Dec. 5, 2020
By Nikki Antonesco
Staff Writer
The 2016 animated Japanese anime film “A Silent Voice” will leave viewers in shock and wanting another movie to continue where this one left off.
At the start of the film, viewers are introduced to Shouko Nishimiya, a deaf adolescent who has just transferred to a brand new school. Her classmates are nice to her at first but later wind up bullying her to the extreme.
The movie flashes forward to high school where one of the bullies, Shoya Ishida, who has developed severe depression, sets out to find Shouko to apologize. It turns out he has also been bullied and lost all his supposed “friends.” Shouko intends to commit suicide, but Shoya saves her at the cost of his well-being.
This film is based on a manga that includes way more detail, but is still excellent and worth watching. The plot is super creative and filled with many unexpected twists.
Each character has his or her own interesting biography. Shoya has been a victim of bullying, but he is a former bully himself. He tried hard to fit in which winds up being his downfall. Shoya’s supposed friends pin all of the blame on him, telling the principal that he was bullying Shouko. Six years later, Shoya’s depression is so severe that he imagines X’s on the faces of everyone around him. Canceling people from his life causes him to be lonely and isolated. That all changes when he meets his best friend Tomohiro Nagatsuka, who finds Shoya’s bike that had been stolen. He is the first person to lose the X, which signifies Shoya’s growing trust.
The movie is only two hours ten minutes in length, but it is a beautiful piece of art that will leave viewers thinking for a long time.
Naoka Ueno is one of the more extreme bullies. She hates Shouko with all her being. She has so much pent-up jealousy and would be considered the antagonist of the film. Viewers will find themselves rolling their eyes whenever Naoka comes on screen.
This film grips viewers with its heartbreaking scenes. First, Shouko’s friend group throws out, destroys and spills water on her belongings. Also, Shoya’s mom finds his suicide note and burns his savings to show that money doesn’t mean anything without him. These are just two scenes that will make viewers feel upset and leave them thinking about how they would react in those difficult situations.
“A Silent Voice” sends viewers on a roller coaster of emotions. The movie is only two hours ten minutes in length, but it is a beautiful piece of art that will leave viewers thinking for a long time.
The movie conveys life lessons about the importance of kindness and empathy because no one ever knows exactly what someone else is going through.
“A Silent Voice” may cause some people to tear up, and it will surely leave everyone thinking about the way they have treated others and the way they have been treated. The characters in this film struggle with inner conflicts and try to overcome the challenges that so many high schoolers face. For this reason, teens will relate to the movie and grow as a result of watching it. It’s ideal for young adults, but people of any age are sure to make a connection with “A Silent Voice.”
