Since its premiere on October 9th, ‘Bocchi the Rock‘ has emerged as the most noteworthy anime of the latter half of 2022. On dedicated anime streaming platforms, it has ascended to top rankings in viewer polls, a significant rise considering it initially didn’t even break into the expected top 10 upon release.
In terms of growth and viewer retention, ‘Bocchi the Rock’ has surpassed even ‘Chainsaw Man’
According to Anime Radar, ‘Bocchi the Rock‘ led the Fall 2022 anime season with an impressive 273.6% growth based on the Residual Rate metric.
Following this, copies of ‘Bocchi the Rock‘ sold out on Amazon Japan. Its allure isn’t limited to the anime; the manga has also drawn significant attention. Manga Time Kirara announced reprints of all volumes, underscoring that the journey of Hitori Goto is not only capturing hearts but also exceeding all expectations.
The anime chronicles the journey of Hitori Goto, a shy and solitary young girl who has struggled with social integration since childhood. In a bid to gain attention, she takes up the guitar and ventures into the world of YouTube. As she endeavors to form a band, Hitori grapples with a lack of interest from others and her own difficulties in connecting with those around her.
One day, while wandering the streets, she unexpectedly crosses paths with drummer Nijika Ijichi, who’s urgently seeking a replacement guitarist. After successfully persuading Hitori to join and introducing bassist Ryo Yamada, they make their debut performance as ‘Band Kessoku‘.
At first, it seemed like a dream come true for Hitori. However, the joy soon gives way to the realities of managing a band: selling tickets to friends, social interactions, and most daunting of all, performing live. This marks the beginning of Hitori’s quest for fame, all while confronting her deep-seated social fears.
In addition to its refreshingly unique storyline, the music of ‘Bocchi the Rock‘ stands as a distinct highlight. CloverWorks has invested wholeheartedly into this aspect, given that the entirety of ‘Bocchi the Rock’ revolves around musical endeavors.
But it’s not just about the auditory experience. CloverWorks has meticulously crafted the visual aspect of band performances. The band doesn’t always play a standardized version of a song; depending on the situation, the melodies and the characters’ expressions shift to match the mood. This attention to detail is evident: in tense moments, band members are prone to making mistakes, resulting in a misstep in their rhythm during performances.
The most adored ladies of ‘Bocchi The Rock’ as voted by fans
Bocchi The Rock’ animation erupted as a global sensation when it premiered in late 2022. From its debut episode, this anime about young female musicians immediately resonated and amassed a massive global following.
The narrative centers on an introverted high school girl who picks up the guitar in an attempt to make friends. One fateful day, Hitori encounters Nijika, a drummer in search of a new guitarist for her band. The series portrays how a timid schoolgirl evolves through her involvement in an incredible band.
Brimming with uplifting content, vibrant music, and iconic songs crafted especially for ‘Bocchi The Rock‘, the anime rapidly gained acclaim within the fan community. Its characters also garnered significant admiration.
Consequently, Japan’s renowned website, NetLab, conducted a survey among its readership from January 10th to 17th. The poll, titled “Most Beloved Female Characters in Bocchi The Rock,” culminated in definitive results, which were unveiled in a recent article.
10. Jimihen
9. Goto Futari
8. Yoyoko Ootsuki
7. PA-san
6. Seika Ijichi
5. Kikuri Hiroi
4. Ryo Yamada
3. Ikuyo Kita
2. Nijika Ijichi
1. Hitori Gotou
It’s no surprise that the protagonist, Hitori Gotou, clinches the top spot. The lead guitarist of Kessoku Band impressively won over audiences, securing her place at the forefront of this list.
Over three years, Gotou dedicated six hours daily to honing her guitar skills, elevating her prowess to a professional musician’s level. She can deliver outstanding solo performances, but her reserved nature often hampers her ability to fully gel in a band setting. She showcases her guitar talents online under the alias “Guitar Hero.”
