Naofumi

That Time We Fight a Giant Snake Monster

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The Rising of the Shield Hero S4 Ep 8 Review

There are many myths and legends in Japanese mythology that remain alive in the modern day, but I think my favorite is that of the Yamata No Orochi. Like the Hydra of Greek game, Orochi was a massive, multi-headed serpent that ran amok killing people for years before finally being slain by a great hero. The story of Orochi remains popular in modern culture, with it being referenced in many popular anime and manga like Naruto. Given how Q’ten Lo is essentially a fantasy version of Japan, it was perhaps inevitable that the monster would show up. It’s just that…the animation is mid.

The CGI Snake was Mid…

The episode (which skips the OP), starts off on a rather humorous note: the rebel army being absolutely wasted. They made the mistake of competing with Sadeena in a drinking contest. Once they drag themselves off the floor, though, they provide exposition on the current situation. In a nutshell, the country is controlled by a horrible woman called Makina, who’s using the child emperor as a puppet. She moved the capital from the ancient one to the east and is responsible for extorting the population, so she has to die. However, she’s not going to go quietly. No sooner is Naofumi brought up to speed than the enemy makes its move…by unleashing a giant monster.

Remember how the puppet Emperor passed laws to protect all monsters? They extended that protection to monsters that threatened to destroy Q’ten Lo, providing them with the Emperor’s blessing. And one of those monsters, an Orochi that Raphtalia’s ancestor sealed, has been freed. And it is…kind of mid.

Cool Fight

There’s no getting around it, everyone. The animation for the Orochi and its multiple forms is not that good. In fact, it reminds me too much of how bad the Spirit Tortoise looked in what little I saw of Season Two. It’s big, but it doesn’t look that intimidating. The hydra that Rudeus and his father fought in the Teleportation Labryrinth looked scarier, and that one cost the former his arm and the latter his life! This one feels a little like a joke in comparison. Maybe it’s just the limits of what CGI can do here, but it doesn’t look that scary.

At the very least, the actual fighting of the beast, which makes up a good part of the episode, is decent enough. While everyone does their own part, the main MVPs are Raphtalia and Sadeena, the latter of whom gets her own beast transformation that turns her into a flying killer whale. It doesn’t make any sense, but it looks cool!

Okay, the Killer Whale Was Cool

At the tone, that is Naofumi and the Rebellion 2, Evil Bitch running Q’ten Lo 0. And they got a cursed sword that they can eventually use. As soon as Motoyasu II gets it under control.

Things will only get harder from here on out. Now that the rebellion has shown that it means business, it’s only a matter of time before it hits its first wall. We shouldn’t be too worried, though. Naofumi and the others have got this.

I Give “Orochi” a 3/5

Wow, Fohl Got Quite the Glow-up!

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The Rising of the Shield Hero S4 Ep 5 Review

Have you ever seen The Lion King before? Remember that climactic scene where Simba and Scar clash atop Pride Rock as the land burns around them? That was one of the coolest things that Disney did during the 90s, and throughout the duel of Fohl and Atla vs Jaralis, I’ve gotten similar vibes. From Fohl fighting to avenge his father to the fact that the three combatants are humanoid cats, it just feels so similar. And much like The Lion King, Fohl succeeds in his mission, while also getting a glow-up in the process.

Bad Kitty

After turning into a lion the size of a tank and calling his drugged-up followers, Jaralis goes from fighting a duel to attempting a coup and assassinating Naofumi. His thugs prove to be no match for the Shield Hero’s party, but the crazy thing is that they won’t stay down. They keep respawning, making them a major pain for Naofumi. Even worse, when Jaralis continues to lose to Fohl, he absorbs them into his body, turning him into a monstrous chimera. He starts to think that he’s a god who could conquer the world. In actuality, though, he’s only succeeded in outwardly becoming the monster he always was, and everyone knows it.

Naofumi, though, manages to put him in his place. Using his Shield and connection to Fohl, he gives the boy his own power-up, turning him into a full-on white tiger. Between him and his sister, they make short work of Jaralis, simultaneously avenging their father while also silencing any skeptics. Naofumi is the Shield Hero, and anyone who denies it is deluding themselves.

