Alert!
If you're looking for drama, high stakes,
and tension-filled fantasy action, you're in the wrong place. That is not what
Bofuri is trying to do. This is a story about two friends having fun playing a
virtual reality game. There is no death penalty for dying, and there is no
driving motivation for them to take part. It's just low-stakes fun.
And it is really fun.
While it might seem weird to read a story
about a girl playing a VMMORPG just to have fun, it is seriously fun. It is a
peaceful, relaxing, sort of fun. It is the sort of thing you read when you don't want
to get hurt, because Maple definitely doesn't want to get hurt.
It was interesting to see her thought
process in creating this negate-all-damage-so-I-don't-feel-pain build. It's
more than just allocating all her starting stat points to Vitality. The book
includes a remark from another character who tried that and failed. It is a
combination of Maple's unique thought-process, her creativity and how unprepared New World
Online's admins were for both.
For instance, Maple's key skill is
Absolute Defense, which increases her Vitality significantly in exchange for
making it more difficult for her to level up some other stats. Its requirements
are engaging a particular monster for one hour without taking or dealing any damage. One
imagines that NWO's admins created this skill for a high-level player who
prepared themselves to tank for their team against some dangerous creature.
Instead, level 1 Maple earns it by allowing a trash mob to headbutt her for one
hour - one full hour - while she encourages it. She does this
because she thinks the trash mob is adorable, and cries when she accidentally
kills it.
It's more than Achievements in Ignorance.
Maple also learns quickly. After learning that skills can come from actions,
she then seeks to obtain new skills for her maximum defense build. This is
how she acquires Poison Immunity. Then there's her creativity. The admins
definitely weren't expecting someone to fight a hydra like Maple does.
Even as she strives to max out her
defense, Maple isn't a power-game or an optimizer. She has a build theme in
mind, but that is not her goal. Her goal is to have fun. She is also a total
sweetheart; friendly to great-shielders with different builds, and like a big sister mentor to younger players who maxed out strength instead of vitality. This makes her a charming protagonist.
What's more, everyone in NWO is pretty
nice. There is no G.I.F.T. in NWO. When Maple asks a veteran player for advice,
he gives her advice; sound, helpful, practical advice. When this veteran player
tells some of his buddies about the cute novice he met earlier, they all
decide to look out for her, because she's a novice in need of advice and also
because she can do amazing things like sleep in a pile of monsters because the monsters
literally can't hurt her.
One more thing - I read this after
watching the anime. It was worth it. The book has more information than can be
added to the anime, which was a nice bonus. Also, the narration is something of
a Lemony Narrator. They are basically a Straight Man to Maple's activities,
underscoring how unusual her thought process is, and how broken her build is
becoming.
The appeal of this story is not high-drama
stakes or high-tension fights. The appeal of this story is its charming
protagonist having low-stakes fun with her best friend. If you want a thrilling
fantasy adventure story, look somewhere else. This story offers a light and
relaxing fantasy adventure story, and it is fun.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "Bofuri:
I don't want to get hurt so I'll max out my defense" an A+
Brian Wilkerson is a independent novelist, freelance book reviewer, and writing advice blogger. He studied at the University of Minnesota and came away with bachelor degrees in English Literature and History (Classical Mediterranean Period concentration).
His fantasy series, Journey to Chaos, is currently available on Amazon as an ebook or paperback.
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