Shoko Nishimiya in A Silent Voice is voiced by Saori Hayami in the Japanese version and Lexi Marman Cowden in the English dub. Both casting choices carry particular weight for the role: Hayami brings a delicate, expressive vocal quality ideally suited to a character who communicates largely without spoken words, while Cowden, a deaf actress herself, brings an authenticity to the portrayal that resonates deeply with the film’s themes of disability and human connection.
Saori Hayami (Japanese Voice Actor)
Date of Birth
May 29, 1991
About Saori
Saori Hayami (早見 沙織) is a Japanese voice actress and singer born on May 29, 1991 in Tokyo, Japan. A graduate of Waseda University, she has established herself as one of the most recognizable and respected voices in the anime industry, known for a vocal range that moves effortlessly between warmth, fragility, and quiet strength.
Her performance as Shoko Nishimiya in A Silent Voice (2016) is widely regarded as one of her most demanding and memorable roles. Shoko is a deaf girl whose spoken dialogue is intentionally limited and often muffled, requiring Hayami to convey emotion through subtle vocal textures rather than conventional delivery. The role demanded an unusual kind of restraint and precision that Hayami navigated with considerable skill.
Beyond A Silent Voice, Hayami is a prolific presence across television anime, theatrical films, and video games. She is also an active recording artist, having released singles and albums that have charted in Japan. Her voice work is handled through her agency, and she was confirmed alongside Miyu Irino as part of the film’s voice cast in May 2016.
Hometown
Tokyo, Japan
Career Highlights
- Shoko Nishimiya – A Silent Voice
Full Current Filmography
The following list reflects documented credits and may not be exhaustive.
Anime (Selected, Chronological Highlights)
- Shoko Nishimiya – A Silent Voice (2016)
Critical Reception
Hayami’s portrayal of Shoko Nishimiya has been praised for its emotional subtlety. Because Shoko speaks with the imprecise articulation characteristic of someone who has been deaf since childhood, Hayami had to deliberately alter her typically clear and melodic voice — a technically challenging choice that critics and fans have noted adds a layer of authenticity rarely achieved in animated features. The film holds strong acclaim on MyAnimeList and received wide coverage from Anime News Network, with her Japanese performance frequently cited as a benchmark for the role.
Lexi Marman Cowden (English Voice Actor)
About Lexi
Lexi Marman Cowden (also credited as Lexi Marman or Lexi Cowden) is a deaf actress who was cast as Shoko Nishimiya in the English dub of A Silent Voice, produced by U.K. publisher Anime Limited. Her casting was announced on September 27, 2017, alongside the broader English dub cast reveal covered by Anime News Network. The decision to cast a deaf actress in the role was a deliberate and widely noted choice by the dubbing team, which was directed by Stephanie Sheh.
Cowden’s involvement in the production brought a dimension of lived experience to the role that aligned directly with the film’s central themes. Shoko Nishimiya is a character defined in large part by her deafness and the way it shapes her relationships and self-perception, and casting an actress who shares that experience was broadly recognized as an appropriate and meaningful creative decision by the production.
The English dub featured a cast that included Robbie Daymond as Shoya Ishida, Kira Buckland as Naoka Ueno, Kristen Sullivan as Yuzuru Nishimiya, and Lipica Shah as Yaeko Nishimiya, among others. Stephanie Sheh served as director and casting director, with Amanda Winn Lee and Michael Sinterniklaas providing additional directing.
Career Highlights
- Shoko Nishimiya – A Silent Voice
Full Current Filmography
The following list reflects documented credits and may not be exhaustive.
Anime (Voice Acting)
- Shoko Nishimiya – A Silent Voice (English dub, 2017)
Critical Reception
Cowden’s casting as Shoko Nishimiya drew considerable positive attention upon its announcement, as noted by Anime News Network. Viewers and critics highlighted the significance of having a deaf actress voice a deaf protagonist, with many in the anime community praising Anime Limited’s approach as respectful to the source material and to deaf audiences. Discussion across fan communities, including on Reddit’s anime dub forums, reflected broad appreciation for the authenticity her casting brought to the English version of the film.
