# Bofuri
**Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense.** (痛いのは嫌なので防御力に極振りしたいと思います。) is a Japanese light novel series written by Yuumikan and illustrated by Koin, set in the virtual reality MMORPG NewWorld Online, where a novice player named Maple invests every stat point in defense and acquires skills that make her nearly invulnerable.[1](https://animecorner.me/bofuri-novel-ends-after-almost-9-years-of-serialization/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original title | 痛いのは嫌なので防御力に極振りしたいと思います。 (Itai no wa Iya nano de Bōgyoryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu.)[2](https://ncode.syosetu.com/n0358dh/?p=1) |
| Author / illustrator | Yuumikan (story), Koin (illustrations and character designs)[1](https://animecorner.me/bofuri-novel-ends-after-almost-9-years-of-serialization/) |
| Web novel run | Serialized on Shōsetsuka ni Narō from May 2016 to February 20, 2025, in 573 chapters[1](https://animecorner.me/bofuri-novel-ends-after-almost-9-years-of-serialization/) • [3](https://anime.cl/tras-casi-una-decada-bofuri-ha-terminado/) |
| Light novel | Published by Fujimi Shobo under the Kadokawa Books imprint from September 2017; 19 volumes, the last one the final volume[1](https://animecorner.me/bofuri-novel-ends-after-almost-9-years-of-serialization/) • [4](https://www.booknotification.com/authors/yuumikan/) |
| Setting | The VRMMO NewWorld Online, played by the protagonist Kaede Honjou as "Maple"[5](https://www.theoasg.com/reviews/light-novel/bofuri-volumes-1-3-review/28686) |
| Anime | Second season aired from January 11, 2023, produced by SILVER LINK. and directed by Shin Oonuma[6](https://bofuri.jp/) |
| Manga | Serialized in Monthly Comp Ace with art by Oimoto Jirou[7](https://kadokawabooks.jp/product/itainohaiya/) |
## Publication history
Yuumikan began serializing the story as a web novel on the user-generated fiction site [Shōsetsuka ni Narō](https://www.edgepedia.org/shosetsuka-ni-naro) in May 2016.[1](https://animecorner.me/bofuri-novel-ends-after-almost-9-years-of-serialization/) Fujimi Shobo acquired the work and began publishing it as a light novel with illustrations by Koin in September 2017 under the Kadokawa Books imprint.[1](https://animecorner.me/bofuri-novel-ends-after-almost-9-years-of-serialization/) By August 2024 the series had reached 18 volumes, with volume 19 announced as the final one.[1](https://animecorner.me/bofuri-novel-ends-after-almost-9-years-of-serialization/) A bibliographic listing of Yuumikan's work records 19 volumes in the Bofuri light novel series and 8 volumes in the Bofuri manga series.[4](https://www.booknotification.com/authors/yuumikan/)
The web novel concluded on February 20, 2025, after nearly nine years of serialization and 573 chapters, with Yuumikan announcing the ending on Twitter.[1](https://animecorner.me/bofuri-novel-ends-after-almost-9-years-of-serialization/) • [3](https://anime.cl/tras-casi-una-decada-bofuri-ha-terminado/) In the announcement the author thanked fans and wrote that, thanks to their encouragement, she had reached an ending with which she was completely satisfied.[3](https://anime.cl/tras-casi-una-decada-bofuri-ha-terminado/) • [8](https://animenew.com.br/bofuri-light-novel-chega-ao-fim-apos-9-anos)
## Premise and Maple's build
The story follows Kaede Honjou, who has never really been a gamer but joins the new VRMMO NewWorld Online at the urging of her friend Risa, who cannot join her in the game at first; without her veteran friend's advice, Kaede, playing as Maple, makes some unusual choices in her character creation.[5](https://www.theoasg.com/reviews/light-novel/bofuri-volumes-1-3-review/28686) Disliking pain, she puts all her stat points into vitality (VIT), the defense stat, which leads to the unexpected acquisition of the skill Absolute Defense and renders her nearly invulnerable.[1](https://animecorner.me/bofuri-novel-ends-after-almost-9-years-of-serialization/) This extreme allocation, called kyokufuri in Japanese, means concentrating all status points on a single ability rather than spreading them evenly.[9](https://www.shurigekijou.com/bofuri-skills-guide/)
The build has clear trade-offs. Maple's strength (STR) and agility (AGI) are extremely low, so she moves slowly and can barely dodge; her remaining weaknesses are status ailments, piercing attacks, and percentage-based damage that ignores defense.[9](https://www.shurigekijou.com/bofuri-skills-guide/) Her friend Risa, playing as Sally, takes the opposite path, specializing in agility and dexterity and relying on her own real-world skill as a player, while the twins Mai and Yui max out strength for one-hit power.[9](https://www.shurigekijou.com/bofuri-skills-guide/)
