Hitori

Hitori Gotoh (ひとり, Gotō Hitori) 後ご藤とう , often referred to by her bandmates as Bocchi-chan (ぼっちちゃん) , [ 2 ] is the titular main protagonist of the manga and anime series Bocchi the Rock. She is a first-year student at Shuka High School and is the lead guitarist and lyricist of Kessoku Band.

She is extremely shy and introverted, with a strong desire to play in a band to showcase her talent. This aspiration led her to learn to play the guitar. Despite her great talent, she finds it difficult to effectively demonstrate her skills in front of an audience.

profile Romaji Gotō Hitori Alias Guitarhero (ギターヒーローgitāhīrō) [1] Bocchi-chan (ぼっちちゃん) by Ryo [ 2 ] Mango Mask(マンゴー仮面Mangō Kamen) by Seika [ 3 ] Hippie-senpai by Nene [ 4 ]

Characteristics Birthday February 21 [ 5 ] Age 15 [ 5 ] 17 (Chapter 73) [ 6 ]

Gender Female Height 156 centimeters [ 5 ] Weight 50 kilos [ 5 ] Hair color Pink Eye color Water Blood type B [ 7 ] Occupation Student Affiliation Shuka High School Kessoku Band Relatives Naoki Gotoh (father) Michiyo Gotoh (mother) Futari Gotoh (little sister) Jimihen (dog)

Appearance Hitori's appearance is characterized by her long pink hair, which is tied with a blue and yellow cube-shaped hair accessory on the right side of her head, her aquamarine eyes, and her fair complexion.

In her uniform, she usually wears a pink tracksuit with a long gray pleated skirt, black socks, and brown shoes, as part of her style. Ironically, she has a large bust (as shown in the manga); this is likely due to her wearing baggy clothes.

Personality Hitori is an extremely introverted girl with high social anxiety, which makes it very difficult for her to talk to strangers.

She often tries to avoid interactions, and even performed her first live concert inside a cardboard mango box. [ 8 ] Due to her introversion, she rarely goes out and instead spends most of her time at home, playing guitar alone in a dark closet.

He seeks praise from others, probably as a reaction to his personality. He started playing guitar to become a musical star with the sole intention of being admired. He sometimes attempts to socialize, often in unusual ways, such as imitating how others speak. However, these attempts often fail.

Relations Nijika Ijichi Nijika played a pivotal role in Bocchi's experience with the band and her social development, as she was the one who convinced her to join. As the band's leader, she treated Bocchi with kindness and encouragement, as she did the other members. Nijika was also a source of motivation for Bocchi, offering words of encouragement whenever necessary.

Despite being a fan of Guitarhero, Nijika was unaware that Bocchi was behind the channel when he recruited her. However, her intuition eventually recognized the similarities and she pointed them out to Bocchi, who confirmed her claims. Nijika understood the truth and respected Bocchi's wish to keep her identity a secret. Nijika even witnessed her musical prowess firsthand. When Poison♡Yami attempted to reveal Bocchi's identity, Nijika attempted to defend her until Bocchi finally relented.

ryo-yamada Ryo is responsible for giving Hitori her nickname "Bocchi" and also for naming the band "Kessoku Band." The two quickly became close friends after their first meeting, and Ryo used his experience in a previous band to help Bocchi find her place in Kessoku Band. Although both are introverted and reserved, Ryo is less anxious than Bocchi and tends to remain calm in stressful situations.

However, Ryo often borrows money from Bocchi, promising to repay her, but often fails to do so due to financial difficulties. Furthermore, when Bocchi suffers a setback, Ryo sometimes laughs at her, though it is only playful teasing within their strong and supportive friendship.

Ikuyo Kita Despite not being acquaintances, they quickly became close friends, as she was the one who recruited Kita back into the band Kessoku and taught her how to play the guitar. They also attended the same school and shared a class during their second year. She was also the one who helped Kita reconcile with the other band members after her sudden disappearance.

Although they have a strong friendship, they both have their own weaknesses. Bocchi feels insecure about her ability to make friends compared to Kita's outgoing personality, while Kita feels insecure about Bocchi's talent and determination. Despite this, they rarely argue, except when Kita felt uncomfortable with Bocchi's obsession with keeping their band photo as tiled walls in her closet, which led her to distance herself from Bocchi for a few days.

Kita is known for her kindness and addresses Bocchi by her surname, "Gotoh-san." Later, as they become closer friends, Kita began calling her "Hitori-chan." Kita is also aware of Bocchi's social anxiety and wants to help her overcome it. However, her attempts sometimes end up making things worse for Bocchi, such as when she gave her the opportunity to speak during her concert at a cultural festival, which resulted in Bocchi jumping off the stage. Despite this, neither Bocchi nor Kita seem to care about these mishaps.

