A Silent Voice, Vol. 6

聲の形 [Koe no Katachi] #6

by Yoshitoki Oima, Steven LeCroy (Translator)

A SILENT PRAYER

Time stands still for both Shoya and Shoko. Triggered by past traumas, Shoya coldly attacked his friends and burnt the bridges he first set out to rebuild. Shoko feels a deep responsibility for this disaster and attempts to pay for it by taking her own life. Meanwhile, each of their friends finally show their true colors. After everything has fallen apart, how will they mend their hearts and put the pieces back together?

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

184 pages, Paperback

First published October 17, 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

[Sean O'Hara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't normally cheer when 16 year old girls get the snot knocked out of them, but god damn, if anyone ever, ever deserves to get the snot knocked out of her, it's Ueno.



Kudos, Nishimiya Mama.

[Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un tomo que para mí ha sido brutalmente doloroso.

¡A continuación habrán spoilers!

Al fin, finalmente pude meterme en la piel de todos los personajes. La autora así lo ha decidido luego de descubrir como lector que Ishida ha quedado en coma luego de intentar impedir el suicidio de Nishimiya y vaya, la verdad me ha dolido demasiado saber lo mucho que pesa la vida para ella, como no puede encontrar un motivo para seguir viviendo si solo puede verse como un estorbo que hace sufrir constantemente a su familia y amigos por su sola condición auditiva. Y es que todo cobra sentido: las reacciones de Yuzuru, el constante cuidado y atención a su hermana mayor y las fotos que tomaba a los animales muertos para tratar de hacerla reaccionar. Todo, absolutamente todo cobra sentido al descubrir que no es la primera vez que piensa e intenta terminar con su existencia. Fue duro, durísimo y brutal, demasiado triste estar en su piel.

Por otro lado, conocemos la visión de los demás: Sahara, Nagatsuka y Mashiba; a quienes no dejo de respetar por sus buenos sentimientos y la empatía detrás de cada uno de sus actos. Mientras que Kawai sigue siendo igual de victimista, se alcanza a percibir un poco de cambio en su mentalidad para bien; lo cual es un pequeño avance. Mientras que Ueno sigue siendo un ser igual de despreciable y abusiva, una plasta egoísta y verdaderamente antipática. La escena de ella golpeando a Nishimiya me ha dejado furioso hasta le médula. La empatía la tiene metida en un cajón con llave, todo es ella y solamente ella. La culpa la tienen los demás pero nunca ella. Y sinceramente todavía sigo esperando una disculpa, una necesidad de pedir perdón porque es lo único que demostrará que se arrepiente del acoso, el matoneo y lo terriblemente abusiva que ha sido todo el tiempo con Nishimiya. Y sino es así (cosa que también le añade realidad a la vida misma), espero de todo corazón que por la salud mental de Nishimiya e Ishida; estos personajes se alejen e intenten no forjar un vínculo imposible de hacer con semejante chica.

Y como plus, me jode muchísimo también que la madre de Ishida sea así de pasiva. Es que la señora brilla por su ausencia o por la poca capacidad de hacerse cargo de su hijo y hacer las cosas como debe. Tiene una actitud demasiado pasota con todo que me irrita. En fin, que este tomo me ha dejado frustado, muy pero muy furioso; y también tristísimo porque no podía ser de otra forma.

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda boring okay to be honest. This is scene which everyone was talking bout I guess. Idk it's sort of boring, only this volume. I think we are at the end though.🙄

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok soo.. it's not bad, I'm just not feeling anything?? Isn't this the part where I'm supposed to cry? Well, I don't know. I honestly expected this manga to be better, I know why it's popular but it didn't affect me. Looking forward to seeing how everything will wrap up in the last volume.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This manga keeps making me cry

[sarah سارة ꫂ᭪ · Rating 5 out of 5]

spoilers ahead!! (and a jumbled, nonsensical rant)

alright this successfully made me sad and simultaneously pissed me off good job

❝ Please God... grant me... just one more... ounce of strength.
I won't run from the bad stuff anymore.
I'll stop using Shoko as an excuse.
Starting tomorrow, I'll look everyone in the face.
Starting tomorrow, I'll listen to everyone's voices.
Starting tomorrow, I'll do things right.❞