Fohl got a glow-up

The duel is thus over, and the leaders of Siltvelt keep their promise. The ship will be ready in three days. Truthfully, though, Jaralis had forfeited the second he called in his back-up and commit high treason. What was most puzzling, though, was that before he died, the lion mentioned how someone had given him the drug he used. Someone else had been pulling the strings, but at the moment, we don’t know who it is. Nor will we know anytime soon, as Q’ten Lo remains the priority.

Besides restoring their family’s honor, though, the biggest change from the duel is Fohl himself. Thanks to being half Demi-Human, when Fohl got his big level up, he aged into a teenager, showing how strong he’s gotten. In fact, Naofumi says that in his white tiger form, he’s stronger than Raphtalia and Filo! Sadly, the drain on mana means the form can only be used sparingly, preventing it from becoming a cheat code. On the plus side, though, the latter half of the episode sees Fohl and Atla returning to their childhood home and visiting their parents’ graves. Fohl sold it to pay for Atla’s medicine, but a friend of theirs kept it and is nice enough to return it. There, the group enjoys a home-cooked meal that fuses the best of Siltvelt and Melromarc together, a symbol of who Atla and Fohl are.

Time for the Truth

And since the anime isn’t going to say it, I’m going to rip the band-aid off: the Hakuko siblings mom, Lucia, was the younger sister of King Trash of Melromarc. For years, Trash thought that she had been killed while attending a supposed peace summit between Melromarc and Siltvelt. In truth, the whole thing had been set up by war hawks, and Lucia had somehow fled with Tyran’s son, their father. That led Trash’s hatred for Demi-Humans to boil over, hence why he treated Naofumi so badly. To him, Naofumi was a reminder of what he thought he had lost. But now that he knows that his sister had kids before she died, he has the chance to change for the better.

This entire part of the season has really been the story of Fohl and Atla. A good story knows when to develop its supporting cast, and that is pretty much what the Siltvelt Arc has amounted to. While it could’ve been done in a much shorter timeframe, though, I can’t complain about the results. From here on out, though, we’re focusing on Q’ten Lo. It’s time to settle things for Raphtalia, and I can’t wait to see what her ancestral homeland looks like.

I Give “White Tiger” a 4/5

For the Last Time, NAOFUMI DOESN’T WANT A HAREM!

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The Rising of the Shield Hero S4 Ep 2 Review

It’s only been one day since Naofumi and his party arrived in Siltvelt, and he’s already growing sick of the place. His only goal right now is to get to Q’Ten Lo and stop them from coming after him and Raphtalia. However, Siltvelt’s leaders seemed determined to keep him in their country for as long as possible; likely forever! And as the follow-up episode demonstrates, the leaders of Siltvelt will play dirty to make sure that that happens. Fortunately, Naofumi has a zero-tolerance policy for red tape and stalling, and when one of the country’s leaders tries to make a move, he decides to put them all on the OPP’s list unless they give him what he wants.

You got to admire someone who refuses to deal with baloney.

Before we get started, let’s back up to the season premiere. A few days before it premiered, I remembered I had the light novels that this season should be covering on my smartphone. I started reading through them, and thanks to that, I’m better able to notice a few things that the anime has changed or rearranged. More importantly, it made me remember that the story established earlier than the anime that Jaralis was going to be a problem. For example, in the light novel version of his audience with Silvelt’s leaders, Jaralis starts by singing Naofumi’s praisings before twisting his words into saying that they should go out and crush all who oppose them. And then he basically ends the meeting early by having everyone walk out.

Naofumi vs. an Army of Horny Demi-Humans

Unfortunately, this episode, while rearranging the order of certain events, still meets with the same outcome: irritating Naofumi. Firstly, he’s told that his party must stay in a separate bedroom while he sleeps in one meant for royalty. It’s clearly an attempt to separate him from those he trusts. It’s only thanks to his insistence that Raph-Chan stay with him that it falls through.

And it’s a good thing that Raphy (Raph-Chan’s name in the dub). Without her, he might not have made it through what happens next with his chastity intact.

