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聲の形 [Koe no Katachi] #1-4

A Silent Voice Complete Collector's Edition 1

The award-winning modern classic about a girl who can't hear and her bully, which inspired the acclaimed anime film from Kyoto Animation, returns in a beautiful, two-volume collector's edition. Each extra-large, deluxe hardcover contains about 700 pages of manga on crisp, premium paper, and more than fifty pages of new content. Watch for Part Two in 2022!

YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens Top Ten Selection; Eisner Award Nominee

"A Silent Voice isn't just a potential conversation starter about bullying, it also teaches empathy and has the potential to change behavior." -School Library Journal
"A very rare chance to see characters with disabilities represented on the page and a harsh light shed on the way that Japanese culture handles this difficult topic." -Comics Bulletin

This deluxe, large-sized hardcover includes the first half of the story of A Silent Voice, extending from Vol. 1 through half of Vol. 4, as well as over fifty pages of content never published in English before, such as the early drafts of the story, behind-the-scenes details from creator Yoshitoki Oima, and color art and concept sketch galleries. Collectors and new readers alike won't want to miss it!

700 pages, Hardcover

First published June 17, 2014

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About the author

Yoshitoki Oima

405 books721 followers
See also: 大今良時

OIMA Yoshitoki: 大今良時
Associated Names:
Yoshitoki Ohima
Yoshitoki Ooima
Yoshitoki Ōima

Even though her one-shot Koe no Katachi won critical acclaim, it took a longsome law suit to get a magazine to publish it because of its socio-critical theme. Eventually, it was featured in the February edition of Bessatsu Shounen Magazin, where it placed first, and later in the 12th edition of the 2013 Weekly Shounen Magazine.

She has also collaborated with UBUKATA Tow for the manga adaption of his novel Mardock Scramble.

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5 stars
344 (72%)
4 stars
100 (21%)
3 stars
20 (4%)
2 stars
7 (1%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
Profile Image for Rose.
2,036 reviews1,101 followers
November 26, 2022
Since this collection encompasses four manga volumes, I will count this as manga reads 9-12 in my 30 in 30 Manga challenge for the month of November 2022.

Quick review for a progressive read. Oh this special collectors edition of "A Silent Voice" is so beautiful. I'm reading through the series for the first time beginning to end for this entire collection (I've read a few volumes before, but this is my first time going through the completed series.) I have to say that this is one of the strongest stories I've seen of its kind. Not just in the portrayal of a character with a disability (Shoko is deaf) but also showcasing the very real consequences of bullying, and ultimately becoming a story of reconnection despite the characters' respective history.

It starts with the characters meeting in elementary school. Shoko is a new transfer whom stands out among her peers as her communication is limited due to her disability. Shoya is a daredevil, reckless boy who instantly hates her because she's different and begins to bully her. When his bullying becomes so much that Shoko transfers schools, Shoya (soon after) becomes the target of bullying himself.

Fast forward to when the two are in high school, Shoya and Shoko reunite and it's definitely not under the best of circumstances. Shoya realizes what he did to Shoko was wrong, and has to navigate how best to make things right. It's a realistic, often heartbreaking portrayal, with moments of levity as the two main characters reconnect and try to learn about each other more. I found getting to know them, as well as the surrounding cast of characters, to be refreshingly open and honest, as well as a joy to follow. Shoko and Shoya's reconnection doesn't come without its bumps in the road, and there are a number of characters who are more than willing to call Shoya out on his past treatment of not only Shoko, but other characters.

This volume leaves off at a place where Shoya and Shoko's relationship is deepening and taking a turn, but not without some wedges to work through, particularly when certain other characters are not exactly willing to change their previous behaviors. I liked that this special collectors' edition included sketches, illustrations, interviews, and even the OG short one-shot manga that eventually lead to the expanded series. It's definitely worth getting in this version if you want the whole series in a collection of two volumes and if you are a manga collector like me who also likes the extras. It's 700+ pages with beautiful art quality and pristine pages, alongside depicting the start to a brilliant story.

I will definitely be reading the second part of this volume very soon.

Overall score: 4.5/5 stars.
Profile Image for Lizzie Hutchings.
265 reviews11 followers
September 22, 2022
I mean, the movie really inspired my love for this manga series, and I'm so glad that I read these. It was just so good.
Profile Image for frau.meln.
595 reviews7 followers
July 25, 2021
Kann mir jemand mal verraten, wie ein Manga von außen so niedlich wirken und sich gleichzeitig mit so schweren Themen wie Mobbing und Suizidgedanken herumschlagen kann?

