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The Rising of the Shield Hero
The Rising of the Shield Hero — Our regrets make us stronger.
2019 8.5 128.0K TV-14 views saved
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The Rising of the Shield Hero

2019 8.5 128.0K TV-14 views saved
Season 4 Episode 1 will air on Jul 09, 2025 — 1 day from now
The Rising of the Shield Hero

Iwatani Naofumi, a run-of-the-mill otaku, finds a book in the library that summons him to another world. He is tasked with joining the sword, spear, and bow as one of the Four Cardinal Heroes and fighting the Waves of Catastrophe as the Shield Hero. Excited by the prospect of a grand adventure, Naofumi sets off with his party. However, merely a few days later, he is betrayed and loses all his money, dignity, and respect. Unable to trust anyone anymore, he employs a slave named Raphtalia and takes on the Waves and the world. But will he really find a way to overturn this desperate situation?

Countries: JP
Languages: Japanese
Content Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 24min
Status: Returning Series
First air date: 2019-01-09
Comments
@r0nin 5 months ago

There are a lot of reviewers bagging on this show, but most of the criticisms seem like they heard about the show, and didn't actually watch it. There's no harem, and the character that's being constantly called a loli was literally raised by the MC from birth. He always refers to her as his daughter, so if you're sexualizing that relationship, that's a personal problem.

That aside, this show is dope. Season 2 does dip a bit in quality, but season 3 was a return to form and excellent. I was hoping for more from the season 2 otherworlders arc, but the curse series arc for all the heroes in season 3 was fantastic.

If you don't know what you're getting into when you start this series, the first five episodes are pretty shocking. Seeing an MC treated that way in an isekai really pulls you to his side. It's also understandable as he loses trust for just about everyone in this new world he finds himself trapped in.

Raphtalia is probably one of the best sidekicks in any isekai, earnest, competent, and trustworthy....she always has the MC's back. You can see where the relationship is going, even if the MC can't. It's one of the more nuanced relationships in this genre.

A lot of characters were added in seasons two and three, and not all have been completely fleshed out. I'm hoping we get more backstory for several people in season 4....it's honestly a bit crazy how large the cast of characters for this show has grown. Everyone is unique, in character design and personality.

Great animation and artwork, but I wouldn't call it elite... Excellent fight scenes and lots of different fighting styles on display. Honestly, this is a really good one...don't let the hate keep you from watching it.

0
@r0nin 5 months ago

There are a lot of reviewers bagging on this show, but most of the criticisms seem like they heard about the show, and didn't actually watch it. There's no harem, and the character that's being constantly called a loli was literally raised by the MC from birth. He always refers to her as his daughter, so if you're sexualizing that relationship, that's a personal problem.

That aside, this show is dope. Season 2 does dip a bit in quality, but season 3 was a return to form and excellent. I was hoping for more from the season 2 otherworlders arc, but the curse series arc for all the heroes in season 3 was fantastic.

If you don't know what you're getting into when you start this series, the first five episodes are pretty shocking. Seeing an MC treated that way in an isekai really pulls you to his side. It's also understandable as he loses trust for just about everyone in this new world he finds himself trapped in.

Raphtalia is probably one of the best sidekicks in any isekai, earnest, competent, and trustworthy....she always has the MC's back. You can see where the relationship is going, even if the MC can't. It's one of the more nuanced relationships in this genre.

A lot of characters were added in seasons two and three, and not all have been completely fleshed out. I'm hoping we get more backstory for several people in season 4....it's honestly a bit crazy how large the cast of characters for this show has grown. Everyone is unique, in character design and personality.

Great animation and artwork, but I wouldn't call it elite... Excellent fight scenes and lots of different fighting styles on display. Honestly, this is a really good one...don't let the hate keep you from watching it.

0
Kobethegr8
@kobethegr8 1 year ago

First season was great. 2nd season was mid & the 3rd got me hooked again. 4th season gon be 🔥

1
Noah
@noah978 4 years ago

What started off as a really good Isekai Anime with minimal Cliché, slowly gained some flaws and a couple times went a little *too* hard down the path of Loli, so much that it essentially sidetracked the series. However, by the end of the season I found myself enjoying the show quite a bit. I think there's a lot left unexplained and unexplored with the first season so I'm glad that the show won't be stopping here.

