Bocchi The Rock! S1: Analysis By A Female Guitarist In A Band

Helloooo!! It’s Nostalgia, your noob female guitarist with all the insider info in the music world.

A few months back, I rewatched Given and gave it an episode-by-episode analysis. I know there’s a lot of things mentioned that non-musicians/guitarists may not notice or not see what the big deal is, so it was fun to break it down and share those little details.

This month, I was thinking about doing the same for Bang Dream!, but when I went to Crunchyroll to find it again, it was no longer available. Beck was available and I did review it for my Musicians Rates Musical Animes article, but I knew from the very first episode, it would be more slice-of-life and drama instead of really showing their viewers what band rehearsals and songwriting is like.

With more music term searches, I discovered a new band anime was currently airing, and it was called Bocchi The Rock! I read the synopsis and figured it would be fun to analyze as the series was going on. Unlike Given where I already knew what was happen and can kinda see how things tie back to previous articles, I thought it would be fun to do this one and kinda make guesses or predictions for how things will come up.

When I write musical reviews, I tend to write a lot from personal experiences so others can see the realistic parts of the show. We often take animes as ‘just fiction’ but from experience, they often do a lot of research to make it quite real and relateable. I’ve played a variety of instruments while in school, took band class for years, and got to perform with my choir and drumline. I also played piano a couple times at my church.

In 2020, I picked up guitar again to finally bring my band dream to life for real. I learned a lot, including brands and gear, how to maintain my guitar and change my own strings, etc. I did attempt to create an anime song cover band a couple times before but they never got far, but I tried one more time in 2021 with the Chromatic Dreamers band project. Organized and managed everything, created this site and started blogging, took professional photos, and got us a couple gigs in 2022.

So when I watched band animes like this one, I can recall being in a lot of their situations. I’m probably laughing or freaking out more than others since they won’t understand the weight of the situation. I know non-musicians, newer musicians, or those who’ve never played in a band may never get that insight, but I hope with my analysis, it’ll add another layer to what may seem like a simple anime.

For my approach while writing my analysis, I will usually make notes as I’m watching about thoughts and feelings as they come, but will then edit that episode’s review when I finish it before watching the next episode. I started this article when Episode 4 was out, so it’ll probably take another couple months before the season is done. Will there be a second? Who knows yet, but I can see it having at least 2 as most musical animes I’ve seen have.

Now that the show is done, I’ve also rated and ranked the songs by difficulty, tabs are available. You can check out that article here!

Fun Fact: Learned this from a video after the season was complete, but all the members of the band actually get their names from the last name’s of the members of long-time popular band Asian Kung-Fu Generation! They’re one of the first bands I really came to know about 15 years ago as they made quite a few anime openings to hit series like Naruto, Bleach, and Fullmetal Alchemist. You can check out all their anime songs here!

Let’s go!!!

Episode 1

Well that’s a depressing first 25 seconds LOL

I got quite a few friends who are/were the shy, quiet, secluded type in school. I was the outgoing, friendly one who’d say hi and hang with them. They’re always the sweetest people, and I’m still friends with some of them a decade later ^^

“A band is a place where introverts can shine.” Interesting! I did quite a bit of research on why so many musicians are introverts in my Vocaloid article, and later ‘Why I Like Anonymous Artists’ article. Usually, introverts have very creative inner worlds and a lot of emotions that they usually can’t let out, so music is like a medium for them. I’m not sure how many introverts would actually want to be in the spotlight, but I definitely see how a band could help them grow and gain popularity without having to do it alone.

Anyways, Bocchi is suddenly inspired to join a band one day, so she finds her dad’s guitar and gets started. I’m here waiting for that first horrible chord….Yup there we go. It’s horrible! LOL Real beginner struggles.

At least this show gave her a fair learning period of 3 years. I actually really appreciate it. I’m tired of Yuis and Mafuyus sounding pro after 2 months. I love them both, but for people who watch those shows and feel inspired to pick up guitar, I’m sure many will feel insecure or put it down when they don’t get as good as quickly. At this point, she had recording gear and all, and is pretty popular on Youtube. Good for her ^_^

Alright, digging this opening. I’m really loving the puns and musical references in the translations, like “Strum through the lights distortion”. Distortion is an effect or pedal that makes guitars sound very full, fuzzy, and rockish. I’m actually curious where this series is going to go now!

Now at school, Bocchi has made some efforts to get people to talk to her, like showing off her albums and having song requests played throughout the school, but no luck. Poor girl!

I’m usually the one reaching out to the loners in school, so while I haven’t dealt with social anxiety, I have gotten to hear a lot about it from my friend’s struggles. I think this show does well at showing that, even if they may seem shy and quiet outside, they got a lot going on internally, and can actually be very interesting people once they feel safe enough to open up.

Online, she hits 30K subscribers and says ‘the internet is where she belongs’. There are so many ‘bedroom guitarists/musicians/producers’ in the world. Those who only play for themselves, or who do have the courage to post things online anonymously, but you’ll probably never see them elsewhere.

Some may see this as a sad thing, but I think it goes show us how much community and support the internet gives some of us. It’s a chance to be open about your interests, find people who like the same thing, and even build real friendships. I, for one, still talk to friends I met online over 15 years ago. Same for those who stream or play video games online. As long as it’s not excessive, I don’t think it’s a bad thing!

Yay!! With her guitar, someone finally approaches her! However, there is a catch. She is asked to join their band and perform that evening. They are desperate!

Bocchi’s insecurities are coming out, wondering and worrying about things no one else is thinking about. Her nerves are understandable though. Even if you’re a great bedroom guitarist, nothing can really prepare you for playing with others or playing on stage.

Playing with others does take practice. You may be used to playing with a song or maybe a metronome (many rock musicians don’t practice with one though), but a live drummer has a different feel and may not be as strict for timing. You’ll also be dealing with a lot of nerves and insecurities if you’re not used to others watching and listening to you. She didn’t even have a chance to learn the songs beforehand, so she is really put on the spot. I don’t expect the first rehearsal to go that well ^^”

DAMN! That’s a nice spacious venue! Considering their age, and that rehearsal studios are usually paid for, not to mention that they would reserve the stage for bands who can actually sell tickets and help them make money, I’m betting this girl has some kinda connection to the owners.

Bocchi mentions how the venue feels, and I don’t know why, all music stores and rehearsal rooms has this dusty, dingy, old-fashioned feeling. Must be the carpet, or something. Hmmm….another article idea? Haha, maybe not.

Nijika says that everyone there are shy introverts, a place where Bocchi could be long. We are then introduced to blue haired bassist Ryou who likes being called weird. I feel that haha. To me, being weird is a compliment. Who wants to be normal? Life is more fun when you’re weird and don’t care about societal norms 😛

Now, Bocchi is under a lot of pressure to impress. The girls have put a lot of faith in her, believing she can play and preparing her for the stage. She looks at the sheets for the song, and thankfully, it’s easy for her. As for Bocchi, what I don’t know is if she is someone who can play something really well after a couple run-throughs, or if she’s someone who has to practice like crazy to prepare for Youtube videos. Let’s see….

Of course. They’re not going to spoil anything music wise haha But regardless, Nijika says that ‘Bocchi Sucks’. This part goes with what I said earlier. She may be great as a lone wolf playing on her own time with a computer, but learning to be in sync with others takes time and practice. It’s not just learning and playing your parts, but listening to the drummer and the other members, maintaining your pace, adjusting if needed, and vibing to the song.

She’s traumatized. Poor girl lol ^^”

“THE END” LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLL

I do really like the band members though. Ryou, the blue haired girl, may seem cold and may give some unnecessary comments, but those who know her would know she’s just playing around. Nijika, the yellow haired leader, is great at motivating and giving words of encouragement, while also being honest about her skills and where she can improve.

They’re not too hard on her because she took this last minute gig and it’s her first time playing with others. It wouldn’t be fair to grab someone off the street and expect them to be a master at a new song, then cut them right away. They recognize that she does have guitar skills they can work with, she’s just not used to being in a band yet.

