Overview
A Silent Voice is a Kyoto Animation film about Shoya Ishida, a boy who bullied his deaf classmate Shoko Nishimiya in elementary school, and who, years later, sets out to make amends. It is not a light school romance. It is a careful, emotional story about guilt, isolation and the slow, awkward work of learning to listen to other people.
What makes the film stand out is how patiently it treats its characters. Shoya is not excused for what he did, and Shoko is not reduced to a symbol. Their old classmates return with their own versions of the past, their own regrets and their own reasons for keeping their distance. The film lets those tensions sit, and it finds its most moving moments in small gestures: a shared lunch, a sign-language conversation, a friendship that has to be rebuilt from scratch.
Directed by Naoko Yamada, the film is beautifully animated, with cherry blossoms, school corridors and quiet everyday scenes carrying as much feeling as the dialogue. It deals with bullying and self-harm, so it is best approached with care, but for viewers ready for that story, it is one of the most humane anime films of recent years.
Quick Facts
- Original title: 映画 聲の形
- Released: 2016
- Runtime: 2 hours 9 minutes
- Genres: Animation, Drama, Romance
- Director: Naoko Yamada
- Screenplay: Reiko Yoshida
- Original language: Japanese
- Status: Released
- Main cast: Miyu Irino as Shoya Ishida, Saori Hayami as Shoko Nishimiya, Aoi Yuki as Yuzuru Nishimiya, Kensho Ono as Tomohiro Nagatsuka, Yuki Kaneko as Naoka Ueno, Yui Ishikawa as Miyoko Sahara
Official Trailer
Watch the official English trailer from GKIDS Films below.
Where to Watch in India
In India, A Silent Voice is available to stream on Crunchyroll, where JustWatch India lists it in HD with subtitles. No Hindi, Tamil or Telugu audio was listed at the time of checking, so this guide does not claim a dubbed version.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is A Silent Voice about?
A Silent Voice follows Shoya Ishida, who bullied his deaf classmate Shoko Nishimiya as a child and, as a teenager, tries to apologise and reconnect with her. It is a drama about guilt, friendship and redemption.
Is A Silent Voice a series or a film?
It is a single film, running about 2 hours and 9 minutes, directed by Naoko Yamada and based on the manga by Yoshitoki Oima.
Is A Silent Voice suitable for children?
The film deals with bullying and self-harm and is rated UA16+ in India, so it is best suited to older teenagers and adults, and viewers should be aware of those themes before watching.
Is A Silent Voice available in Hindi on Crunchyroll India?
At the time of checking, JustWatch India listed the film on Crunchyroll in HD with subtitles and did not list Hindi, Tamil or Telugu audio, so a Hindi dub is not confirmed here.
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