(During the writing/editing, I made the page look tidy and uncluttered; however, when I view the ‘finish’ page. The pictures are completely different, and I’m unsure how to rectify the issue.)

Umm, hello everyone,

Feels like forever ago since my last blog, umm…… JULY! 😮

I try and keep this short for the intro.

I was hoping to do a horror book vlog but I guess I didn’t turn out that way! 

 This summer hasn’t been the best for me, mostly due to the weather, which has been too hot! Then, when the cold weather started, I struggled coping with being SUPER HOT – SUPER COLD – SUPER HOT….

And my body struggles adjusting to rapid changes like that.

Oh and basically having zero sleep deosn’t help either.  I haven’t had a decent sleep in like 8 months now.

Also made the same changes, ‘professionally’ with my timetable mostly free! After 14? Years 🥳. Which is a MASSIVE CHANGE for me. However, with that change and ZERO ‘family support’, I had to adjust to my new ‘lifestyle’ with myself doing 99% of EVERYTHING! It took me a while, but I figured things out and established my own little system.

  I’m still working on the tiny little details, specifically self-doubt about what’s the best use of my time. My biggest challenge is finding the middle ground between allowing myself to relax and not feeling guilty when it feels like I’m doing nothing.

  WITH ALL THAT SAID,

I tried reading a book, but I made it only 50% through, and with my lack of sleep, I was struggling too much, so I sadly had to DNF that book. (which is a shame, it was an interesting book, just at the wrong time.) After putting that book back on the shelf, I was YT surfing and I came across a channel called ‘Frame of Mind’ or ‘Frame of Mind Bros’. I watched the Squid Games and Arcane reviews, and the discussions they were having are so interesting.  Then I came across a new video: ‘A Silent Voice’ and watched it. I was like, ‘I must watch/read that movie for myself.’
So, I went on Amazon and bought the DVD (accidentally bought two copies) and also purchased the manga (in paperback).   

I first watched the movie in SUB, from start to finish, despite missing some details, trying to keep pace with reading the subtitles.   I LOVE THE MOVIE. I can’t think of another movie that made me cry in five different places.

Then I rewatch the YouTube video. 

Then I decided to read the manga.

 Cried six times and even had to take a break at one certain scene. 

 THEN,

 I watch the movie again, this time in DUB, keeping my eye out for as many tiny details as I can find.  (cried so many times again.)

I LOVE this story so much that I even brought the special hardback copies of the manga!

FIVE months later, I’m STILL THINKING about this story!! 

I knew that I want to write a review, however, I was struggling to decide on the best approach.  

Then for whatever reason, I decided to ‘do’ something crazy, which is to watch this movie AGAIN. However, I will go frame by frame and try to catch as many little details as I can. 

Umm, if you want a non-spoiler review.  

This story is fantastic! 

 I love the characters, settings and themes, and it tackles the themes in a very mature way.  It’s been A LONG time that I watched a movie or read the book that made me REALLY connect with the characters (or at least the two main characters) 

Just a word of caution….. It’s rated M for mature. It does tackle some pretty complex themes – mainly,

 ‘Self deletion’.

Bullying. 

Effects of bullying.

Personally, I work on myself and I find coping mechanisms to deal with my ‘demons’. (for the most part) I’m genuinely in a good place right now.

However,  if you are concerned that the themes are too difficult right now. Feel free to stop here and come back once you’re in a better mindset.  Or talk to a professional therapist and come back.

I know that seeking help can be difficult, and it is the bravest thing one can do.  It can be a friend or a professional or anyone willing to listen. 

I wish I had the courage to speak to someone when I was at my lowest points. I turn down every opportunity to talk to someone, and I kept everything bottled up for YEARS, that mess me up.  I  had to solve the problems by myself and im still carrying the effects today. Is not fun! 

Ok, that’s the intro and non-spoiler review done.   Time for the MASSIVE frame-by-frame section of this review. so …..

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A Silent Voice Spoilers Movie Review 

If you still hear it, I’m assuming you watch/read the movie/manga, or you don’t care about spoilers.

So welcome! 

One tiny detail, I’ve been struggling to decide what’s the best way to approach this part of the review.  I made a bulleted list of notes when I watched the film.  I might leave them there and discuss in detail what I’ve noticed.  I would make note of more information that the movie leaves out and the manga shows light on.

(It would be A LOT easier if I made a video on YT, but my disability is affecting my speaking patterns. I’m camera-shy, so that’s a no-go.)

(No idea if that’s my best opinion or not, but I’ll give it a go.)    

ANYWAYS LET’S BEGAIN!!!!  

Part one

Shoko Nishimiya (left)   Shoya Ishida(right)

• After a music queue, we see a high-speed pace montage of Shoya walking, ripping up his calendar in half, quitting his job, selling ALL of his belongings for 30,000 YEN, withdrawing ALL of the money from the bank and leaving an envelope of the money to his Mother. We see him walking and then he’s standing on the bridge near the edge. We get a flash of him thinking of jumping…. a firework BANGS snaps him outta of that mindset.

This is an essential part because without this beginning.   Without this it would be SO EASY just to hate Shoya when we see his behaviour in the following scenes.  However now we have to wonder what he had to go through to end up in the situation on the bridge.    

• Then the intro song kicks in, and we get a rapid montage of the life of Shoya in school, and him jumping off a bridge for fun?
  • Shoya as a kid, is a daredevil or risk-taker. It is clearer in the manga that his worst fear is boredom and he will do ANYTHING to never get bored. Even jumping off a bridge and diving into the water. 
  • Already a contrast, as a kid, he jumping off a bridge for joy and fun. Compared with how we see him jumping off the bridge for a ‘different reason’. 

Already, showing us one of the key images for the whole movie! Bridges appear all over the place. 

• After diving into the water, Shoya gets to his Mother’s hairdressing shop.  We get a very quick shot of a pink-haired girl reading with leaves in her hair.

 (The timeline is a tad confusing is not clear if this is because she was getting bullied in her last school or just lost a hearing aid in the water again.)

• Then we see Shoya with friends, upstairs playing video games and reading comics.

…… 

• We quickly get to the day of Shoko’s first day at this school. 
•  Right before she walks in, Shoya (who is wrestling with his friends) was asked whose the new person is…. And Shoya says “who cares”.  He doesn’t care!  
• Shoko walks in, and as she takes out her notebook and starts flipping through the pages, the whole class is now interested and watching this girl, saying:

  ‘use this notebook if you want to talk to me’

 Everyone is puzzled, staring at this new girl, till…

Shoko reaches the last note that says,

 ‘I Can’t Hear’ 

• This changes things for Shoya has he finds something new that ‘solves’ his boredom problem.  
• Next couple of scenes, you see Shoko trying to deal with everyday tasks, the teacher doesn’t help by turning his back, to write on the chalkboard. Shoko has no idea what’s happening, so her classmates have to help out.
• Theres the choir competition, where Shoko mistimes her singing. (for some reason for some kids, this competition is super important?  And we never see or hear this again.) 
• At first, everyone is keen to help but you start to see the effects of helping her out until it starts to be a nuisance, and the ‘bullies’ begin to ‘dislike’ her because it is more work for everyone.
  • So far, all you see is Shoya sitting back and observing. Theres no bullying yet. All his doing is observing and trying to figure out how this new puzzle piece is going to ‘fit in’ in his world. 

