---
title: "A Silent Voice: The Movie"
year: 2016
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/a-silent-voice-the-movie"
fi1m_id: "a-silent-voice-the-movie"
imdb_id: "tt5323662"
tmdb_id: 378064
wikidata_id: "Q23925035"
fi1m_score: 80
critics_score: 78
critics_reviews: 11
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:34.249898+00:00"
region: "MX"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# A Silent Voice: The Movie (2016)

Directed by Naoko Yamada · 2h 09m · Animation, Drama, Romance

## Identity

A Silent Voice: The Movie

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/a-silent-voice-the-movie
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** a-silent-voice-the-movie
- **IMDb ID:** tt5323662
- **TMDB ID:** 378064
- **Wikidata ID:** Q23925035
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5323662/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/378064, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23925035

**Fi1m score: 80** · Critics 78 from 11 reviews

*In a sentence:* A school bully discovers that an apology is going to take considerably longer than he hoped

> Naoko Yamada’s animated drama takes a school bully’s remorse seriously without letting him off easily. We recommend it for its tenderness and close attention to adolescent behaviour, with patience required for an overcrowded middle.

## Synopsis

Shouya Ishida seeks forgiveness from Shouko Nishimiya, the deaf classmate he bullied as a child. As teenagers, they face the effects of that cruelty on their relationship and on the people around them. School friendships, shifting loyalties and the need to be accepted complicate his attempt to make amends. Shouya has to confront his own self-loathing as he tries to understand the harm he caused. Directed by Naoko Yamada, this animated drama features Miyu Irino as the voice of Shouya and Saori Hayami as Shouko.

## Review

*A Silent Voice* asks how much attention we owe a boy who has made another child’s life miserable. Naoko Yamada’s animated school drama follows Shouya Ishida as he seeks forgiveness from Shouko Nishimiya, the deaf classmate he bullied. It is a patient, moving film, well worth the evening, though the crowded middle would benefit from a firmer cut. Its hardest task is to make us care about Shouya without making his unhappiness an excuse.

The childhood bullying establishes why a simple apology cannot settle things. Yamada watches the relationships around the two children as closely as the cruelty itself, paying attention to the way school life makes other people’s opinions feel inescapable. We found the bullying hard to watch: the small expressions and awkward gestures keep the distress specific to the child enduring it. There is room for humour in these young people’s company, too. That helps them seem like people with lives beyond the worst things they have done or endured.

Cinematographer Kazuya Takao’s framing is particularly good at finding somewhere other than a face to look for a feeling. Details such as bruised knees matter here, and the off-centre compositions make an ordinary school encounter feel difficult. Yamada’s use of expressions and gestures rewards looking closely; the animation does not need a grand setting to hold our attention. The softness of the images also makes sense in a story where the memory of childhood cruelty keeps interfering with the present.

Kensuke Ushio’s music contributes to the film’s attention to feelings the characters cannot comfortably express, and the careful use of sound helps establish the distance between its two leads. The trouble comes when there are too many other relationships asking for equal attention. Reiko Yoshida’s screenplay has plenty of interest in the surrounding school politics, but some of those detours interrupt the more absorbing business between Shouya and Shouko. Kengo Shigemura’s editing does not quite solve that problem. At 129 minutes, the film has stretches where we are waiting for it to return to the people who matter most.

Miyu Irino’s Shouya is difficult company, as he ought to be. The boy’s self-loathing is treated seriously, and Yamada resists making regret an achievement for which he deserves immediate credit. Saori Hayami’s Shouko needs more room than Yoshida’s screenplay always gives her. Looking at bullying through the bully’s eyes brings a useful discomfort, but it also risks making the person he hurt chiefly important as someone who might forgive him. That imbalance occasionally weakens otherwise sensitive work.

Within the school drama, Yamada finds plenty worth taking seriously in behaviour that adults might dismiss as adolescent fuss. Being liked can seem urgent enough to make ordinary decency negotiable, and the shifting relationships give that pressure force. Shouya can recognise what he has done and still struggle to know how to behave around Shouko. That makes the slower, uncomfortable exchanges worth staying with, even when the surrounding story becomes busy. Give it an evening when nobody is expecting a light school romance.

