Bocchi the Rock vol. 1

The manga was better.

It’s a common refrain that’s usually used to talk about any adaptation of such into other media.  Usually used when talking about the anime version of a popular series in my case.  That’s not always the case as there are times when the passion of the people adapting the material shines through (“Kaguya-sama”), or when changes to the source are actually smart and well-considered (“Planetes,” “Angelic Layer”) or when the medium itself proves a better fit for the story being told – with a little of the latter thrown in (“Attack on Titan”).  These are the exceptions, however, and usually the best we can hope for is a series that executes on what made the manga good and doesn’t make any missteps in animating it (“Vinland Saga:  Season Two”).

Enter “Bocchi the Rock.”  This was a series that wasn’t on anyone’s radar when it premiered in Fall of ‘22, back when everyone was hyped for the premieres of “Chainsaw Man” (WHICH WAS AWESOME!), “Mobile Suit Gundam:  The Witch From Mercury” and the second half of “Spy x Family.”  An adaptation of a four-panel manga that looked like it was yet another series about cute girls starting a band did not inspire confidence that it would be good, coming off as just another series following the template for success set by “K-On!” a decade ago.

Yet to my, and a lot of other people’s shock, “Bocchi the Rock” was the surprise hit of that season.  It consistently ranked near the top of Anime News Network’s weekly episode rankings, generated good word of mouth, and spawned all sorts of memes in the process.  While I gave it a pass when it initially aired, all of these things caused me to finally give it a shot the following season. What I found was, while still very much of the “Cute Girls Starting a Band” sub-genre, a very funny show with a lot of clever visual style and a surprisingly positive message that involved pushing its anxiety-ridden protagonist gently forward in her life.

That would be the title character, Hitori Gotoh.  We’re introduced to this shy introvert when she’s starting middle school and gets the idea that learning the guitar may be the way to make friends and become popular.  This doesn’t happen, but her drive to get better (and post videos to YouTube) has led her to have a measure of internet fame and a little confidence in herself.

After graduating middle school, Hitori feels that she’s ready to make her high school debut clad in band merch and with her trusty guitar.  Unfortunately she ends the first day with no one at all talking to her or remarking on her getup, leading her to wallow in self-pity at the local park.  Before her pity party can really get going, Hitori and her guitar are spotted by someone who actually need them and the wheels of the series start to turn.

“Bocchi the Rock,” both the manga and anime, work because as much as they invite us to look at the ridiculous extremes the title character’s anxiety takes her to – performing on stage in a box labeled “Ripe, Juicy Mangoes” in one instance – they’re about bringing the character to a better place.  By the end of the volume we’ve seen her make friends in real life, get some real^.fans, and not just perform in a band but save their performance as well.  It’s all genuinely heartwarming with just enough cringe to keep it feeling grounded and *gulp* even relatable.  All of this may not be enough to sway people who are against the kind of style the series represents, but converts and anyone who’s ever been interested in the “Cute Girls Starting a Band” sub-genre will likely be entertained.

The big caveat here is that, having seen the anime, I think it’s the superior version of the story.  While the anime made no substantial changes to what we see of the series in vol. 1, the medium of sound and moving pictures proves to be a more ideal home for Bocchi and her friends.  A big reason for this is for how it allowed the animators to go hog-wild when it came to depicting Bocchi’s freak-outs.  From CG-T-posing, to Picasso-esque disassociation, to the “Yamcha, Defeated” image, there’s more imagination in these instances compared to the manga.  There are also little additions like alcoholic bassist Kikuri Hiroi’s “Spiral of Happiness” that, while hinted at in the manga, were more fully fleshed out in the anime.

As good as all of these things were to see in the anime, it’s best part was in selling all of Hitori’s musical performances throughout.  Yes, there is a clear advantage to having moving pictures and sound depict this compared to black-and-white images, but it’s one that the “Bocchi” anime flexes to its fullest extent.  All of the performances have real passion and energy to them, and are incredibly well-animated as well.  While some music anime will shy away from actually showing how their characters play their instruments, this is one series that does not and it’s more immersive for that.

For me, the real standout moment in comparing the anime and the manga is when Bocchi breaks out into a freestyle solo between songs at her band’s first real show (after their disastrous debut).  Mangaka Aki Hamazi does inspired work in showing how this moment breaks through on the page as they bust the 4-panel format wide open into full pages to show how HAM its title character goes in order to get everyone back in the groove.

Compare this to the anime where you hear the band lagging in real time with Bocchi’s internal monologue freaking out about it.  Then, she busts into a genuinely sick guitar solo that captures the attention of everyone in the club.  The momentum is back and the band goes into their second song which proves to be a standout of the series.

Both moments mark a real point of growth for the title character, as they show her being able to take the initiative for once and lean into her considerable skills to save the day.  While I could appreciate the effort made to convey this in the manga, it’s the anime that triumphs with its stellar animation and music.  I honestly just like re-watching that moment from time to time on YouTube because it’s such a memorable fusion of the two.

After all this, is there a reason for people to read the manga rather than watch (or re-watch) the anime?  There is, since there’s going to be more of “Bocchi the Rock” to read than watch in the near future.  The series is currently up to vol. 6 and I believe the anime only covers part of vol. 2.  While a second season of the anime feels more like a question of “when” rather than “if,” its success clearly caught everyone involved off guard.  I say this because the only project that has been announced for it is a pair of compilation films scheduled to hit Japanese theaters next year.

So if you did like the anime and want to see where Bocchi’s story goes, reading the manga is going to be your only option going forward for the near future.  I want to state that this is absolutely not a bad thing.  Vol. 1 is perfectly charming and amusing as it details its protagonists struggles against anxiety and herself as the world itself conspires to push her into a better place.  I’m going to keep reading this, even though I know that a better version of it is probably coming sometime in 2025.