History Hitori began playing the guitar in her first year of middle school and improved her skills by practicing six hours a day. However, after graduating from middle school and starting Shuka High School, she still had no friends at the beginning of the series. [ 9 ]

Volume 1 Hitori played her guitar at home while lamenting in an internal monologue about how she was about to become a hikikomori, a person isolated from society due to their social problems. She found solace in the comments on her "guitarhero" video channel, but when someone suggested she perform live, her motivation waned. She recalled her middle school days, when she tried unsuccessfully to make friends through her passion for rock music. She dreamed of forming a band and performing live, but it seemed like a distant fantasy. The next day, she showed up at Shuka High School with her guitar and band merchandise, but no one seemed interested. Depressed, she wandered around Shimokitazawa, ending up on a swing set in a nearby park, and lamenting her bad luck. Suddenly, a girl approached her and introduced herself as Nijika Ijichi. Seeing her guitar, she asked Hitori to replace the guitarist who had recently run away from the band. Hitori reluctantly agreed, and Nijika took her to a live venue called STARRY. Along the way, Nijika rambled on about herself, making it difficult for Hitori to hear her. But when Nijika mentioned the "guitarhero" channel and her desire to play with the creator, Hitori was surprised and grateful that someone liked her work.

Upon arriving at STARRY, Nijika introduced Hitori to Ryo Yamada, who was already inside. [10] The live venue and staff were so gloomy that Hitori, frightened, hid in a trash can. By the time they started rehearsing, Hitori was feeling very ill, which sapped her motivation despite her impressive performances as a guitar hero.

To cheer her up, Ryo suggested that she hide in a mango box to calm down, and surprisingly it worked. She felt much better and was able to perform well at the concert. Ryo also explained the band's name, Kessoku Band, and gave her the nickname "Bocchi(-chan)". Although Hitori was only in a box, she felt optimistic about playing with the band and believed that improving her social skills was crucial to proving her potential as a guitar hero. [ 11 ]

The next day, Bocchi shared with the band her tendency to avoid people, revealing how she commutes two hours to school to avoid running into acquaintances and how upbeat songs make her feel as if she is missing out on her youth. When Nijika mentioned the band's financial situation and need for part-time work, Bocchi hesitated to give up her savings and was scared of the idea of ​​working. Nijika then offered her a job at the concert hall, which Bocchi reluctantly accepted, but she still looked to the odds of winning the lottery to evade her responsibility. [12] On her first day on the job, Bocchi attempted to evade it by bathing in cold water and sitting in front of a fan, but failed. Her nervousness affected her even just before entering the concert hall, until the manager spotted her and mistook her for a customer. The day was filled with many setbacks, but still went well, and Nijika congratulated her for stepping up. She managed to get excited for the next day, but her enthusiasm for the next day was ruined by a fever that attacked her at the wrong time.

She returned to school frustrated by the anxiety that prevented her from communicating until she bumped into a cheerful girl. She tried to get her attention to join her gang, but she ended up running away. After a proper explanation, Kita initially refused due to her previous experience with a certain gang, but asked Bocchi if he could teach her how to

play the guitar. Bocchi agreed and even brought Kita along to her part-time job, only to discover that it was at the same concert hall where her former band played and where the former Kessoku Band vocalist quit. [14] Despite being overwhelmed by Kita's presence when she joined the team at her job, Bocchi showed her the ins and outs of the job and they developed a mutual understanding. Eventually, Kita rejoined the band. [15]

At subsequent events, Bocchi "enjoyed" teaching Kita how to play the guitar, working at his part-time job, and participating in photoshoots with the group. [16] The band asked him to write lyrics for a new song, but Bocchi struggled to come up with an idea that satisfied him. After receiving advice from Ryo, he eventually finished the lyrics, which the band liked and approved. [17] When Seika proposed the band for their next live performance, the band rejected the proposal, but Bocchi became overwhelmed and vomited due to stress. Seika noticed this and offered constructive criticism, commenting that he often looked down, hoping to help Bocchi improve, but Bocchi misinterpreted her comments as a threat.

Bocchi finds himself at a dead end while trying to sell tickets for his performance. He reflects on his situation when he suddenly comes across a collapsed woman. After helping her up, he identifies her as a guitarist and introduces himself as Hiroi, the bassist. After learning of Bocchi's situation, Hiroi invites her to a surprise street concert. The impromptu performance attracts a large audience and even manages to sell a few tickets; two girls bought theirs for him, as did Hiroi, but he still asks Bocchi to borrow the money for his return ticket. [ 19 ] The band members, except Ryo, visit Bocchi at his house to have a good time and discuss band-related matters.