*Fi1m score 80, published 15 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics respond warmly to A Silent Voice, praising its emotionally direct treatment of bullying, guilt and the difficulty of seeking forgiveness. Praise clusters around Naoko Yamada’s direction and animation that conveys distress through small gestures, expressions and carefully chosen details. The reviews value its attention to teenage social life and the lasting harm experienced by both victims and perpetrators, with several finding its treatment of regret unusually honest and affecting.

Reservations centre on pacing and how much story the film tries to accommodate. Some critics find the middle section loose or identify shortcomings in perspective; The Hollywood Reporter describes an ambitious but overstuffed adaptation while praising its precise visual and sonic detail. The spread is fairly narrow, with ten positive responses and one mixed. The Guardian offers the most restrained assessment, though it still appreciates the film’s emotional warmth and evocative framing.

## Straight answers

**Is A Silent Voice: The Movie worth watching?**

*A Silent Voice: The Movie* is worth watching for anyone prepared to sit with a school bully's remorse rather than a light romance, and we scored it 80. Naoko Yamada takes adolescent behaviour seriously and refuses to let Shouya off easily. The middle stretch is overcrowded with side characters, so some patience is needed at 129 minutes.

**How long is A Silent Voice: The Movie, and what is it rated?**

*A Silent Voice: The Movie* runs 2h 09m. It is an animation and drama film.

**Where can I watch A Silent Voice: The Movie in Mexico?**

*A Silent Voice: The Movie* is not on any streaming or rental service in Mexico at the moment. It is available in 41 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is A Silent Voice: The Movie, and is it suitable for children?**

*A Silent Voice: The Movie* is a UK 12, with no physical violence beyond childhood bullying, but that bullying is hard to watch and the film treats self-loathing seriously. Younger children may find the distress of a deaf child being tormented upsetting. Teenagers are its natural audience, and the discomfort is the point rather than a flaw.

**How does A Silent Voice: The Movie compare to My Life as a Zucchini?**

*A Silent Voice: The Movie* is the harder and longer of the two, seen through a bully's eyes, while [*My Life as a Zucchini*](https://film.one/film/my-life-as-a-zucchini) follows hurt children finding friends after adults have failed them. Barras offers comfort more quickly and is the gentler choice for younger viewers. Yamada's film is the more demanding and, in its best exchanges, the more searching.

**What should I watch after A Silent Voice: The Movie?**

After *A Silent Voice: The Movie*, try [*My Life as a Courgette*](https://film.one/film/my-life-as-a-zucchini) (2016, Fi1m 84): For another animated account of hurt children learning to trust. Then [*The Quiet Girl*](https://film.one/film/the-quiet-girl) (2022, Fi1m 84): A withdrawn child’s small gestures receive the attention they deserve; and [*Mary and Max*](https://film.one/film/mary-and-max) (2009, Fi1m 80): Animation gives loneliness and an awkward friendship time to develop.

