Koe no Katachi by Yoshitoki Oima (2011)

My Rating: 4/5

By the influence of Your Name movie, I've tried to sneak a peek on trailer of Silent Voice animation before I read it online. I liked it. It is something that could bring your memories from  the past and chuckled a bit because you knew exactly how much you've changed so far. I remember when I was being bullied in highschool because I've got this curly, frizzy hair dangled free, which I inherited up to this time but rather fastened neatly, and there's everybody in the group was calling me "witch" for my high pitch voice compliments with my hair. I really don't care people here ridiculed me for being odd, but I don't know yet how will I react if I were in Nishimiya Shouko's place.

Nishimiya Shouko was suffered for having hearing impairment since she was born the chief reason why her parents got divorced in the first place because she's weird and there's nobody could handle at her worst except her mom. Her predicament dispersed herself from normal kids at her age. They constantly teased her badly and she was vulnerable indeed whenever brow beaten by them. Everybody thought she was worthless, a huge handicap that invariably needs to be pleased all the time. Her classmates couldn't tolerate such treatment. One day Ishida, her seatmate, and his cohorts making fun of her and thrust her hearing aid outside and altogether eventually discovered that it's very expensive. She was forced by her mom to transfer in special class of the same herd. Ishida was all to be blamed. Ishida shared similar fate with Nishimiya's after she's gone away and was bashed in return for being so rude until they graduated.

Regretful Ishida Shouyo from being bully now was mere hopeless at his own course of life that leads him to attempt suicide, but it all change when he finally met Nishimiya after five years. Suddenly, he firmly avoided hypocrites and muffled himself away from his ex-friends acting themselves like saints and able to find ways on how to reconcile with the girl she hated before.

Of course, no one could abstain oneself from things you averse forever, first, it's a small world, instead it should be healed bits by bits and this is what I liked most about the story. Part of being grown up is the reflection from the past mistakes and refrain doing evil things towards others. It might be hard to forget all bad memories, but can't change fact that the only remedy to regain peace is to forgive.

The reason why not perfect score of 5 was because I'd like to urge parents become more responsible for their kids. For instance, Ishida's mom hardly able to mentor her children because of her own business at salon. She has eldest daughter that brought  different guys into home. I don't know but it bothers me so much why parents tolerate this type of behavior that ended up their young kids preggy. Anyways, the stuff like this could be considerable in light manga story. The entertainment value was good. And something unexpected happens between Ishida and Nishimiya in the end which is so cute to see in live action. I can't wait. 4/5.