While the light novel doesn’t have the water laced with aphrodisiacs and the women were waiting in advance, everything else is accurate. If Raph-Chan hadn’t been there for backup and to call Raphtalia, Naofumi would’ve had his chastity stolen that night. Not lost, stolen. And considering what Witch did to him messed him up so bad he’s all but sworn a life of celibacy, this experience was one giant trauma button for him. Needless to say, his blow-up at Werner is more than justified.

Atla and Fohl are more important than you realize

Unfortunately for Naofumi, the rest of his experience in Siltvelt isn’t any more productive. He’s forced to attend parties, banquets, and other social gatherings in his honor, all while listening to the elites trying to outdo themselves in their efforts to glaze him. He doesn’t buy it for a second, and the longer they stall, the more Naofumi decides to just figure things out on his own.

Thankfully, this is where Fohl and Atla manage to come in handy.

I’m not sure how much of their story has been revealed thus far in the anime, but Fohl and Atla are not ordinary Demi-Humans. They are part of the Hakuko, AKA the white tigers. Years ago, they had been one of the four most powerful races of Demi-Humans in Siltvelt, and their father had been a prominent leader. However, when Siltvelt lost the war against Melromarc, and they lost their parents, the Hakuko fell from power. And we know how Naofumi found them.

In any case, though, the siblings still have allies in Siltvelt. Through them, Naofumi starts making his own plans to get to Q’ten Lo, since it’s clear the country is useless to him. But then something happens that makes everyone leading the country into an OPP: someone tries to poison Naofumi and his party.

Jaralis did it. We all know he did it!

Well, to be fair, it’s Jaralis who did it. The smug look on his face says it all. However, when Jaralis and Werner continue to be at each other’s throats, Naofumi decides that this farce has gone on long enough. In a rather surprising twist, though, he’s not the one to start blowing off. It’s Atla.

This should be interesting to watch. That girl is Naofumi’s number one stan, so seeing her get mad at the people in charge of Siltvelt should be entertaining. Still, it’s a little frustrating to see multiple scenes from the light novel get removed from the anime. But the plus side is that this makes me look forward to seeing what will happen when Allen Blaster’s fanfic gets to this point!

I give “Official Welcome” a 3.5/5

Naofumi Gets More Enemies on His List

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The Rising of the Shield Hero S3 Ep 5 Review

There seems to be a recurring trend in Shield Hero. Whenever things start looking good for Naofumi, life throws him a curveball or two. First there was the thing with Witch (that’s what Malty shall be henceforth called). Then he went on the run from the Three Heroes Church. The attack of the Spirit Tortoise and traveling to Glass’ world. Now, the universe throws Naofumi another curve ball. Not only are there more world’s than his, Raphtalia’s, and Glass’, but more people want him dead. 

After giving up on the now full-blown Filocon that is Motoyasu, Naofumi, Raphtalia, and Filo are hoofing it back to Lulorona Village. Without Filo’s beloved carriage, to boot. Suddenly, they’re ambushed by a pair of arrogant, yet powerful, men in black hoods. Much like the surprise, scripted boss fight in a JRPG, their attackers prove too dangerous to fight in their current state. One of them even drops a meteor on them like they’re Sephiroth or Madara Uchiha! Thankfully, they’re beaten thanks to their own hubris and the intervention of S’yne. 

As S’yne reveals once they’re back in Lulorona Village, she’s not from their world. She was the Vassal Hero from a world that was destroyed by the people their assailants work for. Emphasis on the ‘work’, as despite killing them, S’yne states that they will return. It’s like the equivalent of respawning in a video game after dying. While it may seem like a lazy way to bring back enemies, Shield Hero seems to use it to emphasise how dangerous this mystery group is. If they’re powerful enough to invade other worlds and destroy them, then Naofumi should heed S’yne’s words. 

Some good does come out of this skirmish, though. While Naofumi still doesn’t trust her, he lets S’yne stay in Lulorona Village. The downside to having her come back after a single episode, though, is that it renders the sight of her leaving seem pointless. On the upside, though, the debuff’s their attackers used on Naofumi’s party managed to get rid of the curse they got at the end of last season. 

