Summary
Warning: Contains spoilers for Bocchi the Rock! EpigraphIn Japan, it’s common for anime films to provide bonus manga for moviegoers written by the original creators, andBocchi the Rock!is no different. Anyone who went to seeBocchi the Rock! Re:would receive a bonus manga from series creator Aki Hamazi calledBocchi the Rock! Epigraphthat gave readers an extra story relating to the film.
Bocchi the Rock! Re:was the main event people were going out for, butBocchi the Rock! Epigraphis just as exciting for what it adds to the overarching story.Epigraphis a short story exploring an event in Bocchi’s life from before she joined Kessoku Band, and in doing so,Bocchi the Rock! Epigraphmakes the best friendship in the story even better.
It’s unknown if the manga will be available forBocchi the Rock! Re:’s English release, but with how much it adds to the story, there’s no reason for it not to be.
Bocchi The Rock! Epigraph Adds a New Element to Bocchi & Kita’s Friendship
The dialogue in the panels above translates as:
Kita: “You’ve got cherry blossoms in your hair. …Okay! Good morning!”
Bocchi the Rock! Epigraphtakes place a year after the beginning ofBocchi the Rock!and has Bocchi reminiscing on her first day of school. Predictably, Bocchi’s crippling social anxiety kept her from talking to anyone or even so much as entering the school, and she was on the verge of just running away. Before she could, though, Kita appeared and said hi to Bocchi, and Kita’s positivity unintentionally pushed Bocchi to give high school a try, so in a way,Bocchi the Rock! Epigraphreveals that Bocchi and Kita’s friendship was far deeper than it originally seemed.
Why Bocchi & Kita’s Friendship Is So Important In Bocchi The Rock!
The Core Friendship of Bocchi the Rock! Is Made Even More Meaningful
Bocchi the Rock! Epigraphadds a new dimension toBocchi and Kita’s friendship, and it’s easy to understand why that’s so good. Out of the various pairings between the girls of Kessoku Band,Bocchi and Kita’s friendship was always the most important in theBocchi the Rock!animethanks to how easy it was for them to interact with each other and how they inspired one another, Kita inspiring Bocchi to be more outgoing and Bocchi inspiring Kita to be better at the guitar. As such,Epigraphadding even more to their dynamic makes an already great relationship even better.
The added context to Bocchi and Kita’s relationship is especially good for the manga. Later volumes of the manga go further into Bocchi and Kita’s struggles with family and self-worth, and as the two of them continue to support one another, it becomes more and more apparent thatBocchi and Kita’s friendship is at the heart ofBocchi the Rock!.
Seeing Bocchi and Kita’s friendship grow has always been one of the best parts of the manga, and the added contextBocchi the Rock! Epigraphgives to it perfectly fleshes out both it and the story, as a whole.
Bocchi the Rock!
Cast
Bocchi the Rock! follows Hitori “Bocchi” Gotou, a shy high school student with social anxiety who dreams of becoming a rock musician. Despite her introverted nature, Bocchi joins a band called Kessoku Band and embarks on a journey of self-discovery and friendship. Set against the backdrop of a lively music scene, the series explores themes of personal growth, teamwork, and the power of music to connect people.
