Bocchi the Rock!

Bocchi the Rock! (ぼっち・ざ・ろっく!, 'Bocchi za Rock!') is a manga written by Aki Hamaji. It began serialization in Manga Time Kirara MAX, a 4-koma magazine published by Houbunsha, from March 2018 (May edition).

This 4-koma manga focuses on the band life of Hitori Gotoh (nicknamed Bocchi-chan), a terribly shy high school student who yearns to be in a band, and the members of the four member band known as Kessoku Band.

Although it is a work with a band theme, due to the nature of Manga Time Kirara, there are relatively fewer depictions of the band itself, but rather a lot of interaction between the characters and their growth. As can be seen from the protagonist's nickname Bocchi-chan (bocchi meaning loneliness or isolated in Japanese), she is extremely shy, and her self-deprecating jokes and suspicious behavior are Bocchi-chan's signature style.

A TV anime adaptation has been produced by CloverWorks.

On 18 February 2021, news of the tentative decision to adapt the series into a TV animation series was announced.

In December, a teaser PV was released and it was announced that the series would be broadcast in 2022.

A specific broadcast date was subsequently announced on 11 July 2022 via the official Twitter feed.

The TV anime will be broadcast as an autumn 2022 anime. Broadcasting stations include TOKYOMX, Gunma TV, Tochigi TV, BS11, AT-X, Miyazaki Broadcasting System, Mainichi Broadcasting System and RKB Mainichi Broadcasting System.

As a side note, the reason why the anime is to be broadcast in Miyazaki Prefecture is because the original author, who is from Miyazaki, was told by the producers of the anime that they could do it if she wanted to broadcast it in her home town.

Despite incorporating original elements that complement the lines of the original work, which are often perceived critically, and alterations such as the rearrangement of some episodes, the animated adaptation has received high praise for its above-average quality as an animated work. Specifically, the increase in the amount of dialogue and conversation backed up by an understanding of the characters, the elaboration of the drama parts, the eerie yet strangely fascinating performance by Yoshino Aoyama, who voices the protagonist, and numerous pathetic songs with the guitar, and the freely changing animation direction with live-action footage are all cited. In particular, the spectacular live performance scene depicted in the sequence of the audition to gain a place on the stage has captured the hearts of many viewers.

1st PV

2nd PV

Lyric Video

• K-On! ...Both works deal with girl bands and are serialised in Manga Time Kirara-affiliated magazines.
• Slow Loop ... In episode 26 of the original manga, members of what appears to be Kessoku Band appear as a mob. In the 10th episode of the anime version, they appeared prior to the broadcast of "Bocchi the Rock".
• ASIANKUNG-FUGENERATION
  • The origin of the character development of the members of the Kessoku Band. Each member's surname (Gotoh, Ijichi, Yamada, Kita) is derived from the surname of a member of this band (with the exception of the vocalist, whose instrument also matches), and the birthdays are the reverse of the corresponding member's birthday (e.g. Masafumi Gotoh 2 December → Hitori Gotoh 21 February).
  • The title of the work, Bocchi the Rock! (ぼっち・ざ・ろっく!) is a play on Masafumi Gotoh's book "Gotch Words (GOTCH GO ROCK!)". The titles of the episodes in the anime version are also thought to be derived from the band's song titles.

ぼっち・ざ・ろっく!