CAN YOU HEAR ME SCREAMING???

first of all, please help me understand why everyone was mad at Shoko for trying to kill herself?? not saying it isn't valid to be upset someone tried to take their life, but shouldn't you be trying to make her feel better and feel like she actually deserves to live, not pin the blame of Shoya being in the hospital on her? I'm genuinely so shocked that her brat little sister said that Shoko deserved to get beat up too. because what. you spend your entire life trying to save her from being bullied, but while shes in the midst of getting the shit beat out of her you stand and watch, and afterwards say she deserved it? am I reading this right? what the hell? please if I were there I would've put BELT TO ASS on Naoka THEN proceeded on Yuzuru bc why are we switching up on family hellooooo???

and call me insane, call me cruel, but I 1000% HATE Niki bro she just cant help making everything about her and Satoshi like please 😭😭 yes girl you did bully shoko, idk how that got twisted and convoluted in your little head but yes you are evil and no you are not cute

anyways Naoka is evil and I hate everyone except Shoko and Shoya. everybody else is a ripe piece of shit.

5/5 stars 🌟

[Iryna *Book and Sword* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, since volume 5 this series have been going downhill for me. Fast.

I only have one more volume to go, but I don't care much about anybody anymore. It really saddens me. The premise was so great - I was expecting diverse cast, I was expecting to learn more about hearing disabled people and how they live and interact with the world as time goes on and as they grow up.

I wanted more of Shoko and Shoya's relationship. They were supposed to be the driving force of the whole book. Two of them. Instead, Shoko has been steadily taking a backseat and the front row has been filling up with all of these characters that not only I don't care about at all, but some of them I openly hate.

I also don't understand why nobody is reacting to Naoko's open hostility and anger issues. Why are they all treating her like it's okay? Like it's normal? Is that supposed to be her charm? The girl needs emotional counseling, at the very least. I really came to hate the amount of violence depicted. Not surprisingly it all comes from Naoko. I just don't understand how it's fine for her to keep hitting and abusing Shoko and the group barely moves a finger. Even her own sister! It's not about Shoko not being able to stand up for herself, it's about Naoko being a psychotic bitch!

Disappointment. Much disappointment.

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[Katie Colson · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️3.5

I love Shoko so much. And Shoya is a precious and deeply flawed character who is trying so hard to right his wrongs. I admire him so deeply for that.

[Repellent Boy · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Madre mía! Que pasada de manga. Mi tomo favorito de lo que llevamos. Es curioso que el personaje de Shoko transmita tanto con tan poco. Brutal este manga. BRUTAL.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shoya, (the ex-bully) spends most of his time in a coma in this volume, so we get to see backstory from other characters. One is about Ueno, a bully, who gets slapped by her mother. Shoko (the first to be bullied) is still "mysterious," as Ooima described her, which means we don't get much about her, though what we get is sad, to see what it means for her to be deaf, and imagining what life might have been like for her had she not been deaf. There's a "catfight" in this one, and lots of intensifying emotions. The last volume ended in a (dramatic) cliffhanger that gets resolved. This one, the penultimate volume, ends also with a cliffhanger, a surprise, to help us get ready for the big finish? Not interested in this movie being made by Tomohiro, but it should play a role in the finish, bringing various factions together. Maybe.

In general I feel about bullying books as I do about zombies, that it is the thing of the moment, and I am sick of both zombies and bullying books, but this is a good one, that shows the ripple effects, years later, bullies getting bullied, the complex social relations over time. It's a kind of meditation on bullying. For young people, but more complex than most DON'T BE A BULLY books.

[Moon_child31 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5⭐️

[Phoenix2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow!!

[Aleksandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume!
Visually stunning! The story focuses on the supporting cast, it’s very interesting to hear the story from their pov.
I’m so sad the manga is coming to an end. Just one volume left...

[court ౨ৎ librarycutie · Rating 4 out of 5]

the message of bullying in this series and the journey of overcoming it whether you were recovering or giving is both interesting and shocking. i kept wondering if this is what it’s like for some people, and if they really had to work though so many conflicting emotions to overcome it.

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

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


This is a review of volumes 6-7 which I read together back to back. See the plot section for my thoughts on the individual volumes.

