The Rising of the Shield Hero S1: Anime Thoughts & Review

Genre:	Isekai (Parallel Worlds); Adventure; Heroes, Fantasy
Recommend:	Recommend but may have some triggering content

Finally got round to watching “The Rising of the Shield Hero” 盾の勇者の成り上がり. And I finished watching Season 1 (25 episodes) in 2 days. ^ ^

As a fan of fantasy and isekai since I was young, this was a genre that I was naturally drawn to. However, there has been an influx of isekai series over the past 5 years with varying degrees of quality (more meh than yay), so I have been putting off several series to watch, including this series.

I’m happy to say that “The Rising of the Shield Hero” is indeed one of the better isekai stories out there, with a somewhat refreshing and interesting take on the concept of heroes. Another series I highly recommend is The Faraway Paladin.

It explores a lesser visited trope (at least in the first half of the story) of what happens if a Hero is not welcomed in the world that he/she was summoned to save? How would then said hero survive? And would the hero still be willing to protect the world he was summoned to?

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What is The Rising of the Shield Hero about?

Official Anime Website: **http://shieldhero-anime.jp/**

The story follows the adventures and fortunes of the protagonist, Iwatani Naofumi, an ordinary Japanese College student, who was summoned into another world. He, along with 3 other students, were “selected” as that world’s Cardinal Heroes and asked to save them from inter-dimensional monster attacks known as “Waves”.

Unfortunately, as the hero with the sole defensive lengendary equipment – a Shield – , Naofumi received a frosty welcome from the nobility. In comparison, the other heroes – each equipped with a sword, a spear and a bow/arrow – received strong support, admiration and allies.

Things got only worse for Naofumi as he ended up being maligned and wrongfully accused of certain crimes which resulted in him being further shunned and mocked in the new world.

Having fallen into the depths of despair and betrayal, Naofumi became distrustful and bitter, choosing to train alone and finding ways to survive in the new strange world that rejected him.

Nevertheless, Naofumi’s innate goodness and kindness still manages to shine through his cold exterior. Slowly but surely, the Shield Hero’s actions won him the gratitude and trust of the people. Now, along with his new-found loyal companions, he sets out to carry out his mission to save the world on his own terms.

My thoughts on “The Rising of the Shield Hero” Season 1

“The Rising of the Shield Hero” generally doesn’t differ much in the genre of fantasy isekai adventures. You get the typical isekai adventure setting: heroes summoned to save the world from mysterious attackers; finding new companions along the journey, as well as being thrown into various crisis and then growing from adversity.

However, what sets this series apart from the other run-of-the-mill isekai anime is its relatively darker tone and unabashed exploration into the concepts of Morality and the idea of Heroism. The premise of the show was also unique in the fact that the hero (protagonist) was rejected by the people who needed him and had to endure vilification and despair in the process.

Personally, I really liked how the series delved more into the actual consequences of heroism and the aftermath of their such heroic actions.

“The Rising of the Shield Hero” also points out that good intentions doesn’t necessary always lead to good outcomes and that we should really be more careful and thoughtful on how our actions can impact others.

Far too often we only see the immediate positive consequence of people being saved in stories. The heroes than move on to the next crisis/adventure and the chapter ends. We don’t usually get to see what happens after the dust has settled and the euphoria of solving the immediate crisis fades.

But we all know the real world doesn’t work like that. And this is where “The Rising of the Shield Hero” shines. Throughout the series, viewers get to see the real consequences and impact whenever a hero comes in to “save the day”. Buildings are destroyed, livelihoods are affected and sometimes the beliefs of people are shattered. So it really leads one to question if the people that were “saved” by the Heroes are really better off than before.

Next, just wanted to add that although the initial premise was somewhat unsettling and controversial to some (despite hearing about it before I started the series, it was still shocking to see it unravel on screen and in episode 1 no less!), it did help to lay the groundwork for the exploration of Morality issues in the series. In any case, it was certainly something most fans of the fantasy/isekai hero genre didn’t expect.

Iwatani Naofumi_The Rising of the Shield Hero

Iwatani Naofumi. Initially, a gentle, kind and somewhat laid-back college kid, he lost his trust in everyone due to the events that befell him upon his arrival in the isekai world.

