Hidamari ga Kikoeru (2024)

serie molto bella, ma la storia d'amore è poco sviluppata

serie davvero molto bella e delicata. I personaggi di Kohei e Taichi sono molto ben caratterizzati. Per quanto riguarda la tematica della disabilità uditiva ho trovato alcune situazioni e alcune frasi molto significative e importanti. Ci sono personaggi secondari che entrano ottimamente nella storia, gli amici del campus, il nonno di Taichi, Maya. Anche per quanto riguarda l'amicizia tra i due protagonisti ci sono scene e dialoghi davvero splendidi. La parte debole purtroppo è la storia BL, che viene sviluppata poco e si concretizza solo negli ultimi minuti dell'ultimo episodio, dopo interi episodi in cui Kohei e Taichi hanno problemi di comunicazione e interagiscono pochissimo tra di loro. Essendo una serie BL si tratta di una lacuna importante che ha fatto scendere di parecchio il voto.

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a coming of age story with 3 protagonists

Overall: the first half of the series had me hooked as a romance/coming of age. However, the addition of a 3rd protagonist and the lack of romantic progression changed the focus of the story which I did not enjoy. I think I read the first volume of the manga a long time ago and I've seen the prior 2017 movie but I'm basing this review on the 2024 series' own merits. 12 episodes about 25 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4485/i-hear-the-sunspot-2024-e01 and iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/i-hear-the-sunspot-episode-1-2556woqrs6s?lang=en_us

Content Warning: punch, grief/mental health struggles

Watch Suggestions (to focus on the m/m leads)
- watch episodes 1-6
- skip episode 7 (can watch the 40s recap the beginning of ep 8)
- start episode 8 at 14 minutes
- start episode 9 at 7 minutes
- in episode 10 skip 19:30- 21:40
- watch episode 11 beginning to 4:20 and 15 to the end
- watch episode 12 at 12 minutes to the end

What I Liked
- dynamic between the leads (in the beginning half, then they needed to communicate)
- acting
- representation with a character who has hearing loss, showing how even people who are trying to be kind can isolate a person
- generally not a fan of extended flashbacks but episode 2 and the beginning of episode 3 gave us critical background information to understanding the characters and I'm glad we had this towards the beginning of the series
- that Taichi sought communication in episodes 2 & 5
- sweet moments like fishing together
- production value (some really gorgeous shots in the beginning episodes that conveyed things by showing like opening the curtains or how the basketball court went dark and empty, also good shots in episode 11)

Room For Improvement
- started the series with a flash forward and also some of the ominous voice overs
- the camera blocked kiss, I don't care if that's how it was in the manga, we are at a different time and place from when the manga was written and I expected a non camera blocked kiss
- Taichi was written to seek communication but then was unbelievably dense and didn't communicate any more
- Maya's backstory was way too late and the way she was written did not evoke empathy, the writers did her character dirty
- too many flashbacks in episode 9
- anti climactic ending, the finale had a protagonist talking with other characters for the entire first half of the finale

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Recipe: Loveable characters, relatable stories and heartwarming messages.

20+ minutes long episodes that leave you with hours of reflections and open you up to perspectives you might have never thought about.

What the drama does great is showing the variety of issues people who are hard of hearing might have. They are not monolit group - depending on their personal experience, personalities, social circles, environment, they might deal with different hardships. And that’s when communication enters the chat! One of the clear messages of the drama was to speak up - whenever you need something, do not understand something, are curious about something, dislike or like something.

While the hearing disability was obviously on the forefront of the story, the plot was not limited to that. The writing was not stuck in the bubble of presenting the struggles of the minority - for me the writing was clear in showing that even though they have their own unique problems, they also face mundane issues and daily hiccups like any other person. There is far more that we share, than what differs us.

And that’s where the two mail leads shine - Kohei and Taichi obviously shared the same world, and they made an effort to stay connected. Kohei did not blame Taichi for mistakes he made that were the result of his lack of knowledge. Taichi was trying to see the world from Kohei's perspective and understand potential hardships that he himself never had to deal with on a daily basis. It was such a heartwarming story of two people fitting so naturally together, but also working hard to improve their understanding of the other’s point of view.

Even though their connection was clearly deep and obvious for anyone that was watching, it’s hard to call this drama a romance. At some point the writing focuses a little bit too much on Taichi and his personal journey of self discovery, making Kohei seem more like a supporting character in his own story. I’m not sure how I feel about drama that centers around representation sidelining the character that is the key to said representation.