Nijika also makes a comment about how ‘girls don’t know good music’. It may be a mis-translation, but I do tell my band something similar. Non-musicians really don’t know much about instruments and will be impressed by anything. Open chords are the easiest thing for a guitarist to learn (still takes time, but it’s the bare basics), and girls will be fawning over a guy who can just do that. The audience won’t really know what’s impressive, or where you make mistakes, unless you make it obvious.

Since they claim to be all be introverts (though, Nijika is clearly an extrovert), it’s clear they don’t have the best way with words…or at least never had to deal with someone as insecure and sensitive as Bocchi.

It’s sweet that, while they want to push her to join the band (which was a dream of hers anyways), they also won’t force her. Honestly, it is for the best. Even if you force someone to join now, they may just drop out later, or not be committed, or just become passive aggressive with time. A band requires a lot of time and commitment, so it should be done willingly.

They start talking about GuitarHero and how much they admire her. They don’t realize that it’s Bocchi’s Youtube handle. Bocchi is touched. I think this part speaks volumes in that, even if you don’t think people are watching or listening, or you don’t think they care much about your content, people do notice and may be real fans!

I’ve been recording my beginner guitar journey on Instagram, and even though I sucked, people felt inspired to practice and others left encouraging comments. The online community isn’t always as bad or scary as people may think!

I think this is certainly the moment where Bocchi gains a bit of confidence because these people are impressed by her playing, even though they don’t realize it’s her. She is good enough!

I also like that the band encourages her to keep playing. Just because you fail today doesn’t mean you should give up. Too many people try things once and throw in the towel if they aren’t good at it, but almost everything can be done well with regular practice and effort. Trust me, very few musicians have natural talent. Many of them have been playing and practicing for years before you see or hear them.

I like that while they give her constructive criticism, they also recognize that it may be their own faults, and are willing to work with her. The blue haired girl may seem a bit cocky, but nothing wrong with a lil confidence, as long as you’re not cocky or mean. “The key is to have fun even if you suck”. Very true.

I don’t think many people know the comforts of knowing there will be a ‘next time’. When I was ready to go on stage with my band, it was a 15 year dream come true, so you would think I’d be nervous…but there was comfort in just making it there. Even if we crash and burn (which I didn’t think would happen anyways), I was sure we can try again another time. Not everything has to be a once-in-a-lifetime thing!

Omg, she’s actually playing in a box XD I’m dead! I appreciate the attention to detail for her playing. A lot of musical animes these days have been really impressing me with their animations! You can tell they did their research and got many musicians on their team.

Nijika is clearly the only extravert…which is funny cause in my band, I’m the same. We all did MBTI tests, and I’m an ENFJ. Sadly, I’m paired with an INFJ and 2 INTPs, so I’m the only one really promoting us online and in person ^^”

All in all, really cute first episode. I’m excited to see what comes next!

Episode 2

Damn. We start this episode with Bocchi taking some next level baths. Why?? ;____;

We just find out that Bocchi rides 2 hours to get to school….Just to avoid seeing anyone who knows her past. I admire her dedication haha. Thankfully, she finally found some friends. It must have been hard <3

When Bocchi talks about bands that she likes, she said ‘something I definitely connect with’. It disappoints her that bands will talk about things like ‘the bleakness of high school’, which she relates to, but then she finds out they actually had a blast in school and it was all a lie.

It kinda reminds me of rap and hip hop music. You’ll often hear rappers talk about money, sex, drugs, partying, fame, gang life, violence etc. Growing up in the hood, I don’t like music that promotes those things, especially when many young people died due to gang violence. But regardless, a lot of upcoming rappers talk about these things, even though they’re actually broke, too young to go to a club, still a virgin, grew up in a safe neighbourhood, were a good kid etc. They just sing about what’s popular, not what they actually experienced or relate to.

So Ryou and Nijika mention that they had a guitarist, but that she ghosted them and they don’t know why. Sadly, ghosting musicians is kinda common. I dealt with one myself last year.

There was this drummer who was part of my first band attempt 7 years prior. We only had one rehearsal then. This time around, he said he was down to try again, was fine with the songs, said he was okay for our first practice the day before, but then….just never showed up. I was worried, maybe it was an emergency. I’d ask if he was okay, and asking about next rehearsal, but while he saw my messages, he never responded. Like wow, okay. Don’t know why, and I guess I’ll never know.

The bit about quotas was interesting. I haven’t really looked into booking venues just yet, but I know there is an expectation that if you’re booked, you will sell an amount of tickets and bring in enough people. That’s obviously different if you book and pay for the venue space, but I guess a quota system makes sense otherwise. They need to know how many people are coming, and how much they can expect to make through additional drink and snack sales. Good to know!

Like a lot of bands, their first gig is often just around friends or family, as those are the only people they can convince to pay for tickets and come out to support them. For my band’s first real gig, we were part of various acts and the host worked at that location. Regardless, the host still required at least 50 people to come and there was a cover fee of $5/guest. My band alone probably brought in about 25 people which were mostly friends, family, and coworkers.

They mention that Bocchi will need to make money, and yes, that is a serious expectation if you’re in a band. It’s definitely not a cheap thing, even if you’re doing it more casually. I wrote about how much it costs to start a band here.

Oh no, her fears about working at a shop, doing badly, being filmed and people making fun of her online ^^” The social anxiety is real! Poor girl. Now we see why she was trying so hard to get sick with the cold shower. But guess we’re getting into the whole Bang Dream! scenario where she gets a job at the venue.

This is a pretty sweet first job for Bocchi. Not only does she get to work with friends in a comfortable environment as they are patient and understand her, but she’ll get to watch and learn from other musicians and maybe make some pretty awesome professional connections!

While another band performs on stage, she makes an enlightening discovery that the bands and the audience are one. They are united in the moment. When she was in her own box, she wasn’t really a part of that. She didn’t just put up one wall, but 4 walls between her and those in the crowd.

It reminds me of the next drummer my band had. He relied on his tabs and had no will to memorize his stuff. I expressed that it’s a wall between not just us but the audience and that it’s important to be visible for stage presence, he didn’t care. Regardless, even with his tabs, he didn’t play well and he couldn’t be the strong rhythm foundation we needed. He was stubborn to take any of our advice, so we had to let him go.

At least for Bocchi, even though she has serious anxiety, she is open and willing to learn. She wants to build stage presence and be cool and make friends and so on. I think the other girls notice this in her and that’s why they’re willing to encourage her for each step she takes. The most important thing is that she can play guitar. Anything else can be learned with time and effort!

I think if you have shy friends or coworkers, you should also be encouraging. Understand that it’s really not that easy for them. Pushing them to take bigger steps before they’re ready may cause them to take steps backwards, especially if it was too overwhelming or their fears came to life. Small steps where they realize it’s not that bad and that they’re capable is more important.

Episode 3

I’ve only really got into MBTI types earlier this year, but Bocchi must be an INFP! I have many friends like that, who have a deep inner world and are big dreamers. They keep saying I should do this and that, but they procrastinate or their fears and anxiety hold them back.

I’m an ENFJ (the protagonist type), so we pair very well in that I’m the extraverted, go-getting person and can help push and lead them towards their own goals. It brings me no greater joy than to see others group and help others achieve their goals.

Damn, Bocchi’s so dark and depressing LOL Double traumatic song or something ^^” At least she has some natural songwriting abilities!

Bocchi is talking to this new girl, and Kita mentions that she lied about her guitar skills to join a band and get closet to her sempai, but quickly realized it was beyond her and ran away (….is she the one who ditched before?). I think many, many people pick up guitar thinking it’ll be easy, but after a couple days of trying, many change their mind and give up.

Compared to many other instruments I’ve tried, like clarinet and viola, it may take a little time to learn to blow properly or hold your bow and get a clear sound, but it’s pretty easy sailing after that.

Guitar though? Your first few weeks will be very painful and uncomfortable. You’ll have to put your fingers into these very awkward and uncomfortable chord shapes, and you can’t play for more than 5 or 10 minutes until you develop calluses. Then there’s all this terminology required to even understand books or read tabs. Some self-learners play an out-of-tune guitar for months before someone brings it to their attention.