Despite this unexpected event, things continue to go well for Naofumi and his allies. They’re getting stronger training in armed combat and the Hengen Musou martial art courtesy of Old Lady Elrasla. So much so that Naofumi’s able to take a number of them to get a class upgrade. Again, another example of RPG elements that work well in this story. Now, all they need is someone to test their prowess against. As fate would have it, Eclair knows the perfect targets.

Ren Has Become a Chuni Edgelord

A group of bandits has been attacking stray adventurers and travelers on the roads nearby, prompting Naofumi to take a group to hunt them down. However, when he finds their leader, he’s surprised to learn who it is: it’s Ren, fighting Motoyasu.

You don’t need to have read the light novels to connect the dots here. Witch burned Ren like she did Naofumi and Motoyasu, and now he’s gone all in on his edgelord persona, complete with black armor and a mask that, honestly, looks dumb on him. As for Motoyasu, he likely only found Ren because he was looking for Filo, to her dismay.

I’ve never fully read the light novels, so I don’t know what exactly happens, but it seems like the anime’s trying to condense a lot of important details. However, given the fact that this season only has 12 episodes, it feels necessary. And the end result remains the same by showing viewers the most important parts of what’s happening. Plus, while it was lighter on the action, the episode does demonstrate the new enemy that Naofumi has. We should expect to see them again soon.

Also, Motoyasu now deserves to be on the FBI’s list of lolicon’s.

I Give “Each of Their Paths” a 3.5/5

Bitch Should Have her Picture Next to the Term ‘Hate Sink.’

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The Rising of the Shield Hero S3 Ep 4 Review

Hate sink is a trope in which a character’s deliberately designed to elicit a negative reaction from the people reading or viewing the story. More importantly, seeing them suffer invokes a feeling of joy from most people. Anime has a lot of hate sink characters in it, but few are as vile and disgusting as Bitch from Shield Hero, formerly known as Malty Melromarc. She ruined Naofumi’s reputation on day one for the heck of it, and remained a repeated headache in his life since. Then she got her just desserts with her Mom stripping her of her royalty status. She even got her named changed to ‘Bitch’ at Naofumi’s suggestion, and her alias to ‘Whore.’ Alas, this was not enough to bring the menace of Bitch to heel, as this episode sees her back to her manipulative ways. And it makes Naofumi’s job of uniting the Cardinal Heroes a lot harder.

Who is S’yne? I Should Apologize for That

First, I would like to apologize for a mistake I made in my review of episode two. The “Killer Clown” that Naofumi’s party fought was not, in fact, Fohl, but an entirely different character. This is S’yne, a completely different character, and one I had to actually look up. S’yne is powerful in her own right, but also mysterious and enigmatic. Thus, when she shows up and asks to join Naofumi’s village, he refuses to let her. Thus, she winds up going off on her own, but will likely return in the future.

https://x.com/kiyoe_sans/status/1717978220723589185?s=20

The strangest thing of all about S’yne, though, is how she talks. I had to double-check my earbuds, because her voice kept getting cutting off by static. This wasn’t a glitch, though. This was a deliberate act on the show’s part. I don’t entirely understand what it means, but it looks like it’s going to be something important. 

Again, my bad!

Motoyasu Has Hit Rock Bottom, and it’s Pathetic.

Mysterious characters aside, Naofumi’s next task is to find the missing Cardinal Heroes, and the Queen of Melromarc has already located Motoyasu. He and Naofumi have been at odds from the getgo due to Motoyasu’s lazy, womanizing ways and for falling for Bitch’s lies. However, after failing to kill the Spirit Tortoise on his own, his party/harem abandoned him, and he’s left destitute. When Naofumi’s party finds him, he’s begging one of his former party members to come back, only for her to coldly tell him to “get lost.”

Motoyasu has never been a good person or someone worthy of being called a hero. However, seeing how far he’s fallen makes even Naofumi feel a little bad for him. And it’s only going to get worse. 

In the meantime, Naofumi manages to run into Ren, who’s even worse off than Motoyasu. Whereas Motoyasu’s party abandoned him, Ren’s died at the hands of the Spirit Tortoise. Despite being traumatized, Ren refuses to blame himself for his failures, something that disgusts Naofumi. Still, he manages to make some progress with him…until Bitch shows up.

