Bocchi the Rock!: Hoshi no Ashiato

Bocchi the Rock! Hoshi no Ashiato is a new anime film in the Bocchi the Rock! family. It was announced on November 1, 2026. Its English title is often given as Bocchi the Rock! The Movie: Starry Footprints. It is planned for 2027 in Japan, and Animec will distribute it. Shin Wakabayashi directs, Erika Yoshida writes the script, and Yukiko Horiguchi designs the characters.

This film is not a simple retelling of the TV show. It is a prequel, which means it tells a story that happened before the main series. It is based on a story from the fifth volume of the original manga. The film looks back at the time before the band Kessoku Band was formed. Its tagline says it is a story of two sisters and their dreams, and it begins with a goodbye.

The sisters are Nijika Ijichi and Seika Ijichi. In the TV show, Nijika is the cheerful drummer and the leader of Kessoku Band. Her voice actor is Sayumi Suzushiro. Seika is her older sister. She runs a small music club called STARRY, which is a live house. A live house is a small venue where bands play for a close crowd. STARRY is in Shimokitazawa, a Tokyo area known for music and fashion, and the club is based on a real venue called Shelter.

Seika is played by Maaya Uchida. In the main story, Seika is calm and caring, and she supports the young band. The film now goes back to explain how she came to run the club. According to the franchise information, she once played in a band in college. She quit and spent eight years building STARRY. The movie seems set to explore those years and what they meant for both sisters.

If you have not seen the show, here is the background. The main story follows Hitori Goto, who is nicknamed Bocchi. She is extremely shy and nervous around people, but she dreams of being in a band. She joins Nijika's new group. The other members are Ryo Yamada on bass and Ikuyo Kita on vocals and guitar. The group's name, Kessoku, means unity, and it is also a pun on a zip tie. The TV series was made by CloverWorks and aired from October to December 2022. It earned wide praise for its animation, humor, music, voice acting, and its caring look at social anxiety. It became more popular after clips spread online, and it helped boost guitar sales in Japan.

Since the film is a prequel, the main band members may not be the focus. Details about the plot have not been shared yet, so this overview only covers what has been confirmed. The film seems best suited to fans who already love Nijika and want to know more about her family and the roots of STARRY. New viewers may still enjoy it as a warm music story about sisters, but watching the TV series first will make the places and people feel more familiar.