It was frankly quite sad to see how the series of incidents broke someone who was optimistic, friendly and somewhat care-free, changing him into a cynical, distrusting and mercenary person. (Similar to how most people become after they stepped into the workforce)

But in true anime/manga fashion, our main character might be broken but he still retains his kind and compassionate nature, despite trying his hardest to play up his role as the anti-hero with a seemingly cold and bitter demeanor.

What I especially liked about “The Rising of the Shield Hero” is that it successfully illustrates how so long as you have that one person who believes in you, trusts you and supports you, it can really make a difference.

Having that support can give a person the motivation to continue living, help keep one from falling into despair and perhaps, even eventually finding back their purpose and happiness again.

The Characters:

The Rising of the Shield Hero_the 4 heroes

Another element that I liked about “The Rising of the Shield Hero” is that the series never shies away from depicting the Heroes as flawed characters. (Yes, all four of them, including Naofumi).

Does the end justifies the means?
Or
Do the means justify the ends?

This is a question that is constantly being explored in the “The Rising of the Shield Hero. ” There were quite a few instances in the anime where Naofumi had to clean up the messes left behind by the other Heroes, leaving one to really ponder if the latter really did “save” all those people from their crisis in the first place.

Midway in to the season, “The Rising of the Shield Hero” also reveals the existence of heroes from differing worlds. This then brings an interesting question to the viewers/readers:

When you have “Heroes” against “Heroes”,
Who then is the real Hero?

Who is the real Villain?

That being said, I personally like the heroes of the parallel world and how they act as a basis of comparison to the legendary heroes of the main character’s isekai world. No spoilers so I won’t delve into it much in this post. You’ll see more of the parallel world’s heroes in Season 2 and Season 3. I’ll talk more about them in my next review. ^ ^

Heroes from parallel worlds _The Rising of the Shield Hero — *Heroes from differing worlds*

As someone who has been increasingly annoyed by the influx of female characters/love interest in many modern anime series who are whiney, irritating or immature, the main female characters (the primary antagonist not withstanding) in the series are pretty likable.

I mean, yes, they do still fall into some of the stereotypes that you see in isekai stories but they are all rather strong and likable characters. What I especially appreciated was that most of the female characters (re: Melty and Raphtalia) fully understand the importance of duty and responsibility in their lives. Most importantly, they are not immature, whiny and/or selfish, or the ever-popular (but increasingly over-used and tiresome) tsundere personality. That’s always a plus in my book!

Raphtalia visual_the rising of the shield hero

Raphtalia. Originally a slave girl, this half-raccoon demi-human never lost her sense of innate goodness and is extremely loyal to Naofumi.

Raphtalia is one of my favorite female characters in this series. Sweet, kind and strong, she really is the moral compass of the series.

I liked the strong bond between the main character and his eventual love interest (come on, we all know that will be a given fact despite the fact that the main character has only started to realize his feelings at the end of S1).

Although, personally, I would prefer seeing the ‘father-daughter’/family relationship play out longer than the love angle. Before you think otherwise, the main character met her when she was a kid (technically buying her as a ‘slave’ but he never once treated her as one) and they traveled together. However, being a demi-human, Raphtalia ages/transform/level ups at a speed faster than normal humans.

Iwatani and Raphtalia — *Director: Takao Abo (Special illustration celebrating final episode of S1)*

The Rising of the Shield Hero:
Final Thoughts

So, do I recommend this series?

It’s a definite YES. After all I did finish 25 episodes within 2 days AND I managed to remember the names of almost all of the major characters in the anime! (Trust me, having watched so many different anime over a few decades, you’ll eventually only remember those who made an impression on you.)

So my recommendations to everyone who likes the Isekai and Fantasy genre to:

With Season 2 scheduled to air in 2021, now’s the perfect time for you to catch up with the series! The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 1 is available on Netflix and Crunchyroll. It is also available on demand on Amazon Video. Update May 2022: Season 2 is now airing on Netflix!

