Sun Tzu and Anime: Bofuri Character Analysis
Bofuri Character Analysis
It's time for another pass at past meeting present as Sun Tzu's exceptional wisdom comes to bear on more anime legends.
As a quick refresher, here's how the rating system works. Sun Tzu cited Five Essential Victory Factors: Morality, Weather, Terrain, Good Leadership, and Preparation. Those under consideration can earn 0-10 points each here. However, he also cited Five Fatal Failings of Leadership: Recklessness, Cowardice, A Hasty Temper (Anger, for simplicity), Delicacy of Honor (DOH), and Caring too much about the troops (Over-caring). Those under consideration can lose 0-10 points in each. At the end, the scores are tallied, with each character aiming for 40 or better.
This time, we're analyzing a recent gem: the Maple Tree Guild from Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. As always, to keep things fair, we'll analyze these characters in the order they were formally introduced, plus we'll stick strictly with the events of the first season.
Character Analysis: Maple
Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense: Maple
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 10 | She's an angel: always smiling, gentle, and endlessly accepting, most famously when she not only forgave Kasumi for attacking her, but friended her. |
| Weather | 10 | Thanks to her high defense, numerous skills, and creativity, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 7 | Maxing out her defense initially left her slow and clumsy, but unlocking new skills, plus her legendary flying in-game pet turtle Syrup, more than make up for it. |
| Good Leadership | 6 | She's a tad indecisive, and often goes rogue when her friends are in danger, like when she left her guild base during the fourth event to rescue Sally. |
| Preparation | 3 | She often forgets her studies, accidentally tried to use her shield stance in dodgeball, and (due to her lack of game experience) often gains new skills by accident. |
| Total | 36 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -8 | Serious red flag. She constantly underestimates others, most commonly the game's AIs, and is very impulsive, like when the poison dragon melted her armor and she resorted to eating it. |
| Cowardice | -5 | She was shy and indecisive at first, but experience is slowly emboldening her, hence the lower rating. |
| Anger | -2 | She's got a slight temper, yet not enough to worry. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -2 | She's very modest, although she's starting to get cocky with experience. |
| Over-caring | -8 | Serious red flag. She constantly tries to protect others, most commonly with her skill Loving Sacrifice, yet often endangers herself in the process. |
| Total | -25 |
Final Assessment
Score: 11 (Great potential, yet deeply flawed)
Character Analysis: Sally
Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense: Sally
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 8 | She's a great person and a loyal friend, yet can go overboard at times. |
| Weather | 10 | Thanks to her strength, speed, and experience, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 10 | Due to her keen eye, agility, and tactical skills, this isn't an issue either. |
| Good Leadership | 8 | She's an incredible tactician, planner, and strategist, plus very skilled with deception and manipulation. Unfortunately, she tends to go rogue during events. |
| Preparation | 8 | She's got great prep skills, like when she helped map out the guild bases in the fourth event, but got in trouble for neglecting her studies. |
| Total | 44 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -8 | Serious red flag. She constantly underestimates others, especially Maple, and is very impulsive, like when she pushed too hard in the fourth event, then got surrounded by the Order of the Holy Sword. |
| Cowardice | -4 | She's normally very bold, yet is still terrified of anything horror-related. |
| Anger | -7 | Slight red flag. She's a hothead, plus easily triggered, usually when she's frustrated or facing a new challenge. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -7 | Slight red flag. She's very cocky, something that often costs her, like when Paine knocked her back when he attacked Maple Tree's base. |
| Over-caring | -5 | She worries about both Maple and her guildmates, hence her constantly pushing to make things easier for them. |
| Total | -31 |
Final Assessment
Score: 13 (Great potential, yet deeply flawed)
Character Analysis: Kuromu
Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense: Kuromu
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 10 | He's a really nice guy, plus loves aiding others, like when he sent Maple some encouraging texts during the third event. |
