Bocchi the Rock! Hoshi no Ashiato film announced for 2027

Bocchi the Rock! Hoshi no Ashiato (映画ぼっち・ざ・ろっく！ 星のあしあと) will open in Japanese cinemas in 2027, with Aniplex confirming the film’s first teaser visual, teaser video and introduction on 1 November. The announcement does not give a more precise release date, and there is no confirmed UK, US or worldwide distribution yet. ¹

The film is a prequel centred on sisters Seika Ijichi and Nijika Ijichi, following their story before Kessoku Band was formed. The teaser visual places the pair together in a car, with Seika beside a guitar case and Nijika in the back seat. It also carries the Japanese title and the English romanisation Bocchi the Rock! Hoshi no Ashiato, making the project’s focus clear rather than presenting another story about Bocchi herself.

Aniplex’s announcement names Shin Wakabayashi as director, Yukiko Horiguchi as character designer and Erika Yoshida as scriptwriter. Maaya Uchida will voice Seika, while Sayumi Suzushiro returns as Nijika. Those credits put the film’s family story in the hands of staff and performers associated with the wider Bocchi the Rock! anime project. ¹

The announcement also confirms a first Movieticket release in Japan from 6 November. The limited ticket design uses an original illustration by Horiguchi, showing Seika and Nijika, with a matching sticker offered while supplies last. Aniplex links readers to participating cinemas and Japanese online retailers, but those details do not change the film’s still-broad 2027 window. ¹

The official Bocchi the Rock! website is listed alongside Aniplex’s announcement, while independent coverage has also identified the project as a 2027 Japanese theatrical prequel. That combination gives the headline development a solid primary-source basis, but the territory limits matter: this is a Japanese cinema announcement, not a worldwide release confirmation. ²³⁴

Our opinion

This is a smart direction for the franchise because Seika and Nijika have always carried more history than the main series has had room to explore. A prequel can add useful emotional context without pretending the story needs a bigger threat or a louder gimmick. The teaser visual’s ordinary car journey is promising precisely because it feels grounded: the appeal here is likely to come from the sisters’ relationship, music and small character details. The wait is long, and overseas fans still have no distribution news, but a 2027 theatrical film built around these two characters is a meaningful expansion rather than a disposable side project.