•  Lastly, there’s reading a book aloud; when is Shoko’s time to read from a book, and her speech is….. ‘different’?
•   Most of the class starts laughing and even you see the teacher covering his mouth trying not to laugh…

(I really hate the teacher!!!) 

• Next, it’s Shoya’s turn and he reads the book, mocking Shoko’s speaking!
• Then you see Shoko trying to make friends multiple times, and slowly, people are shutting down and avoiding her. 
• Until Shoya, tries to explain that ‘everyone is getting tired of helping her’,
• Then you see Shoko start to sign *you, me, friends*. However, Shoya is confused and he throws dirt onto her.
  • This is the first act of physical bullying from Shoya. 

(All Shokos wants to do is make a connection with everyone, and she is struggling. )

😥

• Then the whole class gets introduced by Sign Language. (Shoya shows slight interest, but not enough to learn it at this point)  However, no one is interested by now.
•  Apart from one girl. Who offers to learn sign and help Shoko. However, the more time they spend together, the more you start to see the girl get bullied out of school for helping someone else. 

(Again, all Shoko is trying to do, is to make a connection with everyone or anyone! And she is struggling because almost everyone keeps shutting her down because she is an ‘inconvenience’ to them. Mainly because of her disability, something she CAN’T control.)

😥

• Because the bullying gets unchecked, and it’s allowed to happen. As soon as the bullies find out about Shoko’s hearing aids, we get a montage of the bullying. It starts small but the treatment gets harsher and harsher. Until it peaks with Shoya ripping out Shoko’s hearing aids and her ear starts bleeding. The whole class goes quiet.  Shoya take the bullying to far this time.

Manga 

Okay, I need to discuss the scenes in the manga featuring Shoya and the teacher. 

•  Is only one line in the film, but after the ear bleeding, he says the teacher is a pain…..…. That was the first warning from the teacher. 

1.  After the 2nd warning, this is when I HATE the teacher in the manga.  He tries to have this conversation about stopping making fun of Shoko’s speech. But instead the teacher actually says ‘what parent raises an idiot like you….. whatever happened, it’s your responsibility.’ which Shoya starts to replete this in his mind over and over again and builds this ‘hate’ towards Shokos.

  *deep breath* 

2. After the hearing aid trouble, gets in trouble, the teacher talks to him again. ‘whatever happened, it your responsibility.’ …… ‘ though, well I  do understand how you feel.’………
   1.  ummm what??? The teacher has ZERO interest on solving this problem of bullying.

• Back to the film, in the playground, Shoya is walking with his mates, and they stop because Shoko is just standing with a notebook.  Shoya gets bored and tries to walk past, when  Shoko starts writing. We then see that she writes down:

 ‘I’m sorry’

(which is bananas to me. The victim apologising to the bully for the actions that hurt you!)

What I think is crazy with the characters is that one of Shoko’s flaws is that she is….  being too nice, naive. 

What Shoko needs to learn is to stand up for herself and tell people to ‘sod off’ now and then. 

Which is crazy to think of that’s a character flaw!

That almost redefines the definition of ‘character flaw’ in storytelling for me. 

• Oh, while I got this freeze frame, I just noticed that you see her ear patched up.  I believe you see the scar later at the end of the story. 

This is a big talking point at the end of the movie. 

(I watched this film FOUR times now and I only just saw that! )

• What happens next, Shoya gets annoyed, gets the notebook then Shoko reaches out to hold Shoya’s hand. Shoya freaks out and backs away.
  •  This is the first time you see one of the main themes of the movie, which is:

 Reaching out for connection.  

Which is what Shokos is trying to do this whole time!

•  She signs *you me friends*. 
• Shoya gets angry and throws her notebook into the water.
•  When Shoko jumps in to attempt to get her notebook, she REALLY wants her notebook. 

………………

• THEN  you get a change of scene where Shoya gets thrown into the same water, as he is now getting bullied himself. 
• I believe this is where he finds Shokos notebook and starts to investigating. Having a look of what everyone has writing in the notebook. Including himself maybe. 
• Hes starting to find empathy because he experiencing the same thing. 

• The classroom scene,  is where Shoko’s missing from school and eight hearing aids are gone, missing or broken (a sum of $14,000). 
• The teacher said if anyone knows something, this is the time to confess to the class.

• Shoya starts trembling and slowly raises his hand after a flashback to his Mother. Shoya is relating something he cares about. Once again, he starts showing empathy for others. 
• But that his teacher SHOUTS!  His name says he knows that the bullying was his fault! 

I hate the teacher! 

• If he knew that the bulling was happening.  Why didn’t he try and stop it? There’s nothing in the film or the manga! There’s ZERO attempts to stop the bullying! So the teacher basically hasn’t done his job, probably. 

ARRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

• You get another montage of Shoya getting bullied himself, almost in the same way he bullied Shoko.
  • I think this is where, in the manga, you get some pages of Shoya and ‘friends’ upstairs playing. And Shoya’s Mother says ‘boys will be boys’, thinking Shoya is just playing.  However, when we see what’s upstairs, Shoya gets a face smashed with cake. He is getting bullied, and Shoya’s Mother is unaware and just plays it off as ‘boys will be boys’.

• Still holding the notebook, he gets home, and you hear his Mother on the phone when Shoya reaches the stairs. The Mother says to him. ‘Have you been causing trouble at school?” It takes Shoya a while, but he admits his troublesome behaviour.
  •  As tragic as it appears. I believe this is the first time he realised that he has done something wrong and he actually took responsibility for his behaviour, which is the first step of change.  
• After collecting the money, Shoya and Shoko’s Mother have a chat. A few minutes later, you see Shoko’s Mother come back. Shoya looks at her, and if you look carefully, her jumper as blood on it.  You can trace this back to her ear which has blood on it. (I didn’t notice it the first time)
  • While talking to Shoya about going back home, the Mother says,

 ‘you gonna try and be nicer from now on’ 

What i LOVE is that this film constantly teaches you to pay attention to what you are watching and listening to the characters. Otherwise, you’re going to miss something important! 

(I talk about Shoko’s Mother a little bit more later)

• Back at school. You see Shoya getting bullied again. There’s a blink and miss it scene where you see a pair of shoes and for 2 seconds you see them in the bin! 

Manga – Shoes

3. After the shoes in the bin. In the manga, he has another talk to the teacher,  again doesn’t take the bullying seriously enough. But also replies that, ‘ you the one that started it all aren’t you? ….. What right does the boy who bullies Shoko have to judge his friends… I did warn you, didn’t I…… that’s what happens it’s your responsibility.’

I HATE THE TEACHER!!

Film: The classroom ‘fight scene’

• In the movie, Shoya is walking past the classroom, soaked and upset. As he walks past his classroom, he looks inside,  where he sees Shoko cleaning up a desk. He walks up to see what shes doing and that’s when he notices that the desk is his desk.