| Weather | 10 | Due to his experience, strength, and new armor, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 9 | Thanks to his keen eye, skills, and agility, this isn't an issue either. |
| Good Leadership | 5 | He's capable, like when he helped defend the guild base in the fourth event, but is more lone wolf than leader. |
| Preparation | 5 | He's very good at level grinding and networking, but was repeatedly killed while learning his Great Shield skills. |
| Total | 39 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -7 | Serious red flag. He constantly underestimates others, especially Maple, and is a tad impulsive, usually when he's nervous or annoyed. |
| Cowardice | -5 | Slight red flag. He's shy and unassuming, although he gets a little better toward the end of the season, hence the lower rating. |
| Anger | -2 | He's got a slight temper, yet not enough to worry. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -3 | He's a little cocky, but not enough to worry here either. |
| Over-caring | -5 | He worries about his guildmates, and even openly feels, as a gaming veteran, it's his job to encourage others to enjoy the game. |
| Total | -22 |
Final Assessment
Score: 17 (Great potential, yet deeply flawed)
Character Analysis: Iz
Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense: Iz
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 10 | She's sweet and very generous, like when she gave Mai and Yui the crystal hammers, then made the wooly outfits for the third event. |
| Weather | 9 | Due to her strength, experience, and skills, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 8 | Thanks to her agility, engineering knowledge, and keen eye, this isn't an issue either. |
| Good Leadership | 6 | She's pretty good with prepping for events, yet is still more follower than leader. |
| Preparation | 9 | She's very studious with crafting, skills that exponentially improve once she gets her new armor. |
| Total | 42 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -8 | Serious red flag. She often underestimates foes and is a tad impulsive, like when she tried to help Maple fight Paine, only to get cut down in the process. |
| Cowardice | 0 | She's very bold, so no worries here. |
| Anger | -2 | She's got a slight temper, but not enough to worry. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -4 | She's pretty cocky at first, although experience quickly tempers that, hence the lower rating. |
| Over-caring | -5 | She worries about her guildmates, particularly Maple, and seems drawn to Kuromu. |
| Total | -19 |
Final Assessment
Score: 23 (Capable, yet moderately flawed)
Character Analysis: Kasumi
Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense: Kasumi
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 8 | She's a wonderful person, although it takes a while before she shows it. |
| Weather | 10 | Due to her swordsmanship, strength, and keen eye, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 8 | Thanks to her experience, speed, and improv skills, this isn't an issue either. |
| Good Leadership | 5 | She's got potential, like when helping Maple and Sally escape the dungeon in the second event, but ultimately tends to vary between lone wolf and follower. |
| Preparation | 7 | She's great with training and level grinding, yet mostly wings events. |
| Total | 38 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -8 | Serious red flag. She often underestimates foes and is very impulsive, such as when she brazenly challenged Maple and Sally in the second event. |
| Cowardice | -4 | She's easily embarrassed, like when she got the wooly outfit for the third event, but is otherwise very bold. |
| Anger | -3 | She's got a slight temper, yet not enough to worry. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -6 | She's very cocky, something she never truly tempers, even after several close calls. |
| Over-caring | -3 | She worries about her guildmates, especially Sally and Maple, whom she deeply respects. |
| Total | -24 |
Final Assessment
Score: 14 (Great potential, yet deeply flawed)
Character Analysis: Kanade
Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense: Kanade
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 10 | He's a really nice guy, as well as very generous and compassionate. |
| Weather | 9 | Due to his magic, keen sense, and awareness, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 10 | Thanks to his skills, experience, and spell arsenal, this isn't an issue either. |
| Good Leadership | 4 | He's got a few instincts, like when he helped Maple and Sally during the second event, yet still tends to vary between lone wolf and follower. |
