Ooima Yoshitoki | Koe no Katachi

Japanese: 聲の形
English: A Silent Voice
Synonyms: The Shape of Voice, Koe no Kitachi
Type: Manga
Volumes: 7
Chapters: 64
Status: Completed
Published: Aug 7, 2013 to Nov 19, 2014
Genres: Drama, Romance, School, Shounen
Mangaka: Ooima Yoshitoki (Story & Art)
Serialization: Shounen Magazine (Weekly)

Synopsis: Shouya Ishida, a boy always looking for ways to beat boredom, ends up looking for it in the wrong place. Weirded out by his new classmate, a deaf transfer student named Shouko Nishimiya, he deems her as the target of his ostracizing and bullying. Day after day, Shouya picks on Shouko, unaware of the effects of his thoughtless actions. He finally understands the pain he has inflicted on her when one day, his bullying culminates in her leaving the school, and his classmates begin to shun and harass him every chance they get instead. Determined to right his wrongs, five years later, Shouya, now a third year high school loner, meets Shouko again. Thus begins the story of a young man's path to redemption.

Ooima Yoshitoki's Koe no Katachi is an expanded version of the critically acclaimed debut one-shot that was published two years prior. Reviewed by the Japanese Federation of the Deaf, the manga has several awards and nominations to its name.

Background

Koe no Katachi won first place in the Male Readers category of the 2015 Kono Manga ga Sugoi! and the New Creator Prize in the 19th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. It was also nominated for the 8th Manga Taishou Award, where it ranked third place, and the 38th Kodansha Manga Award for best shounen category. The manga also won  the Ogaki City Cultural Alliance Award (Lifestyle Culture Division) 2015.

The series has been published in English by Kodansha Comics USA as A Silent Voice since May 26, 2015, and was simulpub by Crunchyroll. The final volume is set to be released on May 24, 2016.

Nominee for Eisner Award 2016.

It was revealed via the manga's wraparound jacket band on the seventh and final volume that the manga will receive an animated theatrical film adaptation.

Related Manga

Alternative version: Koe no Katachi

Adaptation: Koe no Katachi

Anime announcement video:

Source: MAL Manga info, Baka updates, MAL Anime info, ANN Assassination Classroom, A Bride's Story, Master Keaton, Mizuki's Showa, A Silent Voice, Sunny Manga Nominated for Eisner Awards

Shouko Nishimiya (西宮 硝子)

A young, deaf transfer student with an amazingly positive outlook on life. Despite being a victim of continuous bullying, she always keeps a smile on her face.

Shouya Ishida (石田 将也)

The main character and narrator. Ishida bullied Nishimiya Shouko in elementary school and when she transferred away, he was ostracized and bullied by his former friends. He started to ignore those around him (imagining them with a large X across their face) and was driven to the point of suicide. He changed his mind after he apologized to Nishimiya and began to spend time with her. He learned sign language specifically, so he could apologize to her and is shown to be very talented in it. He feels like he hasn't been punished enough for bullying Nishimiya and often wishes he could kill his younger self. He seems resigned to the fact that he will never be able to have friends again.

Source: MAL



Side notes: I think this manga is pretty well known so there isn't much to add but I say it still: The story is awesome. Art isn't always that great but it's not totally bad either. To enjoy the art one probably needs to get used to it first and then it's easy to like its original style more. I've not read the starting oneshot... mainly 'cause I didn't wish to read it yet.>.< And I'm even now jumping over some parts of the manga mainly 'cause I don't like bullying. After that I'm totally liking this to the bits and waiting the anime movie to make a full circle for this manga.^-^b