Koe no Katachi

***A Silent Voice: The Movie*** is a 2016 Japanese animated teen drama film produced by Kyoto Animation, directed by Naoko Yamada and written by Reiko Yoshida, featuring character designs by Futoshi Nishiya and music by Kensuke Ushio. It is based on the manga of the same name written and illustrated by Yoshitoki Ōima. The film premiered in Japan on September 17, 2016, and worldwide between February and June 2017.

## A Silent Voice (film)

### Produced by

Eharu ŌhashiShinichi NakamuraMikio UetsukiToshio IizukaKensuke Tateishi

## Plot/Synopsis:

As a wild youth, elementary school student Shouya Ishida sought to beat boredom in the cruelest ways. When the deaf Shouko Nishimiya transfers into his class, Shouya and the rest of his class thoughtlessly bully her for fun. However, when her mother notifies the school, he is singled out and blamed for everything done to her. With Shouko transferring out of the school, Shouya is left at the mercy of his classmates. He is heartlessly ostracized all throughout elementary and middle school, while teachers turn a blind eye.

Now in his third year of high school, Shouya is still plagued by his wrongdoings as a young boy. Sincerely regretting his past actions, he sets out on a journey of redemption: to meet Shouko once more and make amends.

*Koe no Katachi* tells the heartwarming tale of Shouya's reunion with Shouko and his honest attempts to redeem himself, all while being continually haunted by the shadows of his past.

## MAL info:

**Episodes:** 1

**Aired:** Sep 17, 2016

**Status:** Completed

**Producers:** Shochiku,  Pony Canyon, Kodansha,  ABC Animation,  Quaras

**Licensors:** Eleven Arts,  NYAV Post

**Studios:** Kyoto Animation

**Source:** Manga

**Duration:** 2 hr. 10 min.

**Rating:** PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

**Score:** 9.01

**Ranked:** #11

**Popularity:** #33

## Characters:

* **Nishimiya Shouko:** (Main) is the female protagonist. A young, deaf transfer student with an amazingly positive outlook on life. Despite being a victim of continuous bullying, she always keeps a smile on her face. While Shōko may not be completely deaf (given the hearing aids she possesses in both ears), her hearing loss is drastic enough to the point that she can be considered clinically deaf. Despite this, it has been shown that though she cannot clearly understand individual words, she can hear various pitches of tones in the voices of other people.
* **Shouya Ishida:** (Main) The main character and narrator. Ishida bullied Nishimiya Shouko in elementary school and when she transferred away, he was ostracized and bullied by his former friends. He started to ignore those around him (imagining them with a large X across their face) and was driven to the point of suicide. He changed his mind after he apologized to Nishimiya and began to spend time with her. He learned sign language specifically so he could apologize to her and is shown to be very talented in it. He feels like he hasn't been punished enough for bullying Nishimiya and often wishes he could kill his younger self. He seems resigned to the fact that he will never be able to have friends again.
* **Yuzuru Nishimiya:** (Supporting) Nishimiya's younger sister who is currently a middle school student. She cut her hair short so their mother would not cut Nishimiya's and has kept it that way ever since; due to this, she is often mistaken for a boy, with Ishida even thinking that she is Nishimiya's boyfriend at first. Yuzuru is extremely protective of her big sister and has a deep hatred of all the people who ever bullied her, in particular Ishida; however, upon learning that Ishida has changed, she mellows down, accepts, and even encourages him to go out with her sister, though she is frustrated of their reluctance to do anything about their feelings and never moving past their relationship as friends. Yuzuru often bunks off school to take photos of dead animals and insects, which causes her and her mother to not get along.
* **Naoka Ueno:** (Supporting) A girl from Ishida and Nishimiya's elementary school and the girl that Ishida was closest to at school. Ishida remembers her bossing him about and also being his main helper in bullying Nishimiya. After having separated from him since middle school graduation, Ueno runs into Ishida years later, herself now working in a cat café.
* **Tomohiro Nagatsuka:** (Supporting) A short, fat, and lonely boy who is a habitual liar. When someone tries to steal Nagatsuka's bike, Ishida offers his to be taken instead. Nagatsuka sees this act of kindness as a unbreakable act of friendship and swiftly becomes Ishida's self-proclaimed best friend and starts to idolize Ishida. He is shown to be quite obsessive and protective of Ishida and often dislikes him befriending other people. However, Nagatsuka is also supportive of Ishida and often offers advice.
* **Miyako Ishida:** (Supporting) A kind and loving single mother of Shouya and his older sister who owns a hair salon. She cares for her granddaughter Maria as well as Ishida and often lets Yuzuru stay around the house. She became disappointed upon learning that Ishida bullied Nishimiya and had to pay 1.7 million yen for all the hearing aids Ishida broke.
* **Miyoko Sahara:** (Supporting) A kind girl from Ishida and Nishimiya's elementary school. She was the only person willing to make an effort to learn sign language and befriend Nishimiya.

## Official sites:

https://myanimelist.net/anime/28851/Koe\_no\_Katachi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A\_Silent\_Voice\_(film)