Review of BOFURI: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense.

Sometimes, anime has the power to get you interested in things you don't believe you would enjoy. One of the greatest examples of this is the impact of sports anime, but this can also be done by anime of other genres. What BOFURI has done for me is gotten me interested in the isekai genre, something I didn't ever think I'd become too invested in. I attribute this mainly to the fact that BOFURI is a complete isekai parody. It contains all of your standard isekai conventions (transportation to a whole new world, the creation of a hero that has no business being as strong asthey are, unique weapons, allies and hierarchies, etc.) and completely inflates them. It's just hilarious seeing how dramatically overpowered Maple becomes as the series progresses. Things you might see done by isekai such as Sword Art Online are completely bastardized in BOFURI, and the result is a pure comedy that's fantastic for anyone who's a fan of isekai and/or video games in general.

There are also a few aspects of BOFURI that might not get enough credit. First off, the pacing is phenomenal. Being a pure comedy/parody, it doesn't let itself fall into the pitfalls of forced drama or consequences for actions. As a result, there is absolutely ZERO filler. Everything that happens is key to future events, as silly as they may be, and I respect the hell out of that. Secondly, the CG animation has some of the best implementation I've seen in an anime. It's not Land of the Lustrous-quality CG, to be sure, but it's so well-implemented and doesn't detract from the anime's overall flow at all. There is an abundance of terrible CG in the world of anime, and much to my surprise for a show that doesn't necessarily want to be taken seriously, BOFURI pulls it off very well when used.

Even with RPGs not being my preferred genre of video games, I found a LOT of enjoyment in this series, and I'll absolutely be watching the second season as it airs.