Bocchi The Rock! Recap Part 2

Keiichiro Saito

Yoshino Aoyama, Sayumi Suzushiro, Saku Mizuno, Ikumi Hasegawa

Aki Hamazi’s popular 4koma manga, Bocchi the Rock!, was first serialized in Houbunsha’s Manga Time Kirara Max. Its story, of extremely introverted and socially anxious Hitori Gotoh joining a band called Kessoku Band and maturing alongside her three quirky bandmates Nijika Ijichi, Ryo Yamada, and Ikuyo Kita, proved relatable to many people. When the anime first started airing on TV in Fall 2022, it exploded with popularity, particularly among young people. It won various awards and received overwhelming support from fans domestic and abroad. Naturally, the music also made a splash, with Kessoku Band’s full album, “Kessoku Band,” ranking No.1 in Oricon’s digital album ranking for 2023, and achieving number one on Billboard JAPAN’s yearly download album chart. The story of Kessoku Band, with its striking debut on both the anime and music fronts, will be coming to theaters in 2024 as a compilation movie re-edit of the TV show, featuring big-screen impact and audio! If you’re introverted, go for rock!