A Sign of Affection Volume 1
Synopsis
A chance encounter draws together Yuki, a college student with a hearing impairment, and Itsuomi, a tri-lingual language student. Yuki has spent her life in silence, communicating through sign language and texting. Itsuomi is interested in learning more about Yuki and her world. However, Yuki is unsure of Itsuomi’s intentions. Is he interested in becoming more than just a friend to Yuki, or is she just another language project?
Review and Recommendation
*Spoiler Alert* (A spoiler alert is being issued because there are mentions of specific plot points that relate to the rating of this review.)
I am thrilled to finally have the opportunity to review A Sign of Affection. I first heard about this series a few months ago, and one of the selling points for me was that it focused on deaf representation. Representation in media is becoming more common, and I’m interested in discovering more series that represent all people thoughtfully and engagingly. Yuki, the female protagonist, uses sign language and texting to communicate with people around her, and I was curious about how sign language would be shown in the story. The signing panels were difficult to show, but the author took a lot of care to make sure to get the signs as accurate as possible in a drawing medium. (There is also an interview with the author at the end of the story where she explains the background and inspiration for the series.) What I like so much about this series so far is that the focus is not on Yuki overcoming the adversities of being mistreated because she’s deaf but rather on her being an ordinary person who just happens to be deaf and meets another ordinary person and watching their relationship develop. To some people, the plot may seem very simplistic. However, I think the story's charm comes from Itsuomi becoming involved and invested in Yuki’s world and being challenged to overcome communication difficulties as friends to an eventual couple. (This series is so sweet there were many times I audibly “awwed” and sighed.) I highly recommend A Sign of Affection for a fast and heartwarming read.
Cautions
A Sign of Affection Volume 1 has an age rating of 16 and Up. I haven’t read the entire series yet; however, after reading the first volume, I believe the series is relatively clean. There’s no foul language or innuendos. The setting switches from the college, where both Yuki and Itsuomi attend a bar where Itsuomi works, and there are a few panels where Itsuomi’s friend arrives at the bar intoxicated. Other than those instances, I would recommend this series for teen readers.
