Manga Review: A Silent Voice, Volume 7, by Yoshitoki Oima

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: May 2016

Volumes: 7.

Spoilers?: Some.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 6.

Goodreads Synopsis:

SEE YOU LATER

Shoya’s life hangs on by a thread after he jumped just in time to save Shoko. Despite the despair, Shoko is determined to move forward and get back what she thinks she has ruined… But broken friendships can heal, too. Quietly, but surely, the disbanded crew finds their spirit — the show must go on! As the movie-making reconvenes, the kids begin to transform the world that had once been so cruel to them. What could the future hold for everyone?

Final volume!

Review:

I was a little afraid to read this, but I’m actually quite happy with how it ended.

After everything that happened, Shoya is forced to really understand how he’s been viewing the world, and decides that he needs to change it. It’s finally relieving to see him giving people a real chance, letting people in and not viewing everyone as an enemy anymore. It’s good for him, and I believed the way it progressed. Him and Shoko have a talk, too, and I think that helped her.

They finished the movie while he was out, and they show it at school, and then even enter it in a contest, where they’re pretty much obliterated by the judge. It's harsh, but I suppose it's probably realistic. They eventually decide to use that to work even harder in the future, to get even better.

As the story wraps up, we get to see what each character intends to do next, where they plan on going and what they're working on. There’s some conflict, and the ending is a little open at the last page, but I actually am quite happy with it. I think that it makes sense for each of them, and is what they needed. I’m happy with this series. 

It is more than worth reading, and I would definitely recommend it.

Manga Review: A Silent Voice, Volume 6, by Yoshitoki Oima

Rating (Out of 5): ~4.5

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: April 19, 2016

Volumes: 7.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 5. 7.

Goodreads Synopsis:

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?

Review:

I am so completely and utterly impressed with this volume. It was gorgeous. Depressing and horrible and intense. And gorgeous.

Shoya tries saving Shoko, and only ends up hurting himself. And this means that the other characters get a little more focus in this volume. We get a chapter for each classmate, and some are quite insightful. I don’t particularly care for most of their inner voices anymore, but it was helpful to read. Shoko’s chapters were particularly hard to read, because it’s hard to see her struggling. I so badly want to see her happy. I also like Yuzuru’s a lot, too, because I like her as a character and a friend to Shoko.

This volume hurt to read. It was painful. But it was also so needed and worthwhile and so well done. There are some very bad parts, and some very thoughtful ones. This was needed.

I need the next volume immediately. I need to see how this series ends oh my god.

Manga Review: A Silent Voice, Volume 5, by Yoshitoki Oima

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: January 2016

Volumes: 7.

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 4. 6.

Goodreads Synopsis:

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.

Review:

My god, this series!

Shoya’s past is fully revealed in this volume. The friendships he was slowly starting to form with his classmates, and the ones he had with the others, blow up in his face. Old hurts are shouted at each other, betrayals, and blaming. It’s pretty bad. And to say that Shoya handles it badly would be putting it lightly. He doesn’t.

I will say I’m surprised by Satoshi. He didn’t stand out much in the previous book, but he has a pretty strong personality, and he has a contrasting point of view to bullying as Shoya does.

After that, Shoya is left alone, with only Shoko at his side. She’s confused by what happened, but ultimately feels terrible, taking the blame on herself. Shoya is just sulking and being a depressing mope about it.

And all of this leads up to the ending. It’s horrible. It’s a terrible turn of events, and I can’t believe this is where they’re ending it. Ugh.

I need to read the next one immediately.

Manga Review: A Silent Voice, Volume 4, by Yoshitoki Oima

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: November 2015

Volumes: 7.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 3. 5.

Goodreads Synopsis:

WORDS OF REASSURANCE

Once upon a time, Shoya was terribly cruel to Shoko, his elementary school classmate who couldn’t hear. To make up for his past sins, Shoya has devoted himself to repaying the debt of happiness he owes. So when Shoko faces a romantic setback, Shoya assembles some familiar faces from their past for a trip to the amusement park that may just change things for Shoya, too.

Review:

Shoya is starting to learn that not everyone is horrible, and he could actually make friends. He attempts it in this volume by going to an amusement park with a group, and it starts out really great. Ends in a bit of a mess, though.

Naoka and Shoko can’t seem to get along, and Naoka won’t leave Shoya alone. Naoka is generally just a terrible person, though. I don’t like her at all.

On the other hand, Shoya is trying to be a better person and make friends with people. He takes advice to compliment Shoko, because he wants her to like herself, which is kind of adorably hilarious. And then, when Yuzu and Shoko go through a bad family death, the group does the same for Yuzu. It’s sweet.

I just absolutely love this series. It’s heartwarming and realistic and terrible at times, and all of it is fantastically done. I can’t wait for the next one.

Manga Review: A Silent Voice, Volume 3, by Yoshitoki Oima

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: September 2015

Volumes: 7

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

ARE YOU AFRAID OF HER?

Shoya’s decided to do everything he can to make up for how terribly he treated Shoko, his former classmate who can’t hear. But more than the challenge of learning to communicate, it means facing a past he thought he’d left behind forever. Now a reunion with old friends will transform Shoya, and his relationship with Shoko.

Review:

This volume explores more of Shoya and Shoko’s past, with the reintroduction of two of their past classmates. Shoya goes looking when Shoko asks, and it’s all brought on by his awkward inability to be honest and upfront with her.

Shoko is reunited with the one girl who was nice to her, but who transferred out before any of the real bad stuff happened. And this forms a real friendship between, and a surprise for Shoya, as he finds himself feeling left out. He wants to be the one at her side, even if he denies it.

Then Shoya runs into the girl that was at his side in school, just as mean as he was, goading him on. And while Shoya is trying to move past that, be better, she’s just the same as she was then.

Then there’s the ending, and that’s just bad. Poor Shoko, and dumb Shoya.

I can’t wait for the next one.