The ever-growing popularity of the anime industry in recent years has many curious people looking to venture into the world of exciting shows and movies. While the anime medium has been popular in the U.S. since the 1990s, it continues to grow even now. The 2010s was a transformative era for the anime industry since it continued after the finale of the Shonen Big Three. Not to mention that the long-running anime series quickly began to disappear while the seasonal releases took over. In terms of anime movies, the quick rise of the medium resulted in more theatrical releases across the U.S. and in several regions outside of Japan.
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One such anime that made its mark during that era was Kyoto Animation’s A Silent Voice, which is still one of the most beloved and heartbreaking movies of all time. The anime is based on Yoshitoki Ooiama’s award-winning Weekly Shonen Jump manga, which was serialized from 2013 to 2014. The anime premiered in Japan on September 16th, 2026, but made its theatrical debut in the U.S. on October 20th, 2017. Earlier this year, Crunchyroll made it easier for fans across the globe to watch this movie, proving how well-loved it is even now.
What Is A Silent VoiceAbout?
This heart-wrenching story centers around Shoya Ishida, who spends his days drowning his guilt for what he did in childhood. Along with his friends, he bullied Shoko Nishimiya, a hearing-impaired girl, when they were both in elementary school. The bullying was so extreme that he wouldn’t hesitate to take off her hearing aid, which would make her ears bleed. Not to mention that she relied heavily on those expensive aids. The bullying got so severe that she had no choice but to transfer out of school.
However, Shoya never would’ve expected that when the truth came out, all his friends would put the blame on him. It didn’t take long for him to become the target of bullying, which led him to become even more isolated. He became completely ostracized after the incident and never managed to rid himself of the guilt of what he did to Shoko. Now in high school, he struggles with self-loathing and anxiety while seeking redemption. He tracks down Shoko to apologize and tries to make amends for the past.
Although he wasn’t expecting her to forgive him, Shoko accepts his apology, and the two slowly rebuild their friendship while struggling with personal scars. As he learns more about the girl, he realizes that even as a teenager, Shoko still feels inadequate after facing countless hardships. Along the way, he also reunites with his elementary school classmates who have moved on with their lives after everything that happened.
A Silent Voice Is One of the Most Heartbreaking Stories of Redemption
This stunning film touches on some sensitive themes while focusing on redemption and forgiveness. After their reunion, the story focuses on the duo’s emotional burden, creating moments of vulnerability as they focus on healing. Shoya’s heartbreaking journey of redemption and Shoko’s path of self-acceptance culminate in a touching and emotional ending. What truly makes this movie special is how it highlights the importance of meaningful connections with others.
While the anime film covers the main storyline within all seven manga volumes, it significantly condenses the narrative and cuts down major subplots, including side character development, to fit the runtime. This means that the manga will never get a full adaptation, but that doesn’t diminish the movie’s greatness. Even so, the film’s ending is fairly conclusive and leaves no room for doubt as the main duo finds solace in each other’s company. The ending is perhaps one of the best visual representations seen in anime movies.
Instead of directly depicting Shoya’s healing journey, it focuses on his personal transformation as the metaphorical “X” marks from those around him begin to drop. The “X” marks were simply what he viewed on others’ faces to symbolize his deep social anxiety, intense guilt, and self-imposed isolation. However, the finale confirmed he is breaking out of his shell, which was a major part of his healing process. Additionally, Shoko finally learns to accept herself for who she is and live alongside others without feeling inadequate.
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