Story and Execution: 8/10
Characters: 9.25/10
Production Values: 8.25/10
Entertainment: 8.5/10
I never thought I would say this about any anime like, ever, but Bocchi the Rock is actually really relatable.
The titular character Hitori, affectionately referred to as Bocchi by her band mates, has to be the best representation of social anxiety in anime, and I'm all for it. Yeah, she'll go overboard with it sometimes and internally remind us that she has social anxiety a little too much for my liking, but there's no way I'm gonna nitpick on this when Bocchi is leaps and bounds above 'similar' characters from other anime I've seen. None of whom ever seem to resonate with me like this girl has, usually due to being portrayed as either TOO weird or their situations are just TOO depressing for drama purposes. Bocchi is a healthy mix of realistic mannerisms, facing social difficulties, and funny shenanigans, and I found myself really invested in her story.
A story which is quite relatable to me personally. Now I'm going to talk about my own completely unrelated life (I'm sorry) to draw some comparisons here, because I legitimately feel a connection to this pink haired, fictional anime girl. Now perhaps you personally don't share similarities with Bocchi's musical identity, but even without that, this anime does a phenomenal job at demonstrating her goals and struggles that any viewer can appreciate. Like Bocchi, I also fancy myself as a sort of musician, and practice my singing at home all the time (for many, MANY years now...) like she does for guitar, as opposed to actually going outside and doing things because dark, enclosed spaces are nice and safe (don't pity me pls). The difference between us is that she's able to post her music online, something in which I've always been afraid and lacked the self esteem to do, whereas I've performed live in front of audiences frequently, which is something that Bocchi is petrified of. We're sort of flipped here, but the main theme still stands, which is a constant fear of failure and criticism. Though once again like Bocchi, we've both been told that we're really good (her online and me irl), but as much as I wished that such feedback would completely elevate confidence permanently, we still get scared when performing. Though it sure does feel good in the moment (praise is something that I absolutely love to hear but will try very hard to not let show how much I crave it), something that once again is expertly portrayed by Bocchi through some creative visual effects.
And that, dear reader, is exactly why I find this anime to be so great. Because I can find myself putting myself in Bocchi's shoes and acting similarly, which no anime I've seen to date has ever been able to successfully do this for me with their characters while STILL being super entertaining. On multiple occasions I would predict how Bocchi would respond to certain situations, and I would be right. Now some might say that such predictability isn't good, but in this case, I completely disagree. It's perfect because, to circle back to the main theme here, Bocchi is RELATABLE, and I can really connect with a character who I can sympathize with and understand. I can't stress enough just how well written this girl is.
She's also super hilarious. Like damn, many of the gags in this had me burst out laughing. I especially love when she basically writes herself off as dead and the end credits start rolling, it's just so good. And her voice actress is excellent, really elevating Bocchi's emotions through her tone, range, and just general talent. Let's also not forget the great visuals, which really add to the comedic value of these scenes. It was always amusing to watch Bocchi's face become less and less detailed until it transformed into a scrambled mess. Just great production all around.
And of couse, this isn't to detract from the rest of the cast, who are all enjoyable in their own way. These girls are more like the usual type you'd find in a good slice a life/music anime, with them being mostly cute, upbeat and friendly. And in Ryou's case, plain weird, but in a funny, endearing way. It's always nice for a lead character, especially one with social anxiety, to have a solid friend group, and these girls definitely do the trick.
I was very surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this. Just by looking at my favorites, you can probably tell that I'm more of an 'ACTION, VIOLENCE, EPIC STUFF!!!' type of guy, but Bocchi the Rock is certainly one of, if not the most entertaining slice of life anime that I've ever seen. It's definitely worth a watch!
I do actually hope that you don't find Bocchi as relatable as I do. Because that would mean that you have a lot of character building growth ahead of you lol.
