This is a gem of a show filled contemplations, heartwarming moments and one of the more genuine stories out there. The nuanced and deep representation of disabilities, friendship and bonds really shone in a story driven by it's characters.

The growth displayed by the leads was the strongest suit they played, Kohei and Taichi were incredible characters as they were, and watching them grow as they grew closer was extremely well done. Kohei came out of his shell, interacting with the world on his terms, and as he did, Taichi did as well, trying to understand what Kohei is going through and familiarise himself, both with Kohei and his disability.

Another aspect I think they handled well was the representation of disabilities. There wasn't a one fits all mold in place here, it was ensured that the dilemmas and experiences of those hard of hearing were shown to be different for each person.

The romance didn't quite pan out the way I thought it would, while it was clear that Kohei and Taichi had an extremely deep and amazing bond, it was hard to visualise this as a romance when the focus shifted onto another character who was neither Kohei nor Taichi.

I did think the introduction of Maya as a supporting character was a double edged sword, she added nothing to the plot, because with or without her, the essence of the story would've remained the same. Her rude, and sometimes demeaning attitude didn't really come across well, and though I believe there was a bit of depth to her character and actions, ultimately, they came across as self centred and her development seemed like it never came even though it did.
The other supporting characters felt much more genuine, not perfect, just genuine.

With Maya's introduction, the tone of the drama shifted into more of drama than a romance, and that wasn't solely because of the new character. The focus was later shifted onto Taichi's personal growth, which, while I loved to see, kind of took away the focus from Kohei and their bond, the very things I had come to love in the first half. The romance then came much too hard and fast, and despite it's genuineness, felt too rushed.

Don't let any of that take anything away from this brilliant story though, because despite it's flaws, it was pretty perfect. The beauty of watching two people become someone the other person cannot see themselves without to each other, while still being themselves, understanding and recognising each other, it's a special thing.