A Silent Voice: Depression and Disability Across Borders
I would describe A Silent Voice, an animated drama/romance released in 2016 by Kyoto Animation, as a movie for the insecure and self-conscious romantic. It tackles a variety of issues, including discrimination against those with disabilities, depression, bullying, and the darker, more insidious side of friendship.
This movie is obviously appealing across borders because of its relatable, introverted protagonist. It conveys accurately what takes place in the mind of introverts, whom of which live in every country. A Silent Voice’s narrative of self acceptance and overcoming of trauma creates an inspiring story that audiences of any country can learn from. The movie is essentially a classic coming of age story intertwined with the experiences disabled people (the deaf co-protagonist), which creates a sense of familiarity and childhood nostalgia.
Despite the relatable narrative of A Silent Voice, there are many underlying messages one might miss upon first watch. One major difference between U.S. and Japanese cultural contexts is the issue of depression and the stigmatization of therapy and mental illness in Japan. Japan’s suicide rate of 19.5 per 100 people places it at almost double the international average. In fact, for a long period of time, more people in Japan died of suicide than of COVID-19 in 2020. A Silent Voice examines the problematic isolationist culture of Japan. One of the largest differences in the cultural context of the U.S. and Japan is the widely differing promotion of therapy. For example, while mental health issues are now legally required to be covered by national health insurance in the U.S., Japan is yet to include these are viable expenses to be covered by their programs. Socially, Japanese people face higher pressure to be perceived as being able to function independently and to be productive (which is reinforced by family structures). In the context of Japan, A Silent Voice presents a story that humanizes people with mental health issues, while recognition mental health is already a cultural standard in the U.S.
A Silent Voice examines the struggles that disabled people face through co-protagonist Nishimiya, a deaf girl who was bullied in childhood. Discrimination against disabled people also ties into Japan’s cultural context through conveying its interaction with Japan’s workaholic, isolationist culture. The ruthless bullying of A Silent Voice’s co-protagonist, from childhood even to adulthood, conveys an important cultural difference between the U.S. and Japan. Coming from a U.S. audience watching the film, I first thought the bullying portrayed in the movie was extreme and unrealistic, but later realized it was a symbolic portrayal of stigma that deaf people face in Japan. The utter lack of community and a social support group available for Nishimiya contrasts the more mindful awareness of those with disabilities in the U.S — especially in the school system.
