The popularity of “ Bocchi the Rock!, ” a
franchise that has captured the hearts of many thanks to its recent anime
adaptation by CloverWorks , continues
to grow . The story follows Hitori Gotou, a lonely and socially
anxious girl who longs to make friends and play in a band. Despite her
exceptional guitar skills, her anxiety prevents her from demonstrating her
talent in public. The series chronicles how Bocchi, along with her
bandmates Nijika Ijichi, Ikuyo Kita, and Ryou Yamada, strive to improve as
musicians and enjoy their high school days.
Recently, a Twitter user offered an in-depth
analysis on the possible causes of Bocchi’s social anxiety. The user
suggested that Hitori’s withdrawn personality might have started in her
childhood, possibly due to her early entry into kindergarten . In
their words:
- « It
is not known exactly when Hitori Gotou's withdrawn personality began to
form, but I wonder if it all started when she entered kindergarten in the
middle of the year, being born in February .»
The fact that Hitori was born in February is
relevant because in Japan, the school year starts in April. If she entered
kindergarten in the middle of the school year, she might have been younger than
her peers, which may influence her social development. Being at a
disadvantage in terms of age and development compared to other children could
have contributed to her feeling of insecurity and isolation.
- « In
the anime version, it seems that her house is in an urban development
area. I assume that the family moved due to the birth of her
younger sister and her older sister's graduation from elementary school,
leading her to enter a public high school where she didn't know anyone,
increasing her loneliness . »
Living in an urban development area is
also significant . Urban development areas
are often new communities where social and community networks are not well
established . This means that when her family moved, Bocchi did not
have the opportunity to form strong social connections as she would in a more
established community. The combination of moving to a new house, starting a new
school, and not having close friends could have intensified her sense of
loneliness and anxiety.
- « Of
course, the most accepted theory is that her negative tendency is a
generation-skipping inheritance from her grandmother (according
to the back cover of volume 5 of the manga), but the trigger for
its manifestation must be in her childhood environment. Since it
is almost certain that this will not be revealed in the original work,
there is nothing left to do but speculate on the matter ».
The combination of these factors could
explain Hitori Gotou’s complex personality and her struggle with social
anxiety. As the series continues to gain popularity,
fans continue to explore and discuss the depths of their favorite characters,
proving the lasting impact and relevance of “Bocchi the Rock!” in the anime
community.
- « The
few months difference in infancy may seem like a big difference, so that
could be true .»
- " The
handicap of being born at the beginning of the year ."
- " It's
a character, so it doesn't matter, but I would be very upset if someone
analyzed me to my face and said, 'You became shy because...' "
- " Your
social relationships may have been reset by changing school districts from
kindergarten to elementary and then to high school ."
- " There
was hardly anyone from my primary school in my secondary school, so the
groups were already formed ."
- " I
have the feeling that it all started from the moment she was given the
name 'Hitori' (which means 'alone') ."
- « That
happened to me too, haha. I have the same birthday as Bocchi, and I moved
mid-year, but instead of kindergarten, it was daycare. Well, I think my tendency
to be withdrawn is more of an innate characteristic .»
- « First
of all, it is assumed that she is withdrawn and lonely, but Hitori, who is
able to interact with people through her band activities, is not lonely at
all. Also, through her videos, she has high self-esteem and can perform on
the school festival stage, so I don't think she is withdrawn . »
- « I
think it's possible. I had a similar background and, being born at the
beginning of the year and entering mid-year, I found that communities were
already formed. Without having had the opportunity to interact with other
children my age, it was difficult for me to fit in. Also, being physically
smaller, I was more prone to being bullied .»
Source: Otakomu