Being the largest Isekai franchise out there, it's hard not to try and compare this to Sword Art Online. And all-in-all, I'd say this series is messy but still no where near as shallow and convoluted that SAO got at certain times in the series. It is all too easy for these types of shows to get swept up in the balance between "gotta grind more" and "woah just got overpowered out of nowhere". [spoiler]For example, the sudden rage shield introduction seemed poorly executed and the "curses" sudden appearance has also gone rather unexplained.[/spoiler]

I'm not familiar with the Manga, but I hope this show takes the opportunity given with season 2 and really sets itself apart from the mistakes of past Isekai animes. The first 5 episodes were a rock solid introduction which is something I can't say about most Anime.

To sum up, Raphtalia is really cute and needs some more cool attack moves, but please keep the story rolling instead of diving head first into a Loli harem with insanely OP cute power.

1
DipperDolphin
@dipperdolphin 6 years ago

A great anime. I'll miss it! This was the first anime I started when it aired. 😄

Started off much stronger than it ended imo, but really enjoyed it anyway. Off to the light novels!

2
LeLoupCarmin
@leloupcarmin 1 year ago

> Recommendation : ✅

# *This is a good example of how music can carry a show.*
**Season 1 :**

The plot is really good and even has a great [spoiler]cliffhanger[/spoiler]. The general atmosphere is very pleasant, and what can I say about the music? Oh my God! You could literally watch this anime just for the music. Kevin Penkin is still quite young in the anime world, so I have no doubt that he will become a legendary composer in a few decades.

However, in terms of character development, [spoiler]Raphtalia[/spoiler] and [spoiler]Filo[/spoiler] are great. As for [spoiler]Naofumi[/spoiler], I have mixed feelings. The other [spoiler]heroes[/spoiler], as well as some of the other characters, could they be more stupid?

And what about turning your back on your opponent to talk for 20 minutes in the middle of battle? Stop that crap, it's pathetic (I've always wondered what the enemy's point of view must be like in this situation). Some episodes are boring to watch, while others are brilliant. To the point where moments of "daily life" are much better and more exciting to watch than a battle you've been waiting for..

**Season 1 : 8/10**

---

**Season 2 :**

I don't think this season is all bad. In fact, there are some very good things, and the plot is moving forward. Unfortunately, I think the ending of season 1 should have been different.

[spoiler]During the fight between Naofumi and Glass, Naofumi should have ended the fight by hindering Glass, taking his teammates with him, and using his shields to try to reach the rift and then cross over to the other world. We know that he didn't want to kill the other people. That would have been a good way to move the plot forward, and we'd have a whole season in the other world, so much more developed.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]But most of all, find an antagonist other than Kyo. Making a character that is inherently bad, that screams and talks badly all the time doesn't make him a good antagonist. In fact, it was unpleasant to watch.[/spoiler]

Otherwise, the OST is once again a masterpiece.

**Season 2 : 6/10** *(Thank the OST for this rating)*

---

**Season 3 :**

Exactly the same concerns as season 2, there are some very good things.

[spoiler]I enjoyed seeing the development of Naofumi's village. The addition of new characters to the shield hero group. The arrival of the vassal weapons of this world.[/spoiler]

But there's still some bad and very bad stuff.

[spoiler]Malty, again and again and again. It's boring, it sucks. Sure, it unlocks the curse on the various heroes. But after a while, the story needs to be renewed a bit. Some battles where lvl 30s have more impact than lvl 70s, it gives importance to secondary characters, but there's a limit. Are we talking about demi-humans? They never grow up. It's explained to us that they grow as they level up, but even after lvl 40, the class change, they don't grow at all.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]Honestly, if Malty plays another manipulative role next season. The only solution is for her to get killed while trying to manipulate the kingdom Naofumi wants to go to. But if they are all stupidly manipulated, I couldn't do it, I'm sorry.. Even the music won't be able to save the rating that I'm going to give to this season 4.[/spoiler]

