BOFURI season 2 was supposed to come out in 2022, but Kadokawa declared the new schedule by releasing its official trailer on September 20 this year.
Accordingly, BOFURI: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, So I’ll Max Out My Defense Season 2 is set to premiere in January 2023. That said, the exact date of screening still remains unknown.
But if Silver Link Studio decides to follow the same timeline from the previous season, then we can expect the pilot episode of the second season of BOFURI within the first week of January 2023.
While the hold-up in the season 2 launch may seem disappointing to several fans, considering the miraculous journey of BOFURI so far, even this delay is rather insignificant. How so, you might be wondering?
Well, BOFURI was initially written as a 2016 web novel by Yuumikan on a self-publishing website, i.e., Shōsetsuka ni Narō (小説家になろう). But the series had its break within a single year when Fujimi Shobo started publishing it as Light Novel (LN) volumes under the label of Kadokawa Books Imprint.
The series grabbed further attention when mangaka Jiro Oimoto serialized it in Comp Ace – Kadokawa Shoten’s monthly seinen manga magazine. Meanwhile, Yen Press licensed the English translations of BOFURI manga in North America, bringing the series global recognition.
And so, unlike other light novel series, BOFURI got its anime adaptation without waiting for decades. Besides, a few months of delay in screening is far better than BOFURI being canceled altogether.
Why Was BOFURI Season 2 Postponed?
Currently, neither Silver Link Studio nor Kadokawa has offered any explanations.
Perhaps, the studio was overbooked, or there were some scheduling conflicts between the cast members. Or maybe, Kadokawa decided to release the second season of BOFURI on the 3rd anniversary of the first season. Some netizens even blame Covid-19 for this delay, but that seems highly unlikely.
You see, BOFURI season 2 was teased early in 2020 with a key visual at the end of Episode 12 of season 1. But no further announcements in 2020 were made owing to the pandemic crisis.
However, Silver Link Studio used this delay as a marketing stunt by releasing a key visual on the first anniversary of anime on January 9, 2021. The declaration confirmed the release of season 2 in 2022.
And so, if the pandemic were to blame for postponing season 2, then there would have been no announcements for BOFURI’s sequel in 2022.
Furthermore, the new schedule for BOFURI season 2 was accompanied by several other announcements, including a renewal of the Misfit of Demon King Academy, the Maid I Hired Recently is Mysterious, and the Greatest Demon Lord is Reborn as a Typical Nobody.
So, it’s safe to assume that Silver Link Studio may have delayed BOFURI season 2 because of a packed schedule. That said, the season is not likely to postpone further from January 2023.
How Many Episodes Will Be in BOFURI Season 2?
Currently, BOFURI Light Novels consist of 14 completed volumes. Season 1 contained 12 episodes that covered light novel volumes 1-4. So, keeping up with the tradition, BOFURI season 2 will likely consist of 12-14 episodes, covering volumes 5-8.
But the conversion of light novels to live animation condenses the content to only vital moments. So Season 2 may end up covering more than 4 volumes of the light novels.
And the web novel is still ongoing, so even after season 2 concludes, there will be enough material to create a third season of BOFURI.
Since Hulu and Crunchyroll streamed season 1, these will also be streaming BOFURI season 2. However, English-dubbed episodes that were previously available at Funimation are now licensed by Sony. So, if season 2 needs English dubbing, it will likely be processed by Crunchyroll.
That said, season 1 has been rebroadcasting since October 6, 2022. A key visual was also released to celebrate the confirmation of the season 2 release in January 2023.
What to Expect from BOFURI Season 2?
Though the official trailer does not give away the storyline, it certainly promises a season packed with adventures and new techniques. Silver Link Studio is again responsible for animation, so we can expect similar graphics.
The trailer also shows previous characters, including Kaede Hondo (Maple), Risa Shiromine (Sally), Kasumi, Kanade, Kuromu, Yui, and Mai. So, we can expect much of the same cast for them.
But Director Mirai Minato is not returning for season 2. However, director Shin Oonuma is still the main director. Music, composing, and designing directors are the same as in season 1. But Hiroshi Meijima is joining this time as a co-weapon designer.
What is BOFURI Season 2 About? (Spoiler Alert)
BOFURI, or the original title “Itai no wa Iya nano de Bougyoryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu,” is often translated to “BOFURI: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, So I’ll Max Out My Defense.”
The season has a rather simple plot. A girl named Kaede Hondo is invited by her friend Sally to play a virtual reality game (VRMMO) called “NewWorld Online.” Kaede joins the game under the alias “Maple.”
But she didn’t want to get hurt inside the game, so she poured every single bit of her stats and new points into boosting her defense.
Now, she has an extremely weak offense ability, but she can endure all kinds of attacks, making her one of the most powerful players in the game. Still, Maple’s obsession with defense abilities has rendered her to walk at the speed of a turtle.
Consequently, she comes up with unique and somewhat comedic ideas to accomplish game tasks. For instance, instead of killing a squid boss with a conventional sword, Maple poisons the entire ocean. But such creativity ends up causing glitches in the game, making the game developers hate Maple.
By the end of season 1, Maple had defeated major guild masters, earning her respect throughout the game world. So, in season 2, Maple will likely travel along with other guild masters on new adventures. She may also explore the dangerous level 7 with her friend Sally.
However, it is also possible that game developers will try to annihilate Maple’s avatar, as she has been causing bugs within the game. After all, they only left Maple alone because Maple’s popularity had brought several new players to join the game.
We anticipate a season full of comedic action, thrilling adventures, and new antagonists. Also, BOFURI season 2 will premiere in January 2023 without further delay, so start counting the weeks before it’s finally released!
