A Silent Voice, Volume 5

聲の形 [Koe no Katachi] #5

by Yoshitoki Oima, Steven LeCroy (Translator)

Years ago, Shoya Ishida led his peers in tormenting a hearing-impaired classmate, Shoko Nishimiya. When she transfers schools, Shoya finds he has gone from bully to bullied, and is left completely alone. Now Shoya struggles to redeem himself in Shoko's eyes and to face the classmates who turned on him. He learns sign language to apologise to Shoko for his behaviour, and so begins a relationship that will change his and Shoko's lives forever.

Genres: Manga, Romance, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Contemporary

190 pages, Paperback

First published August 16, 2014

About the author

See also: 大今良時

OIMA Yoshitoki: 大今良時
Associated Names:
Yoshitoki Ohima
Yoshitoki Ooima
Yoshitoki Ōima

Even though her one-shot Koe no Katachi won critical acclaim, it took a longsome law suit to get a magazine to publish it because of its socio-critical theme. Eventually, it was featured in the February edition of Bessatsu Shounen Magazin, where it placed first, and later in the 12th edition of the 2013 Weekly Shounen Magazine.

She has also collaborated with UBUKATA Tow for the manga adaption of his novel Mardock Scramble.

Reviews

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

what's with that ending and all those friends leaving and fights and ....

[Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este tomo supo como hacerme pasar de la indignación con cierto profesor negligente a la rabia con las reacciones de personajes hipócritas como Kawai y Ueno, que al final son un poco diferentes pero no dejan de desprender cierto nivel de victimismo que yo no aguanto nada, y aquí lo hay a chorros. Curioso que nunca se hayan disculpado con Nishimiya cuando ese debería ser el primer paso de un largo camino de aceptación.

Por cierto, a Mashiba empecé queriendolo y admirandolo aunque su actitud hacia el final me deja un poco molesto. Y aunque la historia sigue encaminado a esa incógnita de: «¿Cómo puedo demostrar qué he crecido como persona?» creo que el perfecto ejemplar o modelo a seguir son los actos de Ishida, porque este si intenta redimirse y hacer las cosas como debieron ser en un inicio; desde el respeto y la empatía. Más no desde la hipocresía y la victimización.

Y el final, esa conclusión solo me deja abiertamente preocupado y con el corazón encogido de tristeza. No me lo esperaba ni un poquito.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm tempted to give it 4 stars but the whole volume was so slow. The ending was a shocker, though.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.....

That (literal) cliffhanger.

[Anja Karenjina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ne mogu da podnesem koliko je ovo depresivno zapravo, zašto je deci prepušteno da se sami bore sa problemima nasilja, na kojoj god strani tog nasilja da se nalaze?!

[sarah سارة ꫂ᭪ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I HATE EVERYONE IN THIS BOOK
besides shoya, his family, shoko and yuzuru
EVERYONE ELSE CAN DIE
TOMOHIRO IS ANNOYING
NAOKA IS A BITCH
MIKI IS CONNIVING
miyokos fine actually
SATOSHI IS ENTITLED

i hate this bro. why is everyone insufferable.

also can naoka get the hint already 😭😭 the amount of second hand embarrassment is surreal.
idk why shoya even wanted to continue being friends with terrible people in the first place.
SPEAKING OF SHOYA
HES SUCH A PUSHOVER??? KING STAND UP.

5/5 rage filled stars 🌟

[Kadi P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another fantastic addition to this manga series. Perhaps the best one yet!

The chapter where Shouya and Shoko returned to their old school was glorious. I loved how it also gave us an opportunity to learn more about Mashiba’s personality and it was much more authentic than how it was presented in the movie.

I’ve been waiting for some exploration of Shouya and Nagatsuka’s friendship and once it came it was interesting to see. Personally, I wouldn’t want to be friends with Nagatsuka. He was too needy and obsessed with Shouya. I understood why (because he didn’t have any other friends) but chill out! He made everything so weird with his clinginess and idolising. I guess Shouya only minded it to a certain extent because in the end he still wanted to remain friends with him. I would’ve just cut ties because a friend like that isn’t really a friend, they’re a drain on you and friends are supposed to help lift you up not be ridiculously dependent on you.

As I’ve said in the past, Ueno might be a total git but Kawai is the worst. The worst worst worst and I absolutely HATE people like her. They’re the people that portray themselves as goody-two-shoes, super nice people and when you call them out they play the victim card, cry and make you look bad like a liar. To hell with Kawai and every manipulative moron out there. A bully is bad. But a bully who pretends not to be is so much worse. And that’s what Kawai was. The sad thing is she probably really believed she was correct and that she didn’t bully Shoko when she did too.

I didn’t mind when Shouya started saying the truth about his friends on the bridge. There was a time not so long ago when I would’ve done the same. When I didn’t care one ounce about what people thought, only about the truth, and I’d say it without any regard for anyone’s feelings. That must’ve been why I saw no issue with Shouya finally exposing all the bad parts of his friends and the only people who don’t like it are ones who can’t face the truth.

