Koe no Katachi

I'd been told I should watch this movie for some time now and finally got around to it. I was not expecting the kind of trip it would send me on and it isn't my usual kind of anime movie. It starts out with a man jumping off a bridge (Shoya) trying to kill himself. He fails of course, and we go a few years back to when he was in 6th grade. He was established as a bully after tormenting this poor deaf girl for several weeks when she is only trying to be his friend. Once he is called out for it by the principal every one starts to turn against him except her. She tries to help him but he still pushes her away. She finally breaks down and transfers schools after he throws her notebook in the fountain which was what she used to communicate with everyone.

Back to the present, he is returning this notebook to the same girl, Shoko and we find out he's even learned sign language. She is terrified at first but once he returns the notebook, she warms up, it was like she got her voice back. The boy's mother found out he keeps trying to kill himself. He had been alone ever since 6th grade and felt major depression. Through the movie most people have X's on their faces because he can't really look at anyone. He slowly is able to make a small group of friends after talking to Shoko.

Leaving A LOT out here for brevity's sake, but Shoko develops a crush for him but because of her speech impediment from being deaf, he thinks she says "moon" instead of "I love you" and it crushes her a little. We learn in the next few scenes that she's always hated herself, and has always been bullied. She always wore a mask of smiles and "I'm sorry" apologizing for everything because she truly believed everything was her fault. The two spend more and more time together and it's obvious that both of them like each other. After a night of fireworks, the two are practically dating, or should be. Shoko says she needs to go home and study and when Shoya says see you later to her, it's obvious something wrong. She stares for a moment with a smile and signs "Thank you".

For plot's sake, he had to go to her house almost right after her to retrieve a camera for Shoko's little sister and he finds her standing on the balcony about to jump. She does, but he's able to catch her arm. It's an extremely traumatic and PTSD inducing scene for anyone who has been through something similar. He's able to pull her up once she realizes what is going on, but in pulling her up he actually pulls himself off as well.

We're left wondering if he survived for the next 10 minutes. He fell into a coma for a few weeks. When he comes to it, the two promise to stay together. The final scene all of the X's fall off of everyone's faces and we're left with a small tunnel of light where a young boy and girl can be seen holding hands. Shoya's "new life" without letting pain or depression hold him down and facing it together with Shoko.

Honestly, I'd recommend the watch so long as nothing in there could trigger you. Going into it without warning of what it's about is pretty shocking, I found this song not long ago and turns out there's a version with this movie that fits pretty well and holds the emotion of the movie. So I guess this is a crappy movie review and song post. Enjoy?