Soft and melancholic, Japanese drama Silent is equal parts heartfelt and heart-wrenching. Although it starts off slow, it is intricate in its details and focus, making it a deeply moving and personal story on screen. If you are looking to wind down with a slow but meaningful watch, Silent is the answer.

Plot Pot

The show revolves around with Sakura (Ren Meguro) and Tsumugi (Kawaguchi Haruna), highschool sweethearts who unite over their love for music. However, Sakura had eventually broken up with Tsumugi, over a sudden text and the two had lost touch over the years. In fact, Sakura loses touch with all of his highschool friends including Minato (Oji Suzuka), his then best friend and Tsumugi’s current boyfriend.

CHARACTERS WE LOVEKawaguchi Haruna

Kawaguchi Haruna as Tsumugi Aoba: Cheerful and deeply empathetic, Tsumugi is a relatable and simple character. Her determination to communicate with Sakura is also admirable

Years later, Tsumugi unexpectedly runs into Sakura and realises he has gone deaf. Sad but determined, Tsumugi tries to rebuild her friendship with Sakura. Minato and their other friends also try to include Sakura to their meetings. Despite the communication barrier, things begin to look up. However, things get complicated when Tsumugi’s romantic feelings for Sakura rekindle and Minato is caught in the middle.

Silent is simple and that is what makes it beautiful. It does not try to punch above its weight and instead, shows a slow, moving and deeply personal story. It trains its lens on the characters and their individual feelings and turmoil. Silent also highlights in the inherent goodness in people despite conflicting interests. It is one of those dramas where the less is said, the better it is to watch. Its conflicts are resolved realistically as well.

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The cast, headed by veteran Kawaguchi Haruna, showcase moving performances that make the characters relatable as well. It is also a visual delight to watch the drama, given its gentle frames and soft colour palette.