A Silent Voice

Synopsis

The movie chronicles the emotional, social, and spiritual attributes that are manifested by a group of adolescent schoolmates in elementary school, especially as to how they relate to a hearing impaired girl that is introduced into their group. Each teen reacts to the newcomer in a different way, including many varied and negative reactions and outcomes. Shōya Ishida, a former delinquent bullies the deaf girl, Shōko Nishimiya, with his friends joining in. Finally, when Shōko is forced to transfer to another school after enduring a period of the most cruel bullying, all of Ishida's friends, as well as the teachers, blame him for bullying her into leaving. He is made the scapegoat, despite the varying levels of culpability that others have had in torturing her. This results in Ishida himself being bullied and ostracized well into high school. He comes to the conclusion that there is really no point in having friends. Having no plans for the future, Ishida even attempts suicide. But with redemption being offered, he learns sign language and unexpectedly reunites and befriends Shōko, who is still very lonely due to her hearing impairment and extreme shyness. By then, Shōko herself is contemplating suicide due to her own social and emotional problems. Presenting teenage companionship and social relationships in a frightening, yet compelling way, it is a movie showing the many facets of teenage friendship, pride, betrayal, ostracism, redemption, and genuine love.