A prequel film to “Bocchi the Rock!” will open in Japan in 2027, and the band’s guitarist won’t be at the center of it. “Bocchi the Rock! Hoshi no Ashiato” (“Starry Footprints”) focuses on Seika Ijichi and her younger sister, Nijika, in a story set before Kessoku Band formed, Crunchyroll reported.
The film was announced Nov. 1 alongside a teaser trailer at a 35th anniversary event for the live house Shelter, where Kessoku Band performed, according to the official press release. It adapts “Hoshi ni Tamukeru Ai no Hana,” a special chapter from the end of the manga‘s fifth volume.
“Bocchi the Rock!” prequel film release date and staff
- Title: “Bocchi the Rock! Hoshi no Ashiato” (“Starry Footprints”)
- Release: 2027 in Japan
- Director: Shin Wakabayashi (“Wonder Egg Priority”)
- Screenwriter: Erika Yoshida (“Bocchi the Rock!,” “Tower of God”)
- Character designer: Yukiko Horiguchi (“K-On!”)
- Animation studio: CloverWorks
- Distributor: Animec
- Cast: Maaya Uchida as Seika Ijichi and Sayumi Suzushiro as Nijika Ijichi
No exact opening date has been announced, and neither has an international release. Advance tickets are already on the way in Japan, though. The first batch goes on sale Nov. 6 for 1,600 yen, with new artwork from Horiguchi and a limited-run illustrated sticker.
What we know about the story
Seika, Nijika’s older sister and the manager of Starry, is the film’s protagonist. The story begins with the sisters’ separation 10 years earlier and traces their dreams from there.
Creator Aki Hamazi said she came up with the original chapter on her way home from recording for the anime’s first season. She wanted to fill in the sisters’ past, shown at the end of Episode 8, and draw the path that led to Starry. Hamazi said Yoshida has expanded that story for the film.
Why it matters for fans
“Bocchi the Rock!” built its following on Kessoku Band and its anxious guitarist, Hitori “Bocchi” Gotoh. The prequel moves the spotlight to Nijika, the band’s drummer, and especially to Seika, a supporting character in the main story and the boss at Bocchi’s part-time job.
The film also brings fresh eyes to the franchise. CloverWorks and Yoshida return from the TV series, but Keiichiro Saito directed that show and Kerorira designed its characters, so fans can expect a different creative team at the helm this time.
What’s next
An exact release date, a full trailer and the rest of the cast are still to come. Season 2 of the TV anime also remains in production, while Crunchyroll streams the first season.
Kessoku Band will stay busy in the meantime. The Kessoku Band Asia Tour 2027 “To Asia.” opens with two Osaka shows March 13 and 14, followed by Seoul on May 8 and Hong Kong on May 22. Voice actors Yoshino Aoyama, Sayumi Suzushiro, Saku Mizuno and Ikumi Hasegawa will perform. The official Osaka ticket presale runs through Nov. 15, with Seoul and Hong Kong ticket details to come.
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