It’s her reserved demeanor and communication challenges that lead to some of Gotou’s quirkiest remarks and behaviors. Historically, she struggled with personal relationships, to the extent that making eye contact with strangers was a hurdle for her. However, she’s always been an astute observer, able to accurately sense people’s emotions. Over time, Gotou’s communication barriers have shown signs of improvement.
Bocchi the Rock!’ Tops the Growth Charts in Anime Viewership for Late 2022
Derived from the yonkoma manga series penned and illustrated by Hamaji Aki, ‘Bocchi the Rock!’ has captured hearts since its serialization in Houbunsha’s seinen manga magazine, Manga Time Kirara Max, starting in December 2017. By September 2022, the manga chapters culminated into 11 collected volumes. The anime adaptation, brought to life by CloverWorks, premiered in October 2022.
A recent insight by Anime Radar highlighted ‘Bocchi the Rock!’ as the breakout star of the Fall 2022 anime season, boasting the most significant viewership growth. The data hinges on the ‘Residual Rate’ concept. This metric measures the viewer retention episode-to-episode in comparison to the initial count. Interestingly, there are instances where this rate exceeds 100% if a series sees a substantial uptick in viewership after its initial episodes.
While ‘Chainsaw Man’ started off with a stellar viewership, given its anticipated premiere, its retention rate settled at 67.9%. Contrarily, ‘Bocchi the Rock!’, which began without much fanfare, saw a meteoric rise, resonating with a broad audience, and achieving an astounding growth rate, the only one above 200% at 273.6%.
After becoming a high school student, Hitori crossed paths with Ijichi Nijika, who was in search of a replacement guitarist for her band. Hitori was a talented musician but lacked the confidence to perform in front of others, which held her back from showcasing her true potential. However, with the help of other band members like Kita Ikuyo and Yamada Ryo, she gradually gained stability and self-assurance. In addition to performing at live houses, she also participated in the school’s cultural festival as a member of the ‘Kizumoku Band.’
During this time, Poison, a journalist who stumbled upon a video of their school festival concert posted online, found it to be a hot topic and decided to write an article about it. Poison recognized the exceptional qualities of their performance and dubbed Hitori a ‘Guitar Hero,’ revealing this to the public. Hitori continued to participate in rock music festivals with Nijika and the others. Eventually, they created a music video to attract audiences, judges, and performed live on the streets.
Bocchi The Rock’ anime is set to hit the big screen in 2024!
Bocchi The Rock’ is a whimsical 4-koma manga crafted by Hamaji Aki. Debuting in Manga Time Kirara MAX in December 2017, it continues to captivate readers to this day. In 2022, the talented team at CloverWorks adapted the manga into an anime series. This adaptation was met with resounding applause from viewers, propelling ‘Bocchi The Rock’ into one of the year’s most triumphant animated titles.
The series trails the life of Hitori, a shy high school girl bereft of friends. One fateful day, her guitar prowess catches the eye of another student, Nijika. Impressed, Nijika invites Hitori to join the Kessoku Band, marking the start of Hitori’s transformative journey.
Bocchi The Rock’ Anime is Hitting the Big Screen!
Recently, Aniplex unveiled a teaser trailer announcing that the anime adaptation of ‘Bocchi The Rock’ is set to grace the big screen.
The upcoming film, titled ‘Bocchi The Rock Movie,’ is described as a “compilation film.” While it’s unclear exactly what this entails, it’s speculated that the movie will encompass the anime’s main plot and weave in new content.
The movie will be helmed by CloverWorks, with the following creative team:
- Director: Keiichirou Saitou.
- Script Supervisor and Screenwriter: Erika Yoshida.
- Character Design: Kerorira.
The original voice cast of ‘Bocchi The Rock’ will reprise their roles:
- Yoshino Aoyama as Gotou Hitori (Bocchi-chan).
- Sayumi Suzushiro as Ijichi Nijika.
- Saku Mizuno as Yamada Ryou.
- Ikumi Hasegawa as Kita Ikuyo.
Release Schedule for ‘Bocchi The Rock Movie’
‘Bocchi The Rock’ feature film is set to premiere in Spring 2023, specifically between April and July. Stay tuned for more detailed updates on the movie coming soon!
0 Comments