Credits

I would like to give credit where credit is due. Videos are from YouTube and other sources such as NicoNico while Oricon rankings and other information are translated from the Japanese Wikipedia unless noted.
Showing posts with label Kessoku Band. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kessoku Band. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Kessoku Band -- Nani ga Warui(なにが悪い)

 

Well, I've just finished watching the 11th and penultimate episode of rock music-based anime "Bocchi the Rock!"(ぼっち・ざ・ろっく!)and I've been having a ball with the cringe comedy at the expense of the title character. Plus, the animators have definitely been pushing the envelope on how they've wanted to present some of the gags including what I will "Nice Dam".

My anime buddy told me that during its initial run in Fall 2022, guitar brands such as the Gibson Les Paul and the Yamaha Pacifica were selling out like hotcakes. According to Wikipedia's article on the show, fans were also making pilgrimages to the bohemian area of Shimo-Kitazawa in Tokyo where it's set including the live house SHELTER which was the inspiration for the live house STARRY where the girls work and perform.

As opposed to the opening theme of "Bocchi the Rock!", "Seishun Complex"(青春コンプレックス), which has stayed constant throughout the twelve episodes, there have been four ending themes. The fourth ending was only used for the final episode but Episodes 8 to 11 have been using one which has stood out in my mind as my favourite since it is quite melodic. "Nani ga Warui" (What's Wrong?) was written and composed by Yuuho Kitazawa(北澤ゆうほ), the vocalist for rock band the peggies.

A statement on love for one's music, the vocalist here is the character of Nijika Ijichi(伊地知虹夏)who's usually the ever-upbeat drummer and mild disciplinarian for Kessoku Band(結束バンド). She's played by Sayumi Suzushiro(鈴代紗弓)who I've recognized as the same seiyuu for Kei Shirogane(白銀圭), Miyuki's snarkily rebellious sister on "Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai"(かぐや様は告らせたい) and the athletic Uruka Takemoto(武元うるか)in the comedy "Boku-tachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai"(ぼくたちは勉強ができない).

I've heard that the manga is still rolling along so I'm hoping that maybe a second season will come to pass in the next few years.

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Kessoku Band -- Seishun Complex(青春コンプレックス)

 

From seeing a whole bunch of fresh YouTube videos of "Akiba Maid War"(アキバ冥途戦争)pop up this afternoon, that show has finally reached the end of its run, and man, was it a run! It pretty much ended as I'd generally predicted since it was going along the lines of a yakuza flick. I think that I have at least one more song to cover for that series.

However for Fall 2022 in terms of anime, there was another completely different show that has been garnering big attention among the fans. Even my anime buddy has been singing the praises of anime adaptation "Bocchi the Rock!"(ぼっち・ざ・ろっく!). Originating from a yonkoma manga, the comedy has been fast and furious as the series focuses on a high school girl, Hitori "Bocchi" Goto(後藤ひとり), who suffers so much regarding any social interactions that she makes Komi-san and Aharen-san look like super-outgoing Miss Congeniality in comparison. Yet, she also has a hidden talent on her electric guitar so it's time to make a band with her buddies. 

The animators must have had an incredible ball making "Bocchi the Rock!" considering all of the weird and crazy transformations that Bocchi herself has undergone. In the scene above, she could have traveled the multiverse and met Dr. Strange and Miss America without even getting off the floor. I will be paying more attention to this anime over the Holidays.

As for that group of musicians, it's called the Kessoku Band(結束バンド...Zip Tie) and they're responsible for the opening theme song, "Seishun Complex" (Youth Complex). Vocalist and Bocchi buddy Ikuyo Kita(喜多郁代), played by seiyuu Ikumi Hasegawa(長谷川育美), leads the song which reminds me a lot of the stuff that rock band Porno Graffitti(ポルノグラフィティ)was performing back in the early 2000s. The lyrics were provided by singer-songwriter Ai Higuchi(樋口愛)and the music was composed by otoha(音羽).