I don’t even blame Kita for getting overwhelmed, especially if she was learning on her own. She realized she couldn’t be what the band needed and backed out. While it would have been better for her to be more straightforward, I know Japanese people would rather save face. They don’t go to the same school, so she could truly avoid the band.

So they arrive at the venue and as I predicted, she was the runaway. I had some doubts since she mentioned she wanted to impress her sempai but they went to different schools. Regardless, the band is still willing to work with her, and said she just needed to be upfront and honest. Ghosting is literally the worst thing because it has people wondering what they did wrong and they don’t know if you’ll pop up again or not.

While working, Bocchi and Kita spend a moment talking about their motives, and they are both unpure. Kita wanted to get close to her sempai, and Bocchi wants to make friends and be popular. I wrote about musician motivations in this article. I know a lot of guys do it to get popular and get girls, but there are many other reasons!

The point about bands being like family, is very accurate. You got different personalities coming together to make something happen. Sometimes, those personalities mesh well and it’s very comfortable, but sometimes, members will clash but still work together because they need each other. Like I said earlier, finding committed musicians is hard, so people often take whoever they can get. 4+ people aren’t going to agree all the time, so there are bound to be disagreements and lots of compromises.

Also, you do spend a lot of time together. My band only practices about twice a month, usually 3-4 hours each rehearsal. A lot of other bands practice 1-3 times a week, especially if they have a lot of gigs or songs to learn. The more time you spend with people, the more comfortable and bold people can come which can also cause friction. But regardless of what goes on during rehearsal, you’d have no idea when you see them on stage having fun and being awesome.

As for intimacy, I think bands are a great space for growth and self-discovery. Practicing and performing does bring one’s flaws and insecurities front and centre. You’ll have to learn to motivate yourself, to keep going when things are hard, and to push past your fears.

Maybe you think you’re doing well, but your band members bring something to your attention, and now it’s your turn to work on that. Your bandmates may also bring to your attention some of your best traits that you may not even be aware of, so now you can highlight that and take advantage of it!

Also, I think a band can allow you to learn more about yourself and just be more open and honest. When you’re spending so much time with each other, especially in serious or stressful scenarios, you can’t maintain the same nice, fake front that you would with casual friends or coworkers. Eventually, your real humor, sarcasm, interests and such will come out, and your your weird habits will be noticed.

But the nice thing about a band is that you learn to accept each other for all they are, the good and the suspicious. It’s not easy nor fun finding replacements, so unless a member is holding everyone back or ruining your reputation, you’ll brush the small things off. The best bands are the ones where everyone feels comfortable and free to be themselves, knowing their bandmates will love and accept em regardless.

As we continue the scene, I think fate is also a big thing for bands. The Chromatic Dreamers Band Project was my 3rd attempt at making a band. During past attempts, I did manage to find enough people, but it didn’t get anywhere. Even if I wanted to push, it was impossible due to different schedules, priorities, etc. When the pandemic came around, I figured everyone is home and has nothing to do but practice, so no better time to really go for it.

Nijika, I can tell she has a good eye for people as most band leaders do. I had my eyes on a singer, a mutual friend of mine who had a singing group that didn’t get anywhere. She was against the band initially, but I knew deep down, she wasn’t fully opposed to it. It took a lot of convincing since her family crushed her singing dreams, persistent and motivating. Once I found out she once had a band dream too, I was able to push her to at least try it out.

I’ve heard a lot of stories from band interviews, and it usually works out the same way. It starts with one friend, and they invite another friend they know. Or maybe they saw a talented singer at an event or on TV and they sought to recruit them. Some great example would be Miku from Band Maid trying to recruit Saiki, and also Toru from One OK Rock set on recruiting Taka.

Leaders do have to be pushy and persistent. They won’t always take ‘no’ for an answer if they see someone in their vision. To many people, they think of bands as something of fantasy, or they just assume it won’t work out so they don’t want to try, nor want to commit and invest their time and money. But in the end, if the manager manages to recruit them, it may work out for the best!

Anyways, we end the episode with Kita being excited to show off her new guitar…only to find out it is a 6-string bass ^^” Be careful guys! Just like how there are 7-string…and even 12-string guitars, basses can have more strings too. It can be hard to tell if you’ve never really played or shopped for either. Thankfully, Ryo offers to buy it off her.

Episode 4

We start this episode with Bocchi teaching Kita guitar. It appears they’ve been having lessons for a few days, but Kita is still struggling.

Guitar has a really hard learning curve. Even if you know the chords in your head, it’s getting your fingers to contort in these weird shapes, building the muscle to press all your fingers down to create a clean sound, strumming across all the strings, transitioning between chords quickly, etc. If you can get past all that, you can sound pretty good…after like 3 months.

It doesn’t surprise me that many pick up guitar, but quit very quickly. You need the drive and motivation to push through all that. If you have shallow reasons like trying to impress a girl, the work and time needed to sound good may not be worth it. You need something more real, like wanting to be a big star, or having music in your head that you want to share with the world.

I’m loving their band ideas. Rip-off merch, a classic. Fan club with meet and greets, very common thing in Japan. Of course, you gotta have some social media as well.

Now they’re talking about their next song. Just like we see in K-on! and Given, writing lyrics can be quite hard for some, but also a piece of cake for others.

I have yet to try to write a song seriously for my band, but I did write lyrics and poems in school. I feel I would be better at creating chord progressions than writing lyrics…or if I did write lyrics, it would explore various topics and deep themes like Japanese music, instead of just love, partying, and ‘being a badass bitch’ like Western music.

If I were to try now, I’m sure my first couple attempts would end up sounding like something I’ve heard before, which seems to be a common issue. Even with guitar, you may start playing around with chords or a solo, and then you realize it sounds like another song.

Bocchi first tried to create a cheerful song, something extraverts would like. Of course that wouldn’t work for her since she can’t really relate to that, and it would sound conventional or shallow. It’s always best to write from experience or your own feelings and emotions as you can get deep into it.

I’m happy they’re taking their promotional photos early on. For my band, after a month of practice, I asked if they wanted to take a casual or serious route. When they said serious, I built this website and started preparing them for a professional photoshoot. While we were rookies, I wanted people to take us and consider us seriously.

For Given, they didn’t take their photos or set up social medias until after their first gig, but they missed vital opportunities to gather fans. The sooner, the better imo! Build and collect your fans before you get your gig or release your first album, so you have an audience waiting for you when you upload or need to sell tickets!

Before my band opted for indoor shots, I did do some scouting for outdoor places. Since we were ‘dreamers’, I wanted somewhere that was bright, maybe like an outdoor staircase or a place with big windows and a visible sky. I remember watching another video and this producer was getting frustrated with bands always doing the dirty alley, staircase, railway track photos, etc.

The members ask about holding their instruments in photos so their hands aren’t so awkward. While it is a cool idea, Nijika was a bit against it since she plays the drums and would only have her sticks. My band’s singer told me something similar when I complained about having to drag my guitar everywhere, but she said at least we look cool with our equipment. She just looks like a groupie or something.

Omg Bocchi’s reactions to social media! XD I’m dying…not as much as her though! I started my personal Instagram when I was still a beginner, before putting the band together. I wanted to get used to being recorded and being heard. My bandmates do have Instagram accounts, but the 2 guys have blank profiles, and the singer only has photos of her dog…you can guess who does all the social media marketing here lol

Getting started is always the hardest part as we all deal with insecurities. We always feel like people would have bad things to say and it will hurt us deeply. Bocchi also worries about coming off as an attention whore, which is also something many, including myself, had to confront when learning to upload selfies. But hey, everyone else does it lol There’s also stats that prove selfies or personal photos get more likes than like…food or nature pics.

Now, Bocchi and Ryo are at a cafe and we get to hear a bit more about Ryo’s background. Up til now, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Ryo just yet. She didn’t seem like a bad person, but she can be a bit cold and cutthroat with her words. However, I loved her comments on why she left her old band and why she feels it’s important to write about how you really feel.

I’m sure many band members left their respective bands because the band took a direction they weren’t in the mood for, often going for something more commercially accepted or what the general public would like. It’s a big reason why you only seem to hear certain songs and topics on the radio.

