痛いのは嫌なので防御力に極振りしたいと思います (Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense) {Wk 1}

FIRST OF ALL, HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🎉 

Have you ever played a video game for the first time and was scared of dying so you max out your defense stats? BOFURI is the embodiment of this idea and is amazing anime that is honestly just a good laugh. The series takes advantage of the stereotypical trope of isekai's having the protagonist being way too overpowered to use it as a form of comedy within the series. The show in summary is about a girl who joins a VRMMORPG - virtual reality massive multiplayer online role-playing game - and as the long title says (つ≧▽≦)つ decides to put all her ability and skill points into having the highest defense possible. Kaede Honjou was originally an innocent girl who had no interest in any of the video games her gamer friend Risa suggests for her. She eventually finds interest in this game called New World Online which is very similar to games like Sword Art Online (SAO), besides being trapped inside of the game of course. The anime follows Kaede as falls in love with the game and becomes this absurdly overpowered character that can rarely get hurt by any monster or player in the game. She has crazy luck getting really good items that normal players wouldn't normally get which add on to the absurdity which isn't too overbearing and just really funny.

This series is still ongoing and is honestly just a good example of the infamous isekai genre of anime. I really love all of the predictable and non-predictable moments in the anime that were a genuine joy to see. The animation itself is really well-done with some drops here and there which I think are okay! When listening to the anime and reading the subtitles, my learning of Japanese has helped me what translations are done meaning for meaning or just are close translations of certain phrases which really makes you realize how much learning a language in one semester can do. Furthermore, as far as culture and what not, the anime doesn't introduce any new Japanese cultural concepts but does a good job of reinforcing the usual kinds of culture like clothes, references, and even just simple things like mannerisms of the characters. I really loved this anime and I'm so excited for season 2 which is just a treat to wait for!