Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Bocchi the Rock!
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meiam
Posts: 3442 |
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Really enjoying this, but I think its mostly because of the great directing, timing and individual skits rather than the actual story. It's another case of "extrovert adopt introvert MC" which has both been done a million time and so much better by laid back camp.
Last edited by meiam on Mon Oct 17, 2022 4:40 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Moonsaber
 Posts: 343 Location: USA |
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Hahaha!
So right, I was lured in with the promise of rock music, and stayed for the uncomfortable social anxiety and comedy. I really hope we get more to the music, though. |
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Florete
Posts: 363 |
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This hooked me pretty quickly. As someone who has dealt with social anxiety, this series showcases it a lot better than that other one.
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Thesarum
Posts: 402 |
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Oh yes. Only topped by my personal nemesis: having to make a phonecall to a stranger. |
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moozooh
Posts: 149 |
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I don't know if the comparison to WataMote is fully justified considering how often the latter would verge into a certifiably mean-spirited attitude towards Tomoko. Not to the same extent as what Kuma Miko did to Machi (now that was some truly vile garbage excuse for writing), but it was still unpleasant a lot of the time. I understand not every show is going to reach the gold standard of Welcome to the NHK's portrayal of mental issues, but it's evident that most don't even try and instead prefer to capitalize on the privilege of being better off than their main characters.
The way Bocchi's anxiety is portrayed is realistic and framed in a way that mostly elicits a sad appreciative smile rather than an attempt to laugh at her expense, which is a tone I can get behind. It certainly strikes a good balance between poking fun at her social maladaptation and having both the audience and in-universe characters support and root for her to overcome it. It makes all the difference when an author loves their characters. |
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Tenchi
 Posts: 4469 Location: Ottawa... now I'm an ex-Anglo Montrealer. |
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The biggest problem with the WataMote anime is that it only got one season and, while it adapted the first three or four volumes of the manga pretty well (only shifting some things around a little and making a few very inconsequentual changes to a couple of chapters), it's now really only the prologue to Tomoko's story where spoiler[things start to get better for her as she gets a little more social] especially after spoiler[the Kyoto field trip arc in her second year of high school]. Of course, the anime doesn't get past the first half of Tomoko's first year in high school so you don't get to see her spoiler[gradually outgrow her self-sabotaging mindset] (and also find out that spoiler[she's hardly the only girl in her school with some degree of social anxiety; some other girls are just better at hiding it]). |
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moozooh
Posts: 149 |
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While this may have been a problem, it certainly wasn't the biggest one, because a lot of people including myself have dropped it for being unpleasant enough already in the first season. I don't think it's fair to expect anyone to suffer through something unpleasant on the promise of it becoming better sometime later on. I distinctly remember that the way the early episodes portrayed Tomoko crossed the line of being mean-spirited, as if her social anxiety was her fault and she deserved being laughed at, which is fundamentally misrepresenting the nature of social anxiety, let alone how it feels for people who have it or how anyone else should feel about them. I know people (again, including myself) suffering from various issues frequently laughing at their misfortunes, but it's not because they appreciate it being a funny subject, but rather as a defensive mechanism that doesn't have any more socially acceptable alternatives. When it comes to portraying these issues as a subject of comedy, it may feel like too fine a line to bother with, but I think everything is actually pretty simple: if you, as a creator, don't want to come across as bullying your own characters, then show their feelings as valid and deserving of compassion, and have other characters recognize them as such in-universe. That's really all it takes. Bocchi does this, the other Bocchi does this as well, Komi-san does this, Welcome to the NHK does this, Zetsubou Sensei does this. WataMote fails. Kuma Miko doesn't even try. |
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Abraham Omosun
Posts: 158 |
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Honest question, do people really say this? Visual presentation is the main the reason why I don't like/finish many anime comedies (and also why I need Nichijou season 2 NOW!) Something like Saiki K is really hilarious but the visuals never really matched the writing aspect for me |
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Typical anime enjoyer
Posts: 5 |
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Ba! Gui! Vo!
er... Bam-chika-boom-chika... bam-chika-boom-chika... |
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Thesarum
Posts: 402 |
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This episode really highlights everything that's great about Bocchi the Rock. The expressiveness of the animation, the over the top but entirely relatable social anxiety, the warm, comfortable and supportive vibes of the band. And some pretty good music.
Totally this. |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18182 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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Though I am enjoying this series, too, I have found so far that WATAMOTE hit harder and resonated more strongly. I won't dispute that WATAMOTE tended to dump on Tomoko at times, but the anger and bitterness at the core of her reactions felt much more real to me and the deeper dose of irony that the series trafficked in was always good for a laugh (if sometimes an uncomfortable one). That it had one of the all-time great OPs, a strong closer, and a "one of the best of decade"-level lead vocal performance certainly didn't hurt.
This one isn't a priority view, but I have liked it enough so far that I will probably follow it out. |
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myfairx
 Posts: 87 |
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Ep 3. another great review.
I'm surprised that her bandmate is entertaining her silly out-of-nowhere request to party with energy drinks! That's trust and friendship for you! spoiler[and to bail that bass guitar] |
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Philville
 Posts: 158 |
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Ha! I was just asking for Laid-Back Camp alternatives in another thread. I also like rock music and comedy, so this sounds like it might be right up my alley. Is it comparable to K-On!? |
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darkchibi07
 Posts: 5466 |
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The staff of this anime must love the source material to really give this such a creative visual outburst. This could have easily been gotten a no-nonsense Kirara adaptation, but they put in a lot more oomph.
We're so lucky that this season is blessed with Bocchi the Rock and Do It Yourself in terms of creative visuals and animation for cute girl shows. |
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sourpatchthekid
Posts: 64 |
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The 1st 2 were good but episode really sold me on this show. It's nice seeing Bocchi win even if it's just a step at a time
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