In Episode 4 of the anime, the main character, Hitori, is shown glitching out in one scene, and fans noted that it looked reminiscent of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, another recent anime that proved to be a big hit.
Bocchi the Rock! – One of Fall 2022’s Surprise Hits
In case you’re unfamiliar, Bocchi the Rock! is an anime series by CloverWorks that’s based on the four-panel manga of the same name by Aki Hamaji. The series follows Hitori Gotou, a shy high school girl who dreams of being in a band, though her extremely introverted nature prevents her from seeking out other band members. Soon, her luck turns for the better upon meeting Nijika Ijichi, a girl who plays drums and is looking for a guitarist for her band. Hitori then joins her band called the Kessoku Band alongside Nijika and the other members, Ryou Yamada and Ikuyo Kita. Its title is a play on the Japanese phrase “hitori-bocchi” which means alone or lonely. It’s a fitting title given that the series follows Hitori as she struggles with everyday social interactions in her new life as a band member. While the series has many hilarious moments featuring Hitori due to social circumstances, a specific moment in Episode 4 sparked numerous memes. In the episode, the band members suggest that Hitori should create an Instagram account. Due to her crippling shyness, the suggestion causes Hitori to glitch in a panic. Many fans found this scene reminiscent of cyberpsychosis in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. READ MORE: Bocchi the Rock! Creators Show Behind-the-Scenes of Episode 7 Sports Festival Zoetrope Scene
Bocchi the Rock! x Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Memes
If you haven’t seen the Cyberpunk anime yet, cyberpsychosis is a phenomenon that happens in that series’ world when a human struggles to cope and is overloaded by his/her cybernetic augmentations. This effect causes the person to “glitch out,” so to speak. Given the similarities, fans began referring to this moment as Hitori getting hit by cyberpsychosis. It also spawned various memes online featuring the two hit shows. While the two anime can’t be further apart in terms of story, they do share a certain similarity. Both Bocchi the Rock! and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners were surprise hits as both did not have the same level of hype as other shows like Chainsaw Man or Bleach: TYBW. Along with memes, a fan also swapped the Bocchi opening song with the Edgerunners opening theme, and the results are surprisingly good. New episodes of Bocchi the Rock! are released every week on Crunchyroll. Meanwhile, all 10 episodes of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners are streaming now on Netflix. Discover more of our insights and the latest anime news by following us on Twitter @epicstreamanime. YOU MIGHT LIKE: Is Bocchi the Rock! A Yuri Anime?