Everything goes well until the end, when everyone turns to dust. [ 20 ]

When the time came for their performance, bad weather unfortunately affected the band severely, as many people were unable to attend. Only the drunken wife and two girls from Bocchi's previous performance showed up, which discouraged the band. The concert started poorly, with the band out of sync, but Bocchi stepped up with his lead guitar solo, which helped remotivate them and help them perform their next song exceptionally well. [ 21 ] They later celebrated their success with a feast at an izakaya. Before going home, Nijika chatted with Bocchi, acknowledged her as a guitar hero, and gave her a new name: Bocchi the Rock. [ 22 ]

Volume 2 During summer vacation, Bocchi spent most of his time playing guitar and aimlessly surfing the internet until he got tired. He then went to STARRY alone to hold a funeral for the cicadas. Upon learning that the band had done nothing together for almost the entire vacation, they decided to travel to Enoshima. This was particularly difficult, as all but one of them preferred indoor activities. Despite the difficulties, they had a good time, although Bocchi was attacked by the birds. [ 23 ]

When the application period for the school festival performance opened, Bocchi attempted to apply for the band, but her lingering anxiety held her back. Seeking guidance from both her bandmates and the STARRY staff, she found it difficult to muster the courage to apply. Just when she thought she would give up, Kita revealed that she had already applied on her behalf, which made Bocchi feel deeply (figuratively). [24] With the application now irrevocable, the pressure mounted as it could not be canceled. Bocchi also faced a grueling exam session that left her exhausted. [25] Although she narrowly managed to pass, the impending festival wore her down.

Seeking motivation for the upcoming school live festival, Hiroi invited the band to witness his band perform at FOLT, a concert hall. Bocchi found renewed determination after seeing Hiroi and his band give it their all on stage. The band members then practiced tirelessly for several days leading up to the festival. [26] On the day of the festival, Bocchi found herself in a difficult situation as she needed to dress up as a maid for her class cafe. She ran away before the cafe started, but the other band members managed to track her down and take her to other booths to have fun. However, Bocchi was still required to work at the cafe. They also rehearsed in the school gym as their performance was scheduled for the second day of the festival. [27]

In the school gymnasium, on the second day of the festival, the Kessoku Band began their performance, and Bocchi was filled with anxiety. Unfortunately, halfway through the performance, she discovered that the first string on her guitar was severely out of tune, and she had to constantly try to retune it during the first song. The situation worsened when the same string broke during the second song; the second string couldn't be tuned due to a broken tuning peg. With no time to waste, Bocchi improvised and used an empty sake cup left by Hiroi, who was watching, to perform a slide guitar solo, which surprised the audience for the better. As the performance ended, Kita gave Bocchi a chance to speak during the MC session, but she didn't know what to say. So, wondering what Hiroi would do, she impulsively jumped off the stage. With no one to hold her back, Bocchi fell to the ground and lost consciousness. She was rushed to the infirmary, accompanied by Kita. The incident caused students to remember her as the "crazy rocker who took a dive", which made Bocchi feel very embarrassed. [ 28 ]

Bocchi apologized to her father for the broken guitar and the incident at the school festival. Despite this, her father told her not to worry as it could still be fixed, but suggested she buy a new one. To her surprise, her father revealed that his guitarhero channel had given him enough money (a total of 300,000 yen) to buy a new one. Although she initially attempted to quit her part-time job, she eventually gave up. With her friends, Bocchi went to Ochanomizu in Shibuya to look for a new guitar. She eventually settled on a customized Yamaha, which the manager advised her to take good care of. [ 29 ]

Later, Nijika visited Bocchi at his home and expressed interest in watching his guitarhero recordings. Watching them together, Nijika mentioned "My New Crew", a user who bragged about a high-end guitar and then auctioned it off to buy a newer model. The two discovered that Ryo also joined in. Nijika encouraged Bocchi to create a Twitter account, but unfortunately, Bocchi couldn't resist the "Taunt Monster" in his head, who was begging for more likes. He ended up spending the remaining income from his channel on a bunch of effects pedals just to get attention. After realizing his poor decision-making skills, he became frustrated with his financial situation; worse, he found that his failed stage dive had gone viral. [ 30 ]

As Kessoku Band was preparing for their next live performance, they were surprised by the unexpected appearance of a young woman named Poison♡Yami. She introduced herself as a writer for Band Lab. She interviewed the band, with particular interest in Bocchi due to his viral fame. This raised suspicions among the band members. Later, during their performance, Poison♡Yami was in the audience and was amazed by Bocchi's guitar playing.

She made a shocking revelation to everyone present: she was the creator of the guitarhero channel. [ 31 ]

Despite Nijika's efforts to hide Bocchi's online identity (the only person who knows her online identity), Poison♡Yami pointed out several similarities between her online and offline appearances, leaving Bocchi puzzled. The rest of the band did not react strongly, but Poison♡Yami accused Kessoku Band of not allowing Bocchi to reach her full potential as a guitarist and labeled them a mediocre band. Seika and PA-san eventually ejected Poison♡Yami from the venue, threatening to reveal her true identity to the public. Although the band did not seem too affected by her accusations, Bocchi took them to heart and made an important decision: she and the band would join Mikakunin Riot as Kessoku Band. [ 32 ]