#deaf character
One in four adults in the United States has a disability, but the representation of disability in media is few and far between. But it’s still there! Partners for Youth with Disabilities, the group that gave the Autism in Anime panel at Anime Boston 2018, highlighted some of the best anime and manga that include disability as a theme.
REAL
This manga from Takehiko Inoue, the creator of Slam Dunk, tells a story about wheelchair basketball players. This story, which has been ongoing in Shonen Jump since 1999, focuses on a teen who becomes a paraplegic after an accident, but still continues to pursue basketball.
REAL is available in English on Amazon.
Perfect World
This ongoing manga by Rie Aruga is published by Kodansha. It tells the story of 20-something Sugumi, who reunites with her first crush from high school, Itsuki. He works on helping disabled people find accessible housing, and the story doesn’t sugarcoat the struggles of his daily life.
You can read Perfect WorldonKodansha.
Megalo Box
While the main character, Joe, is not disabled, this anime takes place in a world where characters are surgically modified with metal frames that make their attacks more lethal. When removed, they cause permanent damage. The show explores themes of PTSD in veterans, acquired disability, and the intersection of trauma and disability.
Megalo Boxisstreaming on Crunchyroll.
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure - Part 7 - Steel Ball Run
Johnny Jostar, the protagonist of this section of the story is a paraplegic athlete. However, he is never defined by his disability. Living in the magical world of the story, Johnny balances fantasy adventures with depictions of his daily life as a disabled athlete.
A Silent Voice
Written by Yoshitoki Oima, this manga turned movie tells the story of Shoya, a boy who bullies his deaf classmate, Shoko. Later, while trying to make amends for his earlier mistakes, Shoya learns JSL and finds a re-connection with Shoko. This movie is a particularly good representation of deaf culture since Shoko is voiced by a deaf actress.
You can read A Silent VoiceonKodansha.
GANGSTA
Written by Kohske, this monthly comic turned anime has been running in the @Bunch magazine since 2011. It tells the story of Nicholas, a deaf assassin who uses lip movements and vibrations to process sound. It shows how living with this disability affects his unusual life and career.
GANGSTAisstreaming on Hulu.
— Lauren, AB Staff Blogger
Looking for sensitivity readers for deaf character in original scifi/fantasy
I’ll be doing my own research too, but I’m a hearing person writing a deaf POV character in a scifi/fantasy setting and would like the help of sensitivity readers. This character is introduced in book one of my series, but will be getting a lot more development in the sequel, which I’m working on now.
Some info on the character:
- A nonhuman preteen girl named Beyy-ma, born deaf to a hearing father and a deaf mother
- Her story is not about her deafness, she just happens to be deaf
- Speaks almost exclusively in sign language (“Hand Language”)
- Has a hearing sister who’s fluent in Hand Language and usually with her, but there will be moments where they’re separated
- She and her sister are part of a royal family. Beyy-ma takes her role more seriously than her sister does and is definitely the calmer/more mature of the pair, though they both get up to mischief
- Pretty good at lipreading but doesn’t always get it 100% right. Also has an empathic ability that helps with emotional context, but her Language is unique to her culture and not a whole lot of people outside that culture learn it, so there’s still a barrier there when she leaves her village
I don’t have any scenes for anyone to look at right now, but I figured I’d see if there’d be any interest once they’re written. They’ll be part of the second book in a series so I’ll need to provide some context before you dive in.
Thanks guys :D
I think it’s important to note that neither comics nor MCU got it right.
Comics have not historically treated disability or deafness correctly in most issue or publication. Echo is an iconic Deaf character but still is verbal and magically lipreads. One of her super powers, actually. MCU did better by her by casting Deaf actress who uses ASL only.
Matt Fraction portrayed Clint’s deafness much better. Relying on old memories of ASL which come back the more he uses it, dealing with grief of hearing loss but ultimately remembering he’s still Hawkeye. Struggle to lipread. Visible bright purple Stark HAs. Whole panels of ASL only, with no text. I loved every panel.