I’m sure that’s also why some individuals only listen to smaller, undiscovered groups or unpopular genres as they are more free and thus more raw. Ryou comments about a normie singing depressing lyrics…It may not hit everyone, but for those who it does, it will hit deeply.

Episode 5

Yay it’s payday!!!

Op…Spoke to soon. Bocchi forgot about her concert quota. Now they’re discussing things like recording or making an album and yes, it’s so expensive! Studios are pricey, so you really don’t want to waste your time being unprepared.

They’re talking about 2nd jobs or working over vacation and I can tell Bocchi is like “I didn’t sign up for this!” She just wanted to be in a band, make friends, and become famous ;____; On that note, Ryou finished making the song for Bocchi’s lyrics. It seems once you have lyrics and a theme in mind, it’s not too hard to create a matching track.

But we do get some bad news. Unfortunately, Nijika just assumed her sister would let them perform again at the next concert. Never assume in this world. “When you ‘assume’, you make an ‘ass’ out of ‘u’ and ‘me'”.

Her sister Seika who owns the venue, allowed the band one time for the memory, but said their first gig was awful, so she can’t have a repeat. That is very understandable. First impressions are important not just for your band, but it also reflects on the host and venue. If you crash and burn, why would they give you a second chance. I knew this when preparing my band for our first gig.

Seika tells them straight up that they should just stick to music as a hobby. It must hurt to hear that from loved ones, as many of us do, but sometimes it really is said out of care and concern. At least the manager isn’t saying ‘no’ forever, just that they have to audition like everyone else, which is fair and understandable.

There’s a few points here. For one, Bocchi is really great, and she had a big following online, but since her bandmates have only seen and heard her in person and her stage fright and anxiety acts up, they rank her lower and honestly think she kinda sucks. That’s why it’s really great if beginners can start practicing with a band or playing in front of people asap.

And second, these girls feel like showing their growth will be enough. This is definitely more of a Japanese mentality. Their Jpop idols, for example, don’t usually receive singing or dancing training, so after they pass auditions, they are kinda thrown in and they learn on the job.

I find in Japan, the audience is pretty supportive of performers and will recognize their growth. As long as the performers look like they’re enjoying themselves and they are doing their best to entertain the audience, perfection isn’t as important to them. I talk about this topic a lot more in depth in my Kpop vs Jpop article, along with my Why Japan Has So Many All-Female Bands article.

We go back to the topic of musician motivations here. Whether a musicians goals are ‘pure’ or not, people will hate and assume we do it for attention. No matter the job or career, people’s motivations will differ. Someone may become a police officer to serve and protect, for family traditions, or power, but because they don’t get as much spotlight as musicians, people don’t really care as much. Music and other arts like acting, are meant to be shown and enjoyed by others. It is what it is.

Audition time! OOooooo…loving the song, the minor tone, and the energy. Also proud of Bocchi’s and everyone’s progress. I hope we get a full song on Spotify, cause I’ll add it haha. Her sister said they could all work on their stage presence, but otherwise, they passed! I didn’t doubt em for a minute 😛 Mostly cause this is anime lol

Nijika has a good sister. Some may think she’s a lil rude or rough around the edges, but the worst thing you can do for anyone is go too easy on them and give them everything they want.

Unrelated story, I used to play Just Dance and other Wii games with my little sister and 2 neighbours, all 10 or so years younger than me. I never let them win as I was a perfectionist. They got so used to losing that they’d cheer over 2nd place….but the odd time they beat me, even by just an inch, it was a celebration for them.

Instead of them being okay with 3 stars since they were able to beat the other two, they had to get 5 stars just to compete with me, thus they worked harder and grew much faster. If they ever played with friends or classmates, I’m sure they would easily win then because I pushed them that far.

I have that same mentality with my band. I’d rather them hear it from me that they’re slacking than to embarrass themselves on stage in front of everyone, especially if people are recording and it can be shared. It can be hard being the tough one, but it’s cause I care and I know they can do better <3

Episode 6

We start this episode off with Bocchi figuring out who to sell her 5 tickets too. She initially was planning to give them to her mom, her dad, her sister, and her dog, but her mom breaks the news to her that obviously the dog can’t come, and her sister’s too young to enter a club, sooooo… Honestly, this is a common struggle for bands. Band life isn’t easy, I’ll tell you that!

Bocchi ends up making posters to give out to people. She ends up getting discouraged and takes a seat. Then a weird, drunk person ends up running into her, desperate for help. Bocchi helps her but clearly doesn’t want to be around her. I don’t drink nor am around drunk people outside of work parties, so I can imagine how awkward and scary it must be for Bocchi.

She’s not sure what to expect from this stranger, but she puts down her guard just a bit when she realizes this stranger is nice and knowledgeable about guitar. While a small gesture, giving your guitar to anybody (especially if it’s a guitar you love or one that costs a lot) is serious.

They may drop or damage it if they don’t know much. When I watched Bech: Mongolion Chop Squad, too many innocent guitars were detroyed by bullies, but to be fear, the MC also damaged his friend’s guitar. It was unintentional, but he was such a noob that he wasn’t taking care of it to begin with…walking outside with it without a case soooo…

Omg I can’t with this show XD Her dreams and fantasies are too much. I get what she means when she said ‘getting drunk to feel happy is a sad kinda happiness’. I get that the world can be depressing, but always running away from your problems and thoughts through drugs and alcohol isn’t going to solve anything. Bocchi imagining what kind of place she’d have if she went down that route isn’t surprising. I watched a lot of videos about hoarders and those who are mentally ill and lonely…eeee…

The drunk girl’s idea to do a street performance is actually really good. Performing in public is also very common in Japan and you’ll see many new and upcoming stars who have videos from before their big debut of them performing there, like Sayuri. Of course, it’s better if you have time to really prepare and have songs to perform before hand.

Gambatte Bocchi!! When someone in the crowd cheers for her, Bocchi has her awakening.and realizes that she doesn’t have enemies. That was just in her imagination. This is an important lesson for musicians.

I know when we perform or post something, we always worry that people will hate or laugh or look down on us. But since I’ve put myself out there, I’ve only really felt support. Anyone who stopped scrolling to listen to me for a bit, or even took a moment to like and leave an encouraging comment really helped me to keep pushing forward as a beginner. It really does mean a lot <3

When we had our first gig as well, even though half the crowd didn’t come for us, they still decided to come to the stage and pay attention to us, cheering after we played and laughing at our banter. Your audience is not your enemy.

Even if they critique, those comments can help you learn and grow. They could have stayed quiet and let you keep making those mistakes, but instead they decided to share their outsider perspective. People will always admire those who had the guts to get on stage and perform, as many of them will never try or do so. It’s also cool getting to know someone who may be bigger in the future!

I’m happy she pushed through and was able to sell her quota…though she did miss band rehearsal. Bad bad! lol Why are we all so poor though? The struggling/starving musician is a real thing ^^”

Episode 7

We’re starting this episode with the band members heading to Bocchi’s place. I’m sure Bocchi’s nervous. It can be awkward showing your home and your room to new friends, and for it, it’s the first time ever. Nijika and Kita are on their way and they say their objective is to design T-shirts for the band.

I love how seriously the band is taking it, but that’s quite ambitious for a new band who just debuted if you ask me. T-shirts and any merch is a big investment, and you need real fans to sell to, but hey it’s never too early to start discussing things either!

LOLL Ryo couldn’t come because her ‘grandma is sick’ and Nijika is saying she probably made it up as she has excuses for everything and everyone. ‘Her dog dying’, ‘her twin sister lost at birth reconnecting with her’, etc. As I was telling my bandmate, there’s two types of loners: those who are shy and anxious but want to make friends, like Bocchi, and those who are introverts and rather be alone, like Ryo.

Awwww Bocchi’s so cute with the welcome banner and streamers. Gambatte! She went overboard in her room though. She really wanted a party ;_____; She doesn’t know what to expect when friends are over, so I get that. …Did her sister just say she was possessed in the past? Did these parents really call the MC Hitori (one person)…and her sister Futari (two people)? I’m DEAD.

