Recently, Fans in Japan have started a debate over the rising prominence of Ikuyo Kita in the “Bocchi the Rock!” franchise and the titular band, Kessoku Band. This debate arises from the most recent official illustrations and album covers, where Kita appears in the foreground, while Hitori Gotou, who is the protagonist of the story, is relegated to the background.
Hitori Gotou, known to many as “Bocchi,” is a lonely first-year student with social anxiety. She describes herself as an introverted girl who prefers to stay at home. Despite her shy nature, she dreams of joining a band and becoming popular, which leads her to learn to play the guitar. Bocchi is an incredibly talented guitarist, but because of her nervousness, she finds it difficult to showcase her skills in public and in the band.
In contrast, Ikuyo Kita is a bright and popular girl, also in her first year of high school. She is the guitarist and vocalist of Kessoku Band, known for her cheerful and outgoing personality. Kita enjoys interacting with others and always has a smile for everyone, even when meeting them for the first time. In addition, she has a very marked admiration for Ryo, another member of the band, which sometimes leads her to behave in an exaggerated manner.
The fact that Kita is taking a more prominent role in the band's visuals has generated mixed opinions among fans. Some consider it logical that, as the vocalist and central figure in concerts, Kita is the one who appears in front on album covers and other official illustrations. They argue that this reflects the real structure and dynamics of a band, where the vocalist is usually the visible face of the group.
Others, however, are not so happy with this change. Some fans feel that while it's understandable for Kita to have a prominent role in the band, Hitori Gotou is still the central protagonist of the story, and therefore should have a more prominent presence in the visual depictions.
- «In fact, she is the vocalist, so in a way she is the protagonist.».
- «Since Kita-chan is the vocalist, the visible leader, and an extrovert, it's only natural that she's in the front row on the cover of Kessoku Band's albums (and that's why Bocchi, who is an introvert, is in the back row). In fact, the early covers where Bocchi was in the front were unusual for a group like Kessoku Band, although they fit the anime's theme.».
- «If you ask who is the protagonist in Kessoku Band, the answer has to be the vocalist, Ikuyo Kita.».
- «Kita-chan is the online PR minister for Kessoku Band, so she is in charge of the photos.».
- «Since it's an image of 'Kessoku Band' and not 'Bocchi the Rock!', it's not strange that Kita-chan, as the vocalist, is in the center. Bocchi is still the protagonist in 'Bocchi the Rock!', but this is something different.».
- «The real-life leader of the band that Kessoku Band is based on is someone named Kensuke Kita. The man in charge, Gotoh, has always said that he is not the leader, so the cast of characters faithfully follows this detail, regardless of their personalities.».
- «Even when I listen to the songs, I feel like Kita-chan has taken a leading role in a positive way lately. At first, I felt like she was singing instead of Bocchi, but now I really feel like it's 'Kita-chan's song.».
- «Can you believe that this little character in a pink tracksuit is the protagonist? It seems incredible, right?».
Fountain: Otakomu