•  By this time, the desk is wiped clean, so Shoya gets frustrated, starts lashes out, began pushing and shoving Shoko around. Expecting some form of responds however Shoko has a blank smile at him. That wasnt the response Shoya was ‘hoping’ for. He starts getting angry. He starts saying:

 ‘he doesn’t understand’

• So Shoko keeps pushing, trying to get a physical response.  Eventually, Shoko reacts by biting back.
• This begins the fight between the two of them.
  • In terms of their ‘relationship’,  this is the first time in the story where Shoko finally stops being nice to people. All of her attempts to talk to Shoya haven’t worked. So she has no choice but to try reacting in a language that Shoya can understand in this ‘rough-housing’ sorta way. 
• I got to be honest with you’ll:
  • I am….. Confused…. what I should be feeling right now…  
  • ….. you are watching two people fighting, which is horrible, and let the music is happy? upbeat? Peaceful? 
  • So I’m perplexed if this is a ‘happy’ scene or a ‘sad’ scene or a strange blend of both?  

•  When Shoya falls down, Shoko get on top, still pushing up and slapping, and then she says: 

‘Im helping you!……‘Im doing the best I can!’

Also, Shoya says,

‘I can’t even understand you.’ 

This is the first (of many) that broke me! 😢

(Oh, I’m taking notes using the DUB version, and at this moment, the music is SUPER LOUD, and I find it extremely difficult to hear Shoko’s words.) Making me miss the key emotional moment!  Luckily, I watched SUB and read the manga first, so I didn’t miss the key point. )

• After this, Shoko been transferred and Shoya saw the bullying messages left on his desk.   He has to wipe his desk every day until he finishes school.
  •  This is what Shoya was trying to protect him from because she understands how that feels.
• At the end of this scene, despite Shoko’s act of kindness, Shoya still says, ‘Shoko….. I hate her.’  Somehow, he still finds a way to twist everything that is all Shoko’s fault. (I blame the teacher!)
• Next, you return to the classroom scene, where Shoya is sitting at his desk, down and depressed. No longer interested in anything happening in the classroom.

Part two

• Some time passes, and I think it’s high school? And Shoya is walking in and about to walk into a classroom, hoping to meet someone, when Shoko walk out into the hallway.  Once Shoya turns his head, at first he sees the short pink hair, younger Shoko (the one who he bullied in elementary school.) and then he sees her years older, longer hair Shoko. 
• He gets her attention, reintroduces himself.
• You can slowly see Shoko reaction having mix emotions her face changes from a big smile then sadness then a tiny smile pitching the side of her mouth, and lastly sadness again.
  • Shoko is puzzled seeing Shoya and is clearly feeling the effects of bullying. 
•  Then see ran away. Her fight or flight kicks in.
•  Shoya ran after her and you get a speedy chase.  
• She runs away, she tries hiding behind a wall, crouching down holding the railing with one hand. 
• When Shoya find her again.
•  Ofcourse, Shoko can’t hear him.
•  Shoya walks up towards her and Shoko only notices him when he grabs the hand railing. 
• Shoya tries to use words to explain. He gives the notebook over, struggling to get words out, he starts to sign to Shoko for the first time. Shoko is taking back, surprised, and signs back.
  • The movie does something extraordinary here. When Shoko signs, you don’t see any subtitles on what she is saying!  
  •  Similar to the characters in the film, we all have to pay attention to what Shoko is signing so we can understand her. (or if you’re like me, you have to guess on what she’s saying.)
  • Also, we never see Shoya learning to sign, which is unusual.  In the years between schools, Shoyas made some character growth that we don’t see.

• The conversation ends when Shoya very slowly signed ‘can me and you be friends’. Shoya, slaps himself and turns around as he remembers that’s what Shoko was trying to say back when there we younger. 
•  Looking back up, Shoko is hiding behind the notebook and you can see her on the verge off crying.

………

• The next morning, we see Shoya getting up in a completely empty room.  Shoya is eating breakfast and his Mother, happy and smiling, as she is holding the envelope with the money. (we saw at the start of the film.)
  • Duing this talk, his niece is trying to get down from the chair and Shoya is paying attention and helps her down.  Again ALOT of character growth behind the screens.
• In the talk, the Mother just saids ‘why do you want to – unalive – yourself?   
• Shoya begins to open up.
• Then the Mother geos from 0-100 and start screaming at him and threatens to burn all the money.
  •  While the mother is screaming. This is when Shoya noises the scar of his Mothers ear.  His paying more attention.
• After shouting back and forth Shoya promises that he wont -unalive- himself.
• The Mother accidentally burns the money!  Which is a widely strangely comical way to defuse this really intense situation.
• Obviously, this is not the right approach to handling such a complex topic. This is a  example that sometimes what we say is not necessarily what we mean.  The mother is screaming at he son and threatens to burn the money.  But she is trying to say i love you and i don’t want to see you ‘go’. 

…….. 

• When he starts his new school, his past catches up with him. EVERYONE in school is talking about him and what he done in his younger school.  This is where Shoya starts shutting down and moves inwards. Keeping his head down staring at the floor, he covers his ears, drowning the sound away, and when he does look up, from Shoya’s  POV, EVERYONE’S faces have this giant ‘X’ on their faces. 

• I know precisely how Shoya is feeling, because I have done the same thing myself!  

(I suppose I need to explain why this story is so gut-wrenching for me to watch and review……) 

I think I share a little….

Why does this story hit so deeply for me

• …., Partially because…. Let’s just say  I was in the same position as Shoya back in high school….  Now, now, don’t worry, I never took any ‘action’. HOWEVER, the thought did come to mind. 

In this blog, I provide a brief overview. For a more comprehensive explanation, I have a book available that delves into the details.

 Here’s that link – Book

…….. I was a high-energy kid in primary school (depite my disability, no one REALLY CARED about my disability. The struggles I had to overcome back then, making friends and joining in the activities and sport etc. Even with a TERRBLE speech pattern.  I would join in with the convocations, people will engage with me.   Now ofcourse there was one ‘bad egg’ in the class, but the teachers would put a stop to the teasing immediately.

The teachers would help me with my speech pattens, mostly by reading at loud the Harry Potter books and helping me if I get stuck on a tricky word.

 (PHYSICALLY READ THE FOUR HP BOOKS OUT LOUD, 

I don’t think I can do that today!)

Overall primary school was mostly positive. 

Then high school happened. And similar to this story, year 7 started off ok, I was talking to my peers and sometimes played sports in the field,  trying to talk to people (usual stuff).

  However at some point, people started noticing my ‘jumpynes’ and stuttering and the bullying began small. Everytime the school bell rang, I would jump outta my skin and get tease etc.  

The bullying  gradually got worse and worst and worse.  

Until…… 

( im using my own Book as a reference !!)

….. Year 8 (so I was 12/13) and in music class and the teacher and peers were hitting the drum and with every beat, I would jump and more and more people would notice and started laughing at me. 

 When I got home I was so upset and i got to the point where I said:

 “I DON’T WANNA LIVE ANYMORE!”.

 I went to sleep and theres a small part of me that REALLY didnt want to get up. 

 I did, in the end, and I was told to go to school as usual and pretend everything was normal. Shortly after that, like Shoya, iv started shutting down, closing myself off, and even ‘putting the X up’.  I realise that the ‘X’ this a visual metaphor. However, the effects are still the same. Even now, I have a terrible recollection of some faces or have no memory of people.  

 …….