Bitch Turns into a Witch

Having fled from the Spear Hero’s party, Bitch is now effectively a fugitive, and she has refused to learn her lesson. Instead, in the latest act of petty evil, she pulls the exact same stunt she did with Naofumi on Motoyasu. She lies to Ren and says that Motoyasu forced himself on her and Naofumi freed the Spirit Tortoise, and somehow, her slave crest doesn’t call her out for her. And then Ren loses it and starts swinging his sword at Naofumi before bailing with Bitch in tow. And, to rub salt in the wound, when Motoyasu begs Bitch to come back, she uses the same akanbe taunt she used on Naofumi, and it breaks him altogether.

It’s at this point that the anime glosses over something important from the light novels. In the light novels, as Naofumi’s watching these events unfold, his hatred for Bitch reaches a new high. He even stops calling her a Bitch; in his eyes, she’s a full-blown Witch. The worst possible kind of Witch. She’s the most evil and disgusting person that Naofumi’s ever met, and will likely remain his greatest enemy until one of them dies.

Motoyasu Gets Cursed

The episode ends with Motoyasu undergoing a complete 180 in personality. Instead of being a womanizing skirt-chaser who hates Naofumi, he now treats Naofumi with the utmost respect and is ready to listen to whatever he says. That’s the good news. The rest, however, is all bad news.

Firstly, Motoyasu’s trauma with women has led him to unlock his own Cursed Series for his Legendary Spear, the Lust Spear. The anime doesn’t make it too clear, but it’s revealed in the Light Novel that he now hates almost women. Worse, his mental state’s so bad, he now regards all women as pigs; literal, talking pigs. 

It gets worse, though. Out of sheer kindness, Filo tries to cheer Motoyasu up by being nice to him. As a result, she becomes the sole exception to his curse, causing him to become obsessed with Filo in the worst way possible. He even starts calling Naofumi “Father” and begs him to let him have Filo. In no universe is this okay!

Overall, the episode does a good job of demonstrating how bad things have gotten for the other Cardinal Heroes. However, it fails to go the extra mile by diving into the psychological aspects of their suffering thanks to Bitch/Witch. In addition, Motoyasu’s left in a mental state that would get the FBI called on him back home. Yet, at least Naofumi now has one of the Cardinal Heroes willing to work with him, so it evens out. Plus, Filo can always kick him if he tries anything.

I Give “The Operation to Capture the Spear Hero” a 4/5

And remember: BITCH SUCKS!

The White Tiger Siblings of Fate!

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The Rising of the Shield Hero S3 Ep 3 Review

Are some things fated to happen, or does everything in life happen because of coincidence? The idea of fate crops up a lot in fiction, with many people offering different takes on it. Some believe fate to be immovable. Others think that things happen by chance. In many stories though, things happen with such perfect timing that it can only be described as the work of fate. In this case, Naofumi’s party met a little white tiger and his sister. Not only do they become powerful allies, but have a surprising connection the man formerly known as King Aultcray Melromarc. 

Atla and Fohl, the White Tiger Siblings

After the battle with the white tiger boy in the arena, Naofumi and the others finally have enough money to free all the people from Raphtalia’s village. It’s unfortunate that the anime was unable to spend more time focusing on this moment beyond them returning to the village. However, the episode more than makes up for it by formally introducing us to the boy that Naofumi and his party fought. His name is Fohl, and he might be the strongest kid in the world.

As Naofumi discovers for himself, Fohl’s not a normal Demi-Human. He and his sister, Atla, are White Tiger, or Hakuko, Demi-Humans. They can level up faster than even other Demi-Humans can, and despite being a kid, Fohl’s stats are ridiculously high. Naofumi doesn’t hesitate to buy them both.

Those who know Naofumi know that he’s capable of great kindness, despite his demeanor saying otherwise. In this case, he earns the sibling’s eternal loyalty by giving the blind and sickly Atla a rare medicine that cures her debilitating illness. After that’s done, they both vow to help Naofumi no matter what.

