LogFAQs > #968670221

86. Hitoribocchi no Marumaruseikatsu
https://myanimelist.net/anime/37614/Hitoribocchi_no_Marumaru_Seikatsu
Spring 2019 (12 episodes)
My Score: 7/10, MAL Score: 7.48/10
Best Character: Hitori Bocchi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG9XCndxT8E

Premise: Hitori Bocchi has always been shy, but she was happy with her one friend, Yawara Kai. Now they're going to different middle schools, however, and Kai won't be Bocchi's friend anymore unless she befriends everyone in her new class!

The Good: Hitoribocchi is a cute girls comedy about an incredibly shy girl. I was painfully shy when growing up too, so I can always relate to a character like Bocchi. I also dreaded new school years where I wouldnt know anyone. Unlike her, I usually didn't make a group of good friends right away! I've seen three anime about girls with social anxiety, and Hitoribocchi is both the cutest and the least realistic. It prioritizes comedic moments with quirky characters, and Bocchi being shy is just her primary trait for gags. It's taken to extremes with her sometimes vomiting when forced to speak in front of other people or worrying her friends will forget her after a sick day. Everything is always played for comedy or cuteness, though, and there are never any lasting hits to her reputation. I liked Bocchi as a cute girl moreso than as a relatable character with social anxiety, if that makes sense. I also really liked her friends Nako, the grumpy but kind one, and Aru, the unlucky class rep. The three of them had a fun dynamic that led to a lot if great jokes. Ninja girl Sotoka was also fine but her gags became a little repetitive.

The Bad: I hate Kai and the whole "befriend literally everyone in your class or never talk to me again" ultimatum she gave. Early on I assumed that was just Bocchi exaggerating things in her head in her usual awkward way (turning "make some new friends" into befriending everyone) but then we meet Kai and, nope, she really is just an awful person. Even the most charismatic, popular kids in my classes growing up were never on good terms with everyone, never mind being friends with them all. It's such a stupidly unrealistic demand and it causes Bocchi lots of anguish. The times where she was sad about Kai were the worst parts of Hitoribocchi. You have Nako and Aru now, girl. You don't need that loser Kai anymore!

Overall: I felt like some of my comment in the good section could be seen as complaints. That wasn't my intention, though. While social anxiety is something I had a lot of experience with growing up, and another anime with a painfully realistic take on it is one of my all-time favorites, that doesn't prevent me from enjoying a cute shy girl! Bocchi had a lot of hilarious moments, and I'll talk about her a bit more below. Nako and Aru were also great. Aru, in particular, has her own theme song that's a real highlight of the show. Whenever it wasnt focused on Kai or her stupid ultimatum, Hitoribocchi was a lot of fun.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/8/7/AAcDcBAADxVH.png

CHARACTER: Hitori Bocchi (Hitoribocchi)
https://myanimelist.net/character/130593/Bocchi_Hitori
Voiced by: Morishita Chisaki
TOP 100 RANK: 86th

SPOILERS FOR HITORIBOCCHI

VIDEO LINK (minor spoilers at best): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNjXjP9RX7s

I talked about the good and bad parts of Bocchi in the write-up above, and this isn't the kind of anime for deep character arcs. Her character write-up might end up being shorter than usual, but that doesn't mean I like her any less! Bocchi's shyness is mostly used for gags or cuteness. It's still often painful, lonely, or awkward in a really relatable way. The video I linked to has her hoping to get sick so that she won't have to present a haiku in front of the class. Given that Bocchi worries her friends will forget about her when she actually does take a sick day, that's quite the sacrifice she's willing to make just to avoid public speaking. I understood where she was coming from, though. One time, my fifth grade class was doing presentations and the order was decided by my teacher shuffling our papers into a pile on his desk. I pulled off a legitimate caper and snuck in one evening just to move my paper to the bottom. It was probably the boldest thing I ever did at that age, and it was all to present my powerpoint on Picasso a few days later than I otherwise would have.

There are lots of anime with shy girls, but Bocchi is in the top three in terms of capturing what the experience is like, at least in my opinion. It leads to gags, which undercuts the realism a bit. In the first episode she puts a notice on the class door that school has been canceled for the year (if no one is in the class, after all, then technically she'll have befriended everyone). That's the kind of thing I could see myself imagining that terrible night before a new school year, but I'd never have the courage to try it. Bocchi vomiting in front of people is also a bit much, as is worrying her friends will forget her after a day. They're decent jokes, they just don't resonate with me as much as some other things. Her creating flowcharts before conversations is a comedic exaggeration, for example, but trying to imagine all the possible routes of a conversation is something I deeply relate to.

Ignoring her shyness for a moment, Bocchi is also just a really cute and fun character. It's easy to see why she makes a few close friends so quickly. She might be awkward and occasionally insensitive, like when she admitted that the only reason she was friends with Nako was because Nako talked to her first. It's always clear that Bocchi treasures her new friends, however, so they put up with it all. If nothing else, hanging around with her keeps things from ever being dull! For shy Hitori Bocchi, even a simple conversation can turn into an adventure.