Lovely anime song

Songs from Whisper of the Heart: theme song and insert songs

Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICSasashina
Deputy Editor of the web media RAG MUSIC. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. In my student days, I studied broadly at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, covering sound, lighting, and video technology, and acquired skills from comprehensive stage production to the fundamentals of creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, and have consistently built my career on the production side, taking on diverse tasks centered around music. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting in my own way, as well as insights and discoveries from interacting with my kids every day. I hope I can be of help to you, even just a little!

This time, we’re featuring the theme song and insert songs from the Studio Ghibli film “Whisper of the Heart.” When you think of “Whisper of the Heart,” it has to be “Country Road,” right? That melody that makes you want to hum it without thinking.

For those who’ve seen the film, it’s an especially memorable song.

The bittersweet relationship between the protagonists, Shizuku and Seiji Amasawa.

Just writing this introduction makes me want to watch it again.

If you listen to the songs collected in this article, I’m sure you’ll feel the same.

Songs from Whisper of the Heart. Theme and insert songs (11–20)

star-studded night skyYuji Nomi

Star-Filled Night Sky / Yuji Nomi: Piano (Solo) / Beginner

Yuji Nomi under a star-filled night sky

This piece, titled “Starry Night,” has a beautifully husky music-box tone.

It’s an ensemble layered with various kinds of flutes, conveying the sparkle and beauty of the stars.

Among the film’s soundtrack songs, which feature many acoustic instruments—especially strings—this is a standout classic with a soaring, beautiful flute-focused arrangement.

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Swaying on the trainYuji Nomi

Swaying on the Train (from 'Whisper of the Heart')

Swaying on the train, Yuji Nomi

As for the music in the scene where Shizuku rides the train, it has a very mysterious and otherworldly feel.

Perhaps it’s because a cat is sitting next to her, but it seems a bit different from the kind of down-to-earth music you’d hear in everyday life.

I imagine this is a memorable scene for you as well, but do take a moment to listen closely to the music that colors the scene.

You might discover something new.

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CanonYuji Nomi

Canon (from 'Whisper of the Heart')

Yuji Nomi

Isn’t this a piece that feels very familiar to many of us? Its beautiful melody is so soothing, and this is the in-film version of “Canon,” a work beloved across generations and borders.

In this film it is performed on the recorder, making for a classic arrangement that conveys the warmth of wood—perfectly suited to a movie featuring acoustic music and handmade instruments.

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convenience storeYuji Nomi

Convenience Store (from “Whisper of the Heart”)

Yuji Nomi, Convenience Store

This is the piece used in the very beginning of the story, in the scene where Shizuku goes out at night to buy milk.

Since its 1995 release under the title “Convenience Store,” it has depicted convenience stores in a way that feels familiar to everyday life.

The arrangement clearly conveys the nighttime atmosphere, and while it proceeds calmly, its dramatic development makes it a very satisfying track.

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Angel's Room (Engels Zimmer)Yuji Nomi

Whisper of the Heart: Engels Zimmer, The Angel’s Room

Engels Zimmer (Angel’s Room) by Yuji Nomi

This is a piece called “Engels Zimmer (Angel’s Room).” “Engels Zimmer” is a term that appeared in the story when Seiji Amasawa was explaining about the Baron, a cat figurine.

It is said to refer to the state in which the small cuts made by the dollmaker during production with needles and the like reflect cleanly and emit a beautiful light.

This track beautifully expresses the sparkle of light through the timbre of a music box.

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The End of SummerYuji Nomi

From “Whisper of the Heart” — The End of Summer

Yuji Nomi at Summer’s End

When you hear “The End of Summer,” it feels a bit lonely—a title full of emotion.

This piece features an orchestral arrangement with striking string instruments like the wood bass and violin, expressing the late-summer atmosphere of that town from Whisper of the Heart and of the world.

Listening to this track and recalling the title makes you want to watch the movie again and go see everyone—a truly lovely song.

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Songs from Whisper of the Heart. Theme and insert songs (21–30)

Mysterious Cat MoonYuji Nomi

Mysterious Cat Moon (from “Whisper of the Heart”)

Mysterious Cat Moon by Yuji Nomi

Moon, the slightly chubby, sharp-eyed cat kept at Earth Shop, is also one of the most beloved among Studio Ghibli’s many feline characters.

His theme song is equally cute and cheekily charming.

Centered around low-register instruments, the piece seems to capture his hefty frame.

It’s a delightful track with a lumbering arrangement that perfectly suits him.

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