Koe no Katachi | The Shape of Voice

“Back then, if we could have heard each other’s voices, everything would have been so much better.”

A Japanese manga series that will captivate your heart, that’s what Koe no Katachi is. Written and illustrated by Yoshitoki Oima, you’ll get to experience mixed emotions as you read the story from the first to its last chapter. Feel the drama, enjoy the romance and relate to the slice of life plot of the story.

Shouko Nishimiya

The story centers on Shouya Ishida, a boy who always look for ways to beat boredom. Weirded out by his new classmate, Shouko Nishimiya, whom has severe hearing loss, he picks on her day after day, alongside his friends back when he was in elementary school unaware of the effects of his thoughtless actions. 

It got to the point where Nishimiya transferred to another school, and all of his friends and teachers turned against him. They begin to ostracize and bully him every chance they get instead. After a few years, Ishida learned sign language and started looking for Nishimiya as he’s determined to right his wrongs.

Though there’s bits and pieces of romance here and there, it is not the main theme of the story at all. So don’t go into the series expecting it to be. Despite that, Koe no Katachi is a jewel that no one should miss. It deals with realistic and interesting topics such as the two sides of bullying and its ripple effects everyone. It is also about a lot of things like disabilities, difficult friendships, regrets and the kind of depression and guilt ordinary people deal with.

“If crying will solve anything… I want you to cry.”

Maybe the reason why I love the manga is because I can relate to it. When I was reading it, I can’t help but remember some painful memories when I was in high school. I was someone who didn’t fit well in the class and people will only talk to me if they need something. I was the class ‘weirdo’ who always spend my time with books on my hand and hardly talk to anyone unless I needed to. I was criticized and people talk behind my back.

Reading the series while remembering my high school days, I can say that you don’t have to be ugly, poor or disabled to be bullied or shunned and be an outcast. As long as other people thinks you’re different and inferior, they’ll pick on you.

Koe no Katachi is simply beautiful and sad. Between so many distressing moments, everything has been beautifully written and thought out. I have to say that the characters have been great. I cried, agonized and hoped with them. See them change, and even hurt each other as they matured, has been one of the best parts of the manga. It has a sweet and satisfying ending.

It is also known as A Silent Voice to many English readers.