Bocchi the Rock!
The defining band anime of its generation: painfully funny, genuinely moving, and now growing with a Season 2 and a 2027 prequel movie.
Last updated: 10 November 2026
Bocchi the Rock! is CloverWorks' TV anime of Aki Hamazi's four-panel manga. Season 1 ran for 12 episodes from 9 October to 25 December 2022, directed by Keiichiro Saito, with Yoshino Aoyama voicing Hitori Gotoh. Crunchyroll streams it. Season 2 is in production with Yusuke Yamamoto directing, and a prequel movie, Hoshi no Ashiato, about sisters Seika and Nijika Ijichi, opens in Japan in 2027.
About Bocchi the Rock!
Bocchi the Rock! adapts Aki Hamazi's four-panel manga, serialised in Houbunsha's Manga Time Kirara Max. The anime is produced by CloverWorks and Aniplex. Keiichiro Saito directed Season 1, his first series as director, with Erika Yoshida on series composition and scripts, Kerorira designing the characters and serving as chief animation director, and Tomoki Kikuya composing the music. The series became one of the most praised anime of 2022, winning Anime of the Year at the 9th Anime Trending Awards among a sweep of categories. Its music broke out beyond anime: the Kessoku Band album topped Oricon's yearly digital album chart for 2023, and the opening theme Seishun Complex has passed 100 million plays worldwide. Two compilation films, Re: and Re:Re:, screened in Japanese cinemas in June and August 2024. Season 2 was announced in February 2025 and is in production. On 1 November 2026 a brand new prequel movie was announced: Hoshi no Ashiato, directed by Shin Wakabayashi, opening in Japan in 2027.
Bocchi the Rock! is a TV anime from 2022, first released in Fall 2022. It belongs to the Comedy and Slice of Life genres and is listed as a completed series. The summary above is written by the AnimeYug team in our own words.
Official Trailer
Story & Plot
Hitori Gotoh is so shy that she spent middle school eating lunch alone. Then she saw a band on television and had a thought: in a band, even someone like her could shine. She bought a guitar, practised six hours a day for three years, and built a small online following as an anonymous guitar hero. Actual people, though, still terrify her.
In her first year of high school, drummer Nijika Ijichi spots Hitori's guitar case and drags her into an emergency: Nijika's band, Kessoku Band, has lost its guitarist right before a live show at Starry, the Shimokitazawa live house run by Nijika's older sister Seika. Hitori freezes, hides in a mango box, and plays anyway.
Kessoku Band becomes Hitori's whole world: Nijika, who holds everyone together; Ryo Yamada, a bassist who is cool, broke and completely unbothered; and Ikuyo Kita, the singer-guitarist whose brightness is everything Hitori is not. The goal is a real stage and a real audience. The obstacle is that their guitarist would rather be a cardboard box.
Story Arcs & Episode Guide
The Bocchi the Rock! anime is split into story sagas. Here is every saga in order, with its episodes and years.
| Arc | Episodes | Years | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 12 episodes | 2022 | The complete first season, aired October to December 2022 and streaming on Crunchyroll. Kessoku Band forms, plays its first shows and works toward a school festival performance. |
| Compilation Films | 2 films | 2024 | Re: opened on 7 June 2024 and Re:Re: on 9 August 2024, re-editing Season 1 for cinemas. Optional once you have seen the series. |
| Season 2 | In production | TBA | Announced in February 2025. Yusuke Yamamoto directs, with Keito Oda joining Kerorira on character design. No release date has been announced. |
| Hoshi no Ashiato (Movie) | Feature film | 2027 | A prequel about Seika and Nijika Ijichi before Kessoku Band formed, adapted from the special chapter at the end of manga volume 5. Announced on 1 November 2026. |
Why Watch Bocchi the Rock!
- Animated by CloverWorks, directed by Keiichiro Saito
- Anime of the Year at the 9th Anime Trending Awards
- The Kessoku Band album topped Oricon's 2023 digital album chart
- Opening theme Seishun Complex has passed 100 million plays
- Season 2 in production, prequel movie coming in 2027
Who Is It For?
Bocchi the Rock! suits almost everyone, but it lands hardest if you have ever felt like the odd one out in a room. It is very funny about social anxiety without ever making fun of Hitori, and the live performances are staged with real love for how bands actually play.
Main Characters
View all characters →Voice Actors
The Japanese voices behind the main characters of Bocchi the Rock!.
