Anime! A world of all fantasies and realities. You would not believe that with all that vastness, it is not common to find a person living with disabilities.
However, most producers have been working on it and trying to be as inclusive as possible because this is not common, so it might take time for you to come across a series featuring someone with disabilities.
So now I have a list of a few anime shows with deaf characters. This move was not a mistake because it became a success, especially on shows like A Silent Voice and From a Sign of Affection.
These characters have proved everyone wrong by rising above all odds despite being physically disadvantaged. If you didn’t know that deaf characters exist in the anime world, let me put you in the shoes of some of the few characters out there.
It’s just the hearing part that they don’t possess; otherwise, their strength cannot be questioned. They still showcase their power and even extend their kindness to others, including those that ill-treated them. So, I thought it would be a good idea to give these characters some credit for what they have done to viewers’ hearts.
1. Yuki Itose From A Sign Of Affection
One of the most iconic characters with a hearing disability is Yuki Itose from A Sign Of Affection. Being deaf was just something she was born with. You might see her in the anime wearing hearing aids, but sign language is her means of communication most of the time.
To know what others wanted to tell her, she would read text messages and the lips of those speaking. At nineteen years old, she was shy and had problems mingling with others.
Her mother had asked her to go to a public university. It wasn’t the easiest thing for her to do, but later, she settled and found new friends to hang out with.
Her curiosity and desire to go out more were sparked by her connection with Itsuomi Nagi. Yuki starts to talk more about her life and even teaches Itsuomi how to speak using the Japanese sign language.
2. Shoko Nishimiya From A Silent Voice
Shoko is among the most popular deaf characters known by most anime fans. From the show’s beginning, she was often bullied in elementary school by Shoya, the main character.
But they cross paths again after enrolling in the same high school. Shoya wanted to give Shoko a notebook she had forgotten. They might have started on a bad note, but Shoko was willing to let the past go and start over again. Maybe they will be good friends this time.
With time, she started developing genuine feelings towards her former. This was because she had seen that Shoya meant to become a better person and leave all the bullying on the coast.
You will love to see Shoko showing her undying support to Shoya so he can forgive himself for what he did. She also forgives him for what he went through.
3. Princess Hinoto From X
I am talking specifically about characters who are deaf, but Princess Hinoto is kinda different from the rest. Not only can’t she hear, but she also cannot see, cannot talk and is crippled.
I know you are wondering how she talks to others, but don’t worry because our princess here has powers. Her telepathic power can talk to anyone and foresee the future through her dreams.
The thing is, everything she saw would always come true. Her dark side was very much dominating in several episodes, but regardless of how dark it was, it always worked for the good. It happens that she foresaw herself being killed by Kamui, and her dark side just wanted to end him together with the Dragons of Heaven.
She held herself from killing Kamui in the dream, but this meant that she was the one who was gonna die instead. It might sound like this wasn’t the right thing to do, but it was. Why? Because this was the only way to end her dark side by proving she would rather die and let someone else live.
4. Nao Saito From Psychic Detective Yakumo
By now, it is common for most of these deaf characters to have some sort of power that the ordinary person does not have. Nao was a cousin and had been blind from the day she was born.
All her life was spent in the Buddhist temple, where she lived with her foster father, Isshin. Even though deaf, she could sense what people around her felt.
Yakumo only felt safe around her because everyone else used to mock him about his eyes. Later on, Isshin passed away, and Kazutoshi and his wife Atsuko took in Naouko to have their children.
Kazutoshi was also one of the lead characters in this series. His relationship with Atsuko had been shaking due to his inability to have children, but Nao became the glue they needed to stay together.
5. Maya Ōkami From I Hear the Sunspot
Shining her light in the anime called I Hear the Sunspot series by Maya Okami. She attended the same school as Kohei Sugihara and Taichi Sagawa, who could not hear her. Maya started having problems being attentive in her class, and her classmates just thought she was being silly and dumb.
For her to move at the same pace as her other colleagues, she started putting in some extra effort to catch up. From the beginning of the anime, Mayo always appears arrogant to Taichi Sagawa. But when it comes to Kohei Sugihara, she was a crybaby who showed a lot of emotions.
6. Takako Tobe From Haru no Menuet
For people like me who are fanatics of love stories, nothing matters more than two strangers coming together and conquering everything because of love.
Especially in cases where someone cannot hear, and it is a basic need of communication, love makes it look like there is no hindrance. Everyone will eventually feel drawn to this type of connection. This story talks about Tobe Takako, who found favour in the eyes of Hachiya Nai.
The moment she found out that she was deaf, she wanted to befriend her. As you watch this show, you won’t want it to end because of how gripping the plot is.
Their friendship was a pleasure to watch from the beginning. Like all people with disabilities in school, we get to see scenes of her being bullied by schoolmates. All the moments where other main characters chime in to make this bullying come to an end.
7. Mabel from Time Travel Girl
I can safely say that Mabel is the most intelligent deaf girl on this list from the anime Time Travel Series. She became a very important character who was always in the spotlight because of her intelligence.
Despite her being deaf, her intelligence was like no other, and she joined Mari and some other scientists. She has always been someone who was always equipping herself with more knowledge fueled by her passion for science.
The seven scientists who made the group called Time Travel Agency respected them so much despite her being a young girl. Mabel helped them in their discoveries as they wanted to uncover the secrets hidden throughout different ages.
She had an impeccable ability to solve problems whenever they were needed. More often, she keeps coming up with brilliant ideas and solutions that see their way through adventures. She became one of Mari’s closest buddies in no time, bringing so much joy and light to the group.
The more time they spent with Mari, the more they saw how much they needed her because of her sharp mind. Nothing was too tough for her to solve.
You would think that she needed years to come up with ideas, but no, she made it look easy, and there are countless times she saved the day. Mari could never let obstacles ruin her good spirit; she always saw something good in everything, and this attitude kept the whole squad moving forward.
As viewers, we were allowed to see her grow as she became smarter and turned into an even better friend.
8. Helen Keller from Comic-ban Sekai no Denki
It is true that when someone is disabled, they feel like they are at a disadvantage of something, but doesn’t they are not invincible. Disability does not mean inability.
Let me tell you about the story of Helen Keller, who had a disease that left her deaf and blind. Mr Sullivan held her down from that point, and she went to school and ended up taking a profession that allowed her to work with disabled people.
Professor Sullivan teaches her how to understand words and use her brain. She could not have been able to do this alone as someone who could not hear, speak and see.
Her exposure started growing, and she started to branch out more into the world. Helen wants to learn more, and this curiosity makes her go beyond the ordinary. Most people looked forward to her and learnt from her own life.