As for the supporting characters - Taichi's friends were amazing. They’ve got exactly as much screen time as needed for me to see them as real people with distinctive personalities and not just fillers for the screen, but I never felt like we are wasting time on them. But then, I do feel like Maya’s story could have been improved. On one hand (this might sound weird), I truly appreciate how they were not afraid to show her as a complete egocentric asshole who is unable to see anything outside of her own perspective, because yes, people with disabilities also have personality flaws. On the other hand, I think they spent too much time on her “annoying phase” and the flashbacks, explanation and development happened way too late.

Performances though - so good. Nakazawa Motoki aced the surprise and amazement every time he looked at Taichi. Kobayashi Toranosuke perfectly presented how bad at hiding his feeling Taichi was, but also how he failed to understand his own emotions, while also understanding others.

On technical aspects, I am still mad about the “fake kiss” camera angle. I do not care how accurate it was for adaptation - some things that work on a still drawing will not on a moving film. You need to adjust to the media you are using.

Overall, with flaws, yet great drama. It’s for sure more than romance, I’d even say romance takes a backseat for the majority of the runtime and I’m not mad about it. Adding one or two episodes to give a bit more fulfilling closure to the relationship the boys had would be preferable, but even with a bit rushed ending, I’m just happy with the journey I’ve got to experience.

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Lessons in Listening and Life!

The drama focuses on the experience of a college student Kohei, who is hard of hearing and his classmate Taichi. While the plot may not be ground-breaking, it somehow excels in character development. It also respectfully handled the topic of disability.

The heart of this drama for me lies in the individual development of Kohei and Taichi after meeting each other.
It sensitively portrays Kohei's struggle due to hearing impairment and how this impacts his interactions with others and his sense of self. I liked how he socialized and made friends, finally coming out of his shell after meeting Taichi. It was absolutely a delight to see him smile.
Taichi, whom I would call a sunflower in human form is one the most precious characters I have seen on-screen. His vibrant and compassionate nature breaks through Kohei's defences and yet somehow managed to find his own path and a sense of purpose in life. Although he needed some lessons in self-worth along the way, he managed to make it through. I enjoyed his interactions with his two friends and the way they both were supportive of his decisions without undermining him.

The dynamics between him and Kohei were portrayed with nuance and authenticity. Their relationship/friendship evolves organically. Taichi doesn't only sympathise and support Kohei but also challenges him in certain ways that encourage personal growth. On the other hand, the way Kohei slowly learns to trust and engage with Taichi reflected a touching journey of self-acceptance.
The way those two interacted - whether laughing, having deep conversations or sitting quietly beside each other for support felt so genuine and unforced.

What (sort of) disappointed me was the last episode or how they handled the 'love' in the love story. As a slice-of-life drama, this was 10/10 for me, but the confession from Taichi felt completely unrealistic and rushed considering how obtuse and oblivious he had been to Kohei's feelings and his own. Seemed pretty out of character.
Another character who felt completely unnecessary was Maya. Her heart might be in the right place, but she still needs to learn about respecting boundaries and some manners. I do acknowledge her struggles, her care and protectiveness towards Kohei but I feel almost all the time her character was saying things which were/are uncalled for! I was hoping she would be a positive catalyst in the story but to my surprise, I don't think she contributed anything substantial other than some jealousy here and there. 

Overall, it is a compelling watch if you consider it as more of a slice-of-life narrative rather than a love story where empathy and understanding are the driving force.

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Well-meaning but not always well-executed

As someone who adored the film adaptation and has gone back to it again and again and again, this was pretty darn faithful, showing how one meaningful connection can expand someone's world and how all you really need is one person to see and understand you, just one.

I liked how this Taichi showed more of an interest in Kohei right off the bat, which led to some lovely, thoughtful moments. And Kohei was more forward with his feelings in his own way. However, over time, I did begin to feel like the drama was dragging its feet. By making Taichi more attached to Koehi but also more dense, there was this constant circling around his feelings. And while I, of course, was happy to see them explore hearing loss and the different perspectives and struggles of people who are deaf/hard of hearing, I think it took away valuable time that could have been spent with Taichi and Kohei. While they focused on Taichi's passion for making a better world/helping others, Kohei ended up taking a backseat. Some later episodes had barely any scenes of Taichi and Kohei together, let alone from Kohei's point of view.

