Story
The main plot is quite simple but its plain beauty makes it endearing rather than dull. The pacing is very relaxed, fitting with the general nostalgic atmosphere of the story. Of course there're a few flaws, such as a few very cheesy scenes (ie ending) and a side plot which feels somewhat out of place and is almost separate from the main storyline (the couple at Shizuku's school).
Art
The backgrounds are excellent. Not only are they detailed, but also have a certain artsy charm that makes them stand out among the sea of look-alike anime depictions of urban landscapes. The only thing that could be improved about these are the colours, as they feel a bit faded. The characters, however, in classic Ghibli traditions are mediocre at best - overly round faces, unnatural movements, ever-open mouths, colourless eyes - definitely the lowest point of this review.
Sound
The sound in this movie (both voices and background audio) is strikingly great. I was very surprised to find a 15 year old movie with such quality audio - it has probably the best channel distribution I've yet to hear, so that even with my badly arranged (all on one desk) 5.1 system it sounded as if I was sitting right next to the characters. The theme song Country Roads fits very well with the rest of the movie and completes the atmosphere without being in-your-face.
Characters
Both main characters are extremely generic - to me they felt identical to the ones in Laputa and the heroine of The Cat Returns, and very similar to the rest of Ghibli's movies. Nonetheless, they're likeable and go through enough character growth during the movie to be more than skin deep. There's also the fact that they seem to act a bit too childishly for their age.
Enjoyment
This is the best thing about this film. Its depiction of an innocent childhood and puppy love is very realistic and brings on a sweet sense of nostalgia. My own childhood was much closer to what's depicted here than any other anime I've seen (or any live action movie, for that matter), so it strikes close to heart with me. The little slice-of-life details are a nice touch, though that does keep the main story in the background for most of the movie's length.
Overall, despite the few flaws it has, Whisper of the Heart is a classic that I would recommend for anyone who can appreciate a nostalgic laid-back love story and doesn't mind the occasional bit of naivete and cheesiness.
Finally, even though the average of the 4 separate scores is closer to an 8 than a 9, I do think that in this particular case the total is much more than the sum of its parts so it does deserve a 9 overall score.
