(Note: the following review is written by someone who has read the WN following the first season)
To begin with, let’s go over the complaints that some people are making about this season and my responses to them:
There’s no real plot this season: To begin with, Bofuri is a slice of life show. As such, there’s no major threat to conquer or goal to reach, with most of the story is basically just a VRMMORPG player and her online pals enjoying the game. Also, with the first season being focused on introducing the show’s world and characters, the second season prefers to take things easy as
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it makes its way towards the 8th Event. Third, one thing that viewers should take into consideration is the fact that Bofuri is in a "down period" at this point in the light novel as well, with the writer not really finding the "post-Season 1" groove until the 7th Layer. Finally, there is some sort of ongoing conflict in the season in the form of "players vs. developers", as the developers are trying come up with ways to make the 7th and 8th Events a challenge to the stronger players of the game.
The season feels rushed: This is what happens when you only have 12 episodes to cover five volumes worth of material (something that I expected). However, the reality is that only the first third (which covers the 4-6th Layers) has the rushed feel to it, and considering the content in the WN, I can see why this happened. Most of the 4th Layers being covered in one episode? It was basically a bunch of short tales that lasted half a volume in the LN. The 5th Layer not even having an episode to itself? It wasn’t really explored in the LN as well, as the focus instead went towards Maple’s battle with the oni and the 6th Event. Zipping by the 7th event in 1.5 episodes? The event was basically just Maple and Sally (with the 6th Floor itself being basically Maple only for most of it), and outside of some gained skills that the anime cut, it was mostly fluff that could have been tedious if it went an extra episode (with the anime handling it in a manner that gets through it quickly while ensuring that none of the floors get cut). By the time the season reaches the 7th Layer, the pacing returns to that is found in the first season, with each of the remaining volumes covered in the season receiving four episodes each.
Maple is OP: That’s part of the fun of Bofuri: the idea of Maple being an OP character who does her own thing. However, keep in mind that not only does Maple have some struggles in some of her battles, but also the anime has to trim some stuff for the sake of time while changing some things around (i.e. Maple's Atrocity form not working on the gatekeeper to the 4th Layer in the WN; it was Maple who needed the twins' help against the 5th Layer mountain god in the WN rather than the other way around in the anime).
If there is really any complaints to be made of the season, it’s the following:
The occasional lack of its “soul”: To me, Bofuri is at its best when it combines the action, lightheartedness, and ensemble aspect. The better episodes and moments are those that happen to combine all three, while others can be forgettable. For instance, look at the season finale: outside of the final thirty seconds to tease the third season, the only part of the episode that I really got into was the bit where the army of Atrocity Maples, Chrom, and the twins were going all Shadow of the Colossus on the final enemy of the 8th Event. Other than that, I wasn’t really drawn into the fight, and I felt like the closing credits sequence should have involved at least the rest of Maple Tree instead of having it be limited to just the two main characters.
The handling of Mai and Yui: To me, it feels like the twins are downplayed when compared to the light novel, as if someone in production has an issue with those two. The “mountain king” battle switched things around so that the twins needed Maple’s help in taking it out instead of the other way around (although I’m guessing it’s the anime’s way of including a nod to a cut 4th Layer incident involving the Minimax Trio). The bear summon quest has it so that they have issues with the boss of the quest, whereas it was relatively easy in the LN and the part they struggled with was getting to it (I did like the other changes that at the episode make though, as it avoided the two having to do the quest twice, prevented them from attacking something cute, and added some scenes featuring them and Kasumi). However, the one that really got on my nerve is how the anime changed their situation in during the party scattering portion of the 8th Event so that they wind up together and needing to be protected by Kanade, screwing over not only older sister Mai, who wasn’t with Yui and Kanade in the LN, but also central character Maple, as she was the one that Mai was paired with, with the most memorable part of the LN’s telling of the party scattering section consisting of what those two did while they wait to reunite with the rest of Maple Tree.
