If you’ve spent any time on anime forums or TikTok recently, you’ve probably seen the rumors. Someone claims there is a leak from Kyoto Animation. Another person swears they saw a poster for A Silent Voice 2 on a Japanese Twitter account. It feels like every few months, the internet collectively decides it’s time to manifest a sequel to one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful films ever made. Honestly, I get it. We all want to see more of Shoya and Shoko. We want to know if they actually end up together or how they navigate the messy, loud world of adulthood. But if we’re being real, the "news" about a second movie is basically a giant game of telephone that’s been spiraling out of control for years.
The original film, Koe no Katachi, is a masterpiece. It’s a self-contained story about redemption, the agony of social anxiety, and the weight of childhood mistakes. When the credits rolled on that 2016 film, it felt final. So why is everyone still talking about A Silent Voice 2?
Mostly, it's because we aren't ready to let go. But there are very specific, factual reasons why a sequel hasn't happened—and why it probably shouldn't.
The Manga Reality vs. Fan Hopes
To understand why a sequel is so unlikely, you have to look at the source material. Yoshitoki Ōima wrote the original manga, which spans seven volumes. When Kyoto Animation (KyoAni) and director Naoko Yamada adapted it, they didn't just pick and choose chapters. They adapted the entire narrative arc from beginning to end.
Sure, they cut things. They had to. You can't fit 60+ chapters of nuanced character growth into a two-hour runtime without losing a few subplots. We missed out on the filmmaking subplot where the group tries to enter a competition, which was a huge part of the manga’s middle section. We missed some deeper context on Shoya’s mom and Shoko’s grandmother. But the ending? The ending of the movie actually aligns almost perfectly with the emotional climax of the manga.
In the manga, there is a tiny bit more "after." We see the characters a few years later, attending a coming-of-age ceremony. It’s sweet. It’s hopeful. But it isn't enough to fill a two-hour movie. It’s more like a "where are they now" montage. If a studio were to greenlight A Silent Voice 2, they would have to invent an entirely new story from scratch. That’s a dangerous game to play with a legacy this precious.
Most fans don't realize that Kyoto Animation rarely does sequels unless there is a massive amount of unadapted material or a specific financial reason to keep a franchise running, like with Free! or Sound! Euphonium. With A Silent Voice, the story is told. It’s done.
The Tragedy at Kyoto Animation
We have to talk about the elephant in the room when discussing any potential Kyoto Animation project. In 2019, the studio suffered a devastating arson attack. They lost 36 incredibly talented people, many of whom worked on the original A Silent Voice.
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The studio has been in a period of healing and rebuilding ever since. Their focus shifted toward finishing projects that were already in the pipeline and slowly taking on new, meaningful stories like Violet Evergarden: The Movie. Asking for A Silent Voice 2 in this context feels a bit misplaced. The creative team that brought Shoya and Shoko to life was a specific group of people at a specific point in time. Naoko Yamada, the visionary director of the film, has since left KyoAni to work with Science SARU (directing The Heike Story and The Colors Within).
Without Yamada’s specific touch—her focus on "leg movements" to show emotion and her soft, dreamlike color palettes—a sequel wouldn't feel the same. It would be a different soul in the same skin.
Why the "Coming of Age" Mystery Keeps Rumors Alive
The reason people keep searching for A Silent Voice 2 is usually tied to the romantic resolution. Or lack thereof.
In the film, Shoya and Shoko don't have a big, cinematic kiss. They don't walk off into the sunset holding hands as a confirmed couple. Instead, the movie ends with Shoya finally being able to hear the voices of the people around him—symbolized by the "X" marks falling off everyone's faces. It’s an internal victory. It’s about him forgiving himself.
But for a lot of viewers, that's not enough. They want the "After Story."
They want to see:
- How Shoko manages her career as she gets older.
- Whether Shoya’s redemption stays permanent or if he has relapses into depression.
- The actual confession of feelings.
