HBO Max β†—

When is Whisper of the Heart streaming? β†’

If Whisper of the Heart hit the spot, these will too

The Red Turtle poster
The Red Turtle
2016 Β· dir. Michael Dudok de Wit
πŸ… 93%β˜… 7.5animation Β· drama Β· fantasy

The same mix in both: whimsy, then stillness

The difference: Plays it as fantasy more than Whisper of the Heart does

The dialogue-less film follows the major life stages of a castaway on a deserted tropical island populated by turtles, crabs and birds.

Feels alike?
The Lion King poster
The Lion King
1994 Β· dir. Roger Allers
πŸ… 92%β˜… 8.5animation Β· family Β· drama

Warm and cozy in the same breath

The difference: Missing the dream logic of Whisper of the Heart

Young lion prince Simba, eager to one day become king of the Pride Lands, grows up under the watchful eye of his father Mufasa; all the while his villainous uncle Scar conspires to take the throne for himself. Amid betrayal and tragedy, Simba must confront his past and find his rightful place in the Circle of Life.

Feels alike?
A Christmas Carol poster
A Christmas Carol
2009 Β· dir. Robert Zemeckis
πŸ… 52%β˜… 6.8animation Β· drama Β· family

Dreamlike animation, and it commits to that

The difference: Critics were much harder on this one

Miser Ebenezer Scrooge is awakened on Christmas Eve by spirits who reveal to him his own miserable existence, what opportunities he wasted in his youth, his current cruelties, and the dire fate that awaits him if he does not change his ways. Scrooge is faced with his own story of growing bitterness and meanness, and must decide what his own future will hold: death or redemption.

Feels alike?
Kiki's Delivery Service poster
Kiki's Delivery Service
1989 Β· dir. Hayao Miyazaki
β˜… 7.8animation Β· family Β· fantasy

The same preoccupation in both: cartoon cat

The difference: None of the stillness that defines Whisper of the Heart

A young witch, on her mandatory year of independent life, finds fitting into a new community difficult while she supports herself by running an air courier service.

Feels alike?
The Little Mermaid poster
The Little Mermaid
1989 Β· dir. John Musker
πŸ… 92%β˜… 7.6animation Β· family Β· fantasy

Family built on wistfulness, twice over

This colorful adventure tells the story of an impetuous mermaid princess named Ariel who falls in love with the very human Prince Eric and puts everything on the line for the chance to be with him. Memorable songs and characters -- including the villainous sea witch Ursula.

Feels alike?
The Prince of Egypt poster
The Prince of Egypt
1998 Β· dir. Simon Wells
πŸ… 79%β˜… 7.2adventure Β· animation Β· drama

Both keep circling back to nostalgic

The strong bond between two Royal Egyptian brothers is challenged when their chosen responsibilities set them at odds, with extraordinary consequences.

Feels alike?
The Secret World of Arrietty poster
The Secret World of Arrietty
2010 Β· dir. Hiromasa Yonebayashi
πŸ… 94%β˜… 7.6fantasy Β· animation Β· family

Nostalgic sits at the heart of each

14-year-old Arrietty and the rest of the Clock family live in peaceful anonymity as they make their own home from items "borrowed" from the house's human inhabitants. However, life changes for the Clocks when a human boy discovers Arrietty.

Feels alike?
The Hunchback of Notre Dame poster
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1996 Β· dir. Gary Trousdale
πŸ… 80%β˜… 7drama Β· animation Β· family

Whimsical drama in both cases

Isolated bell-ringer Quasimodo wishes to leave Notre Dame tower against the wishes of Judge Claude Frollo, his stern guardian and Paris' strait-laced Minister of Justice. His first venture to the outside world finds him Esmeralda, a kind-hearted and fearless Romani woman who openly stands up to Frollo's tyranny.

Feels alike?
Bambi poster
Bambi
1942 Β· dir. David Hand
πŸ… 91%β˜… 7.3animation Β· drama Β· family

Animation with a pulse of stillness, in both cases

The difference: A 1940s film, from a different era of filmmaking

Bambi's tale unfolds from season to season as the young prince of the forest learns about life, love, and friends.

Feels alike?
The Cat Returns poster
The Cat Returns
2002 Β· dir. Hiroyuki Morita
πŸ… 88%β˜… 7.1adventure Β· fantasy Β· animation

Based on manga is the engine of both

Young Haru rescues a cat from being run over, but soon learns it's no ordinary feline; it happens to be the Prince of the Cats.

Feels alike?
Long Way North poster
Long Way North
2015 Β· dir. RΓ©mi ChayΓ©
πŸ… 98%β˜… 7.2adventure Β· animation Β· drama

Both trade on warmth more than on being drama

In 1892 Saint Petersburg, when her explorer grandfather's failure to return from his latest expedition brings dishonour to her aristocratic family, a resilient teenager runs away to follow in his trail in search of his famed ship.

Feels alike?
When Marnie Was There poster
When Marnie Was There
2014 Β· dir. Hiromasa Yonebayashi
πŸ… 92%β˜… 7.6animation Β· drama Β· family

Family built on comfort, twice over

Upon being sent to live with relatives in the countryside due to an illness, an emotionally distant adolescent girl becomes obsessed with an abandoned mansion and infatuated with a girl who lives there - a girl who may or may not be real.

Feels alike?

In the mood for more whimsical?

all whimsical movies β†’

The best-reviewed films that share Whisper of the Heart's defining feeling.