As for season itself, as mentioned earlier, the first third has a rushed feel to it as a result of the season having only 12 episodes and it wanting to properly cover the stuff set in the 7th Layer. However, once the season gets to that layer, things begin to slowdown, allowing for some of the charm of the first season to be appreciated without it being told at breakneck speed.
Like the first season, part of what makes Bofuri go great is its central character, Maple, and the crazy stuff she gets into. Whether it’s causing a major bug to appear while chasing a pair of twin ghosts, eating an octopus that drags her down to its lair, or taking control of a crocodile and firing lasers out of its mouth, Maple is as crazy as ever. Meanwhile, her skills and gear continue to grow, with new additions including a throne a blocks dark magic and enemies, a pair of hands that can hold additional shields (hoping for a third season, as that item’s full potential is realized there), and the ability to turn her arm into tentacles.
Meanwhile, another strength of Bofuri is the ensemble aspect of its cast, especially when it comes to the female characters, and that is seen this season. Like the previous season, Maple’s best friend, Sally, and their proteges, Mai and Yui, have their moments both with and without Maple. Meanwhile, the other female members of Maple Tree get some growth, with Kasumi getting her long-awaited powerup in the form of a cursed sword (at the cost of wearing revealing clothing when using it and turning into a child when using a certain move), while Izu gets a chance to show off both her role as a “team mother” and her expertise in explosives. The ensemble aspect isn’t just limited to Maple Tree, as Flame Emperors leader Mii and Holy Order member Frederica become more active in the series as the friendly rivals of Maple and Sally, respectively (with the penultimate episode of the season featuring the four teaming up).
However, the one character element that really got my attention was the main addition that Bofuri had this season: the summon system that Maple and Sally has “early access” to via Syrup and Oboro is fully implemented in the 7th Layer, with the rest of the main cast (and some minor characters) getting their own partners. In terms of the partners, there’s a little something for everyone. For those who want something cool, among the ones that viewers got a kick out of include Chrom’s living suit of armor (with Chrom wearing it, complete with a suit up scene straight out of the Ruby-Spears cartoon Centurions) and Shin’s cowboy hat-wearing hawk. For those who prefer something cute, the Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear inspired summons of Mai and Yui follow in Syrup’s footsteps in terms of maintaining cuteness even in giant form and being able to steal the scene. As for Mii and Payne, the title takes advantage of Maple’s partner being a turtle and develops a “Four Gods” theme through Mii’s phoenix, Ignis, and Payne’s dragon, Ray (while Maple Tree adds to the the concept of representing Genbu via Kasumi’s snake companion). Meanwhile, for those who prefer the original summons of Syrup and Oboro, not only do they still shine in the series (Syrup is still the best summon of the show, with one of the most adorable moments of the season being a scene where he plays with Maple’s tentacles), but they also receive an evolution that results in new abilities and some new looks (props to Silver Link for maintaining for not using the LN designs and instead maintaining the green and white body coloring that is part of Syrup’s cuteness).
In terms of recommending the show, it depends on the situation. For those who’ve watched the first season of the show, it will require a little understanding that the season has to rush through its “down period” and doesn’t really start to feel like the previous season until episode 5 (while the exciting elements that people feel are still missing from the season will not be back until the following season, if there is one). However, if you’re just looking for a lighthearted show that will put a smile on your face, then it’s worth checking out (heck, the penultimate episode was something some anime fans needed after the premiere of a certain series). Just be warned that the enjoyment mileage will vary by episode.
As for concerns about the quality of a possible Season 3: as a WN, I can ensure the haters that if we do get it, it will be more interesting thanks to the conflict involving the characters that appear at the end of the Season 2 finale (Velvet is going to be a fun character).
Apr 24, 2023
(Note: the following review is written by someone who has read the WN following the first season)
To begin with, let’s go over the complaints that some people are making about this season and my responses to them: There’s no real plot this season: To begin with, Bofuri is a slice of life show. As such, there’s no major threat to conquer or goal to reach, with most of the story is basically just a VRMMORPG player and her online pals enjoying the game. Also, with the first season being focused on introducing the show’s world and characters, the second season prefers to take things easy as ... Sep 22, 2021
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