Bocchi the Rock! - The Complete Season Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Bocchi the Rock! - The Complete Season Blu-ray Movie Review

Bocchi the Rock! is a fun and charming pop-rock music comedy. Created by Aki Hamaji, Bocchi the Rock! is a wonderful and inventive anime series featuring animation production by CloverWorks (DARLING in the FRANXX, Akebi's Sailor Uniform). Produced by Aniplex (After the Rain, Fullmetal Alchemist) and Houbunsha (Hidamari Sketch, Puella Magi Madoka Magica), Bocchi the Rock! is full of creativity.

Originally broadcast in Japan on Tokyo MX, Bocchi the Rock! was licensed for home media release in North America by anime distributor Crunchyroll. Produced by Hiroyuki Kobayashi (Castle Town Dandelion) and Tatsuya Ishikawa (Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story), Bocchi the Rock! also features animation production by Shōta Umehara (My Dress-Up Darling, Wonder Egg Priority). The series features voice-work by Yoshino Aoyama, Ikumi Hasegawa, Saku Mizuno, and Sayumi Suzushiro.

Hitori Gotō (Yoshino Aoyama) is a big dreamer and someone who wants to rise to the challenge to be the absolute best guitar player she can be. Hitori doesn’t wants to ever put aside her guitar and she certainly finds it essential to join a band. Determination drives Hitori to the challenge as she begins seeking a band to be a part of. Thus Hitori meets Ikuyo Kita (Ikumi Hasegawa), Ryо̄ Yamada (Saku Mizuno), and Nijika Ijichi (Sayumi Suzushiro).

A rock n’ roll pop band is formed and the future is powerful. Will Hitori become the rock hero of her dreams? Perhaps the only thing that might stand in her way in how introverted and shy Hitori is! Yet Hitori won’t let go of that guitat as she is ready to rock and join the stage.

The saga explores the odyssey of the Kessoku Band and their members. The band was even inspired in part by the real-world band names of Japanese rock group Asian Kung-Fu Generation. As the story of these musicians unfold, the characters and their bubbly personalities is one of the focal points of the series.

The characters are certainly full of charm and there is a lot to appreciate about the cast. The characters are a ton of fun to spend time with and the character designs are by Kerorira. The anime designs work well and expand the visual sensibilities of the production.

The animation is an essential highlight of the production. The art work for the series is explored through the superb art direction of Yasunao Moriyasu (Horimiya: The Missing Pieces, Love Live! School idol project) and the chief animation direction by Kerorira (trapezium, Wonder Egg Priority). The art is fantastic.

The aesthetic of the series is hands-down, one of the most impressive qualities and it is something that shines. The line art and background animation are enormously creative looking. Everything about the aesthetic provides a quality that is superior to many modern productions.

The cinematography by Tsubasa Kanamori (My Dress-Up Darling, Eromanga Sensei) is a nice and charming aspect of the series. The cinematography highlights the cool vibes of the series and it absolutely brings out a lot of wonderful qualities in the production. Kanamori is an impressive cinematographer with a smart knack for visual storytelling. A wondrous effort.

The score composed by Tomoki Kikuya (Drug Store in Another World - The Slow Life of a Cheat Pharmacist, The Comic Artist and His Assistants) is a highlight, too. The music adds a lot of fun. Everything is enhanced by the music. This makes Bocchi the Rock! stand out more as a series. A compelling series when one considers the music. The music exceeded expectations.

Written by Erika Yoshida (Lupin III: Part IV, Tower of God), Bocchi the Rock! is a series with a fun concept and a nice vibe. The energy and style of the series fits the fun storytelling. It makes the series a lot more charming. Good vibes helps the series excel.

Directed by Keiichirō Saitō (Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. Regards), Bocchi the Rock! is well worth exploring. Anime fans who appreciate pop-rock anime series with an entertaining soundtrack and plenty of charm will want to explore it more. Well directed and with entertaining visuals, too.

One of the most interesting things about the Bocchi the Rock! series is the manner in which it explores the way life can be as an introvert. The concept of exploring the life of an introvert alongside the journey of being a true pop-rock idol makes for something interesting. The idea of the series will appeal to introverts – and maybe even some extroverts, too.

Bocchi the Rock! - The Complete Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Crunchyroll, Bocchi the Rock! is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The release has a nice high-definition presentation. The high-definition visuals on the release look exceptional. The video quality is superb. The animation is crisp, colorful, and engaging. The background animation looks impressive here and the line art is detailed and a lot more immersive than expected. The style is engaging and creative and the encoding capably showcases the work of the animators.

One of the strengths of the Blu-ray disc format is the superior encoding on the physical media format – with a superior video presentation compared to streaming video services. The bit-rates are higher and the encoding is a bit more refined by comparison. Though it might not always seem night-and-day, even subtle improvements can sometimes offer a more refined presentation.

Bocchi the Rock! - The Complete Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 (with English subtitles). The release features solid lossless audio and the encoding on the release is excellent. The audio quality is crisp, clear, and adds to the experience. The sound direction by Akiko Fujita (Blade of the Immortal, Wonder Egg Priority) adds charm to the experience. The encoding is pleasing and showcases one of the advantages of physical media. The Blu-ray disc provides lossless audio whereas streaming video services only provide lossy (non-lossless) audio. For those wanting to eek out the absolute best audio quality possible to achieve, the physical format remains superior.

Bocchi the Rock! - The Complete Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release comes with a gorgeous o-card slipcover. The slipcover artwork is fantastic. The release also highlights different unique key artwork underneath the slipcover. Crunchyroll did a nice job with the packaging design on the release. It certainly makes the release stand out more and it will look great while in hand and on a display shelf.

On disc supplements include:

Episode Previews (HD, 9:20)

Bocchi the Rock! The Teaser! (HD, 00:32)

Bandmate Promos (HD, 2:08)

Textless Opening Song (HD, 1:32)

Textless Closing Songs (HD, 4:36)

Kessoku Band Show Promos (HD, 3:47)

Unfortunately, the Blu-ray release does not include a more in-depth supplemental package. The set could have been a little more well-rounded if it had included a selection of audio commentaries, cast and crew interviews, making-of documentaries, and more in-depth featurettes exploring the production. An expanded supplemental package would certainly have added more value to the collection for fans.

Bocchi the Rock! - The Complete Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Bocchi the Rock! is a entertaining and vibrant anime series with a wonderful sense of style. Fans of high energy and fun anime series will find something to appreciate about Bocchi the Rock! The series has a sense of style that is undeniable and the animation is stunning. The music on the series impresses. A colorful and inventive series exploring the world of pop-rock as well as the nuances of being shy and facing the world with the mind of an introvert.

The Blu-ray release features an excellent video and audio presentation alongside some on disc bonuses. The release also includes a nicely designed o-card slipcover with unique key art. The release is well worth consideration for fans. Introverts of extroverts, the series has something to offer to fans of entertaining pop-rock series anime fans. It is well worth a look. Highly recommended.