A Sign of Affection is a touching anime that shows a main character can exist beyond her hearing disability

Shoujo anime has been going under a renaissance lately, and as a long-time enjoyer of this genre, I'm more than delighted to finally see more and more Shoujo titles get the attention it deserves.

For this Winter 2024 season, however, there is one specific Shoujo title that I think everyone should watch, and it's A Sign of Affection (Yubisaki to Renren).

Love through Sign Language

I won't spoil the season for you, don't worry! Currently with 8 episodes and still ongoing, A Sign of Affection is a unique Shoujo that focuses on Yuki Itose, who is a deaf college girl, and her budding relationship with the cool and free-spirited multi-lingual Nagi Itsuomi.

We rarely see main characters with disabilities, like being deaf. The only romance title I can easily recall with its story involving a deaf character is the 2016 animated film "A Silent Voice".

So to see more and more representation towards the hard-of-hearing community is a beautiful and heartwarming tribute, as well as a view into the realities and experiences that deaf people undergo in a world full of sound.

The animation for A Sign of Affection is really beautiful and fluid, which is of course a must for the use of Japanese Sign Language to be more realistic. The fluidity of movement makes way to show Yuki's personality with how she signs, and gives viewers a full impression of how simple hand movements can deliver emotion and impact.

The way Aija-do Animation Works also integrated a more refined animation for mouth movement, which is used by Yuki to lip read, gives viewers a glimpse into how Yuki can understand people around her without the aid of an interpreter.

The use of text boxes and writing to convey Yuki's thoughts to the people around her who don't know JSL is a great addition to how this anime focuses on communication — it's pretty common for conversations between hard-of-hearing and hearing people to go this way, and slaps us with how majority of hearing people lack any sources to fully communicate with the deaf.

In this regard, I find it heartwarming that Itsuomi is persistent at learning Sign Language to communicate with Yuki, as opposed to the people around her resorting to sign boards and lip-reading. It goes to show that when you want to communicate, you will find a way to learn how.

The sound design of A Sign of Affection is also something to note, the first episode alone where Yuki is introduced is filled with the hustle-bustle of the world before abruptly stopping when she comes into view, essentially showing to us the depth of her disability in only the first few minutes.

Yuki exists beyond her disability

But A Sign of Affection doesn't paint deaf people as receivers of pity, instead, this anime gives us a very strong, well-rounded deaf heroine who asserts her independence, and how when surrounded by love and understanding, can blossom into a person that can have the courage to take on anything and everything.

In a sense, A Sign of Affection doesn't model Yuki as only a sum of her disability, but as someone who exists beyond her disability.

So give A Sign of Affection a chance! Who knows, maybe after watching this anime, you too would find it in yourself to help make the world an even more accessible place to the people who need it.

You can watch A Sign of Affection on Muse Asia's YouTube channel for free.

Yan Ku is a full-time dog parent, part-time (gacha) gamer, and part-time writer.

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