• While sitting in the classroom, all he hears are the negative chatter then he cover his ears and head down onto the desk. Then everyone rashing to the window looking at something. Then this….

• (…. Excuse my super bad pen work!)  
• This one person here! 
•  This just shows that there are people willing to talk to Shoya however Shoya is so.. ‘Inside’ his own his head, believing that hes alone while missing when people are attempting to speak with him. 

Part 3 

(Things are starting to get complicated!)

(I try my best to keep things a simple as possible!)

(Below are the names of the main characters I want to talk about.) 

Left – right

Naoka Ueno (2nd) Tomohiro (3rd)

Yuzuru Nishimiya (Shokos sister) 

• The next day at school, he walking pass and overhears someone getting pick on over a bike. Shoya looks at him and cant see the whole face because of the ‘X’.  At first, it looks like Shoya is about to laugh but he catch himself (old habits almost escapes), but then we walks up to the ‘bully’  then he offers up his own bike instead.  
• Surcifing his own bike to help someone else. 
• Another tiny stepping stone in the right direction.

Later, he wants to visit Shoko, so he buys some bread and goes over to the classroom, but Yuzuru is at the door. Despite seeing Shoko sitting at the desk, Yuzuru says she is not here, Shoya still nervous and deosnt say anything back, and shuts the door in his face. And without a fight, he stands there doing nothing. 

Tomohiro 

• Later that day while walking home, Tomohiro,  the kid that he saved by giving up his bike returns with his bike and saids ‘that I had to look everywhere’.  With his bike return to him, with this return of good faver. When he look at his face, you see the ‘X’ slowly peels off. So you can see his face.  He made a new friend.
  • He struggles at first but slowly starts to warm up to this ‘friendship’ thing.

In this story, there’s a whole side plot about friendship, to be honest with you all. 

 I have NO IDEA what friendship feels like.  I live in a retirement town where there are ZERO social activities a ‘young person’.  

Im 31!

Definitely a lonely space im living in!! 

• The next time Shoya tries again to see Shoko in the classroom. Yuzuru is at the door again and shuts him down again, like last time.  This time, Yuzuru says something new. She says 

 ‘If you here just to make yourself feel better you might as well just leave…’

•  Shoya once again freezes on the spot, unable to say anything; he just stands there as he gets shut down again. It looks like the same thing is going to repeat itself. HOWEVER, Just before the doors shuts again Tomohiro stands up for him. 

(again I don’t understand the friendship thing so it deosnt feel right to talk about.)

• Tomohiro and Yuzuru make a scene outside the classroom, which prompts Shoko to look up and see Shoya as he is about to run away; she follows him.

• The next scene is Tomohiro and Yuzuru (with her camera), spying on Shoya and Shoko on the bridge.
  • Yuzuru is leaning over the edge, and Tomohiro said ‘don’t full over be careful’.
  •  Is very settle and easy miss but once you know how the movie ends is another hint.
• We see Shoya and Shoko throwing bread into the water together, Shoya looks over and says ‘do you enjoying feeding the fish?’. Then reailises that she cant hear him.  He starting to pay attention once again.
•  Shoko takes out her old notebook, starts reading through, Shoya feeling guilty or regret and trys taking back the notebook. Shoko pulls away and the notebook is thrown over the bridge. Shoko with zero hastetation climbs over the edge and jumps over, Shoya calles out he name and tries reaching outto grab her hand and misses! 

This image will apper multiple times throughout the movie.

*sigh* dammit im going to start crying again! 

• Shoya jumps in after her and searches for the notebook. Then we see both of them standing on the side. 
• Shoko bows and starts to leave, turns around and does a sign with a happy smile.
  • When she does this, we are not told what this means. Once again, is up to us to try and figure out what sees trying to say! 
• We see Yuzuru sitting down looking at her camera and she has taken a photo of Shoya jumping over the bridge.  Later that night, we see her on a iPad posting the picture on socials.
• The next day in school, Shoya is practising the hand signal that Shoko did, and this is when we know it means ‘see you later’. 
•  When he gets to class, he sits down, and a random classmate says, ‘Just wondering, is that you?’ and shows him the photo. Shoya has no idea.  
• Then a teacher comes in and says ‘report to the office immediately’. Then we see him in his bedroom writing a letter.  The grown-ups just punish Shoya.
  • It is strange, that a random classmate tries to get Shoya to explain why he jumped, and the grown-ups just punish him. With (what seems like) no chance of letting Shoya explain himself.  

Is this a cultural difference? 

…….

• Shoya takes his niece to the park, and he finds Yuzuru sleeping in a (playground) tunnel. 
• We find out that it was Yuzuru who posted that picture and ask if he was mad with her.  Shoya saids that she had a favour.  Yuzuru is abit confused.  
• After this talk, Yuzuru passing out and Shoya took her back to his place where Shoya’s Mother feeds her and offer her a place to sleep for the night.  

• Later that night, while everyone sleeping.  You see a flashback of Shoko confronting Yuzuru.
• Yuzuru ‘ran away’ (without shoes) again; however, Shoya catches up with her. Umbrella in one hand, covering Yuzuru from the rain and holding something within his shirt. He notices that shes not wearing shoes so he reveals that he has a old pair of shoes and he gave them away..
  • I think Yuzuru is the same age as Shoko was in primary school, so it’s almost like Shoya trying to ‘fix his mistakes’ of the past by helping out Yuzuru.  
  • Which Yuzuru calls him out on. 
• While walking in the rain, Yuzuru asked why Shoya being so nice. And Shoya puts the umbrella directly between both of them.
  • Probably the most clear cut way to show us that Shoya has trouble looking at other people’s faces.  
• In this talk, Shoya says he’s a horrible person…… but also doesn’t what to give Shoko any more pain.  He recognising his faults and mistakes while stating that he doesn’t want to cause any more pain to Shoko.
• This conversation convinces Yuzuru that maybe Shoya is actually trying his best for Shoko. 
•  At the end of this scene, they arrive near Yuzuru and Shoko’s home, and this is when we find out that Yuzuru and Shoko are sisters.

• On the bridge, Shoko’s Mother comes charging up and slaps Shoyas face for what appears to be no reason. Shoya says quietly that his sorry for what he has done.
• The Mother grabs Yuzuru’s arm and quite forcefully drags her back away. 

• Inside Shoko’s house, it is clear that the kids have a better relationship with Granny than Mother. Shoko gives her sister a big hug.  The Mother tries telling Yuzuru to never meet up with that boy ‘Shoya’ again and to tell Shoko that too.  
• Yuzuru replies that she and Shoko can see whoever she wants.
  • This is probably the first time in the movie that you start to see tension in Shoko’s house.
  •  Also that the way that Yuzuru use sign to Granny.  This time watching, I notice that everyone in the household learnt sign language; however, the Mother did not! 

(Is it the right time to show what annoys me about Shoko’s Mother! And where she gets under my skin so much?)

Manga Shoko’s Mother

4. Shoko’s Mother. ESPECIALLY in the manga. Very early on, you get a scene where Shoko is getting a haircut.  Shoko wants a mid cut, but then her Mother walks in and tells us she lost her hearing aid  and demands her hair to be cut SUPER SHORT to look like a boy, because it’ll make her stronger (somehow???). After the haircut has finished with a mid-cut, her Mother FLIPS OUT.

