Impressions and reviews of the first episode of the TV anime "Bocchi the Rock!"

"Bocchi the Rock!": The story of how an extremely shy man shines in a band

"Bocchi the Rock!" is a TV anime series that aired from October 9 to December 25, 2022, and is based on the manga of the same name by Hamaji Aki. This work is a youth music story that depicts the growth of an extremely shy and gloomy girl, Goto Hitori (nicknamed Bocchi-chan), through her band activities. Below, we will introduce the appeal and detailed information of this work.

Broadcast information

"Bocchi the Rock!" was broadcast on many stations including TOKYO MX and BS11. The specific broadcast schedule is as follows:

• TOKYO MX: October 9, 2022 to December 25, 2022, every Sunday from 0:00 to 0:30
• Tochigi TV: October 9, 2022 to December 25, 2022, every Sunday from 0:00 to 0:30
• Gunma Television: October 9, 2022 to December 25, 2022, every Sunday from 0:00 to 0:30
• BS11: October 9, 2022 to December 25, 2022, every Sunday from 0:00 to 0:30
• Miyazaki Broadcasting: October 9, 2022 to December 25, 2022, every Sunday from 1:28 to 1:58
• Mainichi Broadcasting System: October 9, 2022 to December 25, 2022, every Sunday from 3:08 to 3:38
• AT-X: October 10, 2022 to December 26, 2022, every Monday from 22:30 to 23:00
• RKB Mainichi Broadcasting: October 14, 2022 to December 30, 2022, every Friday from 3:00 to 3:30

It was also streamed online and was available to watch on many platforms, including ABEMA, Netflix, and d Anime Store. In particular, ABEMA streamed it simultaneously with terrestrial broadcasting, while Netflix and d Anime Store streamed it every Tuesday from 12:00.

Overview

"Bocchi the Rock!" is made up of 12 episodes, 30 minutes each. It is directed by Keiichiro Saito, produced by CloverWorks, and produced by Aniplex and Houbunsha. It is based on a manga by Hamaji Aki currently being serialized in Houbunsha's Manga Time Kirara MAX, and the copyright is "© Hamaji Aki / Houbunsha, Aniplex".

story

Goto Hitori is an extremely shy and gloomy girl who always starts each conversation with "Ah." Hoping to be in a band where she could shine, she starts playing the guitar. However, since she has no friends, she spends her junior high school days playing the guitar alone for six hours every day. Her guitar skills improve, and she posts videos of her playing online as a "guitar hero" and fantasizes about performing at a live school festival. However, before she knows it, she has become a high school student without even making a single friend, let alone finding a band member.

Her daily life begins to change one day when she is approached by Ijichi Nika, the drummer in the band "Yuuzou Band". After meeting Nika, Hitori's life begins to change little by little. Through her band activities, Hitori comes to understand herself and grows as a person.

cast

The voice actors for the main characters are as follows:

• Goto alone: ​​Yoshino Aoyama
• Ijichi Rainbow: Suzushiro Sayumi
• Ryo Yamada: Saku Mizuno
• Ikuyo Kita: Ikumi Hasegawa
• Ijichi Seika: Maaya Uchida
• PA-san, Jimi Hendrix: Koiwai Kotori
• Kikuri Hiroi: Sayaka Senbongi
• Naoki Goto: Junji Mashima
• Michiyo Goto: Rie Suegara
• Goto Futari: Watada Misaki
• Shima Iwashita: Maki Kawase
• Eliza Shimizu: Sally Amagi
• Yoshida Ginjiro: Miura Katsuyuki
• One fan number 1: Kana Ichinose
• One fan #2: Shimabukuro Miyuri
• Bandman: Yohei Azakami
• Interviewer: Anna Nagase
• Death Metal Voice: Kogure Akiseki
• Student council president: Yume Miyamoto

Main Staff

The main staff are as follows:

• Original story: Hamaji Aki (serialized in Houbunsha's Manga Time Kirara MAX)
• Director: Keiichiro Saito
• Series composition and script: Erika Yoshida
• Character design and chief animation director: Kerorilla
• Assistant Director: Yusuke Yamamoto
• Live Director: Yusuke Kawakami
• Live animator: Yuki Ito
• Prop design: Ayumi Nagaki
• 2D Works: Aoi Umeki
• Color design: Asuka Yokota
• Art Director: Yasunao Moriyasu
• Art setting: taracod
• Director of photography: Tsubasa Kanamori
• CG Director: Katsuaki Miyaji
• Live CG Director: Hiroaki Uchida
• Edited by: Daisuke Hiraki
• Music: Tomoki Kikutani
• Sound Director: Akiko Fujita
• Sound effects: Shota Yaso
• Produced by: CloverWorks
• Produced by: Aniplex, Houbunsha

Main Characters

The details of the main characters are as follows:

• Goto Hitori : An extremely shy and gloomy high school freshman. He is the lead guitarist for Cable Tie Band. He started playing the guitar because he wanted to be in a band, but he can't perform well in front of people. He has a habit of always starting a conversation with "Ah."
• Ijichi Nika : A cheerful and energetic high school sophomore. She is the drummer for Cable Tie Band. She is the one who takes care of the band. Her older sister is Hoshika, the manager of the live music venue "STARRY".
• Ryo Yamada : A cool and solitary high school sophomore. He plays the bass in Cable Tie Band. He is Nijika's best friend. His hobbies are out of this world, and he enjoys being called eccentric. He lives in a wealthy family, but he spends a lot of money on musical instruments and is always short of money. He sometimes eats weeds to ease his hunger.
• Kita Ikuyo : A bright and popular high school freshman. She is the guitarist and vocalist of the band Yuzuru Band. She loves interacting with people, and even when meeting someone for the first time, she can smile and talk to them without hesitation. She admires Ryo, and sometimes her feelings go too far. She often posts photos to Isosta.

