A Silent Voice (2016)

Exploring atonement, forgiveness, friendship and self-worth, A Silent Voice possesses significant narrative weight.

The film follows the relationship between Ishida, a boy who relentlessly bullies his peers, and his chief victim, Nishimiya, a gentle deaf girl. Ishida regularly makes sport of Nishimiya when they are young, even going so far as to scar her when he forcefully extracts her hearing aid. Nishimiya is constantly forgiving; conversely, she also seems to exist in a constant state of apology.

Ishida is ultimately punished severely for his bullying of Nishimiya shortly before she is forced to switch schools. He suffers for this socially, becoming an outcast and developing an aversion to eye contact.

Later, when they are older, Ishida is planning to kill himself, but before he does so he is reunited with Nishimiya. Unable to find penance through acts of kindness, Ishida still manages to develop a small friend group purely by accident; this is an important step in his emotional journey.

Nishimiya attempts suicide because of the harsh circumstances of her life. Ishida manages to stop her from falling, but instead falls himself. This is perhaps Ishida's penultimate act of penance, done with a willingness to put his life on the line to affirm Nishimiya's worth.

Nishimiya and Ishida find one another after the latter mends. Nishimiya apologizes for endangering Ishida; Ishida finally, properly, apologizes for his past mistreatment of Nishimiya. Ishida rightly accepts some of the blame for Nishimiya’s decision to commit suicide. They seal the exchange with the signs for "friend" and "promise".

Ishida's final test comes when he must face his friends, who he recently alienated, and the rest of his peers. But he realizes his friends are not angry with him; they are overjoyed at his recovery. Sparse reconciliation is even offered to Nishimiya and the girl who frequently bullies her. The bully insults Nishimiya in sign language, much to Nishimiya's excitement; Nishimiya offers a gentle correction, teaching the bully how to better insult her. The exchange is extremely nuanced and cute.

Amidst a crowd of people, Ishida is panicking. The faces of those he cannot face are marked with Xs and they are abundant. It is only when Ishida looks to his friends, his family, and Nishimiya that he realizes the impossible has happened: he has made the long journey back from exile.

In a powerful visual moment, the camera pulls back and the Xs fall away as Ishida is brought to tears. The music swells and bursts, sustaining intensity as Ishida looks around, seeing people properly for the first time in many years. He has not simply achieved atonement. He has forgiven himself.

A Silent Voice is extremely visually virtuous. The drawings are highly detailed and there is a high volume of close-up shots which take full advantage of this. The use of color is careful; it remains eye-catching but never overwhelming. Water is particularly well represented, especially at the recurring bridge location and in the tears of our characters. The visual storytelling is exceptional, from the Xs on faces, to the written notes, to the sign language; the film is excellent at telling its story on an ocular basis. This is all fitting, given the film’s central deaf character.

With captivating visuals, a narrative that produces an aqueduct of tears, and some heavy story elements, A Silent Voice speaks with total clarity.