A Silent Voice Movie

youtube video link here: https://youtu.be/6rFOv6VMQpc

Based on a popular manga comic, Japanese director Naoko Yamada’s (K-On) affecting drama about the tempestuous relationship between a boy who hears and a girl who doesn’t; this is a beautiful Japanese animation which has themes around living as a deaf person at its core.

When Shoko, a young deaf student, transfers to a new elementary school she finds herself being bullied for her hearing impairment. The source of the teasing is her new classmate Shoya, who leads the class in poking fun at Shoko. But before long the class starts to turn on Shoya for his lack of compassion and he gets a taste of his own medicine.

After graduating, Shoko and Shoya do not speak to each other until an older, wiser Shoya – tormented by his past behaviour – decides he must see Shoko once more to make amends for what he did. But is it already too late to atone for his sins? (Watershed)

Despite being pretty tired and not really in the mood for watching a subtitled film, I had a free ticket to see A Silent Voice (Koe no Katachi / 聲の形) at the Watershed this afternoon and I’m so glad I went along. The film was being screened as part of the BBC See Hear Weekend 2016, which is a celebration of all things related to sign language and the deaf community in film and television, and walking around the Watershed before the film started was an interesting experience. I have never seen so many people using sign language, and I was absolutely fascinated. It’s a language I would love to be able to understand.

The film was fantastic. It was beautifully animated, and the story was very interesting if a little intense in places (all viewers were warned that the film contained themes of bullying and suicide, so not exactly a lighthearted story). Despite being a heavy topic, the themes were handled well and the film was funny in places as well as being sweet and sensitive. I felt my usual ‘natsukashii’ (nostalgic) feelings for Japan too, with simple things such as the sound the road crossing makes (although I suppose this might have been lost on the half-deaf audience) and the simple day-to-day scenery of Japan. I smiled to myself when I saw one of the characters eating orange segments in jelly – one of my favorite convenience store snacks!

I won’t go into the details of the story as I don’t want to spoil it for those that haven’t seen it (this was a preview screening and the film isn’t being widely shown in the UK yet), but I thought it was a really interesting story and well told. At one point I found myself sitting forward and almost holding my breath with anticipation, and at other times having to wipe away a tear. Bullying is never easy to watch in movies, and being animated makes it no less distressing, but what I actually found most heart wrenching was when characters were apologizing in typical Japanese fashion with deep bows right to the ground, practically curled into a ball on the floor begging for forgiveness.

The topic of deafness isn’t something I’ve seen in a film before, and I found it especially interesting to see how it was handled in a Japanese context. In my experience in Japan, disabilities were not widely talked about and in my three years living in Japan I don’t recall coming across many people with any kind of disabilities, and certainly none in the schools I worked in. A lot of bullying comes from ignorance and fear of what is different, and it was clear this ignorance and fear which caused the children in this movie to behave so cruelly at times. One child in the film was simply angry because they couldn’t communicate with the deaf girl and frustrated by not understanding her – sadly I could easily imagine this situation in any school environment, but especially in one where difference and disability are so rare.

A Silent Voice works on so many levels, and I hope it appeals to a wide audience – not just those interested in Japanese animation. The only thing I felt let the film down slightly was the subtitles not covering everything comprehensively, although I wonder if that could have been intentional. At times there were conversations which included signing (presumably Japanese Sign Language) and where there was no speech there were no subtitles. I wonder if the Japanese original would have had any subtitles for the signing which the English version was missing, or if that is just part of how the film is meant to be. I don’t know how different Japanese Sign Language is to British Sign Language, but I wondered if the members of the audience who could sign would have understood those parts of the film which I could not understand.

All in all, an excellent and unusual film, which I highly recommend seeing if you have the chance!
I hope you enjoy seeing a movie.
any comment below here: if you saw the movie "A Silent Voice" and any comment or reviewer here



 Love, Channy

Deaf and Proud Forever

Hello Everyone,

Introduce myself,  my name is Chantal by the way I just tell you about my deaf life.

I'm a Deaf person.

I wake up every day, with a vibrating alarm or a bright light, which sometimes becomes unbearable. Yeah, I'm a Deaf person.

I watch TV, not with the sound but use a closed caption. Yeah, I'm a Deaf person.

In Transport or lunch break, along with my friends, on Facebook, by phone, Face time, my mobile is my salvation. Yeah, I'm a Deaf person.

I don't hear the sound of wind, birds, rain, or melody, but what my ears can't appreciate, my eyes see it. They are my most valuable asset, they are the window of my soul. And my hands are the bridge that connects me to the world, I use them to speak, to write, to understand me and express my thoughts, which are not so different from yours. We are the same, Well...I do and do not regret that I could not hear and speak like you... Yes, I am a Deaf person.

