Learn Japanese with Whisper of the Heart

Anime by Japanese level › N4 to N3

How hard is the Japanese in Whisper of the Heart?

Ikkimi rates Whisper of the Heart at N4 to N3 (everyday talk). What sets its level: a film, family and school talk. Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 16 are easier and 148 are harder.

Levels follow the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). They are Ikkimi’s estimate of how hard a show’s Japanese is to follow, from how fast people talk, how many unusual words there are and how clear the voices are. They are not official JLPT ratings.

Format, episodes, year and genres are from AniList’s entry.

The words in the title

The Japanese title, 耳をすませば, is a first lesson in itself. Its 2 words, as a dictionary lists them:

How to learn Japanese with Whisper of the Heart

Ikkimi lists Whisper of the Heart on Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. Ikkimi does not stream anything: you watch on your own account, in Chrome on a computer, and Ikkimi adds a Japanese line you can click on top of the player.

On Netflix

On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles in the player, where your country’s Netflix has them for this title, and Ikkimi makes the line clickable. If there are none, open the Ikkimi popup, choose Find Japanese subtitles, and search Jimaku’s catalogue or load a file from your computer.

1. Add Ikkimi to Chrome

   Get the extension from the Chrome Web Store and sign in.

2. Play the film

   Open Whisper of the Heart on Netflix. The Japanese line appears on top of the video.

3. Click the words you keep hearing

   The video pauses and the word opens: kana, romaji, meaning, JLPT level and a recording by a native speaker where one exists (never a computer voice; otherwise the line from the show plays again). Keep three to five words an episode, the ones that come up again.

4. Review them later

   Kept words come back as flashcards on the Ikkimi website, with the scene and the line they came from, just before you would forget them.

The film runs about 1 h 51, so you can split it over a few evenings and rewatch the scenes you liked.

Easier and harder shows

Shows within a level of Whisper of the Heart, with the most genres in common first.

Easier

• N4Kiki’s Delivery Service魔女の宅急便a film, 1 h 43Netflix
• N5 to N4My Neighbor Totoroとなりのトトロa film, 1 h 26, children talkingNetflix
• N5 to N4Teasing Master Takagi-sanからかい上手の高木さんtwo speakers, short linesNetflixCrunchyroll

Also N4 to N3

• N4 to N3Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You君に届けschool romance, a polite leadNetflixCrunchyroll
• N4 to N3Tsuki ga Kirei月がきれいquiet school romance, text messages on screenCrunchyroll
• N4 to N3Fruits Basketフルーツバスケットa polite lead, family talkCrunchyroll

Harder

• N3A Silent Voice聲の形a film, school talkNetflix
• N3Your Lie in April四月は君の嘘school talk, music words, poetic monologuesCrunchyrollNetflix
• N3Toradora!とらドラ！school romance, quick argumentsCrunchyrollNetflix

See every N4 to N3 anime or all 192 anime by Japanese level, and read how to learn Japanese by watching anime from zero.

Questions

Is Whisper of the Heart good for learning Japanese?

Yes, as an early show. Ikkimi rates it N4 to N3 (everyday talk). What sets its level: a film, family and school talk. It is a step up from the very easiest shows, and a good second or third show.

What Japanese level is Whisper of the Heart?

N4 to N3, on Ikkimi’s scale from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 16 are easier and 148 are harder. The level is Ikkimi’s estimate, not an official JLPT rating.

Where can I watch Whisper of the Heart with Japanese subtitles?

Ikkimi lists Whisper of the Heart on Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles in the player where they are offered, and Ikkimi makes every word clickable.

What does the title 耳をすませば mean, word by word?

耳 (mimi) means “ear”; 澄ます (sumasu) means “to strain (one's ears); to listen carefully”. Words the title writes in another form are shown here as a dictionary lists them.

How long is Whisper of the Heart?

AniList lists Whisper of the Heart as a film of about 1 h 51, released in 1995.

What should I watch before Whisper of the Heart?

Shows a little easier than Whisper of the Heart, with genres in common: Kiki’s Delivery Service (N4), My Neighbor Totoro (N5 to N4) and Teasing Master Takagi-san (N5 to N4).

Sources: show details from AniList; meanings from JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0); readings and word splits from kuromoji.js with IPADIC; JLPT word levels from Jonathan Waller’s unofficial lists. See Credits. Spotted a mistake? Tell us at hello@ikkimi.app.