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Whisper of the Heart's Antiques Brought to Life Through Intricate Replicas
posted on by Choo Sum Lee
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Studio Ghibli anime film Whisper of the Heart, Donguri Kyōwakoku ("Acorn Republic") is releasing a new line of products inspired by the antiques in Shirō Nishi's World Emporium, the antique shop wherein the film's two leads, Shizuku Tsukishima and Seiji Amasawa, met for the first time and performed their now-famous rendition of John Denver's "Country Roads".
Among Donguri Kyōwakoku's new offerings is a replica of the cat statuette named "The Baron" that caught Shizuku's eye when she walked in the antique shop for the first time. The replica is outfitted with artificial green tiger's-eye gemstones to serve as The Baron's eyes, giving it a luxurious finish.
Another highlight is a replica of the grandfather clock that the antique shop's owner, Shirō Nishi, showed Shizuku after introducing her to the Baron. Here, the grandfather clock is re-imagined as a table clock, and the Dwarf King who appears on the dial is recreated in fine detail. A wristwatch featuring a design of the Dwarf King and the Elf Princess gazing at each other on a blue dial is also available.
In addition, Donguri Kyōwakoku is currently running a special promotional campaign as part of their celebration of Whisper of the Heart's 25th anniversary. Customers who pre-order any of the abovementioned products ("The Baron of the World Emporium", "The Old Clock of the World Emporium", "Whisper of the Heart Wristwatch"), or, alternatively, purchase more than 8800 yen worth (including tax, excluding settlement fees and shipping charges) of Whisper of the Heart merchandise at Donguri Kyōwakoku's online store, will receive:
- A mini desk pad that resembles the library card that first made Shizuku aware of Seiji's existence
- A compact mirror featuring the logo of Whisper of the Heart's 25th anniversary
These items will not be available for sale and are limited to one set per transaction. The campaign runs from October 24 until stocks last.
For those interested in the full range of Whisper of the Heart merchandise that Donguri Kyōwakoku is currently offering, you can visit their online store here.
Whisper of the Heart is a 1995 anime film by Yoshifumi Kondō and Studio Ghibli that adapts the 1989 original manga of the same name by Aoi Hiiragi. A live-action sequel film, set 10 years after the events of the original manga, had originally been slated to open on September 18, but was later delayed due to COVID-19.
Sources: Comic Natalie, Donguri Sora Campaign Page