Bocchi is really nervous with her little sister being around. Her bandmates don’t mind but she finds a way to get rid of her. This is also super relatable. I find most musicians can be more bold online, on stage, or with other people, but we tend to be more shy with our families. I shared a room my whole life, so only after I moved out was I really able to be loud and work on my stage presence. Our singer doesn’t feel she has much time to sing because her family is usually home.

Families tend to be the most judgemental and critical ones, and they love to tease and hold our embarrassing moments against us after all, thus, it can be awkward having them overhear your sucky practice. I’ve also heard many say that their siblings told them to shut up and that they’re trash, which certainly takes a hit at one’s confidence. Friends and strangers won’t be as brutal in comparison ^^”

Onto the T-Shirt designs. As I assumed, they were making them for merch, but they also plan to wear them on stage. An idol group at our last gig did the same thing, of their logo on the shirt that they wore on stage and also selling it as merch. We’ll probably do the same thing one day.

When Bocchi is reminded of school festivals, she starts melting. Festivals are a really big thing in Japan, and classes are expected to work together. Students are placed in teams for various games and sports. I’m sure it’s a lot of pressure for someone who already can’t connect with her classmates and who also has to participate in activities in front of the whole school. Traumatizing.

I love how much her parents doubted her friends and her band, even when she had photos of them all over her room. I can also understand where they’re coming from considering Bocchi’s never had friends over and lied about having people to sell to when it came to her ticket quota. I’m sure they’re really happy and excited for her though!

Op, spoke to soon. They actually ask if they’re from some rental friend service. If you didn’t know, Japan really does sell boyfriend/girlfriend services, family services, even people who do nothing but keep you company lol I love Japan. I also love how Bocchi’s like, ‘sounds like something I would do’. It’s always interesting hearing what your family thinks about you when they’re talking to others about you….But why are they exposing her like that ;______;

So Bocchi finally reveals her T-shirt idea. Pretty cool if you ask me. She’s right about it being a trend among other rock and metal bands, and smart to think if it’s flashy and cryptic enough, people will focus on that inside. I also love the idea of zippers for picks, cause I need something like that haha. Obviously, it’s not their style though, so they decide to design something that reflects the group.

Man, it’s been a really hard day for her awwwwwwww. Having friends over, disappointing/weirding them out with her room, being embarrassed by her family and feeling left out when her friends connect with them more. Her T-shirt idea was shut down, and now her friends pressure her into wearing something she wasn’t comfortable with then take photos ;___; Fighting! Welp, too late for that. She’s dead now….and so are her friends LOL

So the designs have been made by the leader, looking nice and clean. They said their concert is 2 days away and they were looking forward to it, but then they heard news of a typhoon on the way. Typical Japan. Oh thank goodness, it’s not going to hit their region…or so they thought. I’m proud to see Bocchi speak up though!

Episode 8

We start the episode with the storm going on at full force. It sounds like the owner is still intending to host the show, even if the crowd is small, which isn’t a bad thing. If you promised there’s a show, and there’s no way to really alert everyone and reschedule, then the show must go on!

As a newer band, a smaller crowd may make it a little easier, and they’ll still get experience anyways, so I’m happy they’re following through.

Bocchi’s guests arrive first, starting with the drunk girl who is a colleague of the owner. Then we get the two girls who bought her tickets from the street performance. They said it themselves, they are her fans. It’s a really nice feeling when you’re pretty new to gigging and people you don’t know are already cheering for you. HAHAA Just as I finish writing that, the realization hits Bocchi and she starts glowing and chuckling to herself.

They’re wondering about alternatives, like streaming the concert, but as they said, it’s just too late to advertise, and they already have people there. Even if only 3 people came out, they decided they were going to leave the comforts of their home in the middle of a strong typhoon to attend. They deserve just as grand a concert as it would have been if they had 1000 or 10000 people in the audience.

And even if there wasn’t a storm but you’re just a small band and only a handful people came out to support you, it’s those few fans who will spread your name if they enjoyed it, and also help you build more fans by sharing clips of your concert to their friends and followers. Never take a small crowd for granted. Intimate concerts are better imo anyways!

The group overhears some girls asking about Kessoku band, and them saying ‘I don’t really care”. It hurts to hear, but as Nijika says, they are new. Of course they won’t know them. I’m sure even bigger bands who have to open for other bands feel that way cause no one really came to see them and the audience doesn’t know their songs to really get into it. Regardless, you gotta make an impression and maybe you’ll gain more followers and fans.

Here we go. Oh gosh, so awkward ^^” They’re up first and no one seems to give a damn. It adds a lot more pressure for sure. When my band had our first gig, we were the first one’s up as well. We didn’t know or expect to go first, but after soundcheck, it made sense since we had more to set up. Everyone else were dancing idol groups. Our bassist was really nervous and even announced the wrong first song lol

But, compared to Kessoku band, at least our audience paid attention to us, and really dug the first cover song we played. I feel bad for them. Many are on their phone, one girl nonchalantly walks away, which is very obvious since they floor isn’t full. When you’re already nervous, a crowd who doesn’t seem to be enjoying it can make you even more self conscious.

I do appreciate that they actually made the band sound a little off in regards to Bocchi’s comments, like drummers timing wasn’t as solid as usual, singer is cracking a bit, etc. In other shows I’ve watched, they will say it’s off, but it usually sounds exactly the same. This though, is the reality of rookie bands.

Even if a band can practice or record really well, they are prone to making mistakes on stage. You got nerves, adrenaline, a new environment, etc. People may rush or fall behind, voices gets dry, etc. But know that even the best bands always make mistakes live. What’s important is to keep going and not make those obvious.

Since they are a new band, no one knows how they are supposed to sound anyways, so that is a bit of an advantage. They finish up their first song and I’m quite proud of them for getting through it. But damn…tough crowd. No one claps for them ;______; After all their work making songs, practicing and auditioning, that’s gotta hurt. Ouch!

Op! Bocchi’s being brave. Going out with an epic solo. I thought she was about to do an impromptu jam session, not sure if it was part of the song or not (guessing they’ll comment on it later), but regardless, great lil opening piece to get people’s attention.

I love when Bocchi get’s into it. It really makes a difference. The band is much more together and confident for this song. At least they got some applause and positive comments this time ^^

The band is now celebrating over drinks and dinner. We didn’t get to hear their 3rd song, but I’m sure we’ll hear an amazing version when this season is done. They said it was a pretty good concert and everyone left happy, so that’s good!

They made comments on Kikuri’s concerts, in which she’ll be really drunk and spit alcohol on everyone in the audience. Sounds nasty, but it’s true that some concerts are like that. The kinds where mosh pits actually happen probably, or just really weird bands.

Oh gosh, Bocchi overhears some businessmen talking about their dreadful lives and she wonders if that’s what her life would be like if she doesn’t succeed in music. Honestly, considering how big the music world is in Japan (2nd biggest music industry in the world), I’m actually curious if that’s a big reason why some decide to take that path. Of course they gotta love music, and their schools give them a good foundation, but it’s probably a serious determiner.

To put it into perspective, while Japanese people are certainly hard and diligent workers, they do have a work-life balance issue. You start on-time, and many do overtime for no extra pay. It’s bad to leave before your bosses or superiors. It’s common for people to fall asleep on the job or on trains, but people see that as a good sign as they are working hard. Then, sometimes, you feel forced to join coworkers for drinks and such anyways. Many people have died from overworking that there is even a name for it, “Karoshi”.

Very few people ever change jobs because it’s a sign of disloyalty, so they stick with their miserable jobs from out of college to retirement. If you ever watched the anime, Re:Life, the main character was pretty fresh out of college, but left his toxic job that had harassment issues. Due to that on his resume, he really couldn’t find another serious job and just ended up working at a convenience store. He really didn’t see a future due to this.

What I also found funny as I got to dig more and more into Japanese music over the last 15 years is that, while japan may seem like a polite, friendly, and well-behaved society, their music shows another side of them. We get to hear their true thoughts and feelings, and sometimes that includes how much they hate society, as we see with Ado’s “Ussewa” which was #1 on their charts not too long ago. Not to mention, all the dark and depressing songs people create with Vocaloid.

