Aki Hamaji has resumed serialization of Bocchi the Rock! after a health hiatus and recently produced a 35th anniversary visual for Shimokitazawa Shelter, the live house that inspired the anime venue.
Aki Hamaji, the creator of Bocchi the Rock!, returned to active work in May 2026 after a months-long health-related pause. The Bocchi the Rock! manga resumed serialization in the next issue of Manga Time Kirara Max, ending a hiatus that began in December 2024. Hamaji stated she had been in poor physical health for several months and needed time to recuperate. The magazine had planned a return earlier in the month before the delay.
Days after the manga's return was announced, Hamaji produced a key visual for the 35th anniversary of Shimokitazawa Shelter, the real-world live house that inspired the venue in Bocchi the Rock!. The visual shows Bocchi and the band on stage against a photo of the real Shelter stage. A limited-edition T-shirt with the art is available for order starting May 15. The anniversary visual ties the anime's success back to the Shimokitazawa live house scene.
The two stories establish that Hamaji is back to work after a health hiatus and is engaging with the real-world cultural context of her series. The manga's return removes uncertainty about the source material's future alongside the announced second anime season.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.
Aki Hamaji, creator of Bocchi the Rock!, produced a key visual for the 35th anniversary of Shimokitazawa Shelter, the live house that inspired the venue in the anime. The visual shows Bocchi and the band on stage against a photo of the real Shelter stage. A limited-edition T-shirt with the art is available for order starting May 15.
The Bocchi the Rock manga will resume in the next issue of Manga Time Kirara Max, ending a hiatus that began in December 2024. Creator Aki Hamaji stated she had been in poor physical health for several months and needed time to recuperate. The magazine had planned a return this month before the delay.