- Hitori GotohKessoku Band's lead guitarist, a gifted player with crippling social anxietyJapanese voiceYoshino Aoyama
- Nijika IjichiDrummer and founder of Kessoku Band, the group's heartJapanese voiceSayumi Suzushiro
- Ryo YamadaBassist, cool and eccentric, always out of moneyJapanese voiceSaku Mizuno
- Ikuyo KitaSinger and rhythm guitarist, bright and popularJapanese voiceIkumi Hasegawa
- Seika IjichiNijika's older sister, manager of the Starry live houseJapanese voiceMaaya Uchida
- Kikuri HiroiBassist of the band SICK HACK, a talented drunk who takes an interest in HitoriJapanese voiceSayaka Senbongi
- PA-sanStarry's sound engineer, quiet and gothicJapanese voiceKotori Koiwai
Staff & Production
- Original Creator
- Aki Hamazi
- Director (Season 1)
- Keiichiro Saito
- Director (Season 2)
- Yusuke Yamamoto
- Series Composition
- Erika Yoshida
- Character Design
- Kerorira
- Music
- Tomoki Kikuya
- Animation Studio
- CloverWorks
Manga & Source Material
Bocchi the Rock! adapts Aki Hamazi's four-panel manga, which runs in Houbunsha's Manga Time Kirara Max. The anime follows the manga's early volumes: the band's formation, its first live house shows and the push toward a school festival stage. Yen Press publishes the manga in English.
- Written and drawn by Aki Hamazi
- Serialised in Manga Time Kirara Max since 2017
- Published in English by Yen Press
- The 2027 movie adapts the special chapter at the end of volume 5
- The anime was first announced in February 2021
Series Timeline
- February 2021
The TV anime adaptation is announced.
- October to December 2022
Season 1 airs for 12 episodes and becomes one of the year's most praised anime.
- June and August 2024
Compilation films Re: and Re:Re: screen in Japanese cinemas.
- February 2025
Season 2 is announced at Kessoku Band's We Will B live event.
- 1 November 2026
The prequel movie Hoshi no Ashiato is announced for a 2027 release in Japan.
Release Schedule
- Premiere
- 9 October 2022
- Broadcast
- Tokyo MX, BS11 and other channels
- Streaming
- Crunchyroll
- Episodes
- 12 (complete)
Details as of 10 November 2026. Season 2 is in production with no date yet. The prequel movie Hoshi no Ashiato opens in Japan in 2027, with no exact date announced.
Quick Answers
Is Bocchi the Rock! finished?
Yes. Bocchi the Rock! has finished airing, so you can watch the complete story from start to end without waiting for new episodes.
What genre is Bocchi the Rock!?
Bocchi the Rock! is a Comedy and Slice of Life anime. You can browse more titles like it on our Comedy anime page.
When did Bocchi the Rock! release?
Bocchi the Rock! first released in Fall 2022. It is a TV series.
Where can I watch Bocchi the Rock!?
Crunchyroll streams Season 1 internationally with subtitles.
Is Bocchi the Rock! getting a Season 2?
Yes. Season 2 was announced in February 2025 and is in production, with Yusuke Yamamoto directing. No release date has been announced yet.
What is the Bocchi the Rock! movie Hoshi no Ashiato?
It is a prequel movie announced on 1 November 2026, opening in Japan in 2027. It tells the story of sisters Seika and Nijika Ijichi before Kessoku Band formed, adapted from the special chapter at the end of manga volume 5. Shin Wakabayashi directs.
Who voices Hitori Gotoh?
Yoshino Aoyama voices Hitori. Sayumi Suzushiro voices Nijika Ijichi, Saku Mizuno voices Ryo Yamada and Ikumi Hasegawa voices Ikuyo Kita, and sings as Kita on the Kessoku Band songs.
How many episodes does Bocchi the Rock! have?
Season 1 has 12 episodes. There are also two compilation films from 2024, a Season 2 in production and a prequel movie coming in 2027.
News
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Watch Order
Here is the release order for Bocchi the Rock! and the series connected to it. Start at step 1 and work your way down.
- 1Bocchi the Rock!TV Season 1 (2022): the main story in 12 episodes. Start here.
- 2Re: and Re:Re: (optional)Compilation films (2024) that re-edit Season 1. Skip them if you have seen the series.
- 3Hoshi no AshiatoMovie (2027): a prequel about the Ijichi sisters. It works best after Season 1, which introduces Starry and the sisters.
- 4Season 2TV (in production): continues the story after Season 1. No date yet.
Where to Watch
Bocchi the Rock! is officially available to stream on these platforms:
Streaming availability changes often and differs by country. Please check the platform in your region.