Shouya Ishida, a mischievous elementary school student, finds himself troubled by deaf transfer student Shouko Nishimiya. Despite her genuine attempts to befriend her new classmates, Shouko only proves herself to be an annoyance for Shouya and his friends, provoking them to ridicule her at any possible chance. Soon enough, their taunts turn into constant assault—yet the teachers heartlessly remain apathetic to the situation.
Shouya’s misdeeds are finally stopped when Shouko transfers to another school. Denying their involvement, the entire class puts the blame on Shouya. As the new victim of bullying, Shouya gradually becomes meek and reclusive, being treated with contempt and disregard for years to come.
Now a high school student, Shouya meets Shouko again for the first time in five years. Still tormented by his past actions, Shouya is determined to make amends for his mistakes and confront his trauma—even if he must face arduous obstacles along the way.
I read this when it was a one-shot back… wayback. Pre-2013. I read the first handful of chapters as well. Unfortunately, I fell off the horse trying to keep up (as I often do), and eventually I ended up owning the series digitally. I only just now got around to reading it, though (oops).
I think, though, that the handfuls of it that I’ve been hit by over the years have been good doses. And now that I finish it, gods. I was a year or two out of high school when I read this, and now I am over thirty and have a deep sense of sorrow and accomplishment when I read this series.
Have you ever fucked up so bad that you fucked yourself?
Have you ever tried to change the person you are?
Have you ever really tried to face your flaws?
The series is brutal in its depiction of bullying and the complicated feelings that change and grow in these people over time. Did they regret it? Did they hide from it? Do they know the amount of pain that was caused? Are they remorseful?
Did your mistakes actually mean something?
I feel it sometimes. The terror of the past. I have therapy, though.