Ishida ist als Geundschüler wirklich alles andere als sympathisch. Doch spannend wie sich das Blatt wenden kann… ich musste die ganze Zeit an „wer einmal lügt, dem glaubt man nicht.“ denken. Dennoch ist sein darauf folgendes Schicksal nicht gerechtfertigt.
Die art wir Ischida alle anderen plötzlich wahrnimmt, wird grafisch interessant umgesetzt.

Die Geschichte zeigt, wie schwer es ist sich zu ändern, aber dass das kriegen einer zweiten Chance ein ganzes Leben verändern kann.

Was mir dabei besondern gefällt ist die Philosophie darüber, was Freundschaft bedeutet. Irgendwie hat mich das berührt und eine Weile beschäftigt.
Profile Image for MEHEDI.
39 reviews
January 13, 2026
I love this manga. But I think its movie express its core message of the story better than manga. The ending of the movie is more logical and brilliant than manga. Manga i felt dragged unnecessary. I like silent voice Manga undoubtedly but still I suggest movie more than its manga for story, Animation and its awesome music.
Profile Image for omar ☆.
1,122 reviews17 followers
January 14, 2022
5/5 stars

This story is so beautifully complex and deep.
I haven't seen the movie and I definitely loved bein surprised by everything.
Sahara is my fave so far.
I thought it was gonna be super depressing, and it is, but it has a hopeful undertone that makes me feel warm.

Profile Image for Chris Gernon.
205 reviews
August 1, 2026
One of the greatest manga ever, packaged in one of the greatest book editions. The hardcover binding, the large format, the original version, the interviews … this is a gorgeous, high quality presentation that is a joy to hold and read. Outstanding!
Profile Image for Verena.
88 reviews2 followers
May 18, 2022
Ich habe vor Jahren den Anime gesehen.
Als ich diese Luxury Edition im Buchladen gesehen habe, musste ich sie einfach kaufen. 🙊
Tatsächlich muss ich sagen, dass ich den Manga etwas mehr mag als den Anime. 🙈
Am Ende gibt es auch noch tolle Hintergrundinformationen. 😍
Profile Image for Lexi.
125 reviews1 follower
June 16, 2026
Short summary:


I absolutely loved this.

A few years ago, I watched A Silent Voice and remember loving it, which is what made me want to pick up the manga in the first place. Even though I already knew the general story, reading it has given me a much deeper appreciation for the characters and everything they're going through.

What stands out most is how realistic the characters feel. Nobody is perfect. Shoya did horrible things, and the manga never tries to excuse that. At the same time, it also shows how complicated people are and how difficult it can be to live with guilt and regret.

What stood out to me most was Shoya's struggle with guilt, isolation, and his mental health. After spending years being avoided and rejected by other people, he becomes convinced that nobody wants him around. The way the manga shows his loneliness felt incredibly realistic and was one of the most interesting parts of the story for me.

I also liked that the story doesn't treat his redemption as something simple. Shoya knows he did terrible things, and a lot of his journey is about learning how to live with that guilt while trying to become a better person. That aspect felt much more compelling to me than a simple story about forgiveness.

The artwork is fantastic as well. The facial expressions alone communicate so much emotion that some scenes barely need any dialogue. There were several moments where a single panel had more impact than pages of text could have.

Reading the first four volumes together also worked really well. It made the character development feel more continuous, and I found myself getting completely absorbed in the story.

Final Thoughts:

Even though I already knew the story from the movie, the manga added so much depth that it still felt fresh and emotional. The characters feel incredibly real, the themes are handled thoughtfully, and I was completely invested from beginning to end.
Profile Image for Peter Derk.
Author 32 books418 followers
November 26, 2025
It's like a romcom but not overly rom, not overly com. So maybe more like a FrienDram?

I do like that this, unlike most romantic type stories, presents us with a genuinely unlikable protagonist, who genuinely was a little dickhead. ENOUGH with the protagonists whose main flaw is being "too hardworking." C'mon, guys, that's some job interview bullshit that people don't even say because it's TOO obviously a way to suck up instead of actually talking about a flaw.

At the same time, why do people in job interviews ask questions like, "What are your biggest flaws?" That's such a dumb question. Because my biggest flaws?

