Bofuri, Vol. 3 by Yuumikan, Koin
Series Name: Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense. (Light Novel)
Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Magic, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life, Video Games
Intended Age Group: 13+
Publisher: Yen On/Yen Press
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-9753-2354-7
Rating: 3.5/5
Amazon Barnes&Noble Crunchyroll ThriftBooks
Description from the Book
Following their incredible performance in the treasure hunt event, Maple and Sally are interested in one thing and one thing only—buying a house! After all, every guild needs a home. Though their guild is still small, the girls and their friends are excited to have a place to meet, train, and grow—especially now that the newly minted guilds are all going to be facing off in the next big event! This is the birth of the legendary Maple Tree, the guild whose name strikes fear into the hearts of all who hear it!
Personal & Info
I had a headache while reading a large chunk of this, so it’s possible my rating might be a little lower than it deserves.
Characters
Kaede Honjou, player name Maple, is the main character. She didn’t play video games much until she tried New World Online. The game has a pain system that allows the player to actually feel pain when they take damage. Because of this feature, Maple puts ALL stat points into her defense.
Risa Shiromine, player name Sally, is Maple’s friend. She introduced Kaede to the game, and decided to follow her lead in making an overpowered build. Her primary stat is agility, and she has a special skill as a gamer to be able to handle fast movement and reaction times without any additional program assistance.
Kasumi is a katana weilding player that Maple and Sally befriended during the second game event.
Kanade is a mage player that Maple befriended during the second game event. His staff is a Rubik’s cube.
Chrome is the Anonymous Great Shielder in the forums and Maple’s friend. He’s also one of the best great shielders in the game.
Iz is a crafter that Maple met through Chrome. She’s one of the best in the game.
Yui and Mai are twins only differentiated by their hair colors of white and black. They are Maple’s newest friends, and chose pure strength builds.
Oboro and Syrup are Sally and Maple’s animal companion rewards from the second event. Oboro is a fox, and Syrup is a turtle.
Story & Thoughts
This volume is not as thick as the second, but thicker than the first. I’d rather these light novels be a little thicker, because they’re thinner than others I’m used to, but at the same time, it’s nice that they are short. Despite the thinness of the volumes, it always feels like a lot happens due to the shortness of the chapters and the fast paced story telling. They make quick, fun reads.
The book picks up after the second game event. The ability to purchase guild housing becomes available and Maple decides she wants to start her own guild. Everything takes off from there as the girls invite everyone they know, so far, to join.
Things are a little different compared to the first two volumes. Instead of just covering Maple and Sally’s adventures, the book covers all of the characters. For example, there are sections where Chrome, Iz, and Kanade all get their own individual adventures. It’s a pleasant change.
On the negative side, the story has a lot of grinding. Large sections specifically focus on gaining levels, getting a specific skill, gathering a specific item, or hoping to find good gear. Sometimes that’s interesting, but not always.
There is a game event in this volume, but it’s nothing big. It’s very short, and hardly touched on, because Maple can’t easily participate and there aren’t rewards that interest her. After that part of the story, the rest is their guild getting ready for the fourth event, which will be in the next volume.
Overall, a lot happens, but the story is a little too grindy. Regardless, there’s a lot to love. The characters are great, and Maple’s unique luck and way of playing the game seem contagious to those around her.