Saying ‘I didnt ask for you opinion or Shokos……  what important I keeping my daughter for being bullied’

After they got home, the Mother grabbed a pair of scissors and it going to cut Shoko’s hair herself. This is where Yuzuru cuts her own hair to keep her Mother happy? She takes a hit while sparring Shokos hair. 

This whole thing about having a ‘boy hairstyle’ is SO RIDICULOUS. I notice that means NOTHING has been done about the bullying problem. Also, that will expose he ears and hearing aids will stop her from being bullied (somehow). When, later on, the hearing aids became a leading force in her bullying. 

A lot of noise and verbal anger, but not addressing the actual situation.

ARGGGH!!  That is too close to home for me!!! 

 ( I think it’s this scene) 

Ohh, there’s a panel in the manga that REALLY INFURIATES me about the Mother when I get to it, I’ll share it if I can. 

ARGGGH!

This drives me absolutely CRAZY! 

(also the next page, the Mother tells Yuzuru to go back to school if she deosnt that she will get rid of her camera for no reason??? And she blames Granny for that!)

So is not just Shoko getting talked down to. 

I know that later in the manga that the Mother husband left her after they find out about Shokos hearing disability, taken up a new job while Granny looks after the kids. But is it really necessary to be this …Ice cold …  towards you daughter that has a hearing disability.

PART 4

• Back to the film, they meet up on the bridge and Shoya said he got a new phone and exchanged numbers with Shoko. The scene afterwards was everyone going around to catch up with old friends.  

I’m sure there’s a writing piece again about friendship here about I don’t know about that.

There’s a scene on the train where Shoya and Shoko are standing opposite each other.  Both of them, feeling a little awkward. This is where technology making conversations A LOT easier for people to talk.  Where Shokos takes the first step and texts him first saying thank you for helping me look for my friend. 

…….

(Again there’s ALOT here about Shoya and Shoko meeting up with old classmates/friends here, but I skip it.)

……

• You get a quick scene at the hospital…. Audiometry Lab…  there is no dialogue here, but from Granny’s reaction is not good news.  Shoko’s hearing is getting worse.   Despite that, Shoko, trying to stay positive,  gives her Granny a smile.
  • Later, we see Shoko by herself, lying in bed, ‘testing’ her hearing? Then crawl up in the ball crying. We see Yuzuru, walk it all positive but quick changes after seeing her upset. She deosnt say anything else but she stays close by her bed. Being with her sister.   
  • (no sign of the Mother btw!)

…….

• We then see Shoya riding his bike and….. 

Naoka Ueno

• …… his old school friend turns up. They began talking and Naoka said:

  ‘Wohh you really hate me don’t you? …… im sorry what happen when we were kids but it was like it was such a big deal.’  

• Trying to sum up everything that happened in school has ‘no big deal’. 

• When Shoya turn her down, Naoka sees Shoko walking by and begins picking on Shoko again, taking out her ear piece and begging Shoya to play the game that they use to play as kids.
• When Shoya shows ‘growth’ and returns the hearing aid back to Shoko, refusing to play the game anymore.  Naoka couldn’t believe him.  Saying ‘are you trying to make a mends?’
  • From this exchange, it is clear that Naoka is still the same old bully she was back in her elementary school days.
• Shoya leaves, but before he signs ‘see yeah’  which makes Shoko smile.

• The next day, we see Shoko has her hair in a ponytail.
  •  The main thing is that she is trying to look extra nice because on this day see trying to confuse he love for Shoya.
  • There’s a piece here that to express you true self you might to expose your ‘vulnerabilutes’. In Shokos case that is having her hair up she is exposing her hearing aids.

• The two meet up. Start talking. 
• Just before Shoya leaves, Shoko is building up the courage, and she SHOUTS out saying ‘I LOVE MOOOO’- and the way Shoya understands this is.. moon, and here looks up, sees the moon.  We see at the bottom of the screen that Shoko has started to get embarrassed, and tears start building up, and she runs away back home.
  • This is another example of miscommunication, basically the whole movie is about.  
  •  I could be 100% wrong here, but I think in Japanese the word for moon (“tsuki”) and i like/love you (“suki”) are very similar, so when Shoko is confessing her love to Shoya, he misunderstands and its so hard to watch.

• Later on, we see Shoko back home running towards her bed, and when Yuzuru come to find out what’s going on, Shoko said:

 ‘ I told (Shoya) that I like him’……. ‘But he didn’t understand me.’  

 The message of miscommunication in the film.

The amusement park scene

• While hanging out at the park we get a montage of Shoya just hanging out with the new group of friends. Shoya starts to enjoy life a little bit.  Then we get Shoyas monolage:

 ‘I..is this…Is this, is it ok?…. Im I allowed to have this much fun?’ 

I definitely been through this, when I get a rare chance to let myself go and start being in the moment. Theres a voice in my head trying to discourage me from feeling joy/happy. It takes ALOT of mental energy to force myself to ignore that tiny voice and be in the moment.  

• I probably missed some scenes here, but the main scene i want to talk about  is the Ferris wheel. 

Shoko Nishimiya

Yuzuru Nishimiya 

Naoka Ueno

Shoya wants Naoka to apologise for her behaviour towards Shoko.

• We see Yuzuru give Shoko her camera and Naoka takes Shoko to the ferris wheel together.  Shoya is worried, and he is watching them leave. We see them enter the pod, going higher and higher…… and the screen just fades away…….
  • The next day….. We see Yuzuru goes to Shoya’s house with a video recording to show and we see them both sit down and watch the video for the first time. You watch the video in real time, just as the characters do. 
• Once they hit play, and it starts with Naoka saying:

 ‘I hate you… put that thing (notebook) away…. I listen to whatever you have to say when im finish’…..  Is not like you try to understand me either…. You got Shoya in trouble…….and that’s how he ending up losing all of his friends….you pretty much ruin everything for everyone.’ 

Goddammit, I’m gonna start crying!! 😭

 Of course, in the story we see everything from Shoko’s or Shoya’s perspective, so we don’t actually see what ‘troubles’ Naoka had to go through.  However, the story we saw showed that Shoko tries her hardest to connect with everyone, primarily through her notebook. 

 Perhaps this is my bias coming through, but it’s not Shoko’s fault that Naoka couldn’t be bothered to write in Shoko’s notebook or take the time to understand. Yes, it may take longer, but unless Naoka learns how to sign.  How else is Shoko supposed to have a conversation with Naoka!! 

• You know what’s wild after this whole speech?  

Shoko

apologises

to Naoka!!! 

•  Naoka, turn it down! Saying, 

‘I still hate and you probably hate me, so we’re probably never going to aguee on anything, so from one hater to another, let’s shake hands.’

😢

• You see Shoko’s hands in frame of the camera and then see saids this:

“You wrong. 

I don’t hate you. 

I…I…II…I hate myself!”

💔

😭

Okay, I need a break to emotionally regroup. 

Be right back……

(3 days later and im back!)

• Ohh!!! The very next scene is when  Naoka gets annoyed and SMACKS Shoko in the face!!
  • (expecting some sort of response, also refusing to here her side of the story even though she promises she would listen to her after her speech.)

😡

• Yuzuru and Shoya take a moment. Then Shoya says:

 ‘All I want….. is Shoko to like herself.’

