The animated movie Koe no Katachi was released in Japan in 2016. But only in May 2017 was it released on DVD and Blu-ray. This animation was produced by Kyoto Animation and is an adaptation of the seven volumes of the manga by Yoshitoki Ooima. Far from being just a simple cliché romance or a romantic drama, Koe no Katachi goes much further than that. Themes such as suicide, depression, social anxiety, disabilities, bullying are depicted in clear ways. So much so that the film leads us to make a personal self-reflection.
The story is basically divided into two parts. The first part shows the difficulties faced by Nishimiya Shouko, a deaf child, who has just moved to a new elementary school. It shows her desire to make friends, adapt, and be accepted by others. But we have the contrast with Shouya Ishida. A very popular and influential boy in his class, who does not miss any opportunity to mock the girl.
The second part shows them years after elementary school. Ishida regrets everything he made the girl go through. He suffers a lot for the things he did in the past, shaking both his social and personal life. And after meeting Nishimiya again, he tries to reconcile with her and make up for all the suffering caused.
Koe no Katachi high points
The plot of the work strongly makes us aware of the consequences for both those who suffer from bullying and those who practice it. It shows how we humans treat and face differences. It also portrays well the phase of growth and development, of what it is to be a teenager and immature. The challenges of dealing with other different people, who are still learning who they really are, become evident.
The work addresses everything with respect, without embellishing wrong or shocking attitudes, representing emotions and consequences with great accuracy. And it doesn't just talk about the world of deaf people, but also about unexpressed or unspoken thoughts and feelings that we all can have.
The animation does not disappoint either. The color palette is just right, soft, which even helps with the unfolding of the characters' emotions. This makes the characters more realistic. In the sound part, we have great hits. Using modest tracks and the use of silence at the correct moments.
Some plot problems are noticed. Since it's an adaptation of a mangá, it wouldn't be possible to include everything in a two-hour movie. But it's nothing that compromises your experience with the film. Koe no Katachi is a story that deserves our iration, as the story is not stuck on bullying. It also shows the consequences and the emotional development of the characters in a special and realistic way.
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