The ending also didn't quite sit right. While it did its job and was sweet, it felt rushed and lacking.

I think this drama wanted to be bigger than it was and lost itself a bit.

I wasn't disappointed, per se; I just think they could have done more.

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Full of feel-good vibe. Not my fave story, but Kohei & Taichi friendship was delightful & memorable.

Due to his hearing impairment, Sugihara Kohei (Nakazawa Motoki) has a hard time socializing at school. One day. he meets an outspoken and direct Sagawa Taichi (Kobayashi Toranosuke), who’s enthusiastic about food. Taichi offers to help Kohei with notetaking as an exchange for lunchboxes. As they grow closer, their friendship unfolds their personal growth and aspirations.

It's refreshing to see more disabled characters as leads in dramas lately... although for me, the highlight is Taichi, the cheerful and confident foodie! :) His gesture and personality is like sunshine. To some people he maybe too loud at times, but I love how direct and sincere he is to Kohei. Kohei who is a guarded and reserved person finds comfort within Taichi’s loudness. Them together make a balanced bond, which to me not really romantic, but heartwarming and supportive. They encourage each other out of their comfort zones in a positive way

I do have qualms on the storyline, especially on the second half. There are some twists from the characters around Taichi and Kohei that come off as stereotypical and frustrated me. In those parts, I just want to fast forward. I'm glad that they were resolved eventually, so it's not affecting my impression on this drama too negatively.