"Thanks for asking, I've thought about this a lot because one of my flaws is overthinking and having anxiety over things that really don't matter. Actually, that's probably my biggest flaw. You might be about to say something about how there's an advantage there, or maybe you're about to toss it off like, 'Well, better than not thinking at all!' but please don't do that, it's much worse. Because, like, why am I thinking through a dozen different scenarios when I try to pick a sandwich from a menu board? Why does it have to occur to me that, gee, I don't really like French Dip sandwiches, of things arbitrarily labeled "French," those sandwiches are pretty low on the list of ones I like, but what if this is the BEST one and I'm missing out on the quintessential French Dip? I mean, sure, I probably still won't like it, but at least then I'd know for sure, I could close that tab in my brain that's running in the background, wondering if maybe the French Dip is for me."
Profile Image for Nicholas Dehler.
483 reviews6 followers
January 6, 2026
Unbelievable piece of work. There is so much depth and meaning in this story. A Silent Voice is the exploration of communication, bullying, friendship, change, regret, redemption, and so many other things. It follows Shoya Ishida from childhood, showing who he is and why he thinks the way he thinks. Shoya’s sister says that “Life is a war against boredom,” a quote that I’ve been thinking about a ton and that forms the basis of the young character’s mindset. When a deaf girl joins his class, we watch as over time Shoya begins to bully her. We see every moment that leads to this decision and understand exactly why he does what he does. Then, we see the table turn on him. An older, more mature Shoya has spent years regretting how he acted and decides he has to at least try to make amends. Shoya’s battle to make up for the past, make peace with himself, discover the true meaning of friendship, and earn the right to be happy ends up bringing together some new faces with a lot of faces from his past. With Shoya and Shoko, the girl he used to bully, at the center of the story, A Silent Voice just hammers away at so many themes so wonderfully. There are some gasp-worthy moments and a ton of emotions, but man is this an important story. It should probably be required reading honestly lol. So delighted to be reading this series and the deluxe books are just gorgeous. Masterpiece
Profile Image for Kristen.
1,192 reviews17 followers
July 29, 2022
A Silent Voice is the story of a Deaf girl and the boy who bullied her in elementary school. Shoya eventually becomes bullied himself, and by the time he's a high school senior, he greatly regrets his actions and seeks out the one he bullied, if only to apologize for what he did.

Truthfully, the manga is unsettling. Why? Because it's so painfully realistic. Around one in five students report being bullied. While the manga sometimes depicts extreme bullying, it also shows the more insidious side that people experience. It's utterly heartbreaking. At the same time, there's a hopeful undertone to the story as Shoya and Shoko reconnect and start to learn more about each other.

This collector's edition includes early sketches, translation notes, and several full-color spreads. Also included is the one-shot, originally published in 2008, that would become A Silent Voice, as well as interviews with the author.

TW: bullying, ableism, child abuse, and suicidal thoughts
Profile Image for Mabel.
271 reviews
August 16, 2026
what a story, the complexity of the characters and their development is hard to put into words but in your heart you understand what they’re all going through and where they come from, even if they did things that are objectively wrong; like I still have a huge problem with Naoka but it’d be disingenuous to not see how her character resembles Shoya and how they both want to amend things, but first she has to let go of her hate, the same way Shoya and Shoko have to.
The manga goes into a lot more detail than the movie (which i’ve watched at least five times😗) and my good it adds so much more weight.


-also read chapters 29-32 cuz they’re not included here even tho they’re part of volume 4. fucking tear jerker those chapters were. you never really know why someone acts the way they do, and their way of showing love might not be what you want it to be but there’s always more to it than just “they’re cold hearted”-
Profile Image for Cait.
341 reviews
September 17, 2026
I felt like rereading this on a whim and I’m really glad that I am. I think this series has a lot to say about forgiveness of both yourself and others who may have wronged you in the past. There’s also an interesting conversation surrounding the concept of assigning blame which makes this story feel more dynamic than your typical story tackling bullying. I might understand why people might criticize some of this story as being corny or self-important. I can also very much see the criticisms for Shoko as not being given enough agency in the plot line for who she is and the amount of voice that she’s given. Still, I can’t help but be really endeared to these characters and Shoyo’s development in general.
Profile Image for Kati.
130 reviews8 followers
September 25, 2022
Tämä hyppäsi lempimangojen joukkoon kertalukemalta <3 Tarina on ollut tähän mennessä koskettava, hahmot ovat kaikki moniulotteisia ja kiinnostavia, ja raskaista aiheista huolimatta tästä jäi hyvä mieli. En osaa arvioida, onko Shokon hahmo vähän turhan kiltti marttyyri, joka ottaa kiusaamisen liian nöyrästi vastaan eikä kanna kaunaa mistään, mutta hänen hahmonsa muistuttaa paljon Fruits Basketin Honda Tohrua, joka on yksi minun lemppareistani :D Tämä sarja muistutti myös, että olen jo kauan halunnut opetella viittomakieltä. Mahtaisikohan kansalaisopiston kursseille päästä vielä...
Profile Image for Zen.
381 reviews11 followers
November 6, 2022
A Silent Voice will forever be one of my favorite animated movies. I've watched it at least four times and every time I end up bawling like a baby.

