Initially, Shoya Ishida is the film’s antagonist—a bored, attention-seeking child who bullies the deaf transfer student, Shoko Nishimiya, to the point of her transfer. His punishment, however, is uniquely severe: he becomes the next target of social exclusion. This transformation from bully to victim is crucial. As an adolescent, Shoya lives with crippling social anxiety, visualized by X’s falling from the faces of those around him . His arc is not about seeking Shoko’s forgiveness but about learning to listen—literally and metaphorically. By attempting to befriend Shoko, he re-enters society. The cast reacts to him not as a former bully, but as a tainted individual, illustrating how Japanese ijime (bullying) culture often permanently marks both victim and perpetrator.
Naoka Ueno is arguably the most realistic and hated character, yet she is essential to the narrative. Unlike others who hide behind politeness, Ueno wears her ableism openly. She resents Shoko not for being deaf, but for “causing trouble” and “stealing” Shoya’s childhood. Ueno’s physical violence against Shoko at the Ferris wheel and her refusal to learn sign language represent the unrepentant bully who refuses to acknowledge systemic harm. Her function in the cast is to ask the uncomfortable question: What if the bully never changes? Ueno’s partial, grudging acceptance of Shoko by the film’s end is not redemption, but a ceasefire—a realistic outcome for such a personality. cast of koe no katachi
Shoko is not a passive victim. While her deafness is the catalyst for the plot, her defining characteristic is her compulsive apology and her relentless, almost aggressive, kindness. Shoko’s habit of saying “sorry” for her very existence is a trauma response. However, the film subverts the trope of the pure victim when Shoko attempts suicide. This act is not born of sadness but of a twisted logic: she believes her presence has ruined Shoya’s life. This moment forces the cast to confront their own cruelty. Shoko’s journey is learning to love herself—a task made impossible by the very people around her, including Shoya. As an adolescent, Shoya lives with crippling social
Sahara is the only elementary school child who was kind to Shoko, and she remains untainted by the group’s cruelty. Mashiba, Shoko’s former classmate, represents a normal, empathetic response to disability. These two characters function as a control group—showing that ignorance of deafness is no excuse for cruelty. Their inclusion highlights that the other characters chose to be cruel. The cast reacts to him not as a