The Premise

Shoya is no longer the bully he was. Now he's a young man who doesn't worry about redemption because he's just trying to live the best life he can. I will admit that I didn't see this coming for A Silent Voice vol 6! I honestly loved all the things going through his mind as he held onto Shoko's hand. And its quite realistic how it all goes down. This was such a fascinating way to cap Shoya's outburst at his friends too. What do you do when your accuser is lying in a hospital bed?! What do the moms do on each child? What does the girl who imagines she loves him but bullied him do? What does the girl who caused him to fall do?

I didn't expect to get a view into the future of Shoya, Shoko and their friends but that's exactly what we get in A Silent Voice vol 7. First, of course, Shoya and Shoko finally talk. FINALLY!! People and our relationships with them are the reason we live even when life is tough. I LOVE THIS MESSAGE! As Shoya and Shoko wrestle with what they want to do with their futures I loved how they worked through this transition period. Their relationship is changing as they move forward and everyone is a little uncertain. But that last page gave us hope for how the future turns out!!


The Buzz

After reading both A Silent Voice vol 6-7 I see that what we get in A Silent Voice vol 6 is meant to be our last hurrah with Shoya's friends. I really appreciated getting Miki, Satoshi, and Miyoko's POV. Miki will never admit she did wrong. It's horrible but realistic. I love that about Yoshitoki Oima, she doesn't try to sugar coat it. Satoshi isn't bullied anymore but he also doesn't feel normal either. There is so much a popular face could be hiding. And Miyoko has always been a fascinating POV to me... trying in her own way to deal with bullies by being Nao's friend.

The movie is viewed by the judges in A Silent Voice vol 7. I loved how this became the group's defining moment that punctuates their final year in school. Shoya didn't get to participate in the filming... they did all that as a tribute to him. Tomohiro especially felt it was necessary to come together in this way for Shoya. And I loved all of Shoya's thought as he watched the movie. And his realization about why there are subtitles is so cute! But its the moment after the judging takes place where Shoya is defending the movie and his old friend has something to say about it that really made the entire experience come together.


The Feels

Oh wow... we get Shoko's POV again! I have been waiting for this moment and we finally hit pay dirt with A Silent Voice vol 6. I was floored to experience what it means to communicate as a deaf person. We see how she struggles to understand and only gets half of the story. It totally makes sense that she takes the blame for everything! Who wouldn't when it's clearly your fault you don't understand and are putting others out. I really feel for Shoko not because she’s disabled but because no one gives her props for trying! Then we have the moms' reactions! I was totally floored when Shoko's mom did that in front of Shoya's mom!! I felt like Yuzuru... Wow. I didn't really like what Shoya's mom allowed Nao to do but I understood her reaction to Shoko.

Maria's reaction to seeing Shoya after his time in the hospital is so adorable!! She is such a wonderful little minor character and her obsession with death is ironically too cute. And even though we never met Shoya's sister face to face she gets a happy ending of her own! I also loved how Shoya shares with Shoko how his classmates faces blurred for him for so long. (Hence all the Xs!!) I loved their moms bonding over sushi and liquor haha. Two single ladies who live for their kids and do the best they can by them even if they aren't perfect. I think the best moment is when Shoya reveals what his career choice is!! I was shocked and it was a little odd choice to me. But also sorta perfect?!


The Visuals

A Silent Voice vol 6-7 brings us the same incredible art as the previous 5 volumes! It's just as balanced between backgrounds and close-ups and its individualistic style is worth obsessing over. In A Silent Voice vol 6 we get an absolutely stunning series of frames with Shoko's mom slapping Nao!! It's an incredibly action oriented way to end Nao's hatred of Shoko even as she doesn't back down from her narcissistic view of life. The art sells it! We also learn in a beautiful series of pages between Yuzuru and her mom why she took photographs of dead things. And that cover!! So poignant and sad... the only cover with only Shoko.

The hospital scenes in A Silent Voice vol 7 are pretty incredible. They are so detailed it totally enriched those moments. Also later when his mom gets so embarrassed by his treatment, hahaha. I also loved the movie frames. They actually did feel like stills of a movie. I got a real sense of what it would feel like moving. But its the final page of the final volume of A Silent Voice that I love. It's so full of hope, yet also sort of gives you a sense of history and that its best to move forward into the future doing the best you can.

