– Do you know what I want to be?
– What?
I half-expect the answer to be “A Pokemon Master” (it’s this kind of period for her).
– I want to make books.
– To be a writer?
– Yes.
The context of the movie we are watching is obvious – Shizuku Fukushima, the main character wants to be a writer. Then, my daughter asks if I want to be a writer. I don’t want to dismiss it, so I really think about it.
– Yes.
Then, I think some more.
– Actually, I am already a writer. You see, I write all the time.
After all, my work requires me to write. But if I think more, this is not what she is asking. Would I like to tell stories? I think the answer would still be yes. Or maybe, because a picture is worth a thousand words, I would rather be a photographer? Oh, wait, actually, I am already one. You see, I take pictures all the time…
Not to take anything away from the “Pokemons” (lots of exiting career choices there), but “Whisper of the Heart” is a truly special film. It doesn’t stop surprising me. I might be biased, because this is one of the few movies that I pay close attention to as I watch it. I know that it is my daughter’s favourite, and I want to know what she see in it. There are so many fascinating details that I notice one-by-one each time I am watching the movie. For example, I am wondering, what is the significance of airships to Hayao Miyazaki? There is a blimp flying past Shizuku’s apartment at the beginning of “Whisper of the Heart”, and an airship plays a major role in “Kiki’s Delivery Service” – another favourite of ours.
