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Bocchi the rock is the kind of anime that you would want to introduce to someone that is new to anime. No amazing animations, no top seiyuus group leading the voice acting, no insane plot to determine the fate of earth.

It is just a group of high school girls starting out as a band, with the animators and directors trying out different styles to portray their passion of the project and elaboratively illustrated the chemistry between the main characters and side characters. (Props to the music team as well)

In the fall 2022 anime season, what keeps me anticipated is not the hyped up csm / ... bleach / blue lock, but bocchi the rock.

No doubt it will be part of the contenders for anime of the year. But even if it isn't, it will be part of the top 10 anime in my list.

My first review on Mal.

Plot: 7/10
Character Designs: 100/10 (Bepo Big Fan Uta costume and Brook's Drippy outfit etc. :D)
Animation: 8/10
Songs & BGM: 10/10
Which audience does this movie cater?: Ado, Shanks fans and Luffy Gear 5 hype.
Suggestion: Watch the 3 episodes of Uta Intro in the main anime before watching the movie: Ep 1029 to 1030, 1030.5 (Coby's Recap)

Why is it good?
The movie starts off with Uta singing "New Genesis" portraying herself as an idol in the storyline while setting up the background of where the movie is at: The island of music, Elegia. The main characters from straw hat are introduced and a casual tone ... from Luffy moves up to the stage and introduce Uta as Shanks daughter. Afterwards, as the movie introduces the mini villains to kidnap Uta, we start to hear the songs of Ado in One Piece Red Film album, with scenes abit similar to Idol Animes like Bandori / Symphogear of Uta whacking the enemies.

Now as a fan of one piece that watched idol anime and play music rhythm games, this gets us into the beat and immersed into the movie. The music hides the inner sorrows of Uta and her idealism of making a new world while using uta uta no mi powers, nothing more nothing less. It creates a clear objective of what she wants as the villain of the movie. After the introduction of shanks and his crew coming into the Elegia to stop Uta's madness, we get to see proper fight and the Wano's colourful animations from both Shanks and Kizaru, as well as, Benn Beckman's and the rest of Shanks' crews fighting to protect the innocent people from Akainu's orders.

Everything just went off from there, simple background story on how Uta's plan manifested and the sad truth of Shanks leaving Uta behind after the incident at Elegia. Tot Musica, the final boss showed up with the help of Uta's DF powers and we get to see a scene quite similar to SAO Ordinal Scale's 100th level Floor Boss Battle (My view of it, but don't take it for granted).

Before dealing the final blow to Tot Musica, the last duo attack reveals the signature animation of Toei in one piece (The stretching of eyes just like before the clash of Roger and Whitebeard) and followed by a few seconds of Gear 5 reveal while Luffy is using Snakeman form. This is the most hype part of the movie and we can hear cheering in the cinema.

The story ends off with Uta singing her final song 世界のつづき, trying to bring everyone back from her dream world as she lays beside shanks staring remorsefully at Luffy's sleeping pose. That small scene as Uta returned the straw hat back to Luffy (in the dream world) gives a small heartstring pull, since it will be the final closure that Uta can have before dying on Shanks arms.

Lastly, the movie ends with Luffy and Shanks ship parted ways as Luffy sees the coffin of Uta surrounded by the main members of Red Hair Pirates, while the small clip right after the end credits shows our signature call-out from Luffy: "Kaizoku Ou ni, ore wa naru!" ;_;


Why is it bad?
Like what other comments have said, a slight bit of dues ex machina. Why? Cause defeating Tot Musica is seemingly the only way to escape from Uta's Dream World before she gets killed by her own powers. But there's a catch, they have to time their attack. But how? Yassop's Observation haki to observe Uta's dream world from Usopp perspective, and then, Usopp's Observation haki to match Yassop's Perspective in real world. (Goddem God Usopp as always)

Other than that, some people that likes to watch alot of fighting scenes from the last movie Stampede, they will feel that there is a lack of it in this movie.

Plot Setting
As for the plot, it is complicated and not as simple as what I thought it would be. The plot revolves around Uta's idea of making a New World is due to the misunderstanding of Shanks being the destroyer of Elegia, while it was Uta that got possessed by Tot Musica that did it. And yet, as the story goes, it was mentioned that Uta already know that she's the perpetrator to the destruction of Elegia a year into her idol career. But it was as though she was searching for a meaning / purpose to become the singer while knowing the harsh truth, to become an ideal idol figure to her fans and to bring them eternal happiness that makes her transit from a normal villain to a tragic one.

Why should you watch it at least once?
Overall it is a great hyped up movie. Since in the current arc of One Piece, we know close to nothing about Red Hair Pirates and this movie reveals alot of their powers and character designs. Also, it is a nice sneak peek of Gear 5 from Luffy before the Gomu Gomu Awakening (Or Hito Hito no Mi, model: Nika), and Shanks gigachad energy against the marines using his Conqueror's Haki.

Re-watchability?
Probably will only watch it up to 2 times just to understand the whole plot once again till the hype dies down when there is a proper introduction of Red Hair Pirates and adaptation of gear 5 between Luffy and Kaido's Last Fight in roofpiece.