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The trio of debut directors Yaegashi Fuga, Makino Masaru and Harashima Takanobu are responsible for bringing 'Hidamari ga Kikoeru' (ひだまりが聴こえる) to the small screen, for the TV Tokyo channel, the real-time adaptation of the shōnen genre manga -ai eponymous written and illustrated by Yūki Fumino.
The script is in the hands of Kawasaki Izumi, known for writing the series 'Nagatan to Aoto: Ichika no Ryourijou', 'Jimi ni Sugoi! Koetsu Garu Kono Etsuko', and the specials 'Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko' and 'Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko 2', among other serials and films.
'Hidamari ga Kikoeru' is a compelling Japanese youth, college and LGBTIQ+ romantic drama that delves into themes of identity and personal growth. The series explores the relationships and identities of two teenagers who begin a journey of discovery and transition from what they should be to what they want to be, in which their group of friends will also participate, who are united by the search for their place in the world. Its plot begins by narrating the difficulties that Kōhei Sugihara has hearing, since the current university student had suffered from a sudden sensorineural hearing loss during high school. Circumstances have led him to become a lonely, distrustful, introverted, unsociable and distant boy with great difficulties relating to other people. He himself admits to feeling "out of place wherever he goes."
Thus, the creators present us with a love story between two teenagers of the same gender, and analyze the problems that the world can pose for a person with hearing problems.
Kōhei's entire life changes when he accidentally meets Taichi Sagawa, who offers to take notes in classes for him in exchange for the lunch that the disabled student gives him every day. Kōhei will soon discover that he can hear the loud voice of the new acquaintance without difficulty.
This is how a friendship develops between a boy who had always had problems socializing, because his hearing problems caused him to be marginalized by his classmates, and another happy, optimistic, determined, empathetic, energetic boy and extrovert who lives practically in poverty, needing to work while attending university in order to survive. Both will help each other and, little by little, they will give in to their feelings, unleashing a beautiful story of friendship and love.
Taichi will make Kōhei open up to the world once he assures him that his hearing loss is not his fault. Taichi's kind words pierce through Kōhei's usual defense mechanisms and open his heart, causing his feelings for Taichi to turn into love.
This relationship changes Kohei forever.
Thanks to Taichi, Kōhei begins to smile and integrate into the social life of the campus. Others also begin to see him with different eyes. Taichi becomes the friend he never had or perhaps lost when he lost his hearing and was ostracized. Taichi teaches him "that there may also be a place for him on the other side."
Taichi and Kōhei challenge gender norms on a journey of self-discovery. His story takes us into themes such as the search, the formation of identity, personal growth and the transition to adulthood. But it also addresses feelings such as loneliness, happiness, marginalization or improvement.
The two protagonists spend time together outdoors while having lunch or in other spaces on the university campus, creating an intimate and comforting atmosphere. Beautiful scenes filled with subtle gestures and glances highlight the growing connection between the characters. As they exchange words, smiles and shy glances, viewers are left with a sense of anticipation of what is to come in the next episode until the series' conclusive close.
There are many challenges that this production more than overcomes, and several reasons that enhance its plot proposal. Beyond the structural, acting and logistical aspects, which through austerity allows this series to achieve a lot, and the virtues in the themes addressed, and their management, the narrative structure must be highlighted.
With a slow pace, and alternating different timelines that go from the adolescence of the two protagonists, narrating the moment in which Kohei begins to lose his hearing and how he isolates himself from the world, or the divorce process of Taichi's parents that It led to him going to live with his grandfather, to the present day, each episode, from less to more, manages to generate expectation, interest, entertainment, and leaves an important space for personal reflection.
This slow pace creates a context that allows for the correct development of the protagonists' story. As a weak point we can mention, on the other hand, the lack of depth in the construction and history of other main and important characters in the story: Yokoyama Tomoki, Sugihara Ryoko, Yasuda Satoshi, Sagawa Genji, Miho, Maya...
'Hidamari ga Kikoeru' is a story of growth, of the transition to adulthood, and the team behind the cameras knows how to put themselves in the eyes, the body, the sensitivity of those young people who are just beginning their steps in the university world, young people among the adolescence and adulthood, for whom the conflicts they are going through would be deciding "their entire life."
The tempo, the music, the movement of the bodies build a truth in which some lines of the script may be redundant. A detail that in no way detracts from an endearing and loving story, which knows how to deviate from the commonplaces that the universe of television series has built.
The young and promising actor Nakazawa Motoki, in his first leading role after appearing in the film 'Sayonara Monotone', from 2023, and several series, including 'Saitama no Host', plays Sugihara Kohei.
For his part, rising star Kobayashi Toranosuke, also playing his first leading role, after debuting in 2022 in the series 'Kateikyoushi no Torako', takes on the role of Sagawa Taichi.
Nakazawa Motoki and Kobayashi Toranosuke had already worked together before, when in 2023 they coincided in the series 'Gekokujo Kyuji', in which the former played Inuzuka Sho, while the latter played the character Hioki Soma.
Personal and sincere, with a cast that is simply perfect and which is joined by Usa Takuma, who we saw in the role of Sakuma Hajime in the BL series '25 Ji, Akasaka de' or in 'Kiss x Kiss x Kiss: Love ii Shower', of the same genre, and music that carries the narrative drift with sensitivity and fairness, 'Hidamari ga Kikoeru' is a series of enormous beauty.
These three actors, along with the committed performance of a cast that includes Natsuki Omi, Nishida Naomi and the renowned veteran actor Denden, is another reason why viewing this series becomes an interesting experience.
It is not a simple love story between two teenagers, but rather it represents the problems that can arise in a romantic relationship when one of the two members of the relationship has a hearing disability. Thus, beyond a standard love theme, 'Hidamari ga Kikoeru' is a call to eradicate the mistreatment and discrimination that society carries out on minority groups, be it the members of the LGBTIQ+ group or the disabled, in this case, those who have hearing problems. "Stress is the worst for you... Living in a society designed for those who can hear might be the biggest challenge," the doctor will tell Kōhei.
In this way, the series becomes a manifesto to demand the equality of all human beings. The fact of being homosexual, something considered taboo in Japan, a country that does not yet accept equal marriage and where members of that community face discrimination and constant challenges that heterosexual people do not experience, should not be seen as something bad, but rather it should be to be integrated into society until, one day, there is no type of exclusion for the mere fact of being different from others.
To the delight of manga and BL lovers, the series does not have the same ending as the 2017 film of the same name. As I expressed in the review of this feature film: "Despite the fact that the development of the plot is very similar to the story created by Yūki Fumino, its ending has nothing to do with the original. Instead of the magical and emotional ending of the manga, the one of the film directed by Kamijo Daisuke leaves BL lovers with a bad taste in their mouths.
'Hidamari ga Kikoeru' is, ultimately, a series whose main theme is simply love, and focuses on the fundamental idea of ​​accepting each individual as they are and showing respect towards others, a message that runs through the story of the two young university lovers.

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A touching slice-of-life, more oriented towards friendship and growth than romance

I enjoyed this university BL centred around the encounter of hearing-impaired lonely Kohei and feisty Taichi. Story-wise, I found it very interesting, especially the way they introduced the characters. I loved a lot the slice-of-life aspect, the way the protagonists evolve and find their own paths thanks to each other.

