Bocchi the Rock!

"Society is scary!!!" I get you Bocchi, you have no idea how much I get you. This anime takes the idea of "humour based on my pain" to another level. This anime takes a very satirical approach on social anxiety. It's somehow just so relatable and so hilarious at the same time. This is the most I've laughed watching an anime in a long time, ever since I saw KonoSuba or SaikiK. I'm a huge overthinker myself. So this anime just hits different for me. It's a very exaggerated approach on overthinking and anxiety but that's exactly why it works. There are scenes where Bocchi goes on this long path of thoughts while overthinking and ends up getting scared of something very unrealistic. And it's hilarious yes, but then I look back at times when I get anxious of something very irrational and I just don't notice it at that time. So the writers got it exactly right.

The studio Cloverworks has outdone itself. I'm not a fan of their work because they tend to pick up stories with great potential, and they utilize like half of that potential (Horimiya, Balance Unlimited, Shadows House). But they have completely proved me wrong here. The animation is absolutely gorgeous. The character designs are downright hilarious. The direction and editing is so funny, it's unbelievable. And the source material wasn't even that famous. Not many knew about Bocchi The Rock when it started. And now its one of the highest rated animes on MAL. So they've created this almost from scratch. Almost every episode is hilarious. And the band performance scenes gave me goosebumps because I really cared about the character Bocchi, and knowing her struggles, I wanted her to succeed. The side characters and the camaraderie between them is great too.

You know, I love when an anime reminds me why I even like anime in the first place, as 'Bocchi the rock' is honestly the perfect comfort show, it's actually funny, (albeit a little weird sometimes), it got lots of references to other anime, great animation, and it's super relatable to its target audience too, socially awkward weebs who smell like crap and never leave their room. (Which I'm allowed to say, since I'm one and no... I'm not proud of it)

It's basically 'K-on!' If Tomoko from 'Watamote' was the main character of that anime, but in my opinion, 'Bocchi' is better than both of these anime combined, and I do like the other two but 'bocchi' is just the funniest anime out of the three (and also it has way better social anxiety representation than 'Watamote'), and while 'Bocchi' is very much a comedy anime, it got it's slower moments (in a good way), and it's just a lighthearted and comforting watch all around.

Inspite others have mentioned almost everything, I really wanted to make my own review on Bocchi because at the end it became one of my favorite animes unexpectedly. (I wanted to watch a 'music anime' and it just happened, like how Birdie Wing got me which I didn't expect from a sports anime at the first place.)

Bocchi The Rock offers everything to be a great show. It starts slowly so you have to be patient and bear with Bocchi's character, because she is a borderline annoying introvert. Not saying she is unbelievably portrayed, but the way she is... well, that's the way she will be till the end, more or less. I would have given this show a 10 if she had been a bit less of an annoyance, but I understood the artistic exaggeration here, so for me it was okay. Maybe, not for you, check the first few episodes, she will change, but not too much. (At least she won't perform in a card box and becomes able to stand in front of a large audience which is a great achievement, now that I think of it.)

But then the other characters of the band get introduced and they are all lovely and provide a constant source of wholesome fun. And then they start playing music which is the real deal! In episode 5 they perform on stage which is super dope and the show starts to show its true merits. Later they perform in episodes 8 and 12 and it gets more and more awesome, I have watched episode 8 a few times because that's really the climax of the story.

So, yeah, there is definitely a nice story arc in the show and it's nice to see as they get together as a band, caring for each other and getting better and better by each episode. The in-between episodes do not feel filler at all, every single one tells a correct story. I would have appreciated a little bit of more drama and a less annoying Bocchi with some real changes in her personality, but it's great the way as it is and maybe I'm asking for too much. Music plays an important part of the show and it truly shines in that department! Kessoku Band has even released its real album which sold pretty well, check it out, cos it's good.

(Don't expect romance or yuri content here, even though there is a small hint in the beginning when Kita is joining the band - maybe in Season 2? Btw. The drunken girl was my favorite. Anime doesn't shy away to show some bad examples, does it? My soul mate.)

Bocchi the Rock is a slice-of-life anime depicting the story of young rocker Hitori Goto, her artistic and musical journey, and most importantly, her difficulty in dealing with deep social anxiety. What makes the anime so special are primarily the handling of comic timing and the incredible use of animation to depict the protagonist's inner states. Script and creativity match perfectly in the realization of a multifaceted, entertaining show with whom to empathize. Good is also the handling of the entire cast of characters and their relationships, and excellent the handling of the theme at hand.

Super recommended, as this is an anime that many people will manage to find very relatable as well as inspirational.

Bocchi the Rock is a masterpiece. I was raving to my friend about this show and begging him to watch it and he said he wasn't sure because he's not a Japenese teenage girl. I told him that didn't matter because anxiety and music are universal.

This show has one of the most relatable and realistic depictions of social anxiety I've ever seen in any show. There were many small, specific instances where Bocchi expressed anxiety in situations that I have personally experienced. Not just that, but it handles anxiety in a realistic way while also managing to be absolutely hilarious. In real life, anxiety is anything but funny. It can be crippling and debilitating. In Bocchi the Rock, anxiety is shown with respect and understanding while managing to make it laugh out loud funny. A very hard feat to achieve for a piece of fiction.

The music in this show is also very well done. The songs within the context of the show are excellent. The lyrics and sound almost perfectly reflect the characters who created them. Again, the artists struggle is very well done and covers a lot of very relatable and universal situations dealing with feelings of inadequacy, imposter syndrome, and the vulnerability that comes with releasing a piece of art for public scrutiny. But it goes even farther and manages to deliver an incredibly uplifting and inspirational story from a very grounded perspective of a fledgling and insecure artist.

The writing alone would be enough to elevate this show to exceptional status but the animation and production is also extremely well done and exactly on point. There's a lot of very creative animated scenes that I've never seen in an anime before. There's occasional cuts to live action, CG animation, claymation, and many other mediums. These unusual pieces of animation are extremely creative and it's not self indulgent. Every one of these scenes was done in a specific style for effect and they all land perfectly. Most of the show is animated as a traditional anime but I loved that they experimented with completely original mediums.

Bocchi the rock made me tear up in almost every episode while also making me laugh out loud in every episode. Personally, I rate pieces of fiction based on how strong of an emotional reaction I have. That's why I'm giving Bocchi the Rock a 10/10 rating. I don't give many pieces of fiction a perfect score but I truly believe this is a perfect show.

After it finished, I could only wish for more. More seasons are coming, I only wish they would come sooner. Very few shows have made me feel Bocchi the Rock's unique combination of cute, wholesome, touching, funny, and inspirational.