Movie · 2016 · Animation, Drama, Romance · 2h 9m · NR · Japanese
Curator score: 9.1/10 (910.2K ratings)
Sometimes the answer is as simple as learning to listen.
Overview
Shouya Ishida starts bullying the new girl in class, Shouko Nishimiya, because she is deaf. But as the teasing continues, the rest of the class starts to turn on Shouya for his lack of compassion. When they leave elementary school, Shouko and Shouya do not speak to each other again... until an older, wiser Shouya, tormented by his past behaviour, decides he must see Shouko once more. He wants to atone for his sins, but is it already too late...?
A devastating, beautifully animated drama about bullying, disability, guilt, and the long road toward self-forgiveness. It’s emotionally intense but grounded by strong visual storytelling and a sincere, compassionate outlook.
Best for
Viewers who want a serious coming-of-age drama
Fans of emotionally heavy anime films
People interested in stories about remorse, redemption, and social isolation
Viewers who appreciate expressive animation and visual symbolism
Skip if
You want a light or comforting watch
You’re sensitive to bullying, self-harm, or intense emotional distress
You prefer plot-driven stories over character pain and reflection
You dislike melodramatic or highly emotional dramas
Overview
A Silent Voice is one of the most affecting modern animated dramas because it treats cruelty and remorse as lived experiences, not abstract ideas. The film is unflinching about childhood bullying and the damage it leaves behind, but it’s equally interested in the messy, uncertain work of trying to become a better person after the fact.
Worth noting
What makes it stand out is the balance between emotional directness and visual delicacy. The animation uses space, silence, and small gestures with real precision, turning ordinary moments into something painfully intimate. It’s a film that understands how shame can isolate people just as thoroughly as any external punishment.
Bottom line
The result is moving, sometimes overwhelming, and occasionally a little broad in its dramatic turns, but its sincerity carries it. If you connect with stories about regret, empathy, and the possibility of repair, this is a powerful watch.
Top Letterboxd reviews
scott aa wilson (5★) · 6155 likes
Boy meets girl. Boy bullies girl. Boy matures and tries to set things right.
I really hated Ishida. You're supposed to, obviously. He bullies Nishimiya for no reason other than her deafness. He would have bullied her regardless, just because she was new to the class. He is the ringleader and the enabler for his friends to bully her too.
Cut to years later and something has changed. He's distanced himself from who he used to be. Ostracised by his… more
James (Schaffrillas) (4.5★) · 5407 likes
What does it mean to live with your mistakes?
What does it mean to feel remorse?
What does it mean to want to make things right?
Can you ever really make things right?
Will anything ever take away the shame?
The pain?
The remorse?
You lost a piece of yourself all those years ago.
Will this finally fill the hole?
YI JIAN (5★) · 4153 likes
I am in pain.
Kikomia (4.5★) · 2816 likes
check out how many sad scenes we can fit in one movie: the anime
YI JIAN (5★) · 2188 likes
My dumb ass really thought I was ready to watch this again.