If there’s a series that drastically changed my perspective on slice-of-life forever then my vote would go to Bocchi the Rock. This series managed to shatter my expectations so hard when I first got into it. To put it in perspective, it takes all of the aspects most other SoL anime have and puts them to newfound heights. That isn’t to trash on the others, it would obviously be unfair if that’s the case, but BTR is on a completely different level for me. From the storytelling, directing, music, and character writing, there’s just so much gold and diamond to be found in the mines. Not only does it massively stand out from SoLs/CGDCTs, but it also hits the point where it’s my personal favorite anime of all time.
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The series starts with Gotoh Hitori (will be shortened to “Bocchi” from here) who rarely has any friends and lacks communication abilities. She plays a guitar and has wanted to join a band since her middle school years. But again, she doesn’t communicate as much so she practices guitar by herself. Eventually, though, she uploaded videos of her being a guitarist as well as joining Kessoku Band right after. This series already has a rocky start since it sets up its story. We already see how Bocchi is written throughout the story. She has been a loner despite how skilled she can be at playing her guitar. She tries to make new friends but the problem is that her communication skills are flawed, even now with the help of Nijika, Ryo, and Kita. BTR surely had a very strong start and it’s only getting stronger from here. How the entire story is built may look relatively simplistic at first glance and while that still may be the case, in this respect, everything about it is very comprehensive and profound despite how short its runtime can be.
Contrary to popular belief, BTR isn’t really about relatability. No, no, no, whoever says it misses out the whole point. While the whole relatability aspect is indeed important and plays well in the show (even if I could personally barely relate to any of the characters), the main messages of this series are both the complicated nature of communication and how friendship can be healthy regardless of troubles. Communication is both explained and portrayed very well for a few reasons. Bocchi is an introvert and in this respect, she has trouble trying to make friends properly. Even with the success she gains, she’s still kind of unstable and for the most part, she will tend to have quite some trouble. This isn’t the most accurate display by any means but it still shows us how communication is difficult well. Communicating with people, especially when making friends, is relatively hard. You still need to practice how you talk and how you manipulate your body expressions. The best part about this is even though Bocchi will not be perfect at talking to people, she still slowly improves over time with the help of Kessoku Band.
As for the friendship aspect, it’s also amazing. In fact, it intertwines with the “communication is hard” element super well. Looking back at how Bocchi slowly gains confidence because of Kessoku Band, the reason for that is how dedicated the members are. Not just with music (which we will go over later) but also with how they develop communication all together. We have two introverts and two extroverts, the former being Bocchi and Ryo and the latter being Nijika and Kita. Nijika and Kita (although mainly Nijika) wanted to help Bocchi and Ryo with talking to people but those two still have their own weaknesses. Again, Bocchi still has trouble with communicating while Ryo prefers to be a loner. Either way, those two are still learning how to find improvements. Despite this, Nijika wouldn’t dare to punish them. This aspect is equally as well-explored because Kessoku Band members are friends with each other and they point out their highs and lows. The series doesn’t take any of it seriously because neither of them would find their meaning if they stuck with one mindset. It isn’t just amazing, but also narratively healthy in that regard.
So how do these two elements succeed in all of those processes? The answer is direction. The direction is the sole reason why the story keeps on getting stronger. We already talked about how the communication aspect and the friendship aspect are presented excellently. The direction of the series goes through the other important aspects just as greatly. We also see how Kessoku Band was made in the first place. Kessoku Band’s name may be a pun but its entire existence has both a compelling history and presence. Nijika is the founder and she designed the whole band because not only does she want to show people she makes friends with how communication can be answered depending on your personal success but also to show what music means to people. The exploration of the band is fantastic because of its history, its legacy, and how its members communicate with each other. The band isn’t the only amazing part of the direction, though. We also see how other characters approach both their lives and their purposes very nicely. Some examples include how Seika (and even her adult friends) monitor over Kessoku Band.
The comedy also plays a very crucial part in the show. Now, I should admit that the humor is arguably the weakest part but that doesn’t really mean it falls short. Not even one bit. Hear me out, the comedy isn’t always reliant on being relatable and is presented in a way that even extroverted people can understand and laugh at. The humor here shows how introverts have a hard time talking to other people properly. Some examples include how the moment Bocchi shows her meme expressions, which also shows that she would have trouble trying to talk normally. This doesn’t seem too great at first. When I first watched it, even I was confused with how the humor was constructed. But looking again at how it goes, there’s a lot of value to it. The point about BTR’s comedy is that it actually shows how making failed attempts (or struggling ones) can be genuinely funny and once again, this is handled very well without too much trouble or any bit of offense ‘ahem’ at least imho. Comedy is always subjective, even in comedic stories, but BTR manages to make its humor a crucial element in the best ways possible.
