All of the character expressions are beautifully rendered in Volume two. As Silent Film actors had to be so broad and theatrical, Wendy has worked in the opposite spectrum finding a beautiful mid-point between subtle and expressing clearly. You can read the smallest tilt of the head or faintest of smiles and even look into the eyes of the character and see a universe of sadness there. You become a more perceptive reader of all visual story telling as a result.
Oh, listing out all of these in memory would be quite difficult for me, however Echo by Jorge Corona and Memento by A. J. Jones are two of the ones that stick in my head. The Silent Manga Audition website (usually found in the about section) lists out archives of previous years’ winners, with titles and artists listed. These physical copies of the anthology occasionally have a contents page in the front, but it seems to be region/print run specific. Each story has a short bio or commentary from the artist on how they approached the story, and it’s wonderful to read. I found it to be incredibly inspiring, although unfortunately, I am unable to draw a straight line. The Silent Manga Anthology is not just a collection of nice pictures; it is a global showcase for the many, many ways in which narrative can be constructed.
The manga 'A Silent Voice' by Yoshitoki Ōima is a beautiful, emotional journey that really stuck with me. It originally ran from 2013 to 2014 in 'Weekly Shōnen Magazine' and was later compiled into seven tankōbon volumes. What I love about this series is how it tackles heavy themes like bullying, redemption, and communication with such raw honesty. The way Shoya’s growth is portrayed across those volumes feels so organic—it’s one of those stories where every chapter adds something vital.
I’d also mention that Kodansha released an English version, and the physical copies are gorgeous. The seventh volume even includes some bonus content, like author notes and extra illustrations, which fans (myself included) totally geek out over. If you’re into stories that leave you thinking long after the last page, this one’s a must-read.