• You see Shoya hanging out with one of his new friends and discussing the event on the wheel. His friend says: ‘Shoko’s hearing is really that bad… maybe that’s why she kept on getting bullied all the time…. You must be a major douchebag to bully a deaf kid.  What’s wrong with people, right?’
  • Just another reminder of Shoya’s past keeps on popping up.

Miki

• Shoya checks with another ‘friend’ Miki, if shes spreading rumours , she denys it makes a scene within the classroom and confirms that it was Shoya who was the bully that pick on Shoko. 
• He tries to say that it wasnt just him that bullied her but this quicky gets push aside. 
• Miki says, ‘It was him that made Shoko’s life a living hell….’ 
• If that was bad enough, Miki keeps on talking. ‘it was awful, I keep begging him to leave her alone…. I was so scared of him.’’
  • I could have missed something here but earlier in the movie.  I don’t remember seeing anything close to Miki trying to stop Shoya or the bullies.  Umm, only when the teacher calls Shoya’s name and the whole classroom is saying that it was Shoya who was picking on Shoko.
• With the past caught up again. His new friends act differently towards him now.  Shoya can’t handle the guilt or shame, and he begins to throw up! And leaves everyone behind.  
• Keeping his head down, in shame?? Maybe? As he rides his bike to a bridge, he stops and crouches down, half-hanging over the edge. 
• Just staring at his reflection in the water below. Saying to himself ‘Yh I hate me too’- more negative self-talk.

• He meets up with everyone at the usual hangout spot. And to everyone’s surprise Naoka shows up, and we see Shoko hiding behind Shoya.
  • Everyone starts fighting; that is not just Shoya’s fault of the bullying everyone had a part to play.
  • When the arguing reaches its peak, Shoya sits down head low. Telling everyone to stop, and it was his fault. 
  •  That starts saying truth bombs to everyone, (everyone has negative ‘traits’, no one is perfect. We all of something in improve on) that sounds hursh at first but in a twisted way, his not wrong.
•  Everything starts leaving. It’s just Shoya, Shoko and Yuzuru on the bridge.  He starts asking a question to Shoko, then stops as he’s looking at Shoko who has this Quizzical (I just learned a new word today!) look on her face, her eyes start watering.

………

• You get a sweet scene with Yuzuru and her Granny both talking about how they are both worried for each other because they spent so much time looking over Shoko and learning to sign.  

Granny is so proud of her two grandchildren!

• As the scene is a nice happy moment.  
• A quick camera flash to a dead bird, Shoko on her knees soaking wet, and the camera pan up and she got the saddest eyes and she signing something but no clue on what shes saying, and we get three rapid frames of Shoko laying there ‘unlived’, is literally blink and you miss it!
  •  The first couple time i watch the movie. I miss the scene, because it was literally a blink of a eye and its gone. So when I read the manga, you get the same scene of Shoko, on her knees, signing. 

• This time, the manga tells you, with the speech bubble. She is saying:

“I want to – unalive -”

💔

• This is me guessing, I think that this happened after Shoya threw Shoko’s notebook into the water right at the beginning at the film.

😭

• Then Yuzuru suddenly woke up, and I believe this is when Granny passed away peacefully in her sleep.
• Or a couple of days pass……..

Part 5 

• ……. I say this to the next scene shows Shoya at a new job.  He geos to the bridge and sees Yuzuru near the water, crying and now wearing a school uniform.
•  Shoya turns around, and seconds later Yuzuru come round acting normal.  A short talk later it’s clear that she is trying to stay strong.  She has to go somewhere and Shoya wants to go with her.  At first shes a usual fighting self but then the walls come down and she ask him to walk with her because she scared…….. 
• When they get to the building we quickly find out that she was going to a funeral… Granny funeral.  
• Then you see clips of Yuzuru, Shoko and their Mother attendiong the funeral. 

• We see Yuzuru walking in a hallway to an open doorway see looks though and we see the Mother actually crying!
  •  I believe this is the first time in the movie that we see (Shokos) Mother show any emotion apart from anger or disappointment.

……..

• Next, we see Shoya and Shoko taking a trip together to an art ‘place’.
  • I sure there a piece here about at the start of the trip there start walking close together, but then see the two them SUPER  far part.
    •  (I could be reading to much into this but I wonder if this shows Shoko’s ‘head space’ after Grannys passing. Attempting to keep her distance??  I might be looking for something thats it not there.) 

• I say that because the two of them reach a rather steep hill. Shoya starts walking down while Shoko walking behind him and shes distracted. At the top of the hill, she looks down and gives him a smile. 
• Shoya starts to walk back up and begins to slips and slides down.  Shoko panics moves forwards, and tries to reach Shoya’s hand and misses….. 
• Shoya slide a a little farther down and Shoko follows him, sits down next to him and apologises ?? 
• And she starts signing away, NO IDEA what shes saying again..
  • After saying can we hang out tomorrow.
  •   We get a scene on the train we the two of our leads are sitting closely together now.  This is where Shoya tells us what Shoko said to him earlier: 

“Shoko said that I would be missable whenever I was with her… but I was the one who made unhappy …. It was me..:”

…….

• The next couple of scenes, is more trips or ‘dates’ with Shoko and now Shoya is strangely SUPER positive personally I think he is overtipping the scale from sad and mopping to focusing himself  to be SUPER HAPPY AND POSITIVE. Which deosn’t come off naturally? You can see it  in Yuzuru face she is freak out!

 (I know I’ve done this before!)

• We find out that the girls are planning to bake a cake for their Mother and Shoko invited Shoya to come and help, which Shoya is unsure if this is the right idea. Yuzuru says is her sarcastic way ‘she won’t hit you this time she probably kill you’
•  Time skip to when the cake is finished.  We see all three, standing at the table, and the Mother walks in the door.  
• The first thing she says is ‘why is he here?……..’ (intrestly looking at Shoko when she says this. I just noticed that just now.)
• Before she does anything Yuzuru tells her to calm down is a party! The Mother still looking for a fight but then sees Shoko starts clapping with a smile on her face. Then the Mother softens up.
• However she is still PISSED with Shoya given him this ICY STARE.
• Everyone is eatting cake ‘or trying to’ then Yuzuru say ‘you luck out, looks like mum isn’t going to kill you.’
  • Then we look at Shoko with a surprise or relieved grasp.  I think she happy? That her Mother wasnt going to do something mean to Shoya.  Umm im not sure??
• We get a tiny talk that the Mother posted some photos and it was Shokos idea and Shokos talking with sign….
• … and again, Interesting that as the girls are invented Shoya to the fireworks display that Shoko is talking with sign language here when in the manga page I shared earlier the Mother HATES it.

Part  6

Firework scene 🥺

• We see that Shoya, Shoko, Yuzaru and the Mother go to the fireworks display together and when the fireworks starts. We see a montage of characters ( I think every name character) all looking up to take a moment to watch the same firework display.
• There something here about a large group of people from different areas, all taken a break to experience the same firework display. 
• When a set of fireworks finishes, we see Yuruzu and her Mother get up to get some food, leaving our two main characters alone for a moment.
•   When they start talking, Shoya ask when Shoko’s birthday and it turns out that he missed it. Shoko’s just turned  18.  Then he says next year we will celebrate together (and throw a big party), then he looks away and panics that it makes it seem like they are ‘together’. 
• When he looks back, you sees that Shoko has the biggest happiest smile displayed on her face!
• The next lot of fireworks goes off, taking Shoko by surprise, she smiles again, softer this time. Closes her eyes (we get a look at her drink moving with the fireworks)  and ‘feels’ the vibrations of the fireworks. She signs explaining to Shoya. (show dont tell – IT’S GREAT!)