**Season 3 : 6/10** *(Once again, Music keeps the show alive)*

---

**Conclusion**: The universe in which the story takes place in is incredible. [spoiler]The multiverse, the interactions between the different worlds, the wave system, the hourglass, legendary weapons, vassal weapons. All of these things are brilliant. On the other hand, I have the impression that the author has lost his way and doesn't know what to invent to renew the story. We turn arround with Myne "Bitch". Always the same thing, over and over again.[/spoiler]

---

> Extra : ♥

There is so much good music. My two favorites :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aBZbCzDMqw ([spoiler]S01 - Raphtalia saves Naofomi in the mine[/spoiler])
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwTrj0fahh4 ([spoiler]S02 - Ost Horai death[/spoiler])

1
ner0p
@ner0p 3 years ago

1st season was really great, the 2nd season (watched 50% so far) is absolutely horrible, boring beyond words. Not looking forward to finishing it nor a 3rd season.

0
Andy A.
@astranora 3 months ago

Season 1: 8/10
Season 2: 5/10 (don't bother)
Season 3: dropped the Anime

Stop watching after season 1. Season 1 however is a very entertaining watch...

0
Robert Eiva
@ayvah 5 years ago

This anime sets up some great concepts but seems to have a lot of trouble following through effectively. The Shield Hero is unable to wield any weapons, making him practically useless offensively. (Although how does that work exactly? What if he picks up something like a baseball bat? The rules for this are glossed over.)

At first he seems to overcome this weakness by carrying around weak monsters he can use as weapons. Secondly, he manages to form a companionship with someone who can provide him with offense. Then we start seeing hints that he would find creative ways of using "defensive" powers in an offensive way. Okay. I'm intrigued. But instead of building on this, his weakness just gets kind of forgotten and he just starts getting powers that are explicitly offensive. He doesn't even have to learn a valuable lesson to earn these attacks. He just gets them because [spoiler]he got a bit angry one time.[/spoiler] Yay~

There are also some very strange story moments. For example, his two main companions are enslaved to him by a "curse" placed on them. Even though they are perfectly willing to follow him (and crush on him constantly -- of course they're both part of his loli harem), for some reason it was necessary to magically enslave them. One of them is even said to be put through a lot of pain just in order to have this curse applied. This is our (anti)hero torturing and enslaving people he actually likes -- for no reason! It's just weird.

The moment that really made me lose interest in this series is in episode 13 when [spoiler]some random soldiers have what is essentially a magic video camera, to record the shield hero's team defending themselves against some soldiers. THEN this video footage is essentially photoshopped to make it look like they're having a murder spree. THEN they use a magic TV projector to wander around the country showing this footage to all the common people to show how nasty he is.[/spoiler] The lazy ways in which the Shield Hero is constantly getting set up as a bad guy just boggles my mind.

Overall, it's been kind of awkward and lazy. On the plus side, adult Raphtalia is pretty cute, and I felt the series was strongest when it just focused on them as a pair (though she's still technically underage, ugh).

3
paldoomen
@paldoomen 7 months ago

Every once in a while, a series comes around that reminds me why I love anime. This one reminded me why I hate it.

The obnoxious antagonism, the contrived filler, the over-reliance on tropes with barely a nod towards subverting or personalizing them... it all smacks of an unremarkable project. Then you add the casual discussions of slavery, not just demonizing those who condemn slavery but having one character actively seek out forced servitude? Because they _like it_? Add the sexual assault allegations, giving us a protagonist who bRaVeLy continues despite being wrongly accused? The weird, unnecessary loli stuff. (At least the MC decries loli fans, but uhhhhh why not just leave it out completely? doesn't accomplish anything.)

There's no nuance in the way these ideas are presented, it's just a bunch of really bad takes - so either there's no lesson or the lesson is despicable. You decide.

Or: just watch something else. Or _read_ something else. LitRPG and Progression Fantasy use isekai/shounen premises, video game settings, a low-power protagonist who everyone underestimates, and other tropes. To great effect. There's not enough time on this planet to consume all the media. Protect your free time and skip this bland anime.

2
wpafbo79
@wpafbo79 5 months ago

Naofumi is an idiot and and prick. He doesn't make for an interesting or even watchable main character.

On top of that, the writing in mediocre to bad. There isn't much good about this show. I kept hoping for it to get better, and after 9 episodes it had a few decent/good episodes, but the show continues to fail in so many ways.

0
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