Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Bofuri: I don't want to get hurt so I'll max out my defense. volume 1 (read for fun)

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+


Click here for my next book reviewA Witch's Printing Office - Volume 4

Click here for my previous book reviewCiaphas Cain - HERO OF THE IMPERIUM

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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