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Fans erupted in laughter after seeing a clever parody of one of Dragon Ball's most renowned characters, Yamcha, in Bocchi The Rock episode 9. The series has already referenced several other anime, including Fooly Cooly, Ashita no Joe, and Neon Genesis Evangelion, but none have been as amusing as this one. Many fans have hailed it as the best episode so far.
Bocchi The Rock has so far received great feedback from critics and fans, making it one of the best anime of 2022, alongside Chainsaw Man and SpyxFamily. CloverWorks has done a fantastic job adapting Aki Hamaji's manga series. With episode 9 of Bocchi The Rock, the studio has begun adapting the manga's second volume.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Bocchi The Rock anime.
How does Bocchi The Rock anime troll Yamcha's death?
In Bocchi The Rock episode 9, Bocchi is depicted as being disappointed that she was unable to do anything other than play guitar and that her anxiety prevented her from making arrangements with her friends or even telling them about her wishes. Her bandmates discover that they had all been so busy that none of them had spent a single day with her during the summer vacation, which is what has caused her to act abnormally. So Yamada, Nijika, and Kita decide to spend the day at the beach to make the most of their vacation.
Later in the day, when they are resting and eating ice cream, a kite swoops down and steals Bocchi's ice cream. She is then attacked by a group of kites. Bocchi has no choice but to duck and endure the relentless pecking of the birds who mock her condition. When the whole thing is over, she is pictured lying still on the ground where a crater has formed. This shot is a direct reference to Yamcha from Dragon Ball, who was also depicted dead in a crater after being hit by a Saibaman Bomb.
The reference was made casually in the manga, as opposed to how it was accentuated in episode 9 of the anime. Even though the image has already inspired innumerable parodies and jokes, it will always be entertaining to see the meme in new contexts.
How have fans reacted to this?
In Dragon Ball, Yamcha’s death was considered a hero’s death because he sacrificed his life fighting the Saibamen. Dragon Ball fans might feel bad that he has become a figure of such mockery.
On the other hand, there are many Bocchi The Rock fans who really enjoyed the episode, and many have pointed out that the best bit was the kites mocking Bocchi. Some viewers have brutally roasted Yamcha following this episode. One user commented that Bocchi is not as useless as Yamcha.
One fan has even gone the extra step to add Dragon Ball sounds to the Bocchi scene, and the result is hilarious.
Nonetheless, Dragon Ball fans should not make too much of it and brush aside the parody as harmless humor.
