Following the announcement of Season 2 of the anime series, news of a special anime movie adaptation of 'Bocchi the Rock!' has been revealed.
On the 1st, Aniplex released a teaser video for 'Bocchi the Rock! The Movie: Starry Footprints' (ぼっち・ざ・ろっく！ 星のあしあと) via its official YouTube channel. The teaser was revealed during an event celebrating the 35th anniversary of SHELTER, the live house that served as the motif for STARRY, the main stage for Kessoku Band in the series.
The film is a prequel based on "A Love Flower Dedicated to the Stars," a short spin-off special chapter included at the end of Volume 5 of the original manga. Set prior to the formation of Kessoku Band, it tells the story of Kessoku Band's leader and drummer, Nijika Ijichi, and her older sister Seika Ijichi, the manager of STARRY. The teaser highlights Nijika and Seika sitting side by side in the back seat of a car alongside tagline copy reading, "This is the story of a sisters' dream beginning from a 'farewell' prior to the formation of Kessoku Band," previewing the process of creating STARRY.
The main staff includes director Shin Wakabayashi ('Wonder Egg Priority'), character designer Yukiko Horiguchi ('K-ON!'), and screenwriter Erika Yoshida, who wrote the 'Bocchi the Rock!' series and the drama 'The Tiger and Her Wings'. CloverWorks will return to produce the animation, ensuring high quality. The exact release date for the movie has yet to be determined, while MoviTicke cards featuring illustrations of Nijika and Seika are scheduled to go on sale on November 6.
Meanwhile, 'Bocchi the Rock!' is based on the four-panel manga by Aki Hamazi, currently serialized in Manga Time Kirara MAX. The coming-of-age band series follows Hitori Gotoh, an introverted girl with extreme social anxiety who unexpectedly joins Kessoku Band led by drummer Nijika Ijichi, growing through music alongside unique members such as bassist Ryo Yamada and guitarist/vocalist Ikuyo Kita. The first season of the TV anime, which aired in the fall of 2022, generated explosive popularity in Japan and overseas through its creative direction and solid music. The franchise has since expanded through compilation films, a second anime season, live Kessoku Band concerts, and this special movie project.
In addition, Kessoku Band's first Asian tour, "Kessoku Band Asia Tour 2027," has been confirmed for 2027. All four main voice cast members of Kessoku Band—Yoshino Aoyama (voice of Hitori Gotoh), Sayumi Suzushiro (voice of Nijika Ijichi), Saku Mizuno (voice of Ryo Yamada), and Ikumi Hasegawa (voice of Ikuyo Kita)—will participate, touring three Asian cities starting in Osaka in March 2027, followed by Seoul and Hong Kong. In Korea, the event will take place on May 8 at KINTEX, with further details available on the official Bocchi the Rock! social media channels.
