Story
Imagine how you would feel if obstacles were thrown in your path the moment life began? How would you adapt to life? How would you react to the way people treat you? In reality, this anime serves as an answer to all these questions. While many popular anime that offer fun and enjoyable times typically revolve around school, real life, comedy, and romance, we are here facing a masterpiece that shines a light on a social issue: the daily lives of people with disabilities and the perspectives others hold toward them, achieving this with great mastery.
As for the plot of our film, it is truly something that cannot be fully explained but must be experienced. However, attempting to touch upon it briefly: Shouko Nishimiya is an elementary school student born with a hearing impairment. Her hearing aid and disability cause her to be perceived differently, which draws the attention of some bullies in her class. These students begin bullying Nishimiya, constantly damaging her hearing aid and harassing her. Shouya Ishida is the ringleader of these bullies, and eventually, he takes the damage too far. Consequently, Nishimiya's family complains about the bullying at school, and Nishimiya stops attending. In the end, all the blame falls on Shouya, and the entire class blames him. From then on, Shouya's life does not go smoothly; while closing himself off from people, his life begins to take on a complex shape.
Shouya is now a high school student struggling with psychological issues. He feels remorse for the mistakes he made in the past. Because of this, he wants to confront all his regrets and make Nishimiya forgive him. Eventually, he finds Nishimiya and expresses his regret. Now, Shouya has a purpose: to reconnect with life and break down his prejudices against others. This purpose is “for Nishimiya to forgive him, to help him forget the past to some extent, and to understand her.” On this difficult yet sincere journey, will Nishimiya and Shouya be able to overcome the hardships they face? How will the attitudes of other people toward them, and their attitudes toward other people, change—or will everything become even more complicated than before?
Production
We see Naoko Yamada in the director's chair, known for directing the well-known series K-On! and Tamako Love Story. The music for the anime film was composed by Kensuke Ushio. As devoted anime fans know, Ushio also composed the music for the popular series Devilman Crybaby and Space Dandy, which made quite an impact when it first aired. The anime's main character, Shouya Ishida, is voiced by Miyu Irino, while our other main character, Shouko Nishimiya, is voiced by Saori Hayami.
Review
This anime film is truly a special production. Its high level of enjoyment, combined with its open-hearted commentary on one of society's most important issues, helps people see certain matters more clearly. Furthermore, the anime approaches the concept of empathy in a wonderful way. By prioritizing seeing people rather than just looking at their problems, this film is, in my opinion, a contender for one of the best anime films of all time.
If you too want to truly realize that something is wrong, empathize with the difficulties disabled people face in life, and understand their emotions to some extent, while also immersing yourself in the magic of friendship and having a good time, then this anime is perfect for you.
Characters
· 8 characters
She is Ishida and Nishimiya's classmate from elementary school. In elementary school, she was the only person who wanted to learn sign language and be friends with Nishimiya.
She is the main character of the anime. As a person with a hearing impairment, she has been subjected to people's strange behavior throughout her entire education. Nevertheless, she still tries to look at life with a smile and happiness.
He is the main character of the anime. In elementary school, he was the leader of the group that bullied Nishimiya. When Nishimiya could no longer endure the bullying and left school, all the blame fell on him. By the time he reached high school, he had fallen into a deep psychological crisis and isolated himself from others. He has made it his life goal to apologize to Nishimiya and seek forgiveness for the mistakes he made in the past, hoping to be rid of his regrets.
He is a short and stocky individual. He has a vivid imagination and often tends to apply this imagination to real life. He looks up to Ishida and considers him his closest friend. His biggest dream is to become a film director.
She is Nishimiya's sister. She is a middle school student. She is overly protective of Nishimiya and hates those who bullied her. She enjoys taking photographs.
She is Ishida's friend from elementary school. She feels close to Ishida. She exhibited bad behavior toward Nishimiya. After all the blame fell on Ishida, she did not support him.
She is Ishida's classmate from elementary school. Despite being known as a very cute and kind person, she was part of the group that behaved strangely toward Nishimiya.
A character who joined Ishida's group during high school and is constantly seen with Miki Kawai. Although he comes across as calm and cool, he is extremely reactive to bad behavior due to the bullying he experienced as a child. He also has a dream of becoming an actor.
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