Are you tired of watching the same old anime with the same old isekai and rom-com genres? Then, prepare to rock out with Bocchi the Rock! Follow the life of the timid and introverted Hitori Gotoh, aka Bocchi, on her adventures and struggle to form her own band. Along the way, she meets new friends such as the kind-and-friendly Nijika Ijichi, the eccentric Ryo Yamada, and the sociable yet cheerful Ikuyo Kita. Will they succeed in forming their band, and can they pull off their first concert?
This anime has a progressive plot since it follows the manga. The anime is still brand new, having only been released on October 9th, 2022. Bocchi the Rock! is a massive success since this anime has some key factors that attract its viewers, but first, let’s understand the plot of Bocchi the Rock!.
Hitori Gotoh aka Bocchi is a high schooler who dreams of becoming the best guitarist in the world, but she has one problem: she has social anxiety, a fear of interaction, and is basically introverted. She panics since her future could be a game of life that goes down. She thinks of an idea to form a band, but she soon shuts it down since she is too shy to interact with anyone. One faithful day, she meets someone who will soon change her life. Nijika is looking for a guitarist. She sees Bocchi, and after a few moments, Bocchi is now at Nijika’s place with one of Nijika’s friends, Ryo. They try performing together before stopping after listening to their awful performance. Although their first time goes terribly, they never give up, and Bocchi makes a promise to help Nijika and improve the band. The band will have a journey from nothing to modest fame. There’s still a lot that goes on, but that is the main plot of Bocchi the Rock!.
I was eager to write a review of this show because of how unique it is. I enjoyed the storyline and how the anime developed each character; because Bocchi is the main character she receives the most development, but it is done smoothly. I really like where Bocchi goes into a character development arc after meeting Nijika, Kita, and Ryo. Their journey is not always smooth sailing. They have to prepare many things for their concert. And for Bocchi, she has to handle her social anxiety attack. Though having a hard time, they try their best and never give up. Together, their band “Kessoku” prevails at their second concert, and Bocchi really shines and shows her true self. Last but not least, the graphics for a slice-of-life anime are fantastic, despite the use of CGI at times. But it’s used appropriately, hence why it’s so charming.
This anime attracts its viewers because it’s not only about cute anime girls doing cute anime things; it’s also about someone who’s trying to overcome their social anxiety, the struggle of forming a band, and how friendships are made. And thanks to this, they manage to win the coveted Anime of the Year award at the 9th Anime Trending Awards, overcoming other competitors. So, if you’re looking for a different anime, give Bocchi the Rock! a chance.
Journalist: Putu Beryl Putra Widyadhana
Editor: Nanda Pratama Putera Tomasila, Ruth Tirza Arina(QC)