A Silent Voice vol 6-7 doesn't end how I was looking for the series to end. What it does it gives us a realistic look at how imperfect life and the people who live it are. Sure sometimes we want to escape it but there are people around us who love us. They may have hurt us in the past. Their excuses may not hold water but they're trying too.


⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 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 || 6 | 7 |

______________________
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 3 out of 5]

3.5✨
It takes so much strength to be as kind as shoko..

[Anja Karenjina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strašno me deprimira ovo, ali stvarno ne mogu da pređem preko ovoga da su svi dobri prema likuši koju treba zgaziti kamionom. Bukvalno zašto bi se iko trudio oko nekoga ko je čist ološ? Nisi bolja osoba ako nastaviš da se družiš sa siledžijom, samo jer misliš da će se popraviti, hajde da ne mešamo te stvari

[Angigames · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bello!
Bello bello bello!
La potenza di queste immagini è straordinaria, stratosferica, potente.
L’autrice mette in mostra tutte le sfaccettature dell’umano, e non parte dalle più belle, ma dalle più orribili. Quelle più oscure. Quelle che ci fanno rabbrividire, ma di cui anche inconsapevolmente, siamo vittime o portatori consenzienti.
Eppure c’è sempre una luce nel buio, c’è un qualcosa di più che se seguito e abbracciato e capito, ti fa essere una persona migliore.
Imparare dagli errori si può eccome.
Grande Yoshitoki!

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a very good idea to have an entire volume without Shoya. It gives all the characters the opportunity to examine themselves without his direct confrontation. This book moved quickly because of the frequent shifts in perspective, and all the backstory. The different motivations are all so real—it's a tough read, because I'm always confronting my own weaknesses as I read.

I still don't feel like I know as much about Shoko's internal life as I'd like, though we start to get a glimpse of that in this volume. One more book to go, and I can't wait to see how everything concludes!

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character spends the entire volume in a coma so the author can explore the inner lives of the side characters. It's not boring, but it surely seems like we're treading water until the last page. I am anxiously awaiting the next and apparently final volume of this usually excellent series.

[nidah05 (SleepDreamWrite) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series has been sad but good so far. Another good volume. Also love that art style.

[Kät · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm an emotional mess.

[Shina Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

He estado llorando todo el puto momento (menos en las partes de Naoka), mis niños, mi Shoko 💔 Este tomo me ha costado leermelo y tenia que hacer pausas de lo duro que es, he manchado algunas paginas y todo con lagrimas. Este tomo me ha dejado sensible.

Me ha encantado ver la prespectiva de cada personaje a este acontecimiento, a hecho que pueda empatizar mas con ellos como personajes con sentimientos, no siendo solo personajes extra. Mas o menos todos han seguido alineados como siempre. Si que es verdad que el pasotismo de la madre de Ishida me ha dejado un poco fria, siento que la madre de Shoko a tenido mucha mas reacion que ella.

La razon tras las fotos de animales muertos de Yuzuru me ha partido el corazon, que alguien tan joven haga eso solo para mostrarle a su hermana mayor que no quiere que se muera, me destruye por dentro.

Sahara, Nagatsuka y Mashiba como siempre con buenos sentimientos y la empatía detrás de cada uno de sus actos, sobre todo me ha encantado saber la razon por la que Mashiba quiere ser profesor.

Kawai sigue siendo igual de victimista e hipocrita, la manera en la que trata y piensa sobre los demas es horrible, pero siento que las palabras a Shoko fueron autenticas y se notaba una pizca de empatia. Osea que esta poco a poco mejorando y avanzando.

Luego esta Naoka Ueno... sigue siendo despreciable, hipocrita, victimista. Una egoista que todo es yo y yo y yo, y ellos tienen la culpa y no yo. Por mucho que estes triste o furiosa por lo que le paso a Ishida no tienes ningun derecho de pegar y decirle a Shoko que es escoria. No tienes derecho de tratara la gente como si fueran basura. La manera en la que se encierra en la habitacion de Ishida y no deja a nadie mas visitarlo...la hubiera matado. La empatía la tiene metida en el culo. Lo que mas me enfado de ella es el momento de su capitulo, donde dice que siempre lo a querido y que por eso trataba mas a Shoko, porque pensaba que Shoko era empatica con lo que le habia pasado porque le gustaba y que por eso la odiaba. OSEA WTF??? Encima suelta que si no va elegirla a ella prefiere que no se despierte, pero estamos locos o que? Es que no hay nada, incluso si se arrastra por el suelo y suplica, que hagan que me guste o sienta una pizca de empatia por esta tia.

