Bocchi the Rock vol. 3

It’s a new volume of “Bocchi” and the first one released in the U.S. to feature material that wasn’t adapted for the anime.  Which means this series finally has the chance to stand on its own without comparison to the adaptation that gave it a sizable fanbase outside of Japan.  This should be a good thing, right?  Uh… not as much as you’d think.  While the comics here are all-new to me, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much better they’ll seem once the inevitable second season of the anime comes out.

Though the series maintains its slice-of-life focus and four-panel format, it does have something driving the story throughout vol. 3.  The members of Kessoku Band have all (yes, even Hitori) decided to enter the Unidentified Riot teen music festival, and the winner will get a cool million yen.  They’ll be up against some tough competition, though, including the buzzy metal band known as Sideros.  That band is fronted by the eccentric Yoyoko Ohtsuki whose prima donna quirks are almost as glaring as Hitori’s social anxiety.

While this means we get a lot of strips playing up Yoyoko’s quirks, the rest of Kessoku Band isn’t forgotten.  Ikuyo has to deal with becoming a better singer, Ryo faces anxiety regarding her songwriting skills, Nijika has to keep everyone in line, and Hitori… is still Hitori.  It’s all fairly amusing and entertaining while also feeling like it lacks the comic verve of the anime.  I know I’m sounding like a broken record here, but now I’m left wondering if the real entertainment value to be had in continuing to read “Bocchi the Rock” is in seeing how much better these stories will be when they’re adapted into anime.