The Exploration of Storytelling and Visual Filmmaking with Sign Language in Japanese Animated Media

Abstract

Sign language is a method of communication that enables deaf individuals to interact with others. In fictional media, sign language is frequently used to signal a character’s deafness to the audience. Many stories in fiction that showcase deaf characters utilise sign language as a primary method of communication. Sign language’s visual modality aligns closely with animation’s visual nature, making it a particularly effective medium for representing deaf communication. Beyond its functional role in conveying dialogue, signing within animation contributes to narrative richness by facilitating the exploration of interpersonal connections and shared linguistic identity. Japanese animation has increasingly featured deaf characters using sign language to foster communication and build emotional connections. The characters are depicted not only through the absence of a sensory capacity but also as social actors negotiating a world that frequently fails to understand or accommodate them. This paper examines the differences among the previously mentioned Japanese animations and analyses how they use sign language to communicate and convey emotional connections between characters.