A really interesting discussion had begun to form in this vol of who was to blame: Shouya or Shoko? They both hated and blamed themselves for the bullying that happened and everything that stemmed from it, but I agreed with Ueno when she said probably the wisest thing she’d ever said: that she hated that way of thinking and that it wasn’t helpful in moving on. Despite her setbacks I really appreciated that she had the wisdom to recognise that and I’m interested to see if there’ll be more of that in A Silent Voice, Volume 6...

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 5 of 7 about Shoko, a deaf girl bullied in elementary school by Shoya and others. By the time we are in high school Shoko is trying to make amends. This volume moves pretty slowly to a cliffhanger ending that it feels like it has been building toward since last volume. I would like to have a bit more of an inside view of Shoko. Instead we get this possible redemption story of Shoko. There's Tomohiro's eccentric movie to make, too, which is a fantasy removed from the heavy struggle of the bullied and bullyer.

[Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

[4.5 Stars]

[Moon_child31 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️

[Rouh || رُوح · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending😩😭😭😭

[Jess 📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best volume so far!

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 5 of 7 about Shoko, a deaf girl bullied in elementary school by Shoya and others. By the time we are in high school Shoko is trying to make amends. This volume moves pretty slowly to a cliffhanger ending that it feels like it has been building toward since last volume. I would like to have a bit more of an inside view of Shoko. Instead we get this possible redemption story of Shoko. There's Tomohiro's eccentric movie to make, too, which is a fantasy removed from the heavy struggle of the bullied and bullyer.

[Phoenix2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong continuation of the story. Can't wait for the next one!!

[Repellent Boy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madre mía el final del tomo. Me ha sacado el corazón del pecho. Brutal❤️.

[Priscilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok so a friendly piece of advice for all future readers of A silent voice: really, please, make sure you have book 6 at hand because if you, like me, are left with the ending of book 5 and do not yet have book 6, you will live a terrible life. Like I do right now. I need book 6. Please.

[Elens · Rating 4 out of 5]

O.o menomale ho già il sesto volume

[Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...


This is a review of volumes 4-5 which I read together back to back. See the plot section for my thoughts on the individual volumes.

The Premise

We start meeting some of the other bullies in A Silent Voice vol 4. One of these is Nao, Shoya's contemporary from middle school. He didn't realize that she liked him back then. She has her own regrets from that time, that unfortunately have nothing to do with bullying Shoko and everything to do with bullying Shoya. I admit that I care little for Nao and only am intrigued with how Shoya deals with her. It's the major bomb in Shoko and Yuzuru's life that totally wrung my heart. The bullied deal with the bullies many times due to their loved ones support.

The movie that Tomohiro wants to make causes a lot of trouble between Shoya and the group. The popular kids take over when Tomohiro wanted it to be a labor of friendship. It causes the past to be stirred up and some of the bullies aren't facing the past as it really was. And Shoko feels totally responsible and decides to do something about it. What floored me about A Silent Voice vol 5 is that Shoya was once at this same exact spot at Shoko. I bet he totally understood what lead to this moment and feels just as responsible as Shoko does.


The Buzz

Nao is such a bullying brat. To me she flails around because she's so unhappy. Things between her and Shoko come to a head in A Silent Voice vol 4. I was shocked, shocked at what she did. Yuzuru is a rock star how she handled the situation. Shoko is such a lovely and humble person I just can't believe that Nao won't give in. Realize that this girl takes the world on her shoulders as it is!! The movie that Tomohiro insists Shoya help make gets under way too... I'm excited to see what they do for the story...

Guilt and regret about the past and how we handle it seems to be the themes in A Silent Voice vol 5. Shoya knows his part in the bullying of the past... but others aren't so forgiving as Shoko is nor do the other bullies want forgiveness. In fact, for Miki denial is the way to cope. Satoshi we learn is also in one camp and his response is violence. He can't do otherwise. I was most disappointed in Tomohiro. But not every friend is the best friend always. It's really a fascinating look at friendship and what it means and how we cope when we mess up.


The Feels

Meeting Shoko and Yuzuru's grandmother was the highlight of A Silent Voice vol 4. We see how she supported her daughter against her cretin of a husband and in-laws. Yuzuru is quite close to the old woman and we see how she helped the younger girl to cope. Then there is the way their grandmother maneuvered Shoko and Yuzuru to learn sign language!! GAHHHH this woman is the reason both survived all of the bullying and struggles of a deaf person and their family. I totally cried at one point because Shoya kills it and my heart seized. Even Yuzuru's mom said something nice to him...

Shoko is a girl I don't always understand. But for a Japanese person guilt is a powerful motivator. Her reaction to the events Shoya is going through in A Silent Voice vol 5 is quite strong. It totally killed me and I knew exactly what Shoya was feeling as he raced for her hand. Ironically Shoya takes all the blame on himself too. If only these two would talk!! That is what I'm looking for in the next volumes of A Silent Voice... I want to see more communication and some honest admittance to each bully's role in torturing others.


