Bofuri Reviewed: Is The Action Adventure Worth Watching?

Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense (Itai no wa Iya nano de Bōgyoryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu) is a Japanese action-adventure light novel series written by Yuumikan and illustrated by Koin.

The story focuses on Kaede Honjou and her adventures as she plays a popular VRMMORPG while making new friends and learning new skills along the journey.

An anime television series adaptation by Silver Link premiered on January 8th, 2020 and a second anime season has been announced.

1. Quick Review

Bofuri is set in the world of virtual reality. After encouragement from her gamer friend Risa, Kaede Honjou decides to try out a widely popular VR game called New World Online. Identifying as Maple online, she sets out on her virtual adventure.

Being completely new to the world of VRMMORPG, she puts all of her stat points into her defense skills to be on the safe side. Maple now has an exemplary defense but lacks points in all other stats.

As a result of her high defense, Maple has impeccable skills like Poison Immunity, Total Defense, etc. During her simulated journey, she also acquires powerful items that allow her to swiftly eliminate most opponents.

Despite being new to the game, she quickly adapts to it and earns a reputation as a strong and invincible player. During her time in the game, she meets new people and picks up skills that she never thought possible.

Bofuri deserves praise for its high-quality production. The series succeeds in being a hilarious slice-of-life anime with equal attention paid to the action scenes. The well-choreographed fights are a beautiful sight to behold with its graceful animation and excellent sound quality.

2. Info Card

3. Is it worth watching?

Bofuri is a delightful show to watch. The series is an elegant Isekai comedy that sets itself apart from the usual dark action stories of its kind. The storyline of the series is more believable than most online gaming themed shows. It’s based around the protagonist who plays a vastly popular game and socializes with other people online.

The animation and art add to the easy-going ambiance the show aims towards and the beautifully choreographed action sequences keep you entertained throughout the series.

I. Plot

Kaede Honjou begins playing a new popular VRMMORPG New World Online. Using Maple as her online alias, she creates a character with flawless defense capabilities.Putting every stat point she earned in the game into defense, she lacks agility and offensive techniques which are overcome by her indestructible defense strategies.

Using creative tactics, Maple progresses by leaps and bounds in this virtual game in a matter of days earning a respectable reputation as an indestructible player. The series revolves around the adventures Maple has in the virtual world of New World Online while making new friends and accomplishing new feats.

Bofuri sets out to be a carefree show and wants viewers to witness the joys of being a part of a virtual world. The story shows the real-world consequences that a player may experience with other people based on incidents that occur in the game.

II. Characters

Kaede Honjou a.k.a Maple

Kaede Honjou is the main protagonist of the Bofuri series.

After being convinced by her friend Risa, Kaede tries out a new VR game called New World Online in which she uses the moniker Maple in the virtual world.

Kaede is a simple, fun-loving, and innocent character. Throughout the series, we witness her eccentric behavior. While playing online, she befriends the players she meets virtually. 

Risa Shiramine a.k.a Sally

Risa Shiramine is one of the main characters in the series.

Risa is the protagonist  Kaede Honjou’s best friend and a gamer who invites her to the VRMMORPG NewWorld Online. In the virtual world, she uses the alias Sally. Risa has many achievements as proof of her professional gaming skills.

Risa’s character is extroverted, alert, and practical when she’s playing because of the experience she has gained from playing other games.

III. Setting

• Location: The Bofuri series is set in a Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game called New World Online. The players earn stat points throughout their journey in the game which they can allot to various features of their character such as defense, offense, etc.

• Animation: The show has a great character design that is amplified through its swift and fluid animation. Animated by Silver Link, the series uses 2D animation to bring their characters to life.

• Artwork:  Bofuri has Kazuya Hirata designing the characters in a kawaii art style with vivid colors and bright backgrounds. The virtual world is designed well and makes the anime seem more captivating to watch.

IV. Theme Songs

• Opening theme songs :

Title	Original Artist	Genre	Episodes	Reference Links
“Kyūkyoku Unbalance”	Junjou no Afilia	J-Pop	1-12	Youtube Spotify Apple Music

“Kyuukoku Unbalance” is the OP theme for Bofuri and does a decent job of establishing the theme and mood for the show but doesn’t stand out as anything more than that.

The music heard in the song is a generic J-Pop rhythm with energetic instrumentals forming the background for the cheery lyrics of the song,

• Ending theme songs :

Title	Original Artist	Genre	Episodes	Reference Links
Riko Sasaki	“Play the World”	J-Pop	1-12	Youtube Spotify Apple Music

The ED theme “Play the World” is a level-up from the series’ opener. It adds a touch of emotion as Riko Sasaki’s gentle voice serenades the viewers.

•  Original SoundTrack (OST): The series is supported with suitable OSTs that elevate the scenes.

The “Open door of adventure” OST is a beautiful track that reminds you of the wonderful virtual world our characters are in and the remarkable journey they are on filled with exciting and unpredictable adventures.

• Background score: The series uses wonderful background scores to portray the seriousness of a particular scene and to escalate the emotions a scene is trying to create.

The music played during the beginning of the protagonist’s adventure creates a sense of excitement for what’s to follow.

• Sound effects: Bofuri implements high-quality sound effects for the most minute details in the show which heightens the overall feel of the scene.

 During the well-directed action sequences, we can hear the unsheathing of swords, the barrage of bullets, and distortion in the air as creatures take flight.

• Voice Acting: The anime adaptation uses great voice actors to breathe life into their characters. The childish yet moody tone of being a teenager is portrayed realistically owing to Kaede Hondo’s excellent voice acting for the protagonist’s character.

V. Action Sequences

Bofuri manages to be a thrilling adventure fantasy with epic action scenes. Silver Link managed to exceed expectations from the series’ production point of view. The excellent world setting and the powerful magic that only fantasy can impart, make the action sequences in the anime a pure joy to watch.

During a battle, the shows’ characters use their actual skills rather than never before seen abilities. Most shows conjure up insane skills at the pinnacle of the scene which leaves many loopholes in the story. As the anime progresses, these battles become riskier with the introduction of guild rivalries which adds more intense action to the story.

4. Grade: 4 out of 5

5. Final Thoughts

Silver Link gives us a wholesome and adventurous anime with great action scenes to boot. The show thrives on the aspect that it doesn’t compare itself to dark fantasies but rather focuses on being a cheery slice-of-life fantasy series.

Bofuri is an adorable and light-hearted story series followed by excellent animation and artwork. It is a breath of fresh air in the MMORPG’S genre, giving us a more believable and consistent source of entertainment.