I don't talk like you, but I'm not a stupid person. I can be wrong, a mistake is human, but if I'm wrong because I didn't get it and if I didn't get it because we didn't make any effort to explain to me or because I was badly explained, it doesn't make me a fool. Yeah, I'm a Deaf person.

I can talk. Some, especially, thanks to them, you understand. Others... no. So, sometimes it's hard to understand me, the same way the Chinese will realize it's hard to understand. Yeah, I'm a Deaf person.

 I mean, my way. But I do the same things you do: Study, work, travel, drive, drive, drive, play sports... actually, I have a life, and I run it like you! Yes, I'm a Deaf person, and I yell at four winds with pride!

....And I am NOT disabled as you think. You ARE disabled to my eyes when you don’t make the effort/time to ask, discuss, explain or talk to me as a Deaf person.

I am as Deaf as you can imagine.

#DeafandProudForever. 

Love, Channy \m/_

toliet paper confession

Everyone has had humiliating moment right?!

I went to use the bathroom at a house party. As always, I laid down toilet paper the seat, when I was finished, I walk out of the bathroom with two long pieces hanging out of my pants. I started walking around for a bit before my friend pointed it out.


Next time you have to check urself double time before you going.


Love, Channy \m/_

Squad Gift Exchange

 friends, families and other loves in your circle

Make giving and getting more fun with these creative idea from girls or like me!

1). Have a locker love in

My friends and I do a twist on Secret Santa: We write down our locker combinations, then pick them out of hat. Each of us secretly decorates her chosen person's locker with inside jokes and clues and also buys her a present. Then we get together open gifts and guess who our Santa was!.

2). Spread the warmth

Every year, I throw a scarf swap party at my house, my dorm. Everyone who comes brings a wrapped scarf, and then we draw numbers to see the order we get to pick the package. it's okay  if you choose the one you bought we all pick out nice ones that we wouldn't mind keeping. At the end of the night, we all go home with something new to wear!.

3). Put it words 

I try to do something personal, so I've made my friends poster size photos colleges, and we've also written one another letters where we share memories, say thankful we are to be friends, what we admire about each other, and where we think we'll be in 20 years. There's a lot of positivity in them.


It can be Easy!  Don't have a time to get individual gift for your girls? buys the same thing for everyone : "sunglasses or pajama set or cute T-shirts etc. They're not that expensive and when we get together everyone can twin!!

Merry Christmas!! 

Love, Channy \m/_

Pooped Confessions

My Confession #Poopedoops!

I had just finished my lunch heading back to work. I'd eaten some bad sushi, and my stomach was killing me. I tried to find a place to pull over, but I didn't make it. I pooped all over myself. I  drove to the nearest store, waddled in, waddled in, and picked up new underwear and khakis. Then I went to the bathroom to take off the soiled clothes and clean myself up. After I put the new stuff, I ripped off the tags and handed them to the cashier on my way out. to whoever had clean that bathroom: I'm sooooo sorry.

 my most embarrassment pooped moment and  felt ridiculous, " what was I thinking moments" lol

have you experience with the pooped in your past or recently?  comment below here.


Love,Channy \m/_

Mistaken Identity

Traumarama

Oh. My. Awkward

My younger brother is six feet two. so it's always easy to find him in the crowed, all I have to do is look for the tallest man around. I went to pick him up from airport one day  and spotted a tall man with dark skin and hair too. Assuming it was my young brother then I went up ran and hugged him. only to realize smell different perfume from man then it was a man I'd never seen before! and he was confused and clearly not excepting to be hugged by a girl he didn't know me. He totally blushed I think he was just as embarrassed as I was.

I realize I was laughing same time felt embarrassed then told my younger brother what happen to me? he just constantly laughing.  that's definitely embarrassing moment for me!

have you experience with any embarrassment moment or awkward? share with us.


Love, Channy \m/_

Confessions

When I was in college and I having sex with my boyfriend in my dorm room,we heard and feeling that someone were there. My friend Peter was approaching, so I ran to my closet and hide myself then Peter did open the door and peek on us. we were under the covers and he ask my boyfriend where I was and where is the project homework ? then my boyfriend said um I don't know where is it and she is in the closet and hide herself. I had run out. Luckily, I 'd grabbed my phone from the bed, so I texted to my friend Peter who work with me for project presenter and asking if he needed anything. Peter said oh, she texted me! I going meet her at library later" but he wanted a chill with me in my dorm and doing our project lab. I told him I left notes in the lab and will get it later same time meet him at library. I don't want him to see my personal sex life. that's so close whew!.



Love, Channy \m/_