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“ | Please, God... give me just one more ounce of strength. I won’t run away from my problems anymore. Just do this one thing for me please. Starting tomorrow, I’ll look everyone in eye. Starting tomorrow, I’ll listen when people speak to me. Starting tomorrow, I'll be better... | „ |
~ Shōya's promise to do better as he silently begs for the strength to save Shōko. |
Shōya Ishida (Japanese: 石田将也, Ishida Shōya) is the main protagonist of the manga A Silent Voice, as well as its 2016 film adaptation.
A former delinquent and school bully in elementary school, Shōya was an aloof and easily-bored child who for a while, took part in his classmates' efforts at bullying a deaf girl named Shōko Nishimiya after she transferred over to his school. This would go on until the principal of the school catches wind, resulting in Shōya's classmates turning him into a scapegoat, making him out to be the sole perpetrator of the bullying. Shōko would soon transfer schools afterwards, and his classmates would begin to bully him instead, leading to Shōya understanding how Shōko felt and feeling immense regret for his behavior towards her.
Years later, Shōya would become depressed and remain isolated, even in high school. He nearly commits suicide one day until he backs out at the last second, realizing he should make things right with Shōko. When the two teens reunite, they form a bond that would change the course of both their lives forever.
In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Miyu Irino as a teenager and by Mayu Matsuoka as a child. In the English dub, Robbie Daymond voices him as a teenager while Ryan Shanahan voices him as a child.
What Makes Him Pure Good?[]
In General[]
- Constantly strives to better himself in order to fix his past mistakes from when he was a child, treating everyone he talks to with with kindness and humility.
A Silent Voice[]
- Shows immense regret for his bullying after Shōko transfers schools, understanding the pain she went through when he starts to be on the receiving end of the bullying instead.
- Works for months to pay back his mom for when she had to pay for Shōko's hearing aids that he broke, showing how much he loves her and the amount of guilt he felt for causing her to have to do that.
- Sets off to make things right with those he's wronged in the past, namely Shōko.
- Kept Shōko's notebook that she had in Elementary school and gives it back to her when they reunite years later.
- Offers to become friends with her despite their rough past, genuinely wanting to treat her better than he did before.
- Stops his classmate Tomohiro's bike from being stolen from a bully, offering up his own instead despite not really knowing him at the time.
- When Shōko's sister Yuzuru uploads a picture of him illegally jumping into a river in an attempt to get him suspended from school, he doesn't try to get revenge on her. Rather, he bonds with the girl and offers to let her stay at his place after an argument she had with Shōko, becoming friends with her.
- After getting slapped by Shōko and Yuzuru's mom, he doesn't hold a grudge or get mad at her, understanding he deserved it for how he treated Shōko.
- Helps reunite Shōko with their former classmates from elementary school, hoping to get her to make the friends she never had the chance to have before, ultimately succeeding in the end.
- Stands up to Naoka when she begins to bully and disrespect Shōko like they used to as kids, being disgusted with how she's behaving.
- Saves Shōko from jumping off her balcony and killing herself, pulling her back up through sheer willpower and determination, falling off himself in the process and ending up in a coma.
- When he wakes up from his coma, he immediately leaves the hospital in search for Shōko, wanting to make sure she's safe.
- Tearfully promises Shōko that the two of them will help each other want to live, making a lifelong promise to take care of each other.
Trivia[]
- Shōya is currently the only character from A Silent Voice to qualify as Pure Good.
External Links[]
- Shōya Ishida on the Heroes Wiki
- Shōya Ishida on the A Silent Voice Wiki