Silent Voice has been out for a while now and it’s been widely received as a masterpiece with many saying it’s better than Your Name. Unlike with Your Name, Silent Voice was adapted from a manga and whenever any form of print is turned into a film there is that repetitive argument that always pops up over and over again. Which was better the book or the movie or in this case manga.
A general consensus from people was that the film was enjoyable and although they had to cut some character development and a few other moments it stayed mostly true to the source material and many of the fans could not find any major faults in that regard.
Until they discuss the ending of both story’s, where the storm of the argument lies with voices on each side either saying the manga version was better and the other side saying the films version was better. Well I’m here to tell you warring factions that both of you are correct.
Books and Movies are different mediums and what happens in books does not always translate well into film, The Killing Joke was proof of that. So for the sake of the film some parts need to be changed otherwise you end up with dissatisfied patrons who just want to forget what they saw and critics who could potentially ruin you and your mother going on and on how you could have made a masterpiece if you just changed the ending. But that is not to say that the manga ending does not have a satisfying conclusion.
For those who have only seen the film the manga version ends by both Ishida and Nishimiya opening a door to join their old classmates after the coming of age ceremony but not actually showing the reunion.
This ending leaves the reader to imagine what will happen once they open the door. Literary works can reach a satisfying conclusion while also giving us enough to chew on to imagine what has happened. The film structure of Silent Voice demanded a different ending to satisfy the minds of the patrons.
Ishida is walking through a crowd overhearing there conversations with even a few people talking about him he then puts his hands up to his ears blocking out the sound all around, then he looks up.
When the X’s over people’s faces flutter down on the ground. His tears that fall are filled with relief as he can now he can finally forgive himself.
In the book of Crying The Natural and Cultural History Of Tears. There is a sentence that relates perfectly back to his situation.
“Tears began to be granted a certain kind of power, both as a form of entreaty and as testimony to the crier’s honesty and integrity.”
With this powerful emotional climax it sticks in our minds and satisfies us by knowing that he has finally forgiven himself and as the movie had cut large portions of the character development out it makes more sense to end it like this and with the very last scene before we cut to the words we have the two of them standing in a circle of light side by side in a unknown future.
So let me just conclude this by saying each story reached a satisfying end in it’s own medium and that is always fulfilling.