### Reviews we read (11)

- **Variety**, Maggie Lee (85/100, inferred): The review highlights the film's beguiling animation and fresh take on school bullying from the bully's perspective, praising its emotional depth and visual style, though noting some narrative tightening needed in the midsection. [Read](https://variety.com/2017/film/asia/a-silent-voice-review-1202464344/)
- **Little White Lies**, Michael Leader (3/4/4): The critic calls it a quietly affecting coming-of-ager that broadens the definition of anime in the UK with its emotional, slice-of-life melodrama. They single out the film's awkward, off-centre animation style and its impact despite some narrative and perspective shortcomings. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/a-silent-voice)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Charles Solomon (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's unflinching depiction of bullying and its honest exploration of atonement and regret, while noting some pacing issues in its long runtime. It stands out for its emotional depth compared to typical American animated features. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-mini-silent-voice-review-20171019-story.html)
- **Radio Times**, Trevor Johnston (4/5): The critic views it as a cultural breakthrough for its positive portrayal of a deaf student and insights into bullying, self-esteem and despair. They single out female director Naoko Yamada's direction full of unexpected turns and images suggesting a fresh way of looking at the world. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-ri8jt3/a-silent-voice/)
- **The Telegraph**, Robbie Collin (4/5): It is an intricate, romantic and jewel-bright high-school melodrama about the changing relationship between a deaf teenage girl and the boy who bullied her. The critic highlights its account of teenage politics and notes it as a rarity steered by three women. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2017/03/18/silent-voice-review-intricate-beautiful-account-teenage-politics/)
- **Time Out**, Trevor Johnston (4/5): The critic praises this insightful Japanese animated high-school drama as standing alongside the best of Studio Ghibli, highlighting its challenging take on bullying, guilt and redemption. They single out director Naoko Yamada's distinctive creative direction and fresh worldview. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/a-silent-voice)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Jordan Mintzer (70/100, inferred): The film condenses a popular manga into an ambitious but overstuffed story of bullying's long-term ripple effects on both victims and perpetrators. Yamada excels at depicting the characters' interior worlds through precise visual and sonic details that highlight the divide between the protagonists. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/a-silent-voice-review-1013787/)
- **The Guardian** (3/5): The film is a real tear-jerker about a young man seeking forgiveness from the deaf classmate he bullied as a child. The critic praises its lush emotional embrace and evocative framing that focuses on details like bruised knees. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/mar/19/a-silent-voice-review-dont-forget-your-tissues-naoko-yamada-adolescent-angst)
- **Eye for Film**, Jane Fae (80/100, inferred): The critic highlights the film's complex exploration of bullying from multiple perspectives, including self-loathing and the difficulty of absolution, delivered through visually stunning anime that is funny, engaging, and ultimately heartwarming despite its heavy themes. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/a-silent-voice-2016-film-review-by-jane-fae)
- **HeyUGuys**, Gloria Daniels-Moss (4/5): The critic praises the film's emotional depth in exploring bullying, self-hatred, and redemption through nuanced animation techniques focusing on expressions and gestures; it's a poignant coming-of-age story that moves viewers but doesn't leave them feeling warm and fuzzy. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/a-silent-voice-review/)
- **The Skinny**, Ross McIndoe (★★★★): The film captures the existential anguish of high school life, where everyday dramas feel like profound quests. Yamada's hazy, nostalgic visual style suits the themes of guilt and memory, while the colourful, finely-tuned characters make the story engaging. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/a-silent-voice)

## Details

- **Director:** Naoko Yamada
- **Director:** Naoko Yamada
- **Screenplay:** Reiko Yoshida
- **Cinematography:** Kazuya Takao
- **Editor:** Kengo Shigemura
- **Music:** Kensuke Ushio
- **Producer:** Mikio Uetsuki, Shinichi Nakamura, Kensuke Tateishi
- **Cast:** Miyu Irino as Shouya Ishida (voice); Saori Hayami as Shouko Nishimiya (voice); Aoi Yūki as Yuzuru Nishimiya (voice); Kensho Ono as Tomohiro Nagatsuka (voice); Yūki Kaneko as Naoka Ueno (voice); Yui Ishikawa as Miyoko Sahara (voice); Megumi Han as Miki Kawai (voice); Toshiyuki Toyonaga as Satoshi Mashiba (voice)
- **Runtime:** 2h 09m
- **First release (Japan):** 17 September 2016
- **Genres:** Animation, Drama, Romance
- **Box office:** $31 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQK9By9qQiw

## Where to watch in Mexico

Not streaming, renting or buying in Mexico at the last check.

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, NL, NO, NZ, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, TR, UA, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Annecy Cristal for a Feature Film 2017: Annecy Cristal for a Feature Film (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *My Life as a Courgette* (2016), Fi1m 84: For another animated account of hurt children learning to trust. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/my-life-as-a-zucchini.md)
- *The Quiet Girl* (2022), Fi1m 84: A withdrawn child’s small gestures receive the attention they deserve. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-quiet-girl.md)
- *Mary and Max* (2009), Fi1m 80: Animation gives loneliness and an awkward friendship time to develop. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/mary-and-max.md)
- *The Class* (2008): A classroom drama alert to how quickly authority becomes humiliation.
- *A Brighter Summer Day* (1991), Fi1m 90: School friendships become dangerous in a demanding, patient account of adolescence. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-brighter-summer-day.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/a-silent-voice-the-movie