- Yuzuru’s life as she grows up and finds her own path away from being her sister’s protector.
There is a legitimate "thirst" for these answers. But sometimes, not knowing is the point. The film argues that life is an ongoing process of listening and trying. Giving us a sequel that wraps everything up in a neat bow might actually undermine the message of the first movie. It’s supposed to be messy. It’s supposed to be a "work in progress."
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The Financial Argument
Let’s look at the numbers. Money usually talks louder than "artistic integrity" in the anime industry. A Silent Voice was a massive sleeper hit. It grossed over $30 million worldwide, which is huge for a non-franchise, non-Ghibli film. In the years since its release, its popularity has only grown on streaming platforms like Netflix and Crunchyroll.
From a purely corporate standpoint, A Silent Voice 2 would be a guaranteed money-maker. But the Japanese industry operates a bit differently than Hollywood. While Disney will churn out Toy Story 5 because the IP is valuable, many anime production committees respect the "completeness" of a manga creator's vision. Yoshitoki Ōima moved on to To Your Eternity (Fumetsu no Anata e), a sprawling fantasy epic that is tonally worlds apart from Koe no Katachi. If she isn't interested in writing more, a sequel is effectively dead in the water.
Dealing With "Leaked" Trailers
If you go to YouTube right now and search for a trailer, you will find dozens of videos titled "A Silent Voice 2 Official Trailer (2025)."
Don't fall for it.
These are "concept trailers." They are cleverly edited fan-made videos that use clips from other anime—often Your Name, Weathering With You, or even scenes from the original A Silent Voice with filters applied—to make it look like new footage. They use clickbait thumbnails to rack up millions of views.
The reality? There has been zero—and I mean zero—official communication from Kyoto Animation, Pony Canyon, or ABC Animation regarding a sequel. No trademark filings. No domain registrations. No "announcement of an announcement."
What You Can Watch Instead
If you’re craving that specific emotional ache that only this story provides, and you've accepted that A Silent Voice 2 isn't coming, there are a few things that actually exist that you might have missed.
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First, read the manga. I’m serious. Even if you aren't a "manga person," the depth added to characters like Mashiba and Kawai (who everyone hates, but she’s more complex in the books) makes it worth it. There is an "Official Collector's Edition" that looks great on a shelf and includes some behind-the-scenes material.
Second, check out Liz and the Blue Bird. It’s also directed by Naoko Yamada and animated by KyoAni. It’s a side story to Sound! Euphonium, but you don't really need to know the main show to appreciate it. It has that same quiet, intimate, "searching for connection" vibe that made A Silent Voice so special.
Lastly, look into Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop. It’s a bit brighter and more colorful, but it deals with communication barriers and the insecurities of youth in a very similar, modern way.
Final Reality Check
We live in an era of reboots and endless sequels, so it's natural to assume everything will get a Part 2. But some stories are meant to be a single, perfect moment. A Silent Voice 2 doesn't exist because the story of Shoya’s redemption and Shoko’s self-acceptance reached its natural conclusion. They learned to look people in the eye. They learned to live.
Everything that happens after the movie ends is something we get to imagine for ourselves. And honestly? That might be better than any sequel a studio could produce.
Actionable Steps for Fans
- Verify your sources: If a "leak" doesn't come directly from the @KyoAni Twitter account or a reputable news site like Anime News Network, it’s probably fake.
- Read the Manga: Specifically look for the final chapter (Chapter 62), which provides a bit more closure than the film’s ending.
- Support the Creator: Check out Yoshitoki Ōima’s current work, To Your Eternity. It’s just as emotional, though in a much more supernatural way.
- Stop the Spread: Avoid sharing fan-made "concept trailers" as official news, as it fuels the cycle of misinformation for new fans.
The story is over, and that's okay. The fact that it still moves us enough to want more is the ultimate testament to its quality. Let the "X" stay off the faces and let the characters live their lives in the quiet space beyond the screen.