Music is freedom for a lot of them, it’s a way to express all they’ve been keeping inside due to their society. So I can also imagine music being a way to build a successful career and have that income, without having to submit to society’s expectation of a stable job.

Even if they wanted to start their own business, it’s probably a lot harder since most people have the same mentality and may not want to give you a chance. Japan may have little to none homicide rates, but they have one of the highest suicide rates in the world, mostly around youth and young adults, so don’t think it’s easy over there.

Bocchi wakes up from her vision and has a freak out. She is now feeling the pressure to succeed with guitar or fail at what is to be expected from a normal business life.

Kikuri gives her advice, and tells her not to put so much pressure on herself, just enjoy yourself. “If you put the weight of success on your own shoulders all the time, you’ll just make yourself miserable”. The manager steps in “It’s important to enjoy the process of making your dreams come true”. I definitely agree with them. Have fun, but definitely have a goal that you are working towards.

They then find out that the manager was a musician and in a band herself. They ask why she stopped and she said she ‘got tired of bands’. I’m not surprised. Bands are not an easy thing at all. If you don’t make it big, you probably fell apart and wasted your time and money. And even bands who do succeed can fall apart.

Think about it, you got 3+ people with different personalities, visions, and tastes. Sometimes, one person causes problems by being late, unprepared, or having an ego. Sometimes, most members aren’t serious enough for the band to get anywhere…..but you all need each other to move forward. It’s hard finding replacements and you may not vibe with them.

I’m new to bands, but I already knew before then why many musicians online would rather go solo and play to a backing track. Heck, it took me 15 years of trying to find people to finally make it happen, and even in the 2 years of his band attempt, I’ve dealt with a lot of bullshit and troublesome members that I had to kick out. But regardless, I had a band dream, and it’s kinda magical playing with others. Everyone playing something different, but coming together to make music and entertain a crowd.

Opppp, Nijika finally recognizes she’s ‘guitarhero’. I was also thinking how they didn’t realize she has the same guitar, but honestly, I don’t even pay attention to the brands and models people in Youtube videos play, so I can’t even blame her. Bocchi was worried what she would think, or though she was lying, but Nijika says she’s even happier to have her, she just wished she could play guitarhero all the time.

Awwwww ;______; Nijika’s backstory. Her mom died, dad was gone, so her sister was her only family. That’s sweet that she was her sister’s inspiration to quit the band and start up the Starry venue. So her motivations are to make a successful band and help her sister make the venue more popular.

Nijika is a great leader though, I knew that from the beginning. Despite starting the band, she doesn’t take a spotlight position. I also think it’s important to be an extraverted person as you gotta keep everyone together. You have to make plans and remind them, motivate and encourage them, and also praise them and let them know they’re appreciate. You need to have a goal in mind and recognize everyone’s efforts to make that happen.

Here, Nijika tells Bocchi that she’s been like the band’s saving grace. I doubt Bocchi ever saw herself that way or even recognize how much she does for the band, but just knowing that will keep her going. Nijika saw the potential in Bocchi before knowing who she was or hearing her play. The first time was rocky, but she still wanted her to play with them. Yes, they were desperate, but despite Bocchi’s weaknesses, she never cared to try to replace her. I’m very similar to her, (same MBTI type too), so I really like her leadership style.

Episode 9

We start this episode with Bocchi ‘enjoying’ her summer break. She’s been playing her guitar day in and day out, which is great and all, but it’s summer! She was hoping her band could hang out but said no one has even suggested it.

This is actually a pretty common band discussion. Some bands only care to see each other when they practice or they keep it more professional. I think cause most bands are made with all guys, they may just not care to hang out more casually or develop potential friendships. They are there to make music, and maybe make money. That’s all. That, or no one cares to organize such an event.

My band would like to be a little closer, so we’ve had like a small party and done karaoke/board games before. Now that we got a new member, our singer really wanted to arrange a hangout and was thinking about karaoke or ice skating. We had rehearsal earlier and decided to do a board game cafe for new years, and also exchange our Secret Santa gifts then (a bit late, but we won’t have a chance before then).

Anyways, Bocchi decides to take the reins and ask first, even if it means the pressure will be on her to decide the place and time. She picks up the phone to ask Nijika. Will she do it? Will she do it? Nope! haha She waited too long and chickened out.

At work, the members think Bocchi has been acting a little weird, at least weirder or quieter than usual. Even the manager has noticed and asked them to get her to stop making cicada graves in front of the club all day. The members wonder if she’s freaking out because it’s the last day of summer, but mature manager steps in and asks if they took her anywhere.

Awwww her little sister Futari asked Bocchi to teach her guitar, and while her little sis is amazed that she plays all day, she also worries as she has other things to do and friends to play with and can’t stay with her all the time. Ouch.

Kita said her schedules quite packed, and she didn’t want to invite Bocchi to hang with friends she didn’t know. Very valid point considering my introverted friends. Nijika is usually working or cleaning up at home. And of course, cool Ryo just had her own thing to do and figured the others invited her.

Kita jumps right in and says they should all go to the beach right now. Even if they can’t swim, they can still make some memories. You gotta love where Bocchi’s mind takes her though. Tropical Love~

While she’s out cold, they drag her to the beach, literally. You gotta love the anime tropes eh? It’s not a slice of life, romance, or shojo anime without a beach episode! Anyways, I think I’ll just leave that for this episode as it’s a pretty chill and fun one!

Episode 10

LOL we start this episode with some organizers freaking out as a band couldn’t make it last minute (not uncommon). Then Bocchi walks in to save the day, acting like a badass, shades and all. Crowd is going wild, shouting her name! Of course it’s just a dream, but one day Bocchi!

The class is discussing what they’re doing for the culture festival and mention how all the girls will be wearing maid outfits. I feel bad for you shy individuals. Her class rep then mentions that if anyone wants to perform on the second day of the festival, they just need to fill out a form and hand it in.

Bocchi starts to consider her band playing on stage. It was something she wanted to do in middle school but never got the chance. She tries to convince herself that the band is serious, not some fun school project…

But then she overhears a classmate saying ‘if someone in the class performed, they’d be the coolest person ever’….and all the sudden she’s a second away from handing in that form without any memory. She freaks out and ends up fainting.

She wakes up again in the nurse’s office with Kita by her side. Kita herd she fainted and was worried bout her. Bocchi didn’t want to tell her how or why she ended up there because she knew Kita would be all for the concert and she was still hesitant, so she sent Kita on her way.

Bocchi had a thought that all high school performers are amateurs, so it’s not a bad idea. But then she looks up a video on her phone and realizes they’re just as hyped and sparkling as any other band. Though a shy loner making her debut is pretty cool. She decides it’s not happening, ‘she knows her place’…in the trash apparently.

She shows up at work and ends up talking to the manager who suggests that she does it. Your high school years will be done before you know it. Her bandmates, Ryo and Nijika, then walk in on the discussion. They’re both for it as they have both done it before and seem to enjoy it.

They go on to say that it’d be nice to perform somewhere other than the venue, and that it’s a great opportunity to advertise. Ryo steps in and says she understands why Bocchi is hesitant. It’s a big crowd, so she shouldn’t rush the decision….and how she has nightmares about when she bombed ^^” She was just acting strong and proud a little earlier. All in all, like Nijika says, just make sure you don’t have regrets.

The next day at school, she leans on the negative side. It would suck to have regrets, but she’d feel worse if they bombed and she had to live with that. She’d rather become a famous star in the future and have her classmates be surprised.

She is confident with her decision…Until Kita steps and says she handed in the form Bocchi threw away LOL At the venue once again, Bocchi is dead. Kita didn’t realize she didn’t want to play but there’s no way to take back their application.

Hiroi, the drunk lady, comes in and gets up to date on the scenerio. She then invites the band to her concert. They offer to pay, but she rejects it asking if they think she’s broke….apparently they got many reasons to believe that. She also owes Bocchi money…and so does Ryo. At least that’s finally been sorted out.