•  Then….
• …. She gets up because she has to study. 
• Shoya wants to walk her home and (I think) Shoko tells him to stay and she begins to walk away. 
• She soon turns around and begins to sign… something?   Shoya understand and replies with ‘see you later’. Then….
  • … she stands they for a long time before starts signing again and we NEVER get any hits on what Shoko just said.
  •  It’s up to us to figure out what Shoko just said.

• Meanwhile, Shoya turns around and starts to sit when Yuzuru and her Mother come back with food. Yuzuru said she had forgotten her camera, so Shoya went back to the flat to retrieve it.
  • It takes it time showing us Shoya walking though the streets, the pacing is relatively slow, then slowly up the stairs, to the front door.   

• Shoya get to the door, rings the door bell, opens the door, calls out, no reply, and all the lights are off. Calls out again as he walks in though the door.  He geos to the shelf next to the door, sees Yuzuru’s camera and picks it up.
  •  (again its only for a second but you can also see Shokos red hearing aid next to the camera.)  
• He picks up the camera, checks if the batteries are charged then a set of fireworks goes off.

• This draws Shoya’s attention to the window. Where he sees Shoko standing on the balcony.
•  At first he thinks nothing of it. 
• Shoya’s still watching her, then….

She then begins to climb to the edge. 

😮

• Shoya begins talking in murmurs. 
• Shoya puts down the camera.
  • (This is where we get a better view of the hearing aids on the table, reminding us that Shoko can’t hear). 
•  Shoya begins taken his shoes off still talking a little louder either to himself or to Shoko.
•  He starts moving more quickly to open the door to the room. 
• Now seeing Shoko lifts herself to a couching position on top of the edge.

 There’s a curtain in the way blocking our view point. 

• Shokos now standing upright onto the edge. 
• Now Shoya gets whats happening, and he RUNNING! Shouting here name.
  •  ( which is pointless because she cant hear him). 
•  Trips over the dinner table, on the floor turns around and sees Shoko still standing there. 
• And he SCREAMS out her name is desperation!
  • Again, utterly pointless and he knows it but he does it anyway! 
• He gets up and he is BOOKING IT! (Usain Bolt WR 9.58s).  

• And we see Shokos standing there, the music is getting faster and louder, and the curtain blew passes our POV and when the curtain gets outta our way.  

Shokos is gone!

• And the music almost stops. 
• Shokos jumps leaving us with a shot of the firework going off with no sound!
  • A call back to right at the began of the movie where it was a firework that snaps Shoya from jumping.

……..

• Then we see a camera shot of Shoya’s arm and hand and the camera pans down to see that he caught Shoko’s arm stopping her from falling!

The set-up and pay-off is perfect!  

• The WHOLE movie has consistently been showing up moments where these two characters attempt to reach out for each other’s hand and missing.  I think theres 4? times:
  • Once –  as kids wher Shoko tries to reach out and Shoya steps back.
  • Twice –  when Shoya returns Shoko notebook on the bridge, gets thrown over the edge and Shoko jumps into the water and Shoya tires to reach for her hand.
  • Thrice –  the art museum where Shoya trips and Shoko tires to grab his hand. 

• While holding her up, Shoya is REALLY struggling, he begins to slide over the edge trying to use his foot but theres nothing to hook onto.  He was using one hand but he need both hands to hold onto Shoko as well. 
• As he begs himself for:

‘please god, give me one more once of strength, I wont run away from my problems anymore. Just do this one thing for me please…….’

• Then he look at Shoko and notices her ear, which has the scar from when he hurt her way back in elementary school and now wonders if he had apologised for that. 
• Shoko reaches out with her other hand and grabs the wall and pulls up. It takes both of them working together.
•  Shoko makes it to the edge.
• Once Shoko is stable enough hold on to the edge. 
• Shoya is now going over and he falls over the wall!  
• And Shoko watching him fall into the water.  
• We see Shoya in the water not knowing if he ok or not?

Part 7

Naoka(2nd),Tomohiro (3rd) and friends,

Shoko+Yuzuru Nishimiya

• At the hospital, we find out that Shoya in a coma.
•  We see Yuzruzu and her Mother talking to Shoyas Mother.  And Shokos Mother begs for forgiveness and apologises, and Yuzuru joins her.
• Then we go outside the hospital and Naoka is fighting, shoving and hitting a defensive Shoko, who’s got one arm in a sling. After some harsh words, shes widing up for a big slap, Naoka gets slapped by… Shoko’s Mother? And the two ladies start fighting.
  • (This is the first time we see (Shokos) Mother standing up for Shoko?)
• While this is happening, Shoko hasnt moved. Her head down look at the floor.  
• Shoya’s Mother breaks the fight up.
  • (which is the first time we see her standing up for herself.) 
• Shoya’s Mother walks over to Shoko and ask her if she was ok?  Shoko on the verge of crying. Knees my her feet and apologises. Saying is all her fault!.

• Shoko tries to see Shoya, but someone  (in the manga we see its Naoka) denys her. 
•  Shoko is now talking to Tomohiro and says:

 ‘I’ve destroyed everything that Shoya had created… I want to restore what I destroyed.’

• Then we see Shoko going through every friend and attempt to make peace with everyone. For some people, it is easy and for others it’s more difficult (Naoka).
• For Naoka she had spent multiple days wearing her down. We even see her holding an umbrella as she walks down the street. (similar to Shoya and Yuzruru earlier in the movie.)

Part 8 

To be honest with you all, I don’t get this screen.

• We enter a dream-like scene where we get flashbacks but from Shokos POV.. and a letter saying:

“Nishimiya.

I found you,

How are you?

Um…

Its kinda awkward.(laugh)

Im..

Thinking about dying.

Oh.

Tuesday is going to end soon.

See ya,

Nishimiya”

• Then Shoko wakes up, sitting upright on her bed.  Now crying and running outside to the bridge, where her and Shoya always hang out.
•  When she gets there. The music goes crazy. She is looking everywhere for him. When hes not there, she walks over the the railing and grabs it, as she continues to cry out loudly in tears. 

• Then Shoya wakes up from his coma, and the first thing he says is ‘no Shoko’. Realising he’s in hospital, he panics and unhooks all the wires and begins to walk out of the hospital. ‘Running’ on the street calling out from Shoko. He made it to the bridge and at first no one there.
•  Catching his breath, he stumbles and grabs the railing to regain his balance.
• Shoko, still holding onto the bars, notices the vibrations. Looks around and sees Shoya slowly stumbling towards her. 
• The two meet eyes in disbelief. Shoko slowly walks up to him and pokes him, not knowing if this is real. Realising he was real, she quickly backs away.
•  Shoya is exhausted and starts to laugh when he collapses to his knees.  
• When he looks up at Shoko, she his weeping up again and starts crying. And falls to her knees.

