April 05, 2006

Whisper of the Heart

Of all the Studio Ghibli productions, my sentimental favorite is Yoshifumi Kondo's Mimi o Sumaseba ("If you listen closely"), written and produced by Hayao Miyazaki (note the Kiki doll hanging over Shizuku's desk), based on the delightful manga by Aoi Hiiragi.

Shizuku, the teenager at the center of this coming-of-age story, lives an ordinary life with her danchi-dwelling middle-class family. Miyazaki's adaptation shifts the family down a socioeconomic rung from the manga. But this affectionate and straightforward depiction of lower-middle class Tokyo family life proves one of the pleasant surprises of the film.

You can find communities like this in western Tokyo, where the Kanto plain begins rising into the Japan Alps (the same setting as Initial D). Scenes in the movie bring back memories of the Odawara hills (at the foot of Mt. Fuji), and of bedroom communities on the Nankai line heading southeast out of Osaka toward Mt. Koya.

I lived in a similar danchi (apartment building) in Osaka, though newer and a bit more upscale. But the depiction is spot on, down to the futons airing out on the balcony railing.

Another thing that sets Mimi o Sumaseba apart for me is its depiction of the creative process. It's rare that a movie can talk about any aspect of literature, especially writing, without falling into glib stereotypes about "being an artist."

Miyazaki and Kondo find the right balance by analogizing physical craftsmanship (making musical instruments) with the harnessing of thought through the written word. In either case, artistry is ultimately the product of hard work and sacrifice, and not simply the unconstrained currents of the unfettered imagination.

All of Hiiragi's core themes, characters, and settings--especially the Earth Shop and Sir Cat--are faithfully preserved. In any case, this is not a case of the book being "better" than the movie, or visa-verse, but each standing well on its own and complementing the other.

The dub is well done, with voices by Harold Gould, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Jean Smart, and Cary Elwes putting in a cameo as the Count (the featured role in The Cat Returns, a companion film to Whisper of the Heart). Oh, and John Denver's "Country Roads" (vocal by Olivia Newton John) is in the original, too.

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Comments
# posted by Blogger Birdie
2/22/2024 8:49 PM   
Hello there! I hope your morning/day/night is going well! I recently read a translation of the Whisper of the Heart manga that cited Eugene Woodbury as the translator for the single volume work. Having looked around, I saw your mentions of your work. I know this is out of the blue, but I am working on a video essay regarding Whisper of the Heart, and was wondering if I could interview you for my project? I'd really like to pick your brain on early localization, responses to the translation you did, and just some general questions about your work and Whisper of the Heart. I will absolutely credit you, and link any pages you'd like once the video is live.

I'm happy to exchange emails if you are willing or able to. Regardless, I hope you have a good day!
# posted by Blogger Eugene
2/25/2024 7:58 AM   
Two decades ago or so, I translated the manga mostly as a way to study Japanese. On a whim, I posted the text online. A scanlation group called Shoujo Magic asked if they could use it. That was the extent of my involvement.

I honestly have no idea how it was received or what people thought of it. At this point, I can offer no additional insights about the manga or anime other than what is written here.

I have discussed more recent translation projects with my sister Kate. You can find them on her blog under the Interview with a Translator label. We've done quite a few over the years so click the Older Posts link to see the rest.
# posted by Blogger Birdie
3/09/2024 9:36 AM   
Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly. I apologize my turnaround wasn't as quick. I appreciate your insight into the translation and will look further into the articles on Kate's blog, a few I had read prior to commenting were super interesting. Thank you again.

Would it be okay with you if I mention your work in my project?
# posted by Blogger Eugene
3/10/2024 3:35 PM   
Sure. That'd be fine.