Bocchi
the Rock! Not
only did he conquer the public for his humor and charisma, but also for the
creative decisions that marked a before and after in the way a manga was
adapted to anime. Screenwriter Erika Yoshida, also known for her
work on Tora ni Tsubasa, revealed that many elements of the source
material were modified because, according to her, "they became noise that
pushed the audience away instead of bringing them closer."
The most
striking cuts of the adaptation
Among the
clearest examples is the scene in which the protagonist, Hitori Gotoh, had to
appear naked in a cold bath. In the manga this happened openly, but in the
anime it was decided to put a swimsuit on her. Yoshida explained that if the
work sought to be sold with that type of resources it would make sense, but
that is not the heart of the story. In fact, he added that these types of
changes help make the title more accessible and competitive in an industry
where every detail can make a difference.
Decisions
that divide the fandom
It was not
the only case. Also left out were scenes in which the girls compared the size
of their bodies to each other, something that the screenwriter called
"unrealistic" and "unnecessary noise". While many anime
resort to this type of joke without much problem, in Bocchi the Rock! it
was considered that they detracted from the central message of the work.
A
production with a long-term view
Yoshida
also praised the cooperation of the production team, the director's work, and
especially the illustrations by character designer Kerorira, which
she said helped reinforce the idea that the project could aspire to become a
phenomenon. "If you let free fanservice in, we ran the risk that many
viewers would stop giving it a chance," he explained.
The
vision behind success
For
Yoshida, what makes Bocchi the Rock! special is not the
magical transformation of a shy girl into an extrovert, but the opposite: the
steadfastness of a character who, even with her social difficulties intact,
manages to find a space in which to grow little by little. The fact that the
anime closes with a simple "today it's also time to work" reflects
just that philosophy: there are no miracles, only small steps that build a
realistic story.
The
debate it opens in the industry
The screenwriter also issued a warning: while it is valid that there are more extreme works and even aimed at adults, in a market dominated by streaming – where any child can easily access content designed for adults – creators must think more responsibly about the limits of each production. "If I wouldn't feel comfortable showing the play to my son, then I know something isn't right," she said.
