Is Ikuyo Kita already the protagonist of Bocchi the Rock!?

Recently, fans in Japan have started a debate about Ikuyo Kita's growing prominence in the "Bocchi the Rock!" franchise and the lead band, Kessoku Band. This debate arises from the official illustrations and covers of more recent albums, where Kita appears in the foreground, while Hitori Gotou, who is the protagonist of the story, is relegated to the background.

Hitori Gotou, known to many as "Bocchi," is a lonely freshman with social anxiety. She describes herself as an introverted girl who prefers to stay at home. Despite her shy nature, she dreams of joining a band and becoming popular, which leads her to learn how to play guitar. Bocchi is an incredibly talented guitarist, but due to her nervousness, she struggles to show her skills in public and in the band.

In contrast, Ikuyo Kita is a bright and popular girl, also in her first year of high school. She is the guitarist and vocalist of the Kessoku Band, known for her cheerful and outgoing personality. Kita enjoys interacting with others and always has a smile for everyone, even when she meets them for the first time. In addition, she has a very strong admiration for Ryo, another member of the band, which sometimes leads her to behave in an exaggerated way.

The fact that Kita is taking a more prominent role in the band's visual depictions has generated diverse opinions among fans. Some consider it logical that, as a vocalist and central figure in concerts, Kita is the one who appears in front of the album covers and other official illustrations. They argue that this reflects the actual structure and dynamics of a band, where the vocalist is usually the visible face of the group.

Others, however, do not agree so much with this change. Some fans feel that while it's understandable that Kita has a prominent role in the band, Hitori Gotou is still the central protagonist of the story, and therefore, she should have a more prominent presence in the visual renderings.

"In fact, she's the vocalist, so she's kind of the lead."
"Since Kita-chan is the vocalist, the visible leader, and an outgoing person, it's only natural that she's in the front row on the cover of Kessoku Band's albums (and that's why Bocchi, who is an introvert, is in the back row). In fact, the first covers where Bocchi was in front were unusual for a group like Kessoku Band, although they fit with the theme of the anime."
"If you ask who the protagonist is in Kessoku Band, the answer has to be the vocalist, Ikuyo Kita."
"Kita-chan is the minister of online public relations for Kessoku Band, so she's in charge of the photos."
"Since it's an image of 'Kessoku Band' and not 'Bocchi the Rock!', it's not strange that Kita-chan, as a vocalist, is at the center. Bocchi is still the protagonist in 'Bocchi the Rock!', but this is something different."
"The leader of the band in real life, on which Kessoku Band is based, is someone named Kensuke Kita. The man in charge, Gotoh, has always said that he is not the leader, so the distribution of the characters faithfully follows this detail, regardless of their personalities."
"Even when I listen to the songs, I feel like lately Kita-chan has taken a leading role in a positive way. At first, I felt like I was singing instead of Bocchi, but now I really feel like it's 'Kita-chan's song.'
"Can you believe that this little character in a pink tracksuit is the protagonist? Sounds incredible, doesn't it?"