MCU failed in portraying ASL on the screen very well. Clint’s signing is so poor, ASL not framed to be understood so captions were still necessary even if viewer is fluent, Clint’s hearing loss confusing because he seem to have no residual hearing in a Broadway musical with HA off, (which are LOUD) but only wears one HA, and with that HA seems to have perfect hearing <–does not add up.
But, this is most important: both the comics and MCU give some version of deaf!Clint. It means that in some universe, in some incarnation, deaf!Clint is canon.
We’re all reaching for things: Queer rep, disability rep, deaf rep, gender rep, PoC rep. They don’t always deliver, but fandom takes over and does.
I’m not a fan of Jeremy Renner. He’s not someone I want representing Deaf Clint. But the fact that the MCU finally gave us something means it’s another world I can play in for my fanfic.
And honestly, it might be scraps, but I’ll take it.
Plot: Two years after Samantha lost her hearing during the Battle of New York, she meets Loki, who pretends to be someone else. The two become close, but what happens when she learns who he really is? Will this lie risk their love for each other?
OH Masterlisthere!
Chapter 2
Sam turned her chair around as someone tapped her on her shoulder and saw that her boss was standing behind her. He pointed to his watch and she knew what he wanted; although she had never heard him before, she could hear his words in her head: “I need those reports today.”
Her current boss was the son of her former boss, who had died during the Battle of New York, and the apple didn’t fall far from the tree; the son was perhaps even worse than his father. Of course she could quit, but she loved her job here and liked her colleagues. Sam finally nodded and he disappeared; she took a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair. She glanced at her watch; only two minutes left until her lunch break. Sam closed her computer and grabbed her purse that was under her desk before walking out of the office. She decided to go to the café and get a sandwich and the coffee she hadn’t gotten this morning. Just before she reached the café, she suddenly bumped into a firm chest and looked at the person, dumbfounded.
“Are you following me?” she asked Loki, and he smiled at her.
“Why would I be following you? Maybe you are following me. I work nearby,” he explained and she raised her eyebrows suspiciously. It could be true, after all, who would walk around here in a black suit without anywhere to go.
“I’m sorry, I just thought-” she broke off and took a deep breath. “Anyway, I don’t want to keep you.”
“You don’t,” Loki said, smiling charmingly at her. He glanced around before turning back to her. “Are you on lunch break?” -She nodded in agreement- “Can I buy you lunch?”
“What?” she asked him in sign language, confused.
“Coffee. Yours spilled this morning when you almost got knocked down by the car.” She sighed at his explanation. Was fate trying to play a game with her? Fine, let’s play.
“All right,” she finally agreed, shrugging her shoulders. “I wanted to go for coffee, why not.”
Loki smiled. “Good. Let’s go then, we don’t want to waste any time.” -Both walked silently side by side down the street until they reached the coffee shop. He turned to her as they stood in the café-“What would you like?”
“A cappuccino,” she said simply.
“Also, would you like something to eat?” he asked her, “It’s all on me.”
Sam smiled at him. “Oh really? Then I’d like another ham and cheese sandwich.”
“Gladly,” Loki said, “You can find us both a table in the meantime.”
She nodded and turned to look for a free table. As she walked through the café, she could feel his eyes on her back the entire time. Samantha bit her lip and looked at him slightly over her shoulder. She smiled as she met his gaze; she sat down at the table and looked out. She didn’t notice him approach the table until he placed a plate on the table. Sam looked up at him and smiled; Loki sat down in front of her at the table and placed their two coffee cups in front of them.
“So, Samantha” He broke off and looked at her; she knew what he was going to ask.
“I wasn’t born without hearing, Fynn.” -She smiled sadly- “Two years ago, during the Battle of New York, I lost it in an explosion.” -Loki looked away, looking sad, as if it had been his fault- “Many people have lost more than their hearing: someone they loved, their existence, or their own lives. I still have all of it, and this-” -She pointed to her ears and reached for his hand that was on the table- “Is a small price to pay for life.” Kate smiled at him.