They end up at Shinjuku FOLT, Hiroi’s main venue. If you didn’t know, while any band can play anywhere, it’s normal for more established bands to become regulars at a certain venue or bar, club, restaurant etc. If the hosts like them enough, they would invite them to play more. As long as they can be relied on and the audience seems to like them, it’s a mutually beneficial agreement.

While Hiroi says all clubs are the same, the girls get a little intimidated by the regulars there. Obviously, it’s not going to be the same as a place where your bandmate is friends with the owner. At least there’s girls here. It’d probably be a lot more awkward if everyone was male and a lot older. Whether it’s cause they don’t take female musicians seriously or they start hitting on them…it’s awkward.

While the owner seemed very grumpy at first, he’s actually really welcoming. We then get to meet Hiroi’s bandmates. They tell Hiroi to stop being late…they already finished their rehearsal for the day…that’s pretty bad lol

They then introduce themselves. We got Shima the drummer, and Eliza, a guitarist who came from England. She came for Comikets, but also wanted to be in an anisong cover band…like me 😛 Honestly, anime music is the best, most creative, most well rounded music I’ve ever heard. Sometimes I try to listen to other Japanese music, but it doesn’t have that same energy, or the same motivational messages.

All in all, this was a great meetup. The more connections you have in the band world, the better. More so if you can leave a good impression. Considering how big SICK HACK is, maybe Kessoku can open for them in the future when they’re ready. Or if a venue is looking for fresh talent, or maybe they can’t make their gig, SICK HACK can recommend Kessoku. Meeting online isn’t bad, but it’s better face to face.

At this point, the crowd has come in the band is waiting for the event to start. They’re surprised at how popular Hiroi’s band is. Ryo is chilling on a bench. I’m definitely like her at events. I don’t like being in the crowd, I tend to stand by the sides or walls….if there was a chair, even better! Even if I love the artist, I’m not one to be screaming and jumping like other enthusiastic fans. That’s just not my personality. I’m just here to watch and enjoy the music ^^”

They talk a bit about how excited they are to hear this psychedelic rock band. Then the show starts~ Only a few seconds in and the crowds already going wild. Bocchi as well is engulphed at how amazing the band is. She mentions the drummer being right on with the off-time irregular beat, the guitarist playing emotionally but overwhelmingly logical, and the bass forms a wall that surrounds it all…but most of all, Hiroi’s overwhelming charisma. She takes it in that performers are heroes.

I never cared for concerts growing up. I never liked an artists so much that I would care to pay to see them, let alone stand for hours in a hot sweaty crowd with blasting music. That was the opposite of a ‘good time’ for me…but as an adult, I had to see One OK Rock at least once and after that, I was more open to seeing more.

This year (2022), I got to see One OK Rock again, along with other Japanese acts Scandal and Miyavi, and I’ve become a bit of a convert. There’s certainly an appeal to seeing artists like that you’ll never get by just hearing them or watching them on Youtube. Since I want to perform more in the future, I can certainly learn a lot watching them. Their energy, charisma, amazing playing and emotional vocals will certainly give you goosebumps.

After the show, Kessoku band is hanging with the SICK HACK members backstage. Hiroi asks how they did, and Bocchi says they were great while sounding very down. Hiroi asks what’s wrong and Bocchi says they were shining and she doesn’t think she can do that.

Hiroi then confesses that she was once the gloomy kid in the corner of the class. She’d imagine her future and saw how lame it would be. She started learning rock to turn her life around. She was scared stiff and started drinking just before her first gig.

Hiroi thinks it’s amazing that they could perform without the need for alcohol, and that Bocchi did pretty well at Starry and on the street. She just needs to have a little faith in herself. Bocchi is feeling more confident and looks forward to their performance at the festival, inviting Hiroi to come watch.

Afterwards, the band gets together for dinner and starts discussing the culture festival performance. They got 15 minutes, which is about 3 songs. Ryo said she’s already decided the setlist since it came up. She included a Bocchi solo in the middle for her to have her moment to shine. I agree with the plan, more so cause it is their school, their concert.

Kita asks if an all-original set is a bit aggressive. It can be a lot for people to take in. Covers are popular for a reason, they’re familiar and people will be hyped up and maybe sing along. There’s always more risk playing originals to an audience that doesn’t know you at all, but as Nijika says, so what? ‘Let’s be aggressive’. Go make a statement! Ryo pitches in, at least if they bomb, there’s 4 of them. It is better to bomb in a group ^^”

Op, confession time! Kita says she was aware Bocchi threw the application away intentionally, but submitted it anyways. She’s sorry for lying about it. Bocchi thanks her. She was freaking out at first, but now she’s looking forward to it. She’s actually grateful and thankful. I will say, I’m amazed at how confident Bocchi is speaking at this point.

Kita really wanted Bocchi to perfrom as well. She then goes to Ryo to ask for coaching. She knows Bocchi’s going to be quite busy with her own practice (and solo), so it makes sense. She wants to improve as well.

I’m excited to see their culture festival performance ^_^

Episode 11

We start this show with Bocchi’s school festival in action. Ryo and Nijika are wondering the halls and headed towards Bocchi’s class. They heard Bocchi’s supposed to be in a maid outfit that day, but when they enter the class and see Kita, they all said she vanished.

Her classmates said they wished she’d just say ‘no’ if she didn’t want to do it, but they don’t get it. Shy people don’t want to let their peers down, or they may feel bad or pressured if they try to say ‘no’. Either way, they all opt to go find her.

We then come across Bocchi who is lying on some floor outside somewhere. She’s worried about causing trouble for everyone if she doesn’t go back, but she’ll die from embarrassment if her band sees her in her maid outfit. She wishes she had her cardboard box, but decides to escape to the online world. She’s been too busy with rehearsals to even check her social medias and claims her comment section is the nicest place in the world. If you have real fans, it definitely is!

Welp….oh gosh. HAHAHA Since she hasn’t uploaded in a while, there are comments asking if she’s dead and that they may have to unsubscribe, so now Bocchi is panicked and feels a need to upload asap. That is the sad reality of our day and age. You gotta keep up and keep your audience entertained. The algorithms only favour channels and accounts that are really active, and many Youtubers get burnt out. So many felt the need to apologize when they plan to or have taken a break 🙁

As she’s freaking out wondering when was the last time she uploaded, her bandmates finally find her. They walk around and see their band’s name on the program and are excited. Though they may as well just enjoy today and see what’s around. In Bocchi’s head, she’s never enjoyed a school event, but this time around, she see’s it’s pretty fun with friends…though it’s also an excuse to avoid her own class haha

I’m dead. Bocchi passed out while standing and holding a sign outside the class door. Two huge hooligans came around asking to play and such, but she wasn’t fazed and they got intimidated in the end. Now it’s time for her to serve. And now they’re all teasing her. Not just saying she looks great in a maid outfit, but talking about having her in a swimsuit for a video. Poor girl lol They love torturing her ^^”

When Kita does her Maid spell on the omurice, it’s really apparent just how much start quality she has. I’m not surprised she’s so popular. Right after, the class ask her for help and she gets to wear the maid outfit, and then they all do. I’m sure that’s a bit comforting for Bocchi since she was ashamed to be seen in the outfit before. And hey, this is great advertisement for when the band performs tomorrow.

Now we’re at the band’s final practice. They’re all pretty hyped to perform. They mention Bocchi’s guitar looking kinda old and Ryo hints at how much the vintage item must cost (and trust me, this one’s just as pricey and valuable as Mafuyu’s from Given. He too had no clue as it was given to him). Also how her dad’s coming out tomorrow and is excited since he couldn’t come last time due to the storm. They’re also discussing who wil be MCing, as they will need to do intros and banter between songs.

I was getting a little worried they would stretch things and save the final performance for the final episode, but suddenly it’s the day, Bocchi’s on her train and the show has begun. Yay!!

Bocchi, while thinking about a producer being in the audience and giving them a contract, I thought she would get really nervous and psych herself out but looks like that entices her. That’s good! Even back stage, she seems unusually confident….for a little while anyways. Her heart’s beating like crazy. Gambare!