It’s not until the end of the episode where the idea of fate comes into play. As the closing moments of the episode reveal, Atla and Fohl have a surprising connection to the ex-King of Melromarc, Trash. Naofumi’s one-time enemy is pratically in hysterics when he sees Fohl, and more importantly, Atla. As the Queen of Melromarc reveals, there’s a good reason.

For the sake of viewer’s suspense, it will not be revealed here. However, what the Queen tells Naofumi starts to put into perspective the reason why he hated Naofumi so much when he hadn’t done anything wrong. It doesn’t excuse his actions, but makes him feel a little more sympathetic. 

Lulorona Village is Growing Stronger

The other big highlight of the episode is getting to see how Lulorona Village is now coming together under Naofumi. All the remaining Demi-Human’s from the village are home, with Naofumi and his party keeping them safe. Much to Naofumi (and Raphtalia’s) dismay, though, Sadeena’s decided she’s fallen for Naofumi.

It’s not explained in the anime, but in the light novels, Sadeena or Raphtalia reveal that the former would only marry someone who can out-drink her. Since Naofumi shares another shield hero’s inability to get drunk, she thinks he’s perfect for her. Since Raphtalia already has her own feelings for Naofumi, it’s amusing seeing her get irritated with her big sister figure as she does. 

Naofumi is the Master of Karmic Clapbacks!

More importantly, though, the parts in Lulorona village show yet another example of fate in action. While Naofumi and the others are away, the village gets attacked by slavers. Thankfully, due to Fohl’s quick thinking, the heroes return and wipe the floor with all of them. It’s then that Raphtalia reveals that these are the very same soldiers that had abducted her and her friends the first time around. It seems they were foolish enough to try a second time.

Once again showing his ability to exercise the ultimate form of karma, Naofumi decides not to kill them. Instead, he sells them into slavery in Siltvelt, AKA the country that considers the Shield Hero a God. Pure. Karma. Never mess with the Shield Hero.

This episode wasn’t anywhere near as filled with action as the previous one. However, it makes up for it with the introduction of Atla and Fohl and the impact they have on the story. Both of them are going to become powerful allies to Naofumi as time goes on. In addition, knowing that Raphtalia was able to bring the ones who enslaved her to justice is a nice sense of closure. However, the next episode will raise the stakes with the attempts to capture the wayward Spear Hero, Motoyasu. Naofumi’s going to need all the luck he can get.

I Give “The White Tiger Siblings” a 4/5

Sadeena, the Killer Whale Waifu, Joins the Battle

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The Rising of the Shield Hero S3 Ep 2 Review

Following a lackluster second outing, The Rising of the Shield Hero managed to regain some of it with last week’s start to its third season. From the getgo, it seemed apparent that the people making the anime listened to the fans complaints and got their act together. The animation’s returned to it’s former glory, and more importantly, the pacing of the story’s improved. Naofumi’s mission to free the rest of Raphtalia’s people has led his party to an underground fighting ring, and let the animation truly shine. More than that, though, it’s led us to another contender for the best waifu list of 2023. Sadeena enters the story in full, and she’s a killer!

Sadeena, the Whale Waifu!

After playing the underground fighting ring’s rules against it to win a ton of money, Naofumi’s party is sitting pretty. Either groups refuse to fight them and forfeit, or they win and increase their reputation. Either way, they’re well on their way to earning enough money to free Raphtalia’s people. That’s when they run into the woman they spoke to at the colosseum.

She goes by the alias of Nadia, but her true name is Sadeena, a killer whale Demi-human. Powerful and playful, she bonds with Naofumi over drinks, and when she sees how well he holds his liquor, throws some signs that she’s into him. Despite this episode marking her second appearance though, she’s got a bit of depth to her. 

It’s soon revealed that Sadeena hails from Lulorona Village like Raphtalia and her friends. Raphtalia even looked up to Sadeena as a cool big sister. However, she had been away from the village when the Wave of Catastrophe destroyed it and its people enslaved. Thus, she feels a great deal of remorse over being unable to stop the destruction that she hides behind her confident exterior. That is, until she learns Naofumi’s true identity in the ring.