I just had to read the manga. And I couldn't resist the collector's edition.

What I love about the manga is all the extra details that weren't captured in the movie. The art is beautiful, and the interactions are wonderful, but there are so many layers in here that further shed light on why Shoya acted the way he did, and I feel like I understand the characters better now.

Definitely recommended!
Profile Image for Katie Cat Books.
1,168 reviews
November 20, 2022
YA. Manga. Bullying.

Story: In elementary school, a deaf girl joins Shoya's class. Shoya bullies her, breaks her hearing aids and writes mean things about her. Years later Shoya tries to reconnect with her and apologize.

Language: Japan, near present - themes of bullying, communication, suicide, friendship.

Characters: Shoya lives with his hairdresser mom and older sister.

Wow, excellent storyline. I liked the depictions of X's and the struggles in Shoya's head. I hope I can get a copy of part two.
Profile Image for Gus.
88 reviews
May 2, 2025
No sé que poner bien aquí porque sigo con la mezcla de emociones que me provocó esta primera parte del manga.

Me pareció una obra muy triste y dolorosa, algo muy real con lo que cualquier puede simpatizar con personajes con los que facilmente te puedes identificar.

La vida diria de alguien con una discapacidad y la reacción que tienen los demás ante esto. Desde la crueldad e ignorancia de los niños hasta la culpa y rencor de los grandes.

Hermosos dibujos con una historia muy bonita, espero con ansias leer la segunda parte.
Profile Image for Ruby Leemen-Berkahn.
32 reviews
December 11, 2025
4.7*/5
The movie was on my letterboxd top 4 for a good reason. This is one of my favourite anime's/manga oat. The characters feel really realistic and I find each one relatable in some sense even if it's in a quite confronting manner. Some of the scenes with Naoka in this book made me kind of uncomfortable, but at the same time I'm just as drawn to her wretchedness. I think the author does such a good job at showing each character's feelings in a way that I cant help but understand and sympathise with, even if it comes from intolerance.
Profile Image for Gabby.
269 reviews
May 1, 2026
The story is amazing so far! It tells a really heartfelt and emotional story. In the beginning you hate Shoya for what he does to Shoko but as the tables are turned and think finally! He’s getting a taste of his own medicine! You realize you’re beginning to feel sorry for him because no one, especially someone so young, deserves to go through all of that for so long and carry around so much guilt for so many years to the point he no longer wants to live. It’s a very emotional story but an important one that every teen should read.
Profile Image for ali.
1,405 reviews
October 25, 2022
Just as touching and emotional as the movie.

Heartbreaking portrayal of bullying, deafness, and repairing friendships. I really admire Shoya's determination to make the past right.

I wish we knew more what Shoko was thinking and feeling! I know that's her whole character, but it's just so mysterious. Why was she so kind to Shoya even when he was cruel to her? Did she understand what he was doing? Where does her need to say "I'm sorry" come from?

Eagerly awaiting volume 2.
Profile Image for Rose.
163 reviews2 followers
January 13, 2026
A lover of Yamada's 2016 film, I knew I had to eventually read the manga. I cannot overstate how much I love it. The art is beautiful and thoughtful. The characters are poignant and interesting. The story is real with its frustrations and tiny triumphs. To me, it is the best representation of depression I've come across. Thank you, Yoshitoki Oima. I am so grateful that you labored over this book so I could read it one day.
Profile Image for Lars.
197 reviews1 follower
August 15, 2023
Really disappointing book. I really feel that the writer was going for an honest and heartfelt examination of the consequences of bullying. But in the end the story did not work. There is so much teen angst, repressed emotion and unintentional misunderstanding in this story that I started to get frustrated with pretty much all the main characters. I guess I'm not the target audience for this.
24 reviews
June 17, 2025
OH MY GOSH I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!!! I literally read it in 2 days…
I loved the portrayal of a deaf character. But when I started reading the book I was like “what the heck is this?” Because it’s about bullying and stuff… it’s pretty intense in some parts. BUT IT’S SO GOOD!! Would definitely recommend!!!
Profile Image for E. G..
1,184 reviews801 followers
Want to Read
September 20, 2025
Notice

--A Silent Voice, complete collector's edition 1

'A Silent Voice' Early Sketch Gallery
Translation Note
Color Illustration Gallery
"A Silent Voice" - One-shot later adapted into 'A Silent Voice' (80th Kodansha Manga Awards, Best Newcomer, 2008)
Interview with Author, and Voice Actress Kasumi Arimura
'A Silent Voice' Q&A
Long Interview with Yoshitoki Oima, Part 1
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews