With the sad events around Kyoto Animation's studio one; came the recommendation of the movie they created from this manga. The movie prompted me to look into the manga behind it, and I am glad I knew to take those steps and to follow through. There is SO MUCH content that just brings to life the brilliance and talent behind these works. The manga allows us to learn the details of the characters and more background that just "pops" what the movie did. The presentation here - wow - Kodansha Comics really has put so much care into the books and box packaging. These feel so great in the hand and open so nicely without any binding or concern of lack of quality, and a nice weight even. I was not used to manga's so it took a couple training sits to read smoothly the first novel, but once I had it figured out I was glad that I persevered past that learning phase to get into the story. I particularly was hooked once I was into novel 2. As per the attached exerpts, which comes from book 6 - it just shows the depth of understanding the writer and drawer had - more depth than I had as I thought originally the "half text" was a printing error .. not so .. it is done on purpose to show how Shoko can only take in half of what people are saying and has to put it together as best she can in her head. The second page showing how the "perfect world" seems to her. This story is well documented, but it shows how bullying is a complex subject and we all have perhaps been fortunate in a manner to have never been "called out" and thus taken ownership of bullying .. but also with that not happening we might have not learned to identify and correct and go on in life feeling we "never did anything wrong" unlike those who were "socially marginalized" for bullying. You will find that you relate to so many of the characters in both good and bad ways - and have been on the receiving and giving side of things too. Literally none of the children in this book escapes their 6th grade "intact" and we get to see the healing process which is never easy as old or unhealed wounds are exposed to heal properly in the light of .. well disclosure of all the variables in personality and mental profiles that make us perceive ourselves in a manner that is good or bad, and at the same time realizing our true value falls in facing those variables to be better going forward. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS MANGA SERIES - and it is for adults who are still growing and learning no matter what your age is. Wonderful manga that adds depth and understanding to the equally well done movie.