Underplayed Gems

A Silent Voice (2016)

A Silent Voice poster
Original title
映画 聲の形
Directed by
Naoko Yamada
Genre
drama film, coming-of-age film, Drama, Romance, Slice of Life
Country
Japan
Runtime
2h 09m
Rated
NR
Rating
8.4 of 10 from 4,557 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More films like thisWatch the trailer

or watch the trailer on YouTube

How it feels

A former bully reaches out to the deaf girl he tormented in elementary school to make amends. The story follows their fragile attempts at friendship and healing.

emotionalreflectivetenderbittersweetslow-pacedintimatemelancholichopeful

What happens

A Silent Voice (Japanese: 聲の形, Hepburn: Koe no Katachi; lit. 'Shape of Voice') is a 2016 Japanese animated psychological drama film directed by Naoko Yamada, and written by Reiko Yoshida, based on the manga of the same name by Yoshitoki Ōima. The film was produced by Kyoto Animation, featuring character designs by Futoshi Nishiya and music by Kensuke Ushio. Plans for an animated film adaptation were announced in November 2014, Kyoto Animation was confirmed to produce the film in November 2015. Miyu Irino and Saori Hayami signed on as voice casting in May 2016 and the theatrical release poster and official trailer were released in July 2016. The film covers elements of coming-of-age and psychological drama, dealing with themes of bullying, disability, overcoming guilt, forgiveness, mental health, suicide, and friendship of opposite sexes. It follows the story of a former bully turned social outcast, who decides to reconnect with and befriend the deaf girl he had bullied years prior. The film premiered at Tokyo on August 24, 2016. It was released in Japan on September 17, 2016, and worldwide between February and June 2017. The film received positive reviews from critics, with praise going to the direction, animation, voice acting, musical score, and the psychological complexity of the characters. It has grossed $30.8 million worldwide. The film won the Japanese Movie Critics Awards for Best Animated Feature Film. While nominated for the Japan Academy Film Prize for Excellent Animation of the Year, as well the Mainichi Film Award for Best Animation Film, it lost to In This Corner of the World and Your Name, respectively. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems. Not quite it? You can browse by genre, country and year, or take this one into the 3D catalogue and ask the Catbot for something closer.