MANGA REVIEW | "You Talk Too Much, So Just Shut It Already!" - Vol. 1
Manga has done a very good job with stories around disabled people. Whether it’s showcasing the world of the near-sighted in Love’s in Sight! or the aftermath of bullying a hearing-impaired girl in A Silent Voice, these writers make it a point to humanize the disabled characters rather than let said disability define them. In You Talk Too Much, So Just Shut it Already!, writer Shunpei Morita and illustrator Aldehyde take the normal misunderstanding trope found in rom-coms and implement it into the main character’s disability. It results in a story that is cute, but one can’t help but feel like something bigger could’ve come out of this series.
Our main character is Hiiragi, a deaf student who has transferred to a new school. Although she can read lips, she is easily overwhelmed when too many people attempt to talk to her. The worst offender of the bunch is Enomoto, a chatterbox who claims he can read and perform sign language. Of course, this is far from the truth, as their hand-based conversations lead to far bigger misunderstandings. Yet despite this headache, Hiiragi doesn’t hate the company Enomoto brings every day to school.
Rather than be a story that teaches a bigger lesson like A Silent Voice, You Talk Too Much... instead takes the form of a slice-of-life rom-com. While you learn about the sorts of things Hiiragi can and can’t do due to her hearing, she isn’t exactly a representation of every person with impaired hearing. In a way, that’s a good thing, as it goes to show that not every deaf person is the same as the next. On the other hand, there are times where some of these characters — especially Enomoto — need some clarity regarding how to communicate properly with someone with hearing issues.
Granted, it does lead to some pretty funny moments. Neither Hiiragi nor Enomoto have a clue what either is saying when using sign language. From tales of grabbing eels to pasta coming out of one’s nose, not a single thing these two sign clicks with the other person. It also does lead to one of the first sweet moments, where Enomoto unknowingly signs “You are cute” to Hiiragi, setting readers up for the romance that’s one day bound to bloom.
However, I can’t help but feel irritated whenever Enomoto doesn’t fully listen to Hiiragi. It’s clear that he’s not a bad guy, going so far as to help people from as far out as Okinawa when they’re lost. With that being said, there’s a certain amount of common sense that the guy is lacking, and if he’d only just read Hiiragi carefully, then half of their troubles would be avoided. If the rest of the class can listen and take their time with Hiiragi, then so can Enomoto!
Be that as it may, it’s not like Hiiragi will push away Enomoto from class. These two work well together, whether it’s when they need to be study buddies or when it comes to looking for the right school club to join. The latter does give way to one of the funniest tidbits about Hiiragi, who seems to have a knack for just about every sport ever invented. What they wind up joining (again, thanks to Enomoto’s misunderstanding) is also pretty humorous, as it’s the last thing a cute girl like Hiiragi would seemingly be interested in.
There’s a good amount of humor and educational aspects to be found in You Talk Too Much, So Just Shut it Already! However, it’s a far cry from the jaw-dropping spectacles that both A Silent Voice and Love’s in Sight! were able to conjure up. But maybe that’s the point of You Talk Too Much..., as its more slice-of-life way of storytelling helps to make it a more fun and relaxing read. This is only the first volume after all, so maybe as more of the story comes to fruition, You Talk Too Much, So Just Shut it Already! might find that spark that turns it into something worth chatting with friends and those in the hearing-impaired community about.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Eric Margolis of One Peace Books.