It’s timeeeee aaaaahhh! Everyone’s cheering for Kita chan…at least that takes the pressure of Bocchi HAHAHAA But then Bocchi’s little sister screams for her, and she starts to see her family, her previous fans, and her classmates….and the drunken big sis is going wild at the front and embarrassing them all ^^” Kita then introduces them, and the reception is pretty good………..

….Yeahhhhh of course they’re going to leave it for the final episode LOL Oh well hahahahaaa

Episode 12

It’s time ahhhhhhhhhhh!!! >…< I’m so excited!!

The episode jumps right in with their first number. It’s a happier/peppier sounding track and the band is sounding pretty good. Audience is into it, at least compared to their last gig.

Bocchi’s looking down, but still looking cool. Honestly, just looking at your instrument isn’t that odd for a lot of musicians. At least she’s moving around and looks like she’s really into the music. Bocchi seems a lil nervous after the first number but things went well. The MCs are enthusiastic as well.

Onto the second number! Another new song with a funkier rhythm. When did they have time to prepare all this? haha

Op, so it seems Bocchi’s a little worried. Her high E string (the top skinniest) one isn’t staying in tune. Since she is the lead guitarist, the higher strings are especially important, and would also be very noticeable if she has a solo.

Of course that’ll make her extra nervous because she may be playing a piece right but it’ll sound wrong and it will draw more attention to her. It may also be a sign that the E string is about to snap….yeah there it goes. Oh noooooooooooo ;_____;

Who knows if she’s every gotten her guitar checked or tuned up since she got it. It is an antique afterall. She decides to be fast and retune her B string (the 2nd highest string), but the peg (aka the tuning peg) is broken as well. Oy. That leaves her with 4 strings.

As Kikuri says, she wouldn’t be able to do her solo as those strings are quite vital. Not only did she lose her whole higher register, but she has practiced her solo hard with those pieces and it’ll definitely be a lot more stressful creating a different solo on the spot. What will she do? She is freaking out with reason.

Kita steps up to the plate to assist with the solo piece. And while I didn’t say this earlier cause I was trying to ignore it, I’m thankful Bocchi had 3+ years to play as well as she does, but Kita’s progress is still unnatural, especially cause she’s playing barre chords and all. But anyways….

Kita ad-libbing gives Bocchi more confidence. She sees a cup and picks it up to play with. This is actually slide guitar, where one uses a hard object and slides across the strings. According to Wikipedia, it creates ‘the opportunity for glissando effects and deep vibratos that reflect characteristics of the human singing voice’. But congrats to them for thinking on the fly! Bocchi can finally breath a bit <3

So Kita decides to say more between songs and the crowd is pleased with Bocchi. Kita puts her on the spot oh noooo. Even though I’m more social, I also prefer to be prepared or I kinda stutter or trip over my words ^^” LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL She jumps into the crowd hahahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhaahahhahahahahahah NOOOOOOOOOOO Poor girl

If only that was a dream haha Sad they didn’t get to play their final number, but that’s embarrassing lol

She wakes up in the nurses office with Kita by their side. She said people kinda enjoyed it more and how they were going to go have an after party if she was feeling up for it. Bocchi does tell her that she improved so fast which was my own thoughts earlier.

Kita says only for Rhythm….and I will say, rhythm is so underrated. I’m a rhythm focused player, but it’s cause I love strumming. I love the many different techniques from palm muting, to 16-beat funk rhythm, the variety of chord progressions in Japanese music and the many types of chords.

I get that the audience is drawn to lead and solos, and it can seem cool and flashy, but rhythm, like bass and drums, are the foundation for every band. Many songs don’t have lead at all, and not every guitarist can switch chords quickly and strum in time (trust me, I’ve written articles bout this), so people need to stop rating rhythm guitarists as second class….same with bass being third class or failed guitarists. In Jmusic, sometimes bass is the best part of the song!

Anyways, the festival comes to an end. Bocchi’s walking around. A couple boys notice her and call her the ‘stage diver’ and ‘crazy rocker chick’ LOL Welp, at least she got noticed.

She gets home and asks her father for forgiveness for breaking his guitar. He says its no big deal, just a broken peg. Any part of a guitar can be fixed or replaced 🙂 He also found it rad how she broke it in the middle of a concert. He says they now designs guitars that are made to be broken and she should use them LOL

But he does say it’s a good opportunity for her to buy her own guitar, and that she’d be able to fix it right away. Which is also true. The main issue with old or antique guitars is that stores may not carry the parts they need due to low demand, so it may take time to order along with extra money to change.

He then pulls out some cash for her to buy it. She’s suspicious, but they say it’s the ad revenue from her own videos. Bocchi didn’t know the monetized the account…but damn, they’ve been holding out on her haha It’s sweet her parents noticed her videos and have been supporting her in secret ^^

She has about $3000 at her disposal, which is enough to buy pretty much any guitar she wants, including a lot of high end ones, but she considers spending about $1000 for a guitar and use the rest on quotas so she wouldn’t have to work again. Priorities~

Bocchi is glowing at work, excited to finally quit her job……but of course, she doesn’t have the guts to tell the manager lol Ghosting isn’t really an option when you work at the place your band practices and performs at.

So the band goes out with her to buy a guitar. Bocchi was considering buying online, but Nijika says it’s better to handle it. I definitely agree. My first 4 guitars were all bought second-hand or online, so I didn’t really have the option to try them before committing to buy them.

I was also pretty poor, so I only got budget guitars (Behringer, Squier, Epiphone). I thought they were fine, though my first came with thick strings, one had a warped neck, and I really didn’t like the bulky shape of the Telecaster.

I didn’t know how good a guitar could feel in your hand until I passed by a music store with a newer guitar friend earlier this year and saw this pink Ibanez. It was so thin (a worker compared it to a maxbook) and it just felt so good in my hands…played like a breeze.

I told my friend make sure I don’t buy anything cause I was broke, but once I played it, I knew I was going home with it. It was only $500, which is a good $1300 less than this Fender guitar I saw the year before that I thought I really wanted. This one is honestly my dream guitar <3 So if you can, definitely try before you buy!

However, I also get Bocchi’s fears. Music stores can be intimidating. Not sure about Japan, but over here, good luck getting anyone to help you. It’s like they go into hiding and you have to look for someone. Guitars may be high on a shelf or gear may be behind glass, so you need assistance.

Maybe you’re new to music and instruments so you got questions, but they may look down on you or not care to give you their time. I actually wrote an article about bad customer service in music stores cause it was clear it wasn’t just me after I’ve read others experiences. But many have said they are treated well at the smaller mom-and-pop shops.

So the girls are looking around. There’s actually so much to see and try. You can easily spend an hour in there. Ryo decides to take a bass and try it for fun, and amazes the workers. I heard most workers don’t bother with customer service because they’re so used to guitarists coming in and playing, but never intending to buy anything. It seems some people may go and play the same guitar for a few weeks or months before finally buying it as well.

Aww poor Nijika. First with the photos, and now this. It’s true that guitarists and bassists definitely have more options and things to try in a music store. There’s definitely more styles of guitars, along with amps, picks, strings, etc. A drummer only needs one kit. If they do shop, it may just be for new sticks or cymbals. I get Nijika may be tempted to buy a bass or guitar just to fit in more lol

Bocchi is admiring a black guitar. A worker comes up to her and says it’s a great starter guitar and offers her other items she should get if she’s new to the instrument. Out of pressure she’s like ‘sure’, but her band members jump in and says she already plays. A little embarrassing for the worker to assume wrongly, but I’m sure her shy demeaner would give that impression.

As she’s checking out, the worker says she’s being doing the maintenance checks for it. I remember looking into how often guitars are checked and strings are changed since guitars will be hanging on the walls for weeks or months, maybe even years before being bought.

Every store is different. I’m sure there’s guitars the workers are a lil attached to and wished they could buy but they may not have the space or funds.

She heads home and tries on the new guitar in the mirror. Looking good! And like every guitarist, we feel kinda bad ditching our ol’ reliable when we get a new guitar ^^” We can’t help it lol New stuff are just nicer, okay? haha

Off to practice she goes. Imma miss this series until next season. Still waiting for Given S2 as well waaah