Gotou Hitori is a very introverted girl who has no friends. However, seeing something on TV sparked her interest in playing the guitar. However, joining a band seemed like a pipe dream, given her crippling social anxieties, until someone invited her.
After seeing Hitori during middle school, she does remind me of another girl with the same crippling anxiety and first name. Yep, it’s Hitori Bocchi. Gotou Hitori had it bad as she has had difficulty interacting with others since kindergarten. She spends much of her time with her teacher or at home.
However, after her dad showed her a video of an introverted person joining a band that changed the person’s life, Hitori gained inspiration. She learns the guitar hoping she can perform at the cultural festival. Sadly, it seems that her crippling social anxieties prevented her after three years, thus resorting to recording covers of popular songs in the closet.
She got good and uses what looks like GarageBand on a MacBook. She uploads videos, and apparently, people like her guitar playing. I guess socializing on the internet is much easier for introverted people like her. Also, I feel the same way, which is why I probably spend a lot of time on the computer during my teenage years. Also, her personality changed since middle school as she got into the world of rock and roll.
However, one comment sticks out to her about the performance of forming a band and playing at a cultural festival. Although she thought it was impossible for her. I find it funny how this brings her moment of requesting a metal rock music to play that she obsesses about during lunch. Yet, she wants to forget about that moment. That is until she read a comment about someone not being sure there is someone in their high school that plays guitar.
Yep, she becomes motivated to bring her guitar to school. She dresses up as a cute rocker girl, wearing a band shirt underneath her tracksuit jacket. She bought a canvas bag with buttons for her favorite bands. Surprising how the teachers didn’t complain about her uniform.
However, nobody notices her as she eventually takes the bracelets off and rests on her desk. Her self-esteem also hit rock bottom. Without resolving her social anxieties, she didn’t get any results. However, there is a red hair girl, Kita Ikuyo, that sees a glimpse of her. She will probably show up soon.
Hitori is on the swing set on the playground, feeling a bit down. Her first day of high school isn’t going so well as she breaks 30000 subscribers. That is when a blond-hair girl asks if Hitori plays guitar. Her name is Ijichi Nijika, and she is a cheerful girl that plays the drums. She wants Hitori to help her play the guitar part as the one they have quit on them. While Hidori seems nervous, it’s evident that she took up the offer since it’s her opportunity to make her dream come true. Also, she seems to become allured by Nijika’s hair scent and fashionable looks.
As expected, the live house in the basement started to remind me of Bang Dream as they had a venue like that. She met the bass player Yamada Ryou, who plays bass and is Nijika’s friend. Of course, while Hitori’s guitar-playing skills are good, she is terrible at playing in a band. Yep, I find it funny how her guitar playing is worse than a water flea. Sadly, her confidence hits a new low after Nijika admits the obvious. Yep, she has a long way to go until she improves. I find it funny how she self-depreciates herself inside the burnable garbage bin.
The funny thing is that Hitori shares her desire to play in a band and is happy that Nijika reached out to her. Of course, Ryou reminded her of guitarhero, who plays popular guitar covers of the song. Find it funny how they don’t realize it’s Hitori behind that channel. Ryou gives Hitori the nickname of Bocchi. Also, their band’s name is Kessoku Band, which is ironic since they had a guitarist quit them.
Either way, Hitori managed to pull through by playing guitar in a box to relieve her anxieties. At least Hitori admits to wanting to get brave enough to say hello to her classmates. So, can she start to overcome her social anxieties just like the other Bocchi? Only time can tell.
Laughed from the moment 3 years passed. It was so funny. Hitori is a funnier Bocchi with a guitar. Excited for more!
It shows the power of rock and probably girl bands can have on a person, but I agree that Hitori is a fun character and hopefully she will get better at playing as a band and perhaps open up a bit more.