I do watch anime, but mostly the one with lots of mention, or you may call it trending stuff. And "A Silent Voice" is indeed a trending one, but not my type. As this stuff causes mental trauma. Still I don't regret watching it. It will remain with me for a long time.
The Story.
The story follows a boy named Ishida, and he is a bully. Then a new girl joins his class named Shoko Nishimiya, and unfortunately, she is deaf. Shoya Ishida makes fun of her, particulary to get attention of his class. The usual bully stuff. He bully her so much that she eventually leaves the schoo.
But the twist of the fate turns upside down. The blame goes to the bully, Shoya himself. Time passes and Shoya has become an isolate teenage, struggling with his past's guilt and unable to connect with other people. Then, he decides to find Shoko Nishimiya again, not just to apologize, but to try to change for what he did.
And what happens in the end is beautiful. Because, after his sort of punishment, he finally manages to get rid of those emotions. And credit goes to Shoko as well.
Rest is on to you guys, to watch it. Because, once in a life time is must for this one.
Character of Shoya Ishida.
He is an unusual character, neither a hero with so many superpower, nor a protagonist running behind a girl. He is just a guy, a normal guy. As a child, he is cruel, immature and wants attention. But, as a teenager, he is a different story. He becomes the complete opposite: uncomfortable around people (as he sees cross mark on their faces), lonely and consumed by guilt.
Moreover, the biggest struggle for him is not to get Shoko's forgiveness, but to forgive himself. Because, the teenage Shoya has convinced himself that everyone hates him. So basically, he is not just disconnected from the world. Rather, he has convinced himself that he does not belong in it. Not just becoming a character, but accepting to live a life.
Themes
There are many themes, but the most important one and worth mentioning are:
1. Bullying and Its Consequences.
The film does give an overview of impact of bullying, on both sides. Shoko carries the consequences of Shoya's actions, but also does Shoya himself. It clearly shows how a few moments of cruelty can stay with people for years, even after the main details have been forgotten.
2. Guilt and Forgiveness
Just like any normal human with a heart, Shoya spends years punishing himself for his past actions. But the problem is that guilt alone is not enough. So to become a good person, one must ask for forgiveness, and the hardest part is to forgive oneself too.
There is a difference between regretting what you did and allowing your regret to destroy you. The term "sorry" comes with many meanings.
3. Loneliness and Human Connection
To me it felt like almost everyone in, in the film, is lonely in some way. Shoko feels isolated because of her deafness. Shoya isolates himself because of guilt. Other characters hide insecurity behind anger, friendship or indifference.
“I wish I could go back to the beginning.”
I mean this is the final stage of regret, that you start wishing to relive those moments, and do not repeat the same mistake.
Conclusion.
In the end, it is not a romantic or superpowers movie. Neither a story of deaf girl, nor of the bully. It is about people who hurt each other and people who hurt themselves. And more importantly, people who want to change that. You cannot go back, but you can amend it by starting today.
A painful experience, but totally worth it.
Rating
| Platform / Personal | Rating |
|---|---|
| IMDb | 8.1/10 |
| Rotten Tomatoes | 95% |
| My Rating | 100/100 |
Rating: 100/100
Originally posted through scrobble.life/anime.
