A Silent Voice (Japanese: 聲の形, Hepburn: Koe no Katachi, lit. "Shape of Voice") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshitoki Ōima. The story follows Shoya Ishida, a mischievous elementary school student who bullies Shoko Nishimiya, a deaf transfer student. Encouraged by his classmates, Shoya relentlessly torments Shoko until she transfers to another school. However, the blame for the bullying falls entirely on him, leading to his own social isolation. Years of guilt and regret weigh on Shoya as he becomes a loner, unable to forgive himself for his past mistakes.
Now a high school student, Shoya reunites with Shoko and seeks redemption, determined to make amends for the pain he caused her. As he reconnects with her and their former classmates, long-buried emotions and conflicts resurface. Shoko struggles with self-worth, while Shoya grapples with his own feelings of guilt and the fear of rejection. When Shoko attempts suicide, believing herself to be a burden, Shoya saves her but falls into a coma. Through this life-altering event, their friends come together to face their past and mend their broken bonds. In the end, Shoya wakes up, learning to forgive himself and embrace the connections he once pushed away, finally stepping toward a brighter future.
