By Kayla Gochez

  The animated coming of age movie “A Silent Voice,” directed by Naoka Yamada, brings attention to the issue of mental illness and the difficulties of overcoming barriers created by life and its complexities.  Shoya Ishida, the protagonist, is a teenage boy battling with the grief of how he mistreated an old elementary classmate who was deaf. He reflects on his actions, recalling the times he spent tormenting the girl, and the final deed that exiled him from his friends. Ishida is on a journey of self forgiveness all while learning the meaning of friendship and rediscovering the desire to live.

   Ishida is trying to find a purpose to his life and is able to find that through self reflection and the tribulations he faces throughout the movie. His perception of the world begins to change as new individuals enter his life. 

   Melodic piano music is used to tie in the overall feeling of a scene and emphasizes the emotions being portrayed. When Ishida has new revelations of himself and those around him, the music begins to have a faster pace to demonstrate the change occurring within him.

   There are beautiful cinematic scenes that showcase Ishida’s shift from being self isolated to becoming more in tune with the world around him. He views the students at his school to have X’s over their faces, which demonstrates how Ishida feels as though they have no significance to him and his own worth means nothing to them. Later,the introduction to new friends alters the meaning of the X’s, as Ishida realizes that he is not alone and his life is valuable. 

  Flashbacks occur that torment Ishida’s present day and are used to represent the regret he holds. The transitions are graceful as bright lights and beautiful pastel colors transform the setting into a past memory.

   The overall plot is portrayed in a manner that is understandable and easy to follow. 

   Yamada effectively demonstrates the internal hardships that Ishida is being faced with as well as what other characters in the movie are going through. 

    There is an accurate portrayal in the mannerisms and feelings that Ishida is facing as he fights with his inner demons. This coming of age movie is not chessy in the slightest and raises awareness to the realities of growing up and learning to forgive one’s own mistakes.

    Being currently isolated at home, this movie had me feeling all kinds of emotions. Watching “A Silent Voice” entertained me for 2 hours and 10 minutes from the very beginning to the very end. It left me realizing that although life is challenging at times, that does not mean we give up on ourselves but persevere towards the better days.