I wish the writing went deeper tough on the development of the romantic relationship. It was much more a friendship story than a romance: it is not a problem in itself because the story did not feel lacking but I wish they went further on many things and make the romantic questionning of the characters more convincing. In my opinion, the story could have been more profound with more time to develop better the romance while reinforcing all the personal growth the main leads went throughout the series.

I found the acting pretty good, especially Kobayashi Toranosuke who played Taichi. Nakazawa Motoki in the role of Kohei did a good job in the first half of the drama but I felt as the series progressed, he had less and less opportunities to show range while the scenario focused mainly on Taichi in the latter part. It is a bit strange to me that the script almost pushed Kohei aside in the latest episodes, with Taichi firmly taking center stage. I wish their storylines would have been better balanced in terms of narrative arc all throughout the show. Their chemistry was good but clearly more on the friendship side than on the attraction side, it was lukewarm in terms of passion but wholesome in terms of friendship.

The making was very good. The way the director filmed the actors eyes and expression was really beautiful. The introduction scene was pretty memorable and left me with a strong impression. The opening song of the series was very nice and fitting the the vibe of the drama.

I would recommend this to people looking for a tender slice-of-life japanese drama. Rather than a BL, it is a story about finding your path and opening yourself to others while seeing world in a different light. I sometimes found myself wishing that the writer either removed all the romantic aspects to spend more time on the healing and friendship parts of the story, either went all in on the romance and make it much more heart-fluttering. I liked it a lot but I would clearly not have minded to have more episodes to further expand on the future of the main characters.

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serious, refreshing, cute story with a lacking end

The first gripe I have with this series is the actor of Taichi. While he is not bad, his voice is nothing compared to the actor of the movie version,. Now 7 years later they could have used the same actor because Kohei also did not look like a "freshman".. And second the finale was a disapointment especially if you have read the manga. It was Taichi going to Kohei not the reverse, it was him to confess and in the manga they had THE kiss we were all waiting for. Which would have made this series perfect, but for reasons unknown they changed it. ?

The rest of the series is very good with some lengths but compared to all the thai crap we had this year, this was a well written script, refreshing, serious but still cute. Overall this is a recommandation and worth your while even with a finale which was not as good as it should have been.

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Cutest BL I've ever seen

This is the cutest BL I've ever watched. Even though I've only watched 1 episode, I really like the story and the amazing cast, I want to pinch Taichi and Kohei because them so adorable , (^o^).
It's like Taichi who talks a lot, continues to be blunt and often defends people (like when he was at the shop and ended up getting fired because he hit the owner too, :O. He's cute, kind and brave. Aaaa I love his character so much.
As for Kohei, he's a sullen person, an introvert, doesn't like crowds. Even though many girls like it, unfortunately he is hated by famous guys in that university (ewwhh, b'tch, what famous guys? Are they kidding?, they are bullies and envious people, hahaha LoL). He's a good person, how could he not be good, the first time he met Taichi, he immediately asked Kohei for his bento and he gave him everything, really good...

I swear this is really exciting. This is the funniest BL and cutest BL I've watched (similarly to Love by Chance) (^o^). Can't wait to watch episode 2 and wait for episode 3^_^

Update Episode 2 : I really really like it. How this episode tells about the past of Kohei, who had lots of friends, was talkative, and liked hanging out with other people. He even missed his high school friends. However, because he started to lose his voice, he became distracted and became quiet. Kohei is so narakk( Cute ) in this episode(^o^)

Update episode 3 : The story has started to develop and become more beautiful, where this episode tells of Taichi's gloomy past and how Kohei found his purpose in life (he even tried to Coo..... Oops.. Spoiler lol.) ahhhhhh I really like the scene during filming Zombie , Kohei's face really really funny hahaha :-)

Update Episode 4 & 5 : I saved up for this episode and i am swear..... This is the most beautiful episode, from where kohei's hearing begins to fade, jealousy, kisses, and many more. It's really amazing episode. The problem that exists is also detailed from all aspects. It's just not long in duration, XD

Update Episode 6 & 7 : the story is more great in this eps, not just about chemistry, but the drama, the jealousy, and the everything is really amazing. Really love it. And Idk why everyone hate that girl, i mean nothings wrong the way she thinkin about her senpai. She just assumed that Taichi just use her senpai cus his treat/bento & i mean because everyone is assume other people ( and mosly is just assuming and of course wrong because they really don't know that real person is ). Pretty good so far

Update Episode 8 : Ahhhhh, it's pretty amazing. I really love it for this episode. It's very calming me, the story, the background( nature ) , the bird & crickets voices it's shooting, i can't get enough for that. But i got sad because whattttt the next episode trailer it's so feeling down, like whattt!!!!