“I’m so sorry, Samantha, for what I did to you,” he said, but she didn’t understand him and looked at him in confusion. “I have to go. Enjoy your lunch break.”
Without another word, he walked out of the cafe, leaving her confused….
Plot:Two years after Samantha lost her hearing during the Battle of New York, she meets Loki, who pretends to be someone else. The two become close, but what happens when she learns who he really is? Will this lie risk their love for each other?
OH Masterlist here!
Chapter 1
New York, 2012
“Hey Sam, I’ll need those reports on my desk later,” her boss told her.
“Yes sir, you’ll have it on your desk by tonight,” she replied. Without another word, he walked away and she rolled her eyes before getting up from her desk. Samantha picked up her coffee cup from her desk and made her way to the break room. She placed the cup under the coffee machine and at that moment her colleague Linda entered.
“The boss seems to be in a good mood again today,” she said sarcastically, making Sam laugh.
“Definitely. At least you didn’t have to see him this morning.”
“It’s no piece of cake with a sick two-year-old either,” she explained to her.
“How’s it-” she was interrupted by a loud crash and the whole room shook. She quickly ran out of the room and saw her colleagues standing at the windows.
She ran there, but didn’t get far when she was thrown back by an explosion. Her body hit the floor and she couldn’t move, every muscle in her body felt like it was being crushed by thousands of pounds. She moaned in pain and a loud whistling filled her ears and it wouldn’t stop. Finally she managed to open her eyes and look around with effort. Where the windows had been, there was only a large hole in the wall, several of her colleagues lay motionless and covered by the debris. Rubble and ash filled the room; she sat up and realized that her colleague Linda was lying motionless next to her. With effort, she managed to crawl to her.
“Linda?” asked Samantha, and she realized she couldn’t hear herself anymore. She reached to her left ear and, looking at her fingers, saw blood on them. Sam bent down to her colleague again and shook her. She breathed a sigh of relief when she finally began to move. Linda spoke after a few seconds, but Sam could only see her lips moving.
It was only a short time after the Battle of New York when she learned that she would never hear again and would spend her life in silence. She had gotten away with her life and, even without sounds, she would live a full life. For herself and for everyone who had lost their lives that day…
New York, 2014
“Same as always, Sam?” the young woman, Elli, asked Samantha with a sign language smile; Sam nodded in response. She had been going to the Manhattan café for two years, and since then Elli and she had become friends. “A caramel cappuccino and croissant. Have a great day.”
She paid her and said goodbye before leaving the café. Sam felt the phone vibrate in her jacket pocket and took it out; she read the message for a moment before tucking it away and walking across the street; Samantha didn’t hear the car horn, but before she could be hit, an arm wrapped around her waist and she was pulled away by someone; her coffee landed on the floor. She took a deep breath and her eyes were closed for a moment; when she looked up, she saw a man with raven black hair.
“Are you stupid or just tired of life, Midgardian?” he spoke, but she just looked at him in confusion. She pointed to her ears and made an X with her hands to indicate that she couldn’t understand him.
“Sorry,” she mumbled softly, not trusting her voice, she didn’t talk much to people since the day she lost her hearing. The man seemed suddenly aware of the situation and rubbed the back of his neck as he looked at her apologetically.
“I can understand you,” Loki said to her in sign language, “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Thanks for that,” she said, taking a step back from him.
“You’re welcome. I’m-” he began but broke off, “I’m Fynn.”
“I’m Samantha,” she replied, shaking his hand. There was silence between them for several moments and she decided she didn’t want to make this moment more awkward. “I have to go to work and I don’t want to keep you any longer, but really thank you very much, so for saving me. We’ll…see you around sometime for sure.”
She waved goodbye and, without waiting for his reply, walked away, feeling Loki looking after her. Why didn’t she just invite him for coffee? At least then she would see him again. Opportunity lost, she admonished herself and sighed. At least she saved herself the embarrassment of him declining her invitation.
“Midgardian,” Loki said thoughtfully, shaking his head as a tiny smile appeared on his lips…
