Danica Davidson
May 2, 2025 
Version 1.0.0
In You Talk Too Much, So Just Shut It Already, Hiiragi is a middle school girl who was born deaf and who has started at a new school. The teacher tells the students that she can read lips, and from there Enomoto, the boy who sits next to her, does not shut up. Hiiragi gets all flustered, because she feels she must be reading his lips wrong. What kind of person is talking about his dad pulling a muscle one second, and then Socrates the next second? Well, that’s just Enomoto for you.
On top of that, Enomoto insists he can do sign language. And he thinks he can. But he doesn’t know it. And so he is regularly misunderstanding Hiiragi’s sign language when she tries to communicate with him, leading to humorous misunderstandings. In a different book the misunderstandings could lead to anger and frustration, but it’s a totally different vibe here.
In spite of these difficulties, the two do like each other. Enomoto helps Hiiragi with her English, and she tutors him in all the other subjects. Another girl, Sakura, who is a little eccentric, also starts hanging out. Enomoto is the stand out character, though, for his oddness. He wants to help everyone so much that he’ll be late for school because he helped a lost old woman find her home many, many miles away. At first Hiiragi thinks he talks to her out of pity, which she resents, but soon she finds out that’s not true.
The back of the book notes “This project is overseen by the Japanese Federation of the Deaf,” giving the impression the federation looked over it to help with accuracy. The amusing misunderstandings are kind of endearing, as the characters really do try to communicate with each other. The artwork concentrates on Hiiragi’s blushing and insecure face, and also goes into intricate detail when it shows a komodo dragon. You Talk Too Much, So Just Shut It Already is a slice-of-life manga that is sweet, different, and relaxing.
Story: Shunpei Morita
Art: Aldehyde
Publisher: One Peace Books
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
