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Source: Madman Films |
“Things would’ve been so much better back then...if we had heard each other’s voices.”
The movie talks about bullying, depression, and disability which might be a trigger for some people so only watch it if you’re comfortable with that stuff. Society is often cruel to those with disabilities because apparently, fitting in the society is all that matters, that life can only find its meaning if we can fit in the puzzle of this world and the pieces that don’t fit anywhere, are trashed.
Introduction
Movie’s Name - A Silent Voice (Koe no Katachi)
Directed by - Naoko Yamada
Original Language - Japanese
Genre - Animation, Psychological, Drama, Romance, Teen
Running Time - 2hr 10min
From a Bully to a Social Outcast
Shoya Ishida, a borderline depressed high school student, decides to kill himself. So he goes to see Shoko Nishimiya, the girl who he bullied in sixth grade because she was deaf, to make amends before dying.
Shoko Nishimiya was a new transfer student. She always carried a notebook with her to communicate with her classmates. The students were willingly helping her in the beginning but they soon got tired and irritated. Seeing this, Shoya Ishida started saying harsh words to her that soon turned into complete bullying, joined by his friends.
One day, Nishimiya’s mother told the school that she thought her child was being bullied. When the teacher asked about this in class, Ishida was the first to be suspected. When he tried to tell the teacher that he was not the only one who bullied her and that his friends and classmates did it with him, everybody turned against him.
With the fear of being punished, everybody put the whole blame on him and made him the scapegoat. This is how the bullying of Ishida began which continued even in middle school because of his reputation as a bully. Being shunned, Ishida became all alone and that’s how he came to the decision of killing himself.
When he went to see Nishimiya, he remembered all the terrible things she had gone through because of him and that he hadn’t suffered enough so he can’t die yet. From here begins Ishida's efforts to make amends towards Nishimiya.
Movie Review
A Silent Voice is a Kyoto Animation production so you can expect the animation to be top-notch and just straight-up mesmerizing. Although the movie is 2hrs long, it feels like 20 mins and makes you wish it had just a bit more. If you want more than what the movie gave, you can read the manga which touches upon the characters in a bit more detail.
The storyline is so timeless, no matter how many times you watch it or when you watch it, by the end of the movie your eyes are never dry and it gives a message worthy of attention. This movie is way better and more impactful than a “stop bullying” sticker. Bullying and its after-effects are the same for everyone, with or without disabilities, the bully or the one being bullied.
Source: Flickr
The opening, with the jolly music and Ishida and his friends roaming around having fun, makes it look like some happy, sunshine and rainbows sort of a movie where kids are just being kids, doing stupid things and having fun. But soon the atmosphere of the movie starts turning dark and you can feel that things are about to get pretty heavy.
It's really hard to watch a small deaf girl trying to become friends with her classmates who keep harassing her because of her impairment. It was revealed that when Nishimiya was a child, she expressed to her family that she wanted to die because she was of no use to others and always caused them trouble. Her self-loathing on top of being disabled pushed her even further away from people around her.
Self-loathing is a pretty dominant theme followed by depression and it stems from different reasons- Nishimiya’s from her low self-esteem and her classmates’ from their guilt of bullying her. Ishida and his ‘ex-friends’ have different ways of dealing with this guilt such as Ishida’s self-accusation, Ueno’s self-righteous denial, Kawai’s rationalization, or Sahara’s cowardice.
Many viewers wanted Nishimiya and Ishida to kiss when they met on the bridge after Ishida came running from the hospital. I think that would’ve missed the purpose of the story completely. It’s about forgiveness and acceptance, endurance and suffering. The point was for Ishida to be forgiven and accepted and rekindle his will to live. A kiss would’ve just made it a love story.
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| Source: Reddit |
Symbolism
The film uses a lot of symbolism and flower language is the most extensive. Nishimiya is mainly depicted by daisies and blue, or red cyclamen. While daisies represent purity and innocence, cyclamens can represent resignation as well as deep affection. Cherry blossoms also appear when Nishimiya and Ishida reconcile and also when he befriends Nagatsuka.
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| Source: Atelier Emily |
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| Source: Variety |
Fireworks largely represent tragic events in Japan. In anime, they’re used to show transience and are used as the backdrop for the suicide attempts of both protagonists. Nishimiya and Ishida are shown feeding the koi, a variety of carp, together during the period of their reconciliation. The koi in Japan are symbols of perseverance and are used here to mirror their efforts at rebuilding their lives.
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| Source: Pinterest |
The Bottom Line
I return to this movie every once in a while and it always makes me feel several emotions. The story is very gripping, it makes you deeply sad for a person who you hated a lot in the beginning. You see the lives of some teenagers being held back by their pasts and their efforts to overcome it all. Definitely a movie worth rewatching.
IMDb rating - 8.2
Written By - Sanjana Chaudhary
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