Whisper of the Heart: A Young Writer's Heroine's Journey
The illusion of the perfect world: Living in a small Tokyo apartment with her parents, 14-year-old Shizuku Tsukishima spends her summer break ignoring high school entrance exams and burying herself in books... even when she should be sleeping. She spends much of her time engaging in side quests and feels lost in her future. She eventually befriends a classmate (who she realized checked out a lot of the same books as her) named Seiji Amasawa. Betrayal/disillusionment: Shizuku learns that Seiji (who by now is more of a love interest than a friend) is leaving for Italy to pursue his dream as a violin maker. She feels aimless compared to his clear passion and sense of purpose. Overall, she realizes she has no direction. The awakening: Shizuku turns her depression surrounding Seiji’s departure and drivenness into a challenge as she promises herself she will write a novel within the two months he is in Italy. This marks a shift within her to become her more authentic self, produ...