**Skills and monsters.** Maple's signature skills include Absolute Defense, the foundation of her invulnerability; Devour (Akuji), an added effect of her shield skill [Crescent Moon](https://www.edgepedia.org/crescent-moon) that nullifies a limited number of incoming attacks and skills; and Hydra (Poison Dragon), a poison-based area attack that works well precisely because it does not depend on her low STR.[9](https://www.shurigekijou.com/bofuri-skills-guide/) She later gains transformation-type abilities, including Machine God, which deploys weaponry for flight and bombardment, and an angel form whose skill lets her take damage in place of nearby allies.[9](https://www.shurigekijou.com/bofuri-skills-guide/) NewWorld Online also has a taming system: Maple tames the turtle Syrup and Sally the fox Oboro.[9](https://www.shurigekijou.com/bofuri-skills-guide/)
## Adaptations
**Manga.** A manga adaptation with art by Oimoto Jirou, original story by Yuumikan, and character designs by Koin is serialized in Monthly Comp Ace, with collected volumes in print.[7](https://kadokawabooks.jp/product/itainohaiya/)
**Anime.** A television anime adaptation was produced by SILVER LINK., directed by Shin Oonuma with series composition by Fumiaki Shimo, and character designs by Kazuya Hirata.[6](https://bofuri.jp/) The second season, titled Bofuri 2, began broadcasting on January 11, 2023 on AT-X, ABC TV, TOKYO MX, and other stations.[6](https://bofuri.jp/) The cast includes Kaede Hondo as Maple, Ruriko Noguchi as Sally, Saori Hayami as Kasumi, and Satomi Arai as Kanade, among others.[6](https://bofuri.jp/)
## Reception and genre placement
Reviewers describe Bofuri as a lighthearted story about people enjoying a game, rather than a trapped-in-a-game or death-game narrative; TheOASG notes that much of the plot is structured around NewWorld Online's in-game events, giving it a sports-anime-like rhythm of preparing for, competing in, and testing the spoils of each event.[5](https://www.theoasg.com/reviews/light-novel/bofuri-volumes-1-3-review/28686) Although its long descriptive title resembles those of isekai works, reviewers note that the story is not really an isekai: the characters log into the game voluntarily and return to their daily lives.[10](https://9tailedkitsune.com/light-novel-review-bofuri/) • [5](https://www.theoasg.com/reviews/light-novel/bofuri-volumes-1-3-review/28686) A French-language review on AlloCiné makes the contrast with [Sword Art Online](https://www.edgepedia.org/sword-art-online) explicit: the heroine is an ordinary girl, not a devoted gamer, who starts an immersive VR game only because her best friend insisted they play together.[11](https://www.allocine.fr/series/ficheserie-29894/critiques/)
## References
1. [Bofuri Novel Ends After Almost 9 Years of Serialization, Anime Corner (Marko Jovanovic, February 21, 2025)](https://animecorner.me/bofuri-novel-ends-after-almost-9-years-of-serialization/)
2. [痛いのは嫌なので防御力に極振りしたいと思います。 web novel, Shōsetsuka ni Narō](https://ncode.syosetu.com/n0358dh/?p=1)
3. [Tras casi una década, BOFURI ha terminado, AnimeCL](https://anime.cl/tras-casi-una-decada-bofuri-ha-terminado/)
4. [Yuumikan List of Books, Book Notification](https://www.booknotification.com/authors/yuumikan/)
5. [Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. Volumes 1-3 Light Novel Review, TheOASG](https://www.theoasg.com/reviews/light-novel/bofuri-volumes-1-3-review/28686)
6. [TVアニメ「痛いのは嫌なので防御力に極振りしたいと思います。2」公式サイト](https://bofuri.jp/)
7. [痛いのは嫌なので防御力に極振りしたいと思います。 シリーズ, カドカワBOOKS](https://kadokawabooks.jp/product/itainohaiya/)
8. [BOFURI: Light Novel chega ao fim após 9 anos, AnimeNew](https://animenew.com.br/bofuri-light-novel-chega-ao-fim-apos-9-anos)
9. [防振りのスキル＆極振りステータス完全ガイド, 動画配信おすすめ劇場](https://www.shurigekijou.com/bofuri-skills-guide/)
10. [Light Novel Review: Bofuri, 9 Tailed Kitsune](https://9tailedkitsune.com/light-novel-review-bofuri/)
11. [Critiques de la série BOFURI, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/series/ficheserie-29894/critiques/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Literature and written works › Creative written works and worlds › Graphic, illustrated, and Asian-format fiction › Light novels and web novels › Isekai works and format*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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