Koe no Katachi (A Silent Voice)

Koe no Katachi {A Silent Voice}
Yoshitoki Oima
7 volumes

Summary:

I wish we had never met. I wish we could meet once again. A boy who can hear, Shoya Ishida, and a transfer student who can’t, Shoko Nishimiya. One fateful day, the two meet, and Shoya leads the class in bullying Shoko. But before long, the class shifts its target from Shoko to Shoya. Years later, Shoya feels strongly that he must see Shoko once again. The author Yoshitoki Oima’s comment: “People living in isolation. I wrote this story out of a desire to write about people living distant, isolated lives. Nothing would make me happier than if you all read my story

 Opinion:
Warning: This is a Japanese manga (comic book). Also, some portions of the book involve sign language without written translation. It doesnt diminish the story,as you can usually decipher what is being said.

I loved this manga. Everything was so beautiful from the feelings to the artwork. I can really understand where each character's motivation is coming from. Bullying is a serious problem in Japanese schools and all schools worldwide; it just gets worse when a person suffers from disabilities. This author showcased how bullying doesn't just affect the victim, but the victim's family, the bully, and the people who watched in silence. Some parts made me cry, some made me laugh, and others made me hit my head in exasperation. Ishida was such a relate-able character. Guilt became such a motivating factor for him. It made him a much more likable character than when he was younger. Nishimiya was a character who i never seemed to be able to get into her head, until the immediate end. Every character was relate-able truthfully, even the rude teacher. I've known a couple of rude teachers in my school career. This book series is a journey and when you reach the end; you will come out just a little bit differently. This solidified my desire to learn sign language. It also made me rethink bullying. Everyone always says bystanders are just as guilty, but once you actually see it/read it/ understand what people mean on your own then it wont click. Well, it clicked for me. I really recommend for you to read it. You can either buy the manga or read it online for free at Mangafox.com or Mangareader.com.

P,S, Leave a comment below please.