If you’re a fan of anime series about high school girls playing guitar, you’ll definitely want to watch Bocchi the Rock! online.
Many have compared this series to K-On! for obvious reasons — both feature schoolgirls who start a rock band with dreams of making it big. However, the two are actually very different. Both comedy series are quite good. But Bocchi is almost a deconstruction of the more optimistic and silly K-On!
We can help you figure out where to watch Bocchi the Rock! online. But first, what is this series?
Bocchi the Rock! Basics
In Bocchi the Rock!, the title character is an extremely shy and introverted schoolgirl with social anxiety. She learns to play the guitar — quite well, in fact — but lacks the confidence to start her own band.
Luckily, she meets some other girls who have already started a band, but they need a new guitarist. The slice-of-life series focuses on the band’s progress, but the real heart of the show is Bocchi learning to break out of her shell.
The animation is also visually fun to watch, with a lot of creative asides into other art styles.
Bocchi the Rock! History
Much like K-On!, the series started out as a yonkoma, or four-panel manga. Aki Hamaji created the series, which has appeared in Manga Time Kirara Max since 2017.
The first season of the anime ran from October to December 2022. As of May 2023, there has been no announcement of a season 2.
List of Places to Watch Bocchi the Rock! Online
- Netflix
- Crunchyroll
- Amazon Japan
- Abema
- Bandai Channel
Note: All of the places mentioned are legal, licensed websites. You will find no pirate sites here.
Where to Watch Bocchi the Rock! Online
1. Netflix
Netflix Singapore has Bocchi the Rock! in Japanese with multiple subtitle options, including English. The Japanese version of Netflix Japan also has Bocchi the Rock!, but with no subtitles.
Unless you’re in Singapore, you will need a reliable VPN, such as NordVPN, to watch Bocchi the Rock! at Netflix Singapore. Here’s how to do it:
How to Watch Bocchi the Rock! on Netflix Anywhere in the World
This method works on both desktop PCs and mobile phones or tablets.
- Purchase (or start a free trial) of a VPN. I can confirm that NordVPN works for this purpose.
- In the settings, choose Singapore as your location.
- Fire up the VPN and wait for it to do its magic
- Once you’re connected, navigate to Netflix (browser or app)
- Search “Bocchi the Rock” in the Netflix search bar and you should see the anime pop up.
Enjoy! Please note that if your Netflix library doesn’t update to reflect the country you selected in your VPN, you may have to clear the Netflix cache first and try again.
To do this on mobile, go to settings -> apps -> Netflix -> clear cache. To do this on PC, you have to clear the cache in your web browser.
I’ve had no trouble using this method and I still use NordVPN to watch anime from various Netflix country libraries daily.
Pros
- A large library of anime and non-anime content
- Multi-lingual language options
Cons
- Only available in some areas
Price: Basic with ads, $6.99/ month. Basic: $9.99/ month. Standard: $15.49/ month. Premium: $19.99.
Language Options: Japanese with subtitles in English, Malay, Simplified Chinese, Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese.
Watch Bocchi the Rock! on Netflix.
2. Crunchyroll
While Netflix has several Asian language options, Crunchyroll has multiple European languages covered. (But I couldn’t find any Scandinavian language options — sorry, Sweden!)
While Crunchyroll has international reach, some anime shows may be unavailable in certain regions. Fortunately, JapanBound has an article for navigating Crunchyroll in geo-locked areas.
Also, while Crunchyroll has a limited, free-viewing option, Bocchi the Rock! isn’t included.
Pros
- A huge library of recent and classic anime
- Good language options
Cons
- Geo-locked in some areas
Price: Free, limited viewing allowed for some shows. $7.99 for “fan” level; $9.99 for “mega fan”; and $14.99 for “ultimate fan.”
Language options: Japanese with subtitles in English, German, Latin American Spanish, European Spanish, French, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic.
Watch Bocchi the Rock! at Crunchyroll.
3. Amazon Japan
If you’re in Japan, you can watch Bocchi the Rock! on Amazon Prime Video. The first episode is free with a standard Amazon Japan account. It comes with no translation or subtitles, but it is free. You’ll need a VPN if you’re outside of Japan.
Take note that an Amazon U.S. account is not the same as an Amazon Japan account. However, it is not hard to get an Amazon Japan account.
The rest of the episodes require either an Amazon Prime (Japan) subscription, or a Japanese form of payment to rent episodes. The episodes are free with Amazon Prime (Japan). You can also watch with a combination of Amazon Prime and d Anime Store for Prime Video.
Pros
- First episode is free
Cons
- No translation
- Need Prime to watch most episodes
Price: First episode is free. Prime has a 30-day free trial; 500 yen/ month. d Anime Store for Prime Video, 550/ month. Rental: 330 yen per episode.
Language options: Japanese with no subtitles
Watch Bocchi the Rock! at Amazon Prime Video (Japan).
4. Abema
Like Amazon Prime Video, Japanese streaming service Abema also offers the first episode for free. The other episodes require a subscription. Also, there’s no translation.
The service is designed for Japanese residents, so you will need a VPN if you are outside Japan.
Pros
- A good selection of anime and other content
- First episode is free
Cons
- No translation
Price: First episode is free. Two weeks free trial. 960 yen/ month.
Language options: Japanese with no subtitles
Watch Bocchi the Rock! at Abema.
5. Bandai Channel
The Bandai Channel has the first episode of Bocchi the Rock! for free. You need to subscribe to watch the rest of the episodes.
There are no subtitles, and you will need a VPN if you live outside Japan.
Pros
- First episode free
Cons
- No subtitles or dubbing
Price: First episode free. Free trial period. 1,100 yen/ month.
Language options: Japanese
Watch Bocchi the Rock! at Bandai Channel.
Other Options
These are not the only options to watch Bocchi the Rock! online, but these are the best options.
As of May 2023, Aniplex has not published an official U.S./ English language DVD or Blu-ray release of the series. However, it’s probably only a matter of time.
One way or another, you should be able to watch Bocchi the Rock! online where you live.