•    Two of them start talking and explaining EVERYTHING! I won’t say much here because you really need to hear it in the movie.

(I feel like I should say something more here!  I cannot accurately describe what I am feeling at this scene.  However, im too busy trying not to cry at this scene that I can’t think right now. It’s something you need to experience for yourself.

Oh, you know what this scene reminds me of. Umm, it’s similar to the ‘classroom fight scene’.

   This one!

  I’m not 100% which emotions i’m feeling!

The classroom scene is a horrible/tragic scene, but the music is ‘peaceful’?  This scene on the bridge is a….. Im happy to see that both of them are okay, but it feels like a tragic scene.   🤔 Umm, that doesn’t sound right? 

 Its confusing if i should be happy or sad! 

Im so overwhelmed with emotions.

🤯

• The only thing I say on here is that Shoya said to Shoko:  

‘ I need some help from you,…… I was hoping…. …. You can teach me how to live.’

😭

 Throughout the movie, Shoya’s motivation for helping Shoko start with:

1. He doesn’t want to cause any more pain to Shoko.

then,

2. ‘all I want….. is Shoko to like herself.’

Lastly,

3. ‘….. You can teach me how to live.’

• Shoko doesn’t do or say anything at first, and Shoya starts to panic, but then Shoya starts laughing and does another sign.  Putting her hands together, then cupping them with his own hands.  She accepts his request. 

Part 9

• Shoya arrives at the hairdressing shop, and Shoko’s Mother is letting Shoya’s Mother cut her hair when she sees Shoya walk in, and she then apologises for everything.

• I think it’s interesting that apologies don’t really mean much at the beginning.  
• At the end of the movie, people apologise and they mean it this time. 

…….

• At the school festival, Shoya tries to brave it out however, when he gets there, everyone keeps talking about him, and he stumbles and falls to the floor. Shoko is with him, looking worried.  Shoya explains that high school wasn’t the best time for him, and Shoko says it ok and offers to support him. 
• He slowly reunites with his friends and gradually regains the confidence to look up at their faces again.
• When Naoka shows up, she attempts to bring everyone down again.
•  She starts ‘talking’ to Shoko once again, trying to insult her by signing and calling her a ‘moron’.
• At first, Shoko was surprised, and Shoya worried. However, Shoko grabs her hand and shows her the right way of signing ‘moron’.
  • This is funny because while Naoko is trying to insult Shoko using sign.  She accidentally cares enough to take the time to learn the language to probably ‘insuit’ her.
• Now Naoko is embarrassed and runs away. Then we see Shoko burst out laughing joyfully. 

Shoya asks everyone to join him and lets enjoy the festival!

• While at the festival, Shoya in the middle of the crowd, starts ‘letting go’ and starts listening to the world and starts looking up at people’s faces and slowly the X’s gradually go away as he lets the world open to him now. 
• As he is opening up, a flood of tears starts pouring out and he can’t stop.
  • Once you open up those emotions, it’s impossible to close that door. 
• Then, the end credits roll, and we see the faces of everyone. Ending with Shokos laughing. 

End of movie!!! 

That was an emotional rollercoaster of a ride!!

Before I end the blog,

There’s a part of this story that I struggled on where to place it.

That is the topic of 

Gaslighting 

(or I think that the correct word)

 What I love about this story is that there is dialogue that appears to be normal, but then someone will drop a line that seems to be nothing but it’s building up to the climax of the story.  Here are a couple of examples:

1.  ‘you gonna try and be nicer from now on’ 
2. Manga: ‘what parent raises an idiot like you….. whatever happened, it your responsibility.’
3. Manga: ‘whatever happened, it your responsibility.’ …… 
4. ‘don’t full over be careful’.
5.  ‘Shoko heaing is really that bad… mabey thats why she kept on getting bullied all the time…. You must be a major douchebag who bullies a deaf kid. Whats wrong with people right?’
6. ‘she wont hit you this time she probably kill you’
   1. ‘you luck out, looks like mum isn’t going to kill you.’

(I know I’ve missed quite a few.) 

I could be reading too much into this.  However, this movie drops hints over and over. So when we get to the part where Shoko is about to jump, there’s so much tension built up that we just assume the worst.  It’s masterfully done.

It’s easy (for me) to see this gaslighting in movies. However, it is far more tricky to notice it in real life.  For myself, I have to listen very carefully to every word anyone says, looking for any strange patterns.  This is true especially with family members.   

There are so many examples, but I thought of an old one that happened YEARS ago: 

I had been to the hospital for a big operation in year 6 or 9. 

 Five minutes before, Father said something on the lines of:

‘Funny is it, just imagine, going ‘under’ (sleep) and never waking up! That must be a peaceful way to go. You never know!’

😮

😰

 FIVE MINS BEFORE MY OPERATION!!

Yes, that is exactly what I needed to hear right before some doctors start ‘working’ on my legs.

I was 10! or 14/15/16! At the time.  

Im now 31! 

It’s still in my mind!  

As I said, I got LOADS of these talking points.

It shows you that what appears to be nothing, a normal talking point, might have a bigger impact on some people.

(post-edit) I just thought of two more! more recent.

My brother just got a new job. Then back home we had a family meal. And father says:

‘(my brother) got a new job. That’s GREAT! Maybe he’ll work hard, come up with an idea that will change the world (similar to Bill Gates (Microsoft) or Steve Jobs (Apple)), make a ton of money, and PUBISH A BOOK!!

This is months after I just literally published my book!

Lastly, my brother just announced that he and his partner are having a new baby! which everyone is SO HAPPY! with the news!!

Then again, a family gathering. We were all sitting in the front room. Father says:

This is the best thing that has happened to our family in YEARS!

ummm…..

😤

I’m lost for words!

AGAIN! It shows you that what appears to be nothing, a ‘normal’ talking point, might have a bigger impact on some people.

Conclusion 

In conclusion……… I LOVE THIS STORY!

 This story has been on my mind for 6 months now while im writing this review.  I love the setting, the characters, and I especially love the two main characters. I love how the story respects the themes.  It doesn’t sugarcoat the themes; instead, it presents a mature and grounded take on some really tricky topics, making it realistic.   

This is blog is now finish.

i guess i have to find another story now.

😨

How im I supposed to follow up from this story!

I do have a possible new blog with another favourite story and interesting talking points. im not sure if I can articulate the themes to a good enough standard.

🤔

Thank you for taking the time to read through to the end of this blog.

As mentioned at the beginning, there is a YT video that also talks in depth about this film, which I find SUPER INTERESTING.

If you enjoy ‘The Silent Voice’ and appreciate my perspective on the film. You might also enjoy my book: The Hardship of Growing Up on Wheels.

I mentioned earlier that this story REALLY connects with me.

I related to both Shoya & Shoko in the story, and at times, I even took a step in their shoes for a minute or two.

Please let me know if I’ve missed anything important, such as story bits or tiny details (easter eggs), or if you have a different perspective on certain scenes in the movie. (I know I’ve overlooked some details) Or why do you love this story?

If you’d like to see more reviews, please visit my other reviews on the site. (I promise they are a shorter read, haha)

ok im finished with the blog! im going to my TBR to think about what book I should read next.

😁