| Preparation | 10 | He's very studious with learning spells and solving puzzles/riddles, all of which gets far better when he gains the Spell Stash upgrade. |
| Total | 43 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -7 | Slight red flag. He often underestimates foes and is a tad impulsive, such as when he was killed trying to fight Paine during the fourth event. |
| Cowardice | -2 | He's a tad shy, yet not enough to worry. |
| Anger | 0 | He doesn't get angry, so no worries here. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -3 | He's a tad vain, usually when it comes to riddles/puzzles, but not enough to worry. |
| Over-caring | -4 | He worries about his guildmates, so much so during the fourth event he went solo orb-hunting to help Sally. |
| Total | -16 |
Final Assessment
Score: 27 (Capable, yet moderately flawed)
Character Analysis: Mai and Yui
Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense: Mai and Yui
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 10 | They're very sweet and gentle, not to mention very playful, even in combat. |
| Weather | 10 | Due to their strength, experience, and senses, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 5 | They significantly improve throughout the series, yet still have issues with low mobility and clumsiness, like when they first joined the guild and accidentally broke their table. |
| Good Leadership | 2 | They get a tad more assertive over time, but are still predominantly followers at the end of the season. |
| Preparation | 5 | They quickly learn to level grind and improvise, yet mostly wing everything else. |
| Total | 32 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -9 | Major red flag. They constantly underestimate foes and are extremely impulsive, often due to their not realizing their own strength, like when they tried to splash Sally and Maple in the pond and caused a tidal wave. |
| Cowardice | -8 | Serious red flag. They're painfully shy and insecure, something they never quite shake. |
| Anger | -3 | They've got slight tempers, yet not enough to worry. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -4 | They're very modest at first, but start growing cocky with experience, namely after gaining the Conqueror and Destroyer skills. |
| Over-caring | -4 | They care deeply about their guildmates, particularly Maple, and each other, being twins. |
| Total | -28 |
Final Assessment
Score: 4 (Nightmare scenario)
Reviewing the Results
This was an interesting mix, especially given how they offset each other's flaws so well, yet still have plenty of room to improve, something they'll hopefully heed after the close call with Paine. However, that goes back to what's been said from the beginning: follow Sun Tzu, and you'll win; ignore him, and you'll lose.
Bofuri Characters: Victory Factors Analysis
| Character | Morality | Weather | Terrain | Leadership | Preparation | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maple | 10 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 36 |
| Sally | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 44 |
| Kuromu | 10 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 39 |
| Iz | 10 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 42 |
| Kasumi | 8 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 38 |
| Kanade | 10 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 43 |
| Mai & Yui | 10 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 32 |
Bofuri Characters: Fatal Failings Analysis
| Character | Recklessness | Cowardice | Anger | DOH | Over-caring | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maple | -8 | -5 | -2 | -2 | -8 | -25 |
| Sally | -8 | -4 | -7 | -7 | -5 | -31 |
| Kuromu | -7 | -5 | -2 | -3 | -5 | -22 |
| Iz | -8 | 0 | -2 | -4 | -5 | -19 |
| Kasumi | -8 | -4 | -3 | -6 | -3 | -24 |
| Kanade | -7 | -2 | 0 | -3 | -4 | -16 |
| Mai & Yui | -9 | -8 | -3 | -4 | -4 | -28 |
Bofuri Characters: Final Scores
| Character | Final Score | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Maple | 11 | Great potential, yet deeply flawed |
| Sally | 13 | Great potential, yet deeply flawed |
| Kuromu | 17 | Great potential, yet deeply flawed |
| Iz | 23 | Capable, yet moderately flawed |
| Kasumi | 14 | Great potential, yet deeply flawed |
| Kanade | 27 | Capable, yet moderately flawed |
| Mai & Yui | 4 | Nightmare scenario |
Andrew's originally from Massachusetts, and has studied military history/tactics/strategy for almost 30 years. He has a BA in History (English minor) from UMASS Lowell and JD from Mass. School of Law. He can be found on Twitter (@AndrewNickers19) daily, analyzing characters via Sun Tzu.
Fun Fact: Andrew's a huge fan of anime music. He particularly recommends Crescent Love (Brighter than the Dawning Blue), Dream Riser (Girls Und Panzer), and the fight theme to Zoids: New Century.