The Visuals

A Silent Voice vol 4-5 bring back the individualistic art style of Yoshitoki Oima! And I can easily say I'm a fan. It has its own character that brings this story to life. The body language isn't just in their expressions but extends all the way out to full body shots. GAHHHH its so emotional and adds so much to the story. And the balance between backgrounds and close ups is so perfect.

A Silent Voice vol 5 used the art to really make the story hit home. The moments when Shoya thinks about his past are drawn on black backgrounds and made me feel his emotions so much sharper for it. His confrontation with the bullying teacher from the past made me shiver for him. And Satoshi's reaction is so classic! It all was heightened through the art. The last chapter of the volume though... GAHHHH how can love and despair be made to look so beautiful?!

A Silent Voice vol 4-5 builds us a story of bullies, victims and suicide that makes my heart hurt. These are themes that Asian kids are dealing with today in extreme numbers... there is much we can learn about bullies and the bullied reading this series. We need more stories that are hard hitting and so honest they hurt to read but you push through anyway.


⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tension
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Art


This is a multi-volume series and there may be references to the plot of those volumes... SO READ WITH CARE! Here is my review of 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

______________________
You can find this manga review and many others on my book blog every Monday @ Perspective of a Writer. See my manga and graphic novel reviews at the bottom of the page.

Please like this review if you enjoyed it! *bow* *bow* It helps me out a ton!!

[Zuli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Istg the ending made my jaw drop!

[Lucía Cafeína · Rating 4 out of 5]

Y... así es como se me rompe el corazón.

[hweatherfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost done with this series, and I absolutely love it. There's something refreshing about how real the situations between the characters are becoming; the author is not skipping out on trying to flesh out a really important conversation. The concepts this series covers can relate to today's reaction of abuse, call-out culture, toxic behaviors, and rehabilitation (things I've been very interested in lately). I really didn't expect this series to get this deep, and yeah, that cliffhanger had me screaming. This is a series I will probably want to re-read once I'm finished and do a more in-depth review of. Probably my favorite manga I've read.

[Alma Lectora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pero que acaba de pasar??? o0 Dios mio es el mayor final de tomo que he leído.... Como nos dejan así!!!!
Ahora podemos ver las peores consecuencias del bullying, con datos reales y todo entre sus páginas para que todos los lectores vean que aunque es una historia de ficción, esto sigue ocurriendo y con consecuencias muy malas.

Ahora a leer rápido el siguiente porque no pueden dejarme así, no. Esto no se hace

[Yukino · Rating 4 out of 5]

SERIE A SILENT VOICE vol 5

Lettura di gruppo E&L

Ma siamo matti? si finsice così un volume?
Sto malissimo! per fortuna ho già tra le mani il prossimo.

Scusate ma come avete capito, mi è impossibile fare una recensione decente. :P

[libby · Rating 2 out of 5]

actual rating - 3.5 stars

I didn't particularly find the first half of this very engaging but once I got to the end it really kicked off...the cliffhanger is a very cruel move!

[Aleksandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

my heart 💔💔💔

[cyannie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

pojebie mnie przez nich, nienawidze połowy postaci w tej mandze, nie polecam if you get angry easily

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/rDNG4NTjeMM

😭😭😭😭😭

What a turn of events with this volume! I'm not even sure what to say because when things almost revert back to what it use to be, I was so incredibly sad that I could feel tears forming. I have honestly felt that maybe these WERE Shoya's real friends, but maybe I was thinking wrong up to this point? Though surely not because that one moment where Shoya and Tomohiro have an argument showed there was so much more and that they ARE close friends because friends sometimes argue about pointless things.

I don't know but my heart is heavy this volume. Granted, I was really angry at the teacher! I was glad Satoshi did what he did and was actually surprised by how much I liked Satoshi! He was different then I expected and I am truly hoping things will be remedied in the next volume despite the hurtful things Shoya said.

Also I was shocked how Naoka made a bold stand in this volume and confess I was thankful she did in what she told Shoya, but I do feel it all went differently then she thought it would. I know it went differently then I personally thought it would...

But goodness the end! I'm scared for these characters because is anyone going to believe or listen to Shoya? Will Shoko believe she has worth and matters?

Questions, questions, questions and hoping my heart won't be ripped out next volume...

[Vladimir Veškovac · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mišljenja sam da je serijal mogao da se završi bez ovoliko razvlačenja (3-4 broja). Efektivno tek u poslednjih par stranica, pa se nadam da će se popraviti utisak.

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The volcano finally erupts, and everything that's been hidden or simmering between the friends comes to the surface in an explosive way. Shoya returns to where it all started—the elementary school—and his past is revealed. At the end of this book, he has reverted to his former character (even wearing the same kind of outfit he wore when he was a kid), and I'm interested to see how he develops, now that he is forced to fully confront his past and who he is.

It is past the time when we need to learn what's really going on inside Shoko, though. I'm hopeful that the cliffhanger after the fireworks in this book will lead, finally, to that revelation.

[Jolien ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG NOOOOOO

I need to know what happenssss