WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Blue Period Season 1, Episode 9, "Wandering Knife," as well as discussion of suicide and self-harm.
While anime might be filled with epic mecha battles, isekai warriors and magical girls, there is one thing in short supply -- characters with realistic disabilities. While characters in fantasy anime often have disabilities -- Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist, Komugi from Hunter x Hunter and Mimori Togo from Yuki Yuna Is a Hero to name a few -- their disabilities have often been the most defining part of them.
In other cases, they are supplemented with technology to either erase the disability or turn it into an advantage rather than acknowledging the reality people with disabilities face. However, as society has evolved, so has the portrayal of both mental and physical disability in anime. Here are five series that treat disability with the care it deserves.
Ranking of Kings - Profound Hearing Loss
In Ranking of Kings, Prince Bojji shows no signs of being able to hear anything at all. He relies entirely on reading lips and sign language, indicating profound hearing loss. His attempts at speech can only portray his basic emotions and many people are initially uncomfortable around him. Prince Bojji is quickly labeled as a burden since others must learn sign language to communicate, but his appreciation for when people are willing to do so is immense.
People who have been treated badly in the past are likely to react even more favorably to being treated well, as demonstrated by Bojji's friendship with Kage. The criticism Bojji endures is an unfortunate reality to many with disabilities who don't feel they have the right to speak up. Though he's the only one in a fantasy world on this list, the familiar way Bojji is treated demonstrates how universal the problem is.
Yuri on Ice - Social Anxiety
Many factors of Yuri Katsuki's behavior in Yuri on Ice point to him having severe social anxiety. People who suffer from this often feel ashamed at letting their feelings get to them and don't want anybody else to know, like how Yuri hides away in a bathroom stall to cry. He also exhibits having safe spaces, or places he can return to in order to impose familiarity. For Yuri this is the local ice rink, though he will often slip out of a stressful situation to find a makeshift safe space. Repetitive behaviors -- such as listening to music or performing the same motion -- are also a sign of dealing with anxiety, both of which Yuri demonstrates.
Throughout the series, Yuri begins to rely more on Viktor Nikiforov, using him in addition to safe places and repetitive behaviors, becoming noticeably more anxious when Viktor cannot act as a counter to his anxiety. The show takes a nuanced approach to how Yuri's anxiety changes but does not completely go away. Being in a relationship is not an insta-fix for a mental illness, and Yuri on Ice acknowledges that.
A Silent Voice - Severe Hearing Loss
Shoko Nishimiya is not completely deaf in A Silent Voice, as evidenced by her use of hearing aids. Still, her hearing loss is severe and she relies heavily on sign language to communicate with others. The bullying she receives shows how uneducated the children around her are and how unequipped her teachers are to deal with the problem, making it a systematic flaw.
Shoko's tendency to keep problems to herself -- as well as consider everything her fault -- shows how much blame gets placed on people with disabilities by others and themselves. She's not at fault for what happens during elementary school, yet when she learns what happens to Shoya Ishida, she takes the blame on herself and her disability to the point the guilt drives her to attempt suicide. This is an extreme case, yet the guilt that people with disabilities can take on simply for existing should not be taken lightly.
Josee, the Tiger and the Fish - Paraplegia
Josee, the Tiger and the Fish features the relationship between a paraplegic girl and her caretaker, a young man who wants to study marine biology. Josee confines herself mainly to her home, reading and painting and generally trying not to interact with the outside world, an attitude that's encouraged by her overbearing grandmother. Tsuneo Suzukawa is in need of money and agrees to be her caretaker, but Josee's abrasive personality is quick to nearly drive him away.
For Josee, Tsuneo is another reminder of what she will never have, and the way she is infantilized even as a grown woman seems hopeless at times, as if she'll be forever stuck as a child due to her disability. However, even Josee has her secret dreams of traveling the world, and through Tsuneo, she finally gets the chance. It is a reminder of how to treat people with disability with respect -- and a sign of hope for how things can change.
Blue Period - Severe Depression
Blue Period depicts depression in a painfully accurate way. After purposefully failing the test to get into art school, Ryuji Ayukawa becomes severely depressed and exhibits typical depression symptoms such as extreme changes in behavior, losing interest in hobbies and giving up on their future, mostly because they don't see themselves having one. When Yatora Yaguchi asks Ryuji to explain, Ryuji says it's useless to try because Yatora would throw in the lifesaver to somebody drowning but never jump in the sea.
When Yatora asks around, Haruka Hashida agrees that throwing in the lifesaver is more practical, but anyone who hasn't drowned can't understand the pain of suffocation. It takes Yatora getting in the water to help for Ryuji to realize there is at least someone who wants to understand -- but will still keep swimming to stay afloat instead of letting them both drown.
While anime and media in general still have a long way to go, there has been a lot of progress in the past few years and it's picking up momentum. From physical disability to mental illness, the sooner society is able to understand and empathize with these characters rather than simply pity, the sooner that attitude can cross over into real life interactions. People with disabilities may need extra help at times in a world not built with them in mind, but they are not helpless and do not deserve to be treated liked burdens, fools or children. People with disabilities can be perfectly capable and it's time to keep pushing for better representation with their voices at the front.
For more information on the warning signs and prevention of suicide, click here. If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). If you live outside the U.S., click here for a list of international hotlines.
