The live-action movie adaptation of Whisper of the Heart, which was announced back in early 2020, is set to release on October 14 in Japan. 

A teaser trailer and visual have been released as well, giving audiences a look at both the adult and middle school versions of main characters Shizuku Tsukishima and Seiji Amatsawa. Also shown in the teaser are familiar elements like the Chikyuu-ya antique shop and the Baron.

It was also revealed that Runa Yasuhara is the actor for the middle school-aged Shizuku, while Tsubasa Nakagawa is playing the younger Seiji. Nana Seino and Tori Matsuzaka are playing the adult versions of those roles respectively.

Whisper of the Heart is directed and written by Yuuichirou Hirakawa, who previously helmed live-action adaptations of titles like The Promised Neverland, Erased, and Waiting for Spring. The movie was originally meant to release on September 18, 2020. However, its production and release were delayed in 2020 due to overseas filming being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The presence of an adult Shizuku and Seiji stems from the live-action movie’s additional story content. This movie-original content takes place 10 years after the characters’ middle school days, which were portrayed in Aoi Hiiragi‘s Shueisha-published 1989 manga and the 1995 Studio Ghibli movie it inspired. The film will portray both past and future stories in a dual-structure.

Netflix describes the anime film version as:

After learning that all her library books were previously borrowed by the same person, schoolgirl Shizuku sets out to meet him and follow her dreams.

Sources: SHOCHIKUch, Whisper of the Heart website