The Animation Kicked Up a Notch

The fight between the Shield Hero party and Sadeena is a visually spectacular battle. The animation has not only returned to what it was in the first season, but surpassed it, with all parties showing what they can do. More than that, it’s an emotional fight, with Raphtalia getting to show her beloved big sister how strong she’s grown. The relief on Sadeena’s face at Raphtalia’s, and their villages, survival is made apparent by her decision to forfeit. The Shield Hero looks set to free all the villagers!

That’s when the fates decide to throw another curveball.

Not wanting to lose all that money, the people running the arena demand Naofumi’s group fight a surprise challenger. Despite being young and hidden behind a mask, their power is evident. They battle all four people (Rishia and Raph-Chan don’t fight) to a standstill. That’s in spite of the fact that Naofumi’s a Cardinal Hero and Raphtalia a Vassal Hero. Thankfully, Naofumi still manages to get the money, despite the slavers trying to cheat him out of it.

Fohl is the one of the bottom left

That child they fought, though, isn’t a one-off character. As the end of the episode reveals, his name is Fohl and the reason he’s fighting is to pay for medicine for his sick sister. Much like Sadeena, both of them are going to become important to the story going forward. 

This episode was another banger. From the happy reunion of Raphtalia and Sadeena to the exciting fights, it looks like Shield Hero is back in business. Sadeena might be a contender for one of the top waifu’s for 2023, much like Raphtalia before her in 2020. And, two more important characters have joined the cast. If all goes well, then Shield Hero is on track to regaining its top spot in the Isekai world.

That’s assuming it manages to overcome the pacing problems from last season. Given how the third season will only have twelve episodes, though, it will be a test. Fingers crossed!

I Give “Nadia” a 4/5

Return of the Shield Hero is Upon Us!

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The Rising of the Shield Hero S3 Ep. 1 Review

When it first came out, I thought that The Rising of the Shield Hero was one of the best Isekai I’d ever seen. A story about a man summoned to another world as one of its four heroes, only to a.) get the one weapon that can’t attack, and b.) get framed for a crime he didn’t commit? A premise like that is why I would consider Shield Hero one of the Seven Holy Summits of Isekai. However, then came the second season and I was so…disappointed in it. It was too short, the Spirit Tortoise was nowhere near as scary as it should’ve been, and it skipped over a lot of details.

Yet, despite myself, I couldn’t help but step my toes back into the anime when the new season came out. Thus, here we are, back on that Shield Hero fix as Naofumi faces problems new and old.

Please let this be better than last time.

What’s Happened With Naofumi

At the end of the last season, Naofumi, Raphtalia, Filo, and Rishia returned from defeating Kyo in Glass’ world. They recovered the energy from the Spirit Tortoise and using it to protect Raphtalia’s world. Thus, they have a few months before the next Wave of Catastrophe. In addition, Naofumi’s efforts at rebuilding Lurolona Village (Raphtalia’s Hometown) are bearing fruit.

That’s the good news. There’s a lot of bad news, though, that the series spends plenty of time catching us up on.

Firstly, in the battle against Kyo, most of Naofumi’s party took a curse to them that lowered their stats for some time. That’s the least problematic issue, though. The second problem is that the other Cardinal heroes are missing. In the anime, it was stated at the end of the last season that they held off another Wave of Catastrophe, but that was an anime-only development and doesn’t line up with their character well. In the light novels and manga, they ran away after Naofumi left for Glass’ world. In addition, the Bitch formerly known as Princess Malty Melromarc (AKA the worst girl in anime history) is also missing. Considering the pain and chaos Bitch can cause, that’s not good.

In the more immediate future, though, there’s one concern of Naofumi’s that trumps all others. He made it his mission to find all the survivors from Raphtalia’s village and bring them home. The bad news is that every slave owner in Melromarc bought them all and took them abroad to be sold. Not wanting to let Raphtalia’s people to suffer any further, Naofumi and his party all set out abroad. Their destination: the merchant kingdom of Zeltrobe. 

The Shield Hero is Good Again!