Lastly, we can’t forget about music. Music in slice-of-life anime (at least ones whose themes focus on musical bands) is weird. Some use music to its high potential, others rarely gave a shit about it. But BTR not only gave the music aspect a chance but is also dedicated to investing in the tracks, mainly the performances. The music performed by our main band is entertaining and heartwarming, but most importantly, it narrates one of the story’s main points to newfound heights. The music is proof that the Kessoku Band members are very dedicated to one of their main objectives. Even if they’re not perfect at making music, they still show so much heart and so much passion. The performances are a result of how the Kessoku Band members care about each other, share their sweet moments with each other, and how they point out their individual skills. It’s also proof that music in general is more than a piece of entertainment. Music can also be something like a comfort zone or a lesson.
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Now, for characters, starting with Bocchi the introverted guitarist, Nijika the extroverted drummer and leader, Ryo the introverted bassist, and Kita the extroverted singer and guitarist. Bocchi is an excellent protagonist. She’s a very valuable example of how introverts have trouble while still finding a bit of improvement. She’s shy and clumsy, and yet, she’s still skilled at playing a guitar. What makes her a compelling main character is how she learns from her main friends. Even though she’s still on her introverted side, she slowly gained confidence by having loads of fun and enticing communication. Hell, not just with the main cast but also the side cast, especially Seika, PA, Kikuri, and her family. That being said, she’s actually my least favorite of the 4 main girls. Don’t get me wrong, she’s still well-written. She has great characterization, development, and chemistry with any character. After all, she deserves to be named after her own series. It’s just that we have even better characters coming right up.
Speaking of, Nijika is extremely compelling. Her energy, her dedication, and how she designs her band alone already make her very profound. But again, there’s far more to her character. Her interactions with Kessoku Band as a whole are amazing. Showing them how band members are always determined with their skills based on their individual instrument choices no matter what trouble gets in their way is both cathartic and inspirational. Her relationship with Seika also adds to her character greatly as they want to help each other but also point out whether things are going nicely for them or not. Sure, it can also be comedic but most of the time, it still narrates Nijika’s development well. A similar case can be said with Kita. Although not as compelling as Nijika, she’s still a fantastic character for similar reasons. Fantastic chemistry, fantastic development, and fantastic catharsis. Not much needed to say here honestly.
But if there’s one character I adore the most, that would be Ryo for me. Ryo is by far the biggest standout out of the 4 main girls for a few but massive reasons. For starters, she actually has a dark history with how she was with a band prior to moving to Kessoku Band. She wanted to perform more and more with that band but ended up leaving due to creative differences with her former members. She’s now a loner and she chose that, even after gaining confidence from the other Kessoku Band members. What makes her such a brilliantly written and developed character is her relationship with the cast. She can act goofy but it adds to her character and how she occasionally needs it for her personal progression. The best part about her is that she has two perspectives. She shows how selfish she can be at times, even if admits it, and how she observes and analyzes the pure creativity of a band. Ryo is sarcastic but she’s also wise and reserving with both her personal knowledge and chemistry with any character, and that’s why she’s the best character in the whole series.
We can’t forget about the side characters. Even those people have a lot to show and add to the main cast very well without being close to plot devices. You have Serika, PA-san, Kikuri, Bocchi’s family, and many more. They’re one of the reasons why the character writing is very strong and why the main cast has such profound development and catharsis. Serika is a great example of this. As mentioned, she monitors Kessoku Band and has a complicated but also very believable relationship with Nijika. My personal favorite side character, though, is Kikuri. Kikuri is hilarious in how she approaches the band members and the adults that monitor said band. Sure, it can be awkward but it still gives me good laughs. But also, that makes her greatly written, even for a side character, because of her personal knowledge of a band and she’s an OG bassist.
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The animation is surprisingly solid for the most part. Not groundbreaking or anything but it was straight to the point. The movements when the main girls perform a band are very nice, to say it, albeit heavy-handed at times. The character designs are criminally underrated. The school, even though it still requires you to wear the exact and intended uniforms, gives you the freedom to have the extra choice of clothing, giving any character more personality and recognizability with both their silhouettes and how they wear something that matches their interests. Bonus points for the extra worldbuilding. The music that isn’t connected to the performances is just as great. Each track conveys each sequence very nicely. The same can be said with the sound design which is also well done. It’s no wonder why some of the most iconic scenes around Bocchi losing her shit became beloved memes. Lastly, the voice acting is amazing as each voice actor nails each of their character’s characteristics and sequences amazingly. Some of my personal favorite performances include Hasegawa Ikumi as Kita, Mizuno Saku as Ryo, and Senbongi Sayaka as Kikuri. All voice performances are equally great, though.
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Quick character tier list for a recap.
Say what you will about this series but after these talks, I can proudly say that Bocchi the Rock ruined anime for me. Not just slice of life or CGDCT but in general. It’s the jack-of-all-trades and master-of-all, a combination you rarely see in the industry. It’s filled with cohesive passion with how it directs its storytelling, comedy, and character-writing. Even if one of those is the weakest, that being the show’s humor, every aspect is equally nailed so brilliantly. I don’t know what else I could say, it’s just amazing in every sense of pattern. That said, BTR isn’t for everyone. Even with everything I say, you will still find this show awkward depending on your perspective. But as to how I personally view it, there’s no way I would absolutely let go of this unforgettable masterpiece. Not even close.