Update episode 9 & 10 : Whyyy........? It's getting not fun again. I mean whyy Taichi dropped out from university. My koeheiiii:-(

Update episode 11 & 12 : Absolutely wonderful. I really love it in the end. Even tho there's no kisseu but damn, i still enjoy it, it's still mesmerizing me.

Can't wait for next season!

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Kind of disappointing

I really wanted to like this, and though this series has some great things going for it, overall, I found it kind of disappointing.

I have never read the manga, so this review is based solely on the show.

The premise of this could be interesting. I think the framing is slice-of-life, but I believe that genre marker does it more disservice than good. There are times when plot lines feel unfinished, and though I know that slice-of-life tends to make big moments seem smaller and more every day, in this drama, the way they're utilized, the storylines peter out and disappear. (Also, I'm sorry, Maya sucks.)

I wished the drama had followed a more standard storyline of two people falling in love, but these characters' zig-zag path toward each other often felt forced.

That brings me to the miscommunication as a plot device.

Generally, miscommunication as a plot device is frustrating. No different here, with one constantly jumping to the conclusion that his feelings aren't reciprocated and the other getting angry and removing himself from the situation. I don't think these actors are bad, but Taichi's actor constantly has this lost look on his face, making you wonder if he's listening. It happens so many times in the last few episodes - and it drags the tension of the storyline and makes you wonder if these two people should be together.

The end felt like it should have more payoff, but again, it felt shallow. I don't know if these actors lack chemistry together, but I don't know if I cared about them getting together at that point. Throughout the drama, I found myself wondering if they liked each other at all. I hardly felt the impact—it should have been more of a punch for two characters who supposedly had so much longing between them. I understand that Kohei has spent most of his life giving things up, but he did it so often and ended up hurting Taichi so much in the interim that I wished they would SPEAK to each other.

I don't know if a special episode or a second season would solve some of these problems. Overall, I think they had too many episodes to tell this story, which took them too long. It's got a low rewatch value to me; they spent a lot of time focusing on plot lines that didn't seem to matter, and certain things were rushed (that might have given the romance more impact), while other storylines had too much time spent on them.


Meh, just meh. It does not stand out to me.

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I Can Hear Your Voice

This is a gem of a show filled contemplations, heartwarming moments and one of the more genuine stories out there. The nuanced and deep representation of disabilities, friendship and bonds really shone in a story driven by it's characters.

The growth displayed by the leads was the strongest suit they played, Kohei and Taichi were incredible characters as they were, and watching them grow as they grew closer was extremely well done. Kohei came out of his shell, interacting with the world on his terms, and as he did, Taichi did as well, trying to understand what Kohei is going through and familiarise himself, both with Kohei and his disability.

Another aspect I think they handled well was the representation of disabilities. There wasn't a one fits all mold in place here, it was ensured that the dilemmas and experiences of those hard of hearing were shown to be different for each person.

The romance didn't quite pan out the way I thought it would, while it was clear that Kohei and Taichi had an extremely deep and amazing bond, it was hard to visualise this as a romance when the focus shifted onto another character who was neither Kohei nor Taichi.

I did think the introduction of Maya as a supporting character was a double edged sword, she added nothing to the plot, because with or without her, the essence of the story would've remained the same. Her rude, and sometimes demeaning attitude didn't really come across well, and though I believe there was a bit of depth to her character and actions, ultimately, they came across as self centred and her development seemed like it never came even though it did.
The other supporting characters felt much more genuine, not perfect, just genuine.

With Maya's introduction, the tone of the drama shifted into more of drama than a romance, and that wasn't solely because of the new character. The focus was later shifted onto Taichi's personal growth, which, while I loved to see, kind of took away the focus from Kohei and their bond, the very things I had come to love in the first half. The romance then came much too hard and fast, and despite it's genuineness, felt too rushed.

Don't let any of that take anything away from this brilliant story though, because despite it's flaws, it was pretty perfect. The beauty of watching two people become someone the other person cannot see themselves without to each other, while still being themselves, understanding and recognising each other, it's a special thing.

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