“Whisper of the Heart” (耳をすませば), Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 1995, Studio Ghibli, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) M107A

This is an original Japanese B2 poster printed in 1995 for the first theatrical release of Whisper of the Heart (耳をすませば / Mimi o Sumaseba), the beloved Studio Ghibli coming-of-age film directed by Yoshifumi Kondō, with screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki. Released by Studio Ghibli / Tokuma Shoten / Nippon Television / Hakuhodo, the film remains one of Ghibli’s most quietly moving and emotionally sincere works.

Original Japanese posters for Whisper of the Heart are highly collectible, and this example is especially desirable for its soft, lyrical watercolour-style artwork and understated romantic atmosphere.

Film background
Released in 1995, Whisper of the Heart follows Shizuku Tsukishima, a thoughtful junior high school student who loves books and begins to notice the same name appearing on library checkout cards before hers: Seiji Amasawa. Their meeting becomes the beginning of a gentle story about first love, creative ambition, self-doubt, and finding one’s own path.

The film is treasured for its intimate realism, delicate emotional tone, and beautifully observed portrait of adolescence. Although directed by Yoshifumi Kondō, it is deeply connected to the wider Ghibli world through Miyazaki’s screenplay and the studio’s remarkable attention to everyday detail, light, and atmosphere.

Poster design
This Japanese B2 features one of the film’s most tender and restrained poster designs. Against a large field of white space, Shizuku runs beside Seiji on his bicycle, the two figures rendered in loose, expressive watercolour lines. The pale blue-grey background elements suggest a quiet suburban street, while the minimal composition leaves the characters suspended in a moment of youthful movement and possibility.

At the top left appears the Japanese title 耳をすませば — literally “If You Listen Closely” — while the small central text reads:

「好きなひとが、できました。」
“I’ve found someone I like.”

This famous tagline perfectly captures the film’s emotional register: modest, honest, and deeply personal. The image avoids fantasy spectacle entirely, instead presenting the film as a delicate story of ordinary life, first affection, and artistic awakening.

The lower right carries the printed signature-style artwork mark, while the bottom margin includes the official Japanese production and release credits. The overall design is elegant, spare, and highly displayable — one of the most poetic Ghibli posters of the 1990s.

Condition
Very Good / Excellent. Please review the photos; they show the exact poster for sale.

This poster is an original Japanese theatrical B2 from the 1995 first-release campaign.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is over 30 years old!

Certificate of Authenticity included.