Gentle romance has drinks, swearing, Deaf representation.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that A Sign of Affection is a slice-of-life anime about the budding romance between two college students, one of whom is deaf. The story focuses on the relationship between Yuki (voiced in English by Lara Woodhull) and Itsuomi (voiced by Reagan Murdock), but other characters also deal with romantic feelings. Characters sometimes kiss, cuddle, and hold hands. There's some infrequent profanity ("s--t," "ass"). Itsuomi and his cousin work at a bar, so characters often visit the bar and sometimes drink; underage characters don't drink alcohol. A few scenes have characters who are intoxicated from off-screen drinking. The show has a nuanced, positive representation of living with a hearing disability.
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a lot
Itsuomi and Kyouya work at a bar, which all characters visit throughout the show. They all drink alcohol, except for underage characters. The bartenders check characters' ages before serving alcohol, and nobody is pressured to drink. Some scenes show intoxicated characters, with the actual excessive drinking taking place off-screen.
Did you know you can flag iffy content?
Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
The story is about the growing romance between Yuki and Itsuomi. Their friends also have crushes, start dating, or talk about unrequited love. Some characters are new to romance and take time to understand their feelings and experiences. Characters hold hands, cuddle, and sometimes kiss. They talk about taking it slowly with physical intimacy. A character takes a shower but is only shown from the shoulders up.
Did you know you can flag iffy content?
Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
Some infrequent profanity ("s--t," "ass," "damn") and light goading ("fool," "I hate him"). The strongest profanity is heard when characters watch American movies.
Did you know you can flag iffy content?
Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
Brief references to recognizable products like Ito-en tea, iPhones, Instagram, and alcohol brands. Brands use altered logos (e.g., "Baoardi" instead of "BacardÃ"). One episode features characters visiting "Costaco," with characters in awe at the Costco experience. Apart from this episode, characters rarely talk about wanting specific products.
Violence & Scariness
very little
There's interpersonal tension between some characters, but at most it shows up as aggressive words of dislike and distrust. When one character is confronted by another, he uses charisma to pressure the aggressor to join him for a friendly night out drinking. A character weakly attempts to punch someone in the chest.
Did you know you can flag iffy content?
Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Themes include falling in love, healthy friendships and relationships, and personal growth. Communication is the key to understanding other people. People grow and change when they broaden their world to include new ideas and experiences. It's important to be honest with yourself and others about your feelings.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Yuki is bold about pursuing the things she wants and trying new experiences. She's sincere, thoughtful, and cheerful. Itsuomi is popular because of his kindness, friendliness, and attempts to understand others. He's very considerate of Yuki's needs and eager to learn. Other characters are good friends who encourage one another and help them achieve their goals.
Diverse Representations
a lot
Yuki is deaf and has friends who are hard of hearing. The story shows the challenges Yuki faces, but it also shows people who are kind and who want to help and learn from Yuki. The show shows accommodations and how to help someone with a disability without taking away their autonomy. Characters often use sign language to communicate; subtitles translate the sign language. Itsuomi is multilingual and speaks in other languages. He travels often and has friends from many different cultures. An important theme is building bridges between cultures and understanding people who are different from you.
A SIGN OF AFFECTION follows college student Yuki Itose (voiced in English by Lara Woodhull) on her journey through first love, first jobs, and navigating the world independently as young adult with a hearing disability.
This charming romance anime is a breath of fresh air in the slice-of-life genre. A Sign of Affection has endearing characters and relatable problems. All the conflict comes from the inherent drama of growing up and falling in love, rather than the messiness of contrived love triangles and miscommunication. Instead, characters actively work to understand each other.
Extra kudos for the show's thoughtful portrayal of life with a hearing disability. Yuki's disability does pose challenges, but it doesn't stop her from experiencing a full, complex life as a college student. All the characters are a heartwarming reminder that there are good, kind people in the world who make life joyful.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about healthy relationships. How do Yuki and Itsuomi show mutual respect and care for each other? What helps them grow closer?
What do characters learn about themselves as a result of trying to understand other people?
Families can talk about disability advocacy. What can we learn from Yuki and her friends about how to support people with disabilities?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
