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relatability & bocchi

Bocchi the Rock! (which I’m gonna call Bocchi, and I'm gonna call the character Hitori), deals with so many different concepts and themes that it's hard to stick a label on it and call it a day.

On MAL, Bocchi is classified as a comedy, and wikipedia states that it is a comedy, slice of life and music anime. And while these do suit the show, narrowing it down to simply a comedy and slice of life doesn’t truly convey the essence of the show.

Bocchi is a story of music, as you would assume from the name, but it is also a show about performing. While music and performing are both closely tied together, they aren’t the same, and Bocchi makes that distinction through our main character, Hitori.

We see how Hitori struggles to perform in episode 1, despite her mastery over music. That’s because performing is so much more than just the music. And as Hitori learns how to become a better performer, we see how she grows as a person at the same time, and Bocchi becomes a sort of coming-of-age show.

But I’m going off track. What I want to focus on is how Bocchi manages to succeed despite its seemingly simplistic premise. Technically, Bocchi isn’t the first anime of its kind to come out. We’ve had Komi-san can’t communicate, K-ON and so many more. So what makes Bocchi so special?

So many people who have reviewed Bocchi have expressed how the show was an unexpected hit for them, and the consensus within the community is that Bocchi was a hugely unexpected dark horse.

The answer lies in episode ??. Hitori, unsure about the lyrics she wrote, confides in her bandmate Ryo to seek advice. Ryo, seemingly sensing that Hitori requires a boost of confidence, tells her this:

After watching this episode, my perspective on the various pieces of media I've come across has changed. I've started to realise that across different types of entertainment, there’s an expectation that numbers must reflect how good the piece of media is. I mean, look at how Netflix cancels shows that don’t rake in the viewers they want, even if the show itself was masterfully made.

Ok, so what does any of this have to do with how Bocchi managed to perform so well?

(more under the cut)

As I established earlier, Bocchi is a comedy slice of life, with comedy usually taking the forefront of the show. With the sheer amount of gags and creative visuals (and I mean creative) the team shoves into each episode, the show almost seems to parody itself with how unserious it is.

I’d argue that it is this very whimsical nature that allows Bocchi The Rock to succeed.

For reference, let’s take a look at one of my favourite Starkid musicals, Twisted. Twisted isn’t Starkid’s first parody musical, but it is by far the fan-favourite and for a good reason. I recommend you watch Schaffrillas Productions video on Twisted, he makes a lot of really good points explaining why Twisted succeeds so well as a parody musical. But the most important part in his video is when he explains that Twisted’s comedic beats are what allow the emotional moments to deeply impact the viewers.

“But that’s obvious,” I hear you cry. “Contrasting concepts is one of the most basic and typical ways to highlight emotional moments. What does this have to do with relatability?”

However, there’s a reason why it’s been so used for so many years. Writers don’t rely on juxtaposition, oxymorons and paradoxes when crafting their stories for unfounded reasons.

And yea, you’re partially correct. The idea of putting two contrasting concepts side by side to bring out the best of each one is not new. We can see this in age-old classics like the tortoise and the hare, where the tortoise is slow but wise while the hare is fast and cocky.

Aren’t these devices merely a reflection of life? After all, what is life but an unending rollercoaster, a series of ups and downs where we are the temporary passengers of this exhilarating ride?

It is this that makes the idea of relatability in Bocchi it's key to success.

The reason why Bocchi resonates with so many people is its very human portrayal. As a slice of life, Bocchi is supposed to show us excerpts of everyday life. But with the nametag of ‘slice of life’, Bocchi is expected to conform to the preconceived notions that many have formed of this type of media. The idea of a relatively peaceful and uneventful life, finding small happiness and being a show about cute girls doing cute things are all expectations that Bocchi was confronted with.

But that’s not what we’re given. Instead, Bocchi shows us a cast of characters that are faced with a series of highs and lows and how they navigate and grow together.

Most importantly, we get to see how Hitori lives. While her anxiety is often used to deliver comedic jokes, there is a certain level of meta-humour in these jokes.

Like what Garnt says in this video, many people who are introverted or have experienced some level of anxiety can relate to some of Hitori’s shenanigans. Whether it be her overthinking or her inability to communicate with others in a way she believes to be “normal”, there is a feeling of painful relatability when we laugh at Hitori’s humorous moments.

Bocchi the rock is a show that recognises and understands its audience. The show knows it will not resonate with everyone and understands not everyone will enjoy it whether or not they can relate to Hitori. Yet, Bocchi the rock never demands its audience to like it more than they already do.

And that’s so refreshing. With Netflix churning out cash grabs one after another, we’ve become so desensitised to the media screaming in our faces for our attention, demanding our time and effort, going so far as to conform and pander to everyone to achieve record-high views, only for us to forget about them in a couple of months.

Bocchi the rock is a show of love. It is a show created out of love. It is a show about a love for music and performing. It is a show that sees its audiences and loves them.

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