subtitle

The subtitles and broadcast dates for each episode are as follows:

• #1 Rolling Alone (2022/10/09)
• #2 See you tomorrow (2022/10/16)
• #3 Hurry Up Sands (2022/10/23)
• #4 Jumping Girls (2022/10/30)
• #5 Flightless Fish (2022/11/06)
• #6 Eight Views (2022/11/13)
• #7 To Your House (2022/11/20)
• #8 Bocchi the Rock (2022/11/27)
• #9 Enoshima Escar (2022/12/04)
• #10 After Dark (2022/12/11)
• #11 Duodecimal Evening Scene (2022/12/18)
• #12 Morning Falls on You (2022/12/25)

Theme songs and music

Information on the theme songs and insert songs is as follows:

• OP1 : Youth Complex
  • Lyricist: Ai Higuchi
  • Composer: Otoha
  • Arrangement: Ritsuro Mitsui
  • Vocals: Yuzu Band (Vo. Kita Ikuyo (Hasegawa Ikumi))
• ED1 : Distortion!!
  • Lyricist: Maguro Taniguchi
  • Composer: Maguro Taniguchi
  • Arrangement: Ritsuro Mitsui
  • Vocals: Yuzu Band (Vo. Kita Ikuyo (Hasegawa Ikumi))
• ED2 : Karakara
  • Lyricist: Nakajima Ikkyu
  • Composer: Nakajima Ikkyu
  • Arrangement: Ritsuro Mitsui
  • Vocals: Yuuzou Band (Vo. Ryo Yamada (Saku Mizuno))
• ED3 : What's wrong?
  • Lyricist: Yuho Kitazawa
  • Composer: Yuho Kitazawa
  • Arrangement: Ritsuro Mitsui
  • Vocals: Yuuzou Band (Vo. Ijichi Nika (Suzushiro Sayumi))
• ED4 : Rolling rock, morning falls on you
  • Lyricist: Masafumi Goto
  • Composer: Masafumi Goto
  • Arrangement: Ritsuro Mitsui
  • Vocals: Yuzuru Band (Vo. Goto Hitori (Aoyama Yoshino))
• IN1 : Guitar, Solitude and the Blue Planet
  • Lyricist: ZAQ
  • Composer: Otoha
  • Arrangement: akkin
  • Vocals: Yuzu Band (Vo. Kita Ikuyo (Hasegawa Ikumi))
• IN2 : That Band - Street Live Instrumental -
  • Lyricist: Ai Higuchi
  • Composer: Kayoko Kusano
  • Arrangement: Ritsuro Mitsui
• IN3 : That band
  • Lyricist: Ai Higuchi
  • Composer: Kayoko Kusano
  • Arrangement: Ritsuro Mitsui
  • Vocals: Yuzu Band (Vo. Kita Ikuyo (Hasegawa Ikumi))
• IN4 : I'm the only ghost
  • Lyricist: Keiki Nishida
  • Composer: Mitsuo Yasuya
  • Arrangement: akkin
  • Sung by: SICK HACK
• IN5 : I won't forget it
  • Lyricist: ZAQ
  • Composer: Daichi Yoshioka
  • Arrangement: Ritsuro Mitsui
  • Vocals: Yuzu Band (Vo. Kita Ikuyo (Hasegawa Ikumi))
• IN6 : If I could become a constellation
  • Lyricist: Ai Higuchi
  • Composer: Hidemasa Naito
  • Arrangement: Ritsuro Mitsui
  • Vocals: Yuzu Band (Vo. Kita Ikuyo (Hasegawa Ikumi))
• PV1 : Flashbacker
  • Lyricist: Otoha
  • Composer: Otoha
  • Arrangement: Ritsuro Mitsui
  • Vocals: Yuzu Band (Vo. Kita Ikuyo (Hasegawa Ikumi))

Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Bocchi the Rock!" is a story about the extremely shy Goto Hitori growing up through her involvement in a band. Her introverted personality, the difficulty she faces in making friends, and her desire to be in a band are all portrayed in a realistic way, evoking sympathy from many viewers. The portrayal of the music scenes is also realistic, conveying the joys and hardships of being in a band.

The characters' personalities are also attractive, and in addition to Hitori, there are a variety of other characters, such as the bright and energetic Nijika, the cool and solitary Ryo, and the outgoing Ikuyo. Each character's worries and growth are carefully depicted, drawing viewers in. Another highlight is the realistic depiction of the music scenes and the power of the live performance scenes.

The animation was produced by CloverWorks, and the quality of the work was also high, receiving high praise for its character design, background art, live performance scenes, etc. In particular, the realistic movements in the live performance scenes and the synchronization of the music and visuals are superb, drawing viewers in.

The theme songs and insert songs also enhanced the appeal of the work, and the songs by Yuzuru Band made a strong impression on viewers. In particular, the opening song "Seishun Complex" and the ending song "Distortion!!" were songs that symbolized the theme of the work and resonated with viewers.

Reasons for recommendation

"Bocchi the Rock!" is recommended not only for music lovers, but also for those who like coming-of-age stories and works depicting character growth. In particular, for those who are struggling with their own introverted personality or difficulty making friends, this story of one person's growth will resonate with them and give them courage. In addition, the realistic depiction of band activities and the powerful music scenes are full of highlights, making this a work that music lovers can enjoy.

In addition, don't miss the high-quality animation by CloverWorks and the music by Yuzu Band. The powerful images and music that draw the viewer in bring out the appeal of the work to the fullest. Please give it a watch.