A dog walks, it will hit an anime. 22nd] "The Form of Unamplified" - A movie that will make your heart flutter, make you cry a little, and make you feel a little kinder to others

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The movie "聲の形" is based on a comic by Yoshitoki Ôimai that was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Magazine". The story centers on a girl who is deaf and a boy who used to be a general. The story depicts the struggles of a young girl to survive and the painful clash of hearts between the two.

The anime film adaptation of this work, which deals with a difficult theme, "K-On the Movie! and "Tamako Love Story," and director Naoko Yamada and her staff. The film is a gem of a work that faces the heavy theme straightforwardly and delicately depicts it.

Having read the original comic and seen the film, I would like to share with you the charm of this work.

Like a documentary?　A series of realistic and serene tensions

Ishida Shoya, a rampaging kid at elementary school, is introduced to a new student, Nishimiya Shoko, a girl who is deaf. To Shoya, she is like a mysterious and interesting alien. However, she eventually stopped coming to school, and Masaya was isolated from the rest of the class for being the cause of her absence. Time goes by, and Masaya, now a high school student, meets Glass again.

Their words are not always clear, and he feels frustrated. Even if he expresses his feelings to her, he does not always get the desired result. As long as I am who I am, will I ever get out of this situation?　Is there anything I can do for someone else?

The film thoroughly depicts the contents of the comic, which spans all seven volumes, from the viewpoint of the main character, Masaya Ishida.

As a result, some parts of the film are not necessarily audience-friendly. The camera sometimes switches between the two without explanation, as if it were a documentary. However, this is what makes the film so enjoyable to watch.

Like a rough but precise sketch, the film depicts a scene by describing and connecting events as they happen. The collaboration of music and images, which do not flow too lyrically, is wonderful.

Emotions are always in limbo. There is no exhilaration like running fast on a dynamic wave of scheduled harmony. You are at a standstill, confused, and could step in either direction, but you stand still and can't go anywhere. It is a series of moments with a real sense of urgency.

It reminds us that we, too, face communication in our daily lives that requires courage and determination. We can't take our eyes off what the reaction will be and what will happen next, and we don't feel the length of the film (129 minutes).

A story that follows Masaya and depicts his point of view

Before I saw the film, I was very curious to see how the contents of the original seven-volume comic book would be combined into a single movie.

Normally, there is no way to fit everything into a film. But if you read the original story, you would feel that none of the episodes or the portrayal of any of the characters would be possible without it. I thought it would be difficult.

Director Yamada reassembled the film "from Masaya's point of view. The episodes were carefully selected and delicately directed to create a film with a high degree of purity.

Therefore, although this is my personal opinion, the image of Masaya has changed compared to the original work.

When I read the original, my first image of Masaya was that of a bully. I couldn't help but think that no matter what the circumstances, children do terrible things.

However, director Yamada began the film by taking Masaya's side. The events of his elementary school days are all depicted from Masaya's point of view.

The "eccentric transfer student" who appeared in front of Masaya was an incident. Fearless Shoya behaves freely and goes too far, and the world around him changes from there.

Isolated and rejected by everyone around him, Masaya is now a high school student and is very hurt. He lacks self-confidence and cannot lift his face straight up. At school, he doesn't make eye contact with people, goes through the motions of words, and acts as if he doesn't exist. Whenever he tries to communicate with someone, he always shows courage.

This is impressed by his movements and voice, which are unique to anime. Masaya's fear is conveyed well. It pulls the audience back from the standpoint of the bystander denouncing the kid general to the subjective viewpoint of "myself who might make a mistake.

Despite his size, Masaya is unable to look people in the face properly. Shoya is frightened and afraid, but still he could not help but call out to Glass. Even those who cannot accept everything about Shoya may be relieved to see the final scene in which he arrives at his destination.

I think the charm of Shoya in this film lies in the gentleness of director Yamada's perspective.

Glass's earnest expression and the sound of his voice strike a chord.

Director Naoko Yamada's previous works, "K-ON! and "Tamako Love Story," the most powerful weapon in director Naoko Yamada's past works, is considerably suppressed in this film.

Although Nishinomiya Glass is a beautiful girl, the precision of the depiction is more focused on creating a "realistic naturalness" than on portraying loveliness. The "moe" that attracts the viewer's attention is rather restrained.

The words spoken by Glass, who is hearing-impaired, have a peculiar inaudibility and are not "cute" at all. It is not "cute" at all. It is the kind of thing that makes you cringe when you hear it for the first time.

However, the voice that she utters is piercing to the heart.

Although the words are not easy to hear, and the meaning may be difficult to grasp if you are not careful, the sound of her voice and the emotions contained in it are strongly conveyed and stir the emotions.

It makes you wonder if you are relying too much on the surface of words in your daily communication, or if you are paying attention to the expression on the other person's face and the tone of the voice.

The well-drawn sign language was also very eloquent. The necessary pauses between the deaf and the non-deaf, the beauty of the facial expressions of the hands, and the frustration of not being able to convey one's thoughts are all conveyed. I was struck by the core strength of Glass, who unhesitatingly tries to communicate again and again, even when those around her do not understand her.

Difficulty in communication and a little help

Since Glass has a hearing impairment, it is often taken to be a "work about people with disabilities," but this viewpoint alone may mislead viewers into misunderstanding this work.

It is also one-sided to take it as a story about a bully and a bully's child.

The theme is consistently the frustration of "not being able to convey what one wants to convey. There are always barriers in communication. It is not easy to say which is right and which is wrong, and there is no right answer. Still, we cannot help but speak up and take action, even if it is not cool or the other person thinks it is wrong.

While watching the film, I was struck by the painful feelings of Shoya, Glass, and the others, and my heart was stirred. This is not a movie that will make you cry comfortably. There are many lines and scenes that make you want to say to the characters, "That's too much.

It is a complicated taste that cannot be described in one word, but the aftertaste is good. It is an affirmation of a world in which everyone is clumsy and struggling to find their way. You can cry a little and be a little kinder to others.

In the midst of many heartbreaking scenes, the presence of Tomohiro Nagatsuka, who has a comical flavor, was a comfort. He also made me cry towards the end of the film.

And I was touched by the efforts of Yugen Nishimiya, a little knight (and sister) who is said to be "the most handsome man in the series," and who is on the side of Glass.

I would like to recommend that you first try this film without any prior knowledge and face it straight and without hesitation.

In the original story, we learn that Shoya and Glass's classmates have their own circumstances and feelings, but the movie doesn't go into that. To get to know them a little better, it would be good to read the original story after seeing the movie.

(YAMAYU)

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