In honour of composer Kensuke Ushio, Kaboom and Melkweg Cinema present the sobering yet tender modern anime classic 'A Silent Voice'.

On 17 April, renowned Japanese composer and soundtrack producer Kensuke Ushio, known for his internationally acclaimed scores for anime series Chainsaw Man and Devilmen Crybaby, returns to Amsterdam's Melkweg for an enchanting gig featuring his by-now universally beloved intense, glitchy beats. This live set presents Kaboom with the perfect excuse to celebrate Ushio's career so far, and especially the work he did on a sobering yet tender modern animated masterpiece: A Silent Voice.

Adapted from Yoshitoki Ōima's manga series of the same name, A Silent Voice was called "a fantastic piece of work" by Makoto Shinkai, whose hit film Your Name was released in the same year. Received with unanimous praise in Japan and abroad, this coming-of-age story is a gripping slice of life about a former bully and his victim - a deaf girl - who reconnect on a jurney to self-acceptance. Director Naoko Yamada doesn't shy away from the darker corners of teenage life and the torment that they can cause. Kensuke Ushio's almost conceptual soundtrack strengthens the character's often unspoken feelings. He even put a recording device inside a piano to create a more claustrophobic feel to the film's score. It's a remarkable, minimalist score to a profound modern classic. A Silent Voice touched the hearts and souls of many and will undoubtedly continue to do so.

This program screened as part of Kaboom Animation Festival 2024