Luego esta mi Shoko...ay mi niña, la manera en la que siempre parecia tan feliz y luego intenta suicidarse, como se culpa por el estado de Ishida y como excusa de que Naoka la odie. Me rompe el alma de verdad. Su punto de vista, donde todo los dialogos estaban como algo cortados para mostrar como percibia ella lo que le decian, pffff. La escena final de ella corriendo y llorando en el puente, es que no puedo, me destruye por dentro.

[Aja: The Narcoleptic Ninja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost finished. I can't wait to see how this wraps up!

[Štěpán · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartwarming, heartbreaking character pieces while the main character is not present. Oh man. This is great.

There are 2 silent chapters and these are the standouts! Great stuff, just wish this would be in the manga more. Could have been even better!

[heartbrekkers ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

☹️

[Lucía Cafeína · Rating 5 out of 5]

Con el corazón partío

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

I'm still trying to get my composure together because if I thought the previous volume was hard, this volume almost wrecked me, especially that ending.

Truly, where do I even begin? The beginning I guess, right?

What an opening! My heart REALLYYY went out to Shoya and how resolved he was in that moment to save Shoko but also to listen to others. The way he asked God for one more ounce of strength really cut my heart because I really want Shoya to live and want him to find healing. His redemption has been absolutely incredible and SO heart-moving.

And then those following chapters, especially the next one were absolute gut punchers. (No pun intended...😅) Seeing that fight and how Nao and other specific characters reacted was hard to swallow. Follow that by seeing Yuzuru home and her taking down certain things was 😭😭😭 .

I absolutely LOVE Tomohiro in this volume! And Shoko and her insistence to finish the movie really ripped at my heart. Tomohiro is absolutely incredible and continue to love his character.

As hard as each chapter was, I really appreciated seeing into everyone's personal world. It was eye-opening and was glad to actually see everyone be REAL with their feelings and knowing how they felt. I think this volume strongly showed that every person is hurting and the importance of listening and *effectively* communicating (that does NOT involve fighting or violence 😅). I think while she had the smallest part, I felt that Shoya's Mom's reaction was extremely believable.

Those last two chapters were SO hard! 😭😭😭😭 I started tearing up and was really struggling not to start crying since I read this in public. Shoko's feelings came across so strongly and my heart was just so broken on her behalf, especially when she was writing how she felt on the notepad earlier. (Hurrah to Tomohiro for being straight forward with his questions!!)

A completely heart-breaking volume with a specific hopeful ending in those last few pages!

[Colona Public Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great series, The start was a great (I was blown away) and I like dynamics and relationships going on between the main two characters especially. How interesting it can be where the deaf girl was once welcomed and everyone wanted to help her then she just kinda interrupted their schedule and became an inconvenience which lead to the others tolerance of her being bullied or bullying her themselves. Interesting also to see that her main bully (and our man character) did bully her but also became a scapegoat for students to blame and became bullied and isolated himself. This isn't even the full story AND the story continues when they meet again when they are older. The main theme is bullying, how hard are you being on yourself, and they have some complicated relationships. Nothing is in black or white like you see all to often. There are many shades of grey that cover many situations and relationships. There is so much that you could have a discussion with friends, parent, teacher, *cough librarianthatreallylovedthesebooks* But I seriously recommend it to anyone going through school or those who really enjoy slice of life or coming of age type stories. ~Ashley

[Vanessah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have no idea how people are rating this 4-5 stars. Spoiler alert: but someone tries to commit suicide and then the entire book they’re treated like garbage and their “friends” think it’s deserved. They’re also physically assaulted because it. None of these characters have any development. They’re still the same mean ass bullies they were in the beginning. The entire series Shoko has tried to redeem herself and been made to feel as if the group’s childhood problems are because of her because she’s deaf?? They’re the ones who bullied HER and made her life hell. I’m so lost. How is this a heartwarming series? It’s trash.