*Geeky Travels and Fandoms might earn a small commission (at no cost to you) when you click on some of the affiliate links in the post and subscribe to the services.

However, having read some comments online, I realized that there are a fair amount of viewers who are not really comfortable with the “Slavery” themes and the actions caused by the main female antagonist. So if you are not comfortable about such representations in the anime, you might like to research a little more about the series before starting to watch it.

For everyone else, see you in Season 2 and Season 3! Totally looking forward to catching the episodes in 2021! ^ ^

So are you a fan of the series? Who is your favourite character? Which Hero do you like? Let me know in the comments!

More Information (Light Novel & Manga)

*Original Illustration by Minami Seira to commemorate the final episode of Season 1*

As mentioned, “The Rising of the Shield Hero” Anime has a slightly complicated source material to wade through.

Originally a free web novel and then a light novel (officially published) with a manga adaptation and an anime adaptation, it can get a tad confusing and daunting when one is trying to find out more information after S1.

Between the original web novel and the official light novel, certain plot developments change (although in general the main character’s journey is still more or less the same). Circumstances for several characters also differed. As a result, information about the series on the web can be a challenge to wade through.

In light of this, I decide to stick with the anime adaptation and perhaps eventually pick up the light novel series one day. ^ ^

I have attempted to provide some brief information on the various properties of the series in the next few sections, as well as where to buy the English Translated versions. Hopefully, it’s useful! ^ ^

*There are affiliated links in this section where Geeky Travels and Fandoms might earn a small commission when you click on them and/or proceed to make a purchase. Clicking on the links has no cost to you (i.e. free). Please consider supporting the blog with these links if you can. Thank you!

Light Novel

“The Rising of the Shield Hero” started out as a free web novel series by Aneko Yusagi (アネコユサギ). The series was then re-written, with certain story-lines expanded and changed by the author when it was picked up by an official publisher (Kadokawa). This is actually quite common when web-novels are picked up by publishers.

The anime series mainly draws it source from the official novel publications by Kadokawa. As of June 2019, there are 22 volumes of the light novel series with the same name, “The Rising of the Shield Hero”『盾の勇者の成り上がり』and 3 volumes of a spin-off novel “The Reprise of the Spear Hero” 『槍の勇者のやり直し』. Minami Seira (弥南せいら) was the official illustrator for both the novel series.

The light novels are available in English and you can get them from Book Depository like I do. ^ ^

Manga

Both the official light novels and the spin-off novel received Manga adaptations. The Mangas are currently an ongoing serialization. For the English versions, the publishers have added a “Manga Companion” to the cover and title so that fans would not be confused. ^ ^

The Rising of the Shield Hero (Manga): Adapted by Aiya Kyuu (あいやきゅう）who goes by the pen-name: 藍屋球. As of 2021, there are 19 volumes. You can get the English Mangas at Book Depository.
The Reprise of the Spear Hero (spin off Manga): Adapted by Neet (にぃと) . As of February 2021, there are 6 volumes. You can buy the manga (English) here.

Fun fact: Aiya Kyuu was the former assistant of 荒川弘 (Arakawa Hiromu) who created Full Metal Alchemist! (If you have never watched/read FMA, please do so. It is really one of the best anime/manga series out there).

Note: I like to get my English books, Manga and Graphic Novels from Book Depository because they ship worldwide and more importantly, there’s free shipping ^ ^ Their selection is pretty good and packing usually is not bad. However, delivery may take some time though, depending on your country.

Social Media

Official Anime Website: http://shieldhero-anime.jp/
Anime Website for S1: http://shieldhero-anime.jp/1st/
Official Anime Twitter: https://twitter.com/shieldheroanime/

And as a testament to the popularity of the series outside of Japan, the production team even have an official English version for all the respective social media sites!

Official Anime Website S1 (English): http://shieldhero-anime.jp/en/1st/
Official Anime Twitter (English): https://twitter.com/ShieldHeroEN/

As mentioned, there will be a Season 2 and Season 3 of the Anime! Season 2 is scheduled to air in 2021.

The Rising of the Shield Hero S1: Anime Thoughts & Review

What is The Rising of the Shield Hero about?