With hints of a poster asking for performances at the cultural festival, will Hitori take the offer? Unfortunately, the answer is it’s pretty complicated.
After Hitori created some summer memories with her friends, it’s back to school. Sure, she dreads this moment, but she has to go. While sleeping in class, she dreamed of seeing herself as a famous rocker; it all has it all. However, she eventually wakes up to reality with her class possibly doing a maid café. Yes, that official illustration that the production shared last week.
Hitori almost fell asleep again until the announcement that they were looking for people to perform at the cultural festival. It’s finally Hitori’s chance to do what she dreamed of. I find it funny how she was about to hand in the form with her band’s name written and her own name written on it. She subconsciously did it without realizing the impact. I find it funny how she bangs her head on the ground after learning this and passes out. Ikuyo looked after her in the nurse’s office as she wanted to hide from Ikuyo. Yep, she doesn’t want to say that she doesn’t want to hand in the form.
Thankfully, she left as she threw it away. That is after realizing that she can’t handle the hype from other cultural festival performances. After learning how out of place she would be, especially compared to Ikuyo, she tossed the application in the bin. I find it funny how she entered Starry and sat inside the garbage bin. She talked with Nijika’s older sister about the cultural festival, and Nijika encouraged her to. After all, she looks forward to playing there.
Even so, it’s evident that Hitori is scared of performing in front of a large crowd, as Ryou notices. After finding out Nijika wants to do it, she gives it a second thought as Nijika doesn’t wish Hitori to make a decision she would regret. However, she concludes she can’t do it until Ikuyo reveals that she handed it in. To make matters worse, Hitori can’t retract it. Ikuyo really looks forward to it after looking at the application. I find it funny how Hitori makes an impression of “the scream” painting.
As Hitori sits there, all passed out, Ikuyo feels she did something wrong. That is until our lovable drunk rocker lady, Kikuri, appears as her usual self. She invites them to her band’s performance for free until Seika makes Kikuri and Ryou pay up the money they owe to Hitori. But, of course, that is after Nijika asks why Kikuri drinks cheap booze and uses their shower. They need to receive education on personal finance to tame their spending habits.
It looks like Kikuri is a deadbeat as she borrowed money without paying back and was behind in her rent. It’s because she keeps breaking her equipment while playing drunk. Maybe this is a sign that she needs to cut back on the booze. Still, seeing her drink this much can’t possibly be good for her health.
Eventually, they took the drunk Kikuri to Shinjuku. I find it funny how Hitori wants to go back home while heading there and after seeing a scary-looking rocker lady and the manager of the live house, Gin. Also, I find it funny how Nijika finds him scary until he acts like a pure teenage girl. I can’t believe he is 37 years old by the way he acts.
They also meet the members of Kikuri’s band’s drummer, Shima and Eliza, who came from England. Eliza came to Japan to come to Comiket and do Anisong covers. Yep, that is what you can call a weeb. Also, their band is named SICK HACK, and they play psychedelic rock.
Either way, Hitori was blown away by their performance. Still, Hitori doesn’t believe she can be like Kikuri. Finally, we discover that Kikuri is like Hitori, and she turns to booze to relieve her anxieties. I can see why Kikuri is attracted to Hitori, given her gloomy personality and social anxieties. We also see Ikuyo apologizing for forcing her to perform at the cultural festival against her will. Still, Hitori seems grateful that she did or otherwise. She would never hand it in and possibly regret it. Still, I wonder if Hitori can hold up during a cultural festival performance.
Also, I find it funny how Ryou suffered as she couldn’t afford anything on the menu. I find it funny how Nijika offered her one French fly and Ryou she loves because of her kindness. Obviously, Nijika can’t help to see Ryou suffer. Still, it’s a rather cute moment.
Happy to know Hiroi’s band in this episode, but I wanted to hear more of their presentation. And today we also have references to Evangelion and Slow Loop, together with the usual painting references in Bocchi’s reactions (from cubism to “the scream”).
And the next episode promises to deliver a “hunt for Bocchi” event in school.
Yes, it’s nice to learn more about Kikuri’s band, but I almost forgot about that reference, but it’s nice how they finally went full circle after Kessoku Band’s cameo appearance in Slow Loop. It has been that along ago since I watched that show. Oddly enough, it happened at the same exact episode number.
Hopefully, they can find Hitori and she can’t gone missing.