I will be upfront: I didn’t watch much of Season Two of Shield Hero, if at all. My disappointment in how bad the pacing and story-telling was too great. I had read ahead on the trip to Glass’ world and it was something that I’d been looking forward to seeing. What little I did see, though, disappointed me. There wasn’t nearly enough time to cover the world in the shortened season. In addition, the Spirit Tortoise in the anime felt like a massive disappointment. Allen Blaster’s writings had made it seem like it was terrifying. The one in the anime felt like a joke. All this was why I was so reluctant to get back into the anime. 

I’m glad that I did, though. This first episode of this new season feels like a return to form for Shield Hero. The pacing alone is already better than what we got in the second season, and the fact that it’s putting more focus on the established cast is a massive blessing. I already knew from reading the manga that it would happen, but it was still a letdown seeing the lack of focus on the supporting cast in the first half of that season. It wasn’t fun to watch, and I’m glad that season three emphasizes how this is going to change. 

Those looking forward to seeing the other Cardinal heroes, though, will have to wait a while. For now, the story’s focused on Naofumi finding Raphtalia’s people. Which brings us to the best part of the episode: the Coliseum. Naofumi, Filo, and Raphtalia all join in disguise to earn enough money to free everyone in one fell swoop. Getting to see the original trio fight in top form is a visual feast for the eyes. Not to mention that Naofumi rigs the fight to make them the underdogs and earn more money is classic Naofumi. That guy has the makings of a capitalist. 

Welcome Back, Naofumi.

Besides marking a return to form, the episode also introduces us to two new characters that will become important in Naofumi’s story in the near future. Who they are I will not say, though. 

If this is what we have to look forward to in the new season, then I think it’s safe to say that Shield Hero is back in full force. With Mushoku Tensei on vacation until the spring, I’ll need a good isekai to watch in the cold months to come. Welcome back, Shield Hero.

I Give “The Dark Coliseum” a 4/5

By the way, Allen Blaster has started up his Shield Hero fanfiction again after an extended hiatus! If you love Shield Hero, then you’re going to love Allen Blaster’s fanfic, Diligence of the Shield Hero. It’s extremely faithful to the characters and story while also adding a ton of new and interesting things. Go check out my interview with him if you have the time!

Why You Need to Read Diligence of the Shield Hero!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Fanfiction, Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , ,

RJ Writing Ink Interviews Allen Blaster, author of the Shield Hero fanfic, Diligence of the Shield Hero.

In 2019, The Rising of the Shield Hero made waves in the anime community. It was a different kind of Isekai, one where the hero wasn’t an ace that succeeded at everything but one that struggled in a world out to get him. It proved very popular. Then we got the second season earlier this year, and it felt like all that potential went down the drain. 

I would’ve been very disappointed in how the second season turned out…if I had watched it more. However, I have already found something else to love. A fanfiction for Shield Hero that’s so good that it surpasses the official series: The Diligence of the Shield Hero. For the last year, I’ve known the fanfic’s author, Allen Blaster, fairly well on Discord. Thus, when I wanted to interview him for D&A Anime, I was delighted to hear him say yes. I hope you enjoy this interview about one of the best fanfic one could expect to find and the one behind it. 

Interview

RJ: Thank you again for doing this interview, Allen.

Allen: Alright.

RJ: First thing’s first, though: what made you want to get into writing fanfiction in the first place?

Allen:

This pretty much sums up why I got into fanfiction in the first place. I am a sucker for teenage romance. And after reading a lot of it, I decided that I wanted to try my hand at writing my own.

RJ: You really are a fan of Ren and Wyndia, huh?

Allen:

RJ: So, Allen, when did you discover The Rising of the Shield Hero? Were you a fan of it before the anime came out or did that lead you to become a fan?

Allen: I discovered it in June of 2019 thanks to the recommendation of a good friend. I only recently watched anime with some roommates like Code Geass and Attack on Titan, and decided to give it a shot. I binged the entire first season throughout one night, and the rest was history.

RJ: Nice. So, why don’t you tell us a little about your series, Diligence of the Shield Hero? For the readers that haven’t read it yet. Like, what’s it about and what sets it apart from the official series.

Allen: It starts with Naofumi learning of the rape accusation before he was accused and what happens to him after that because he ran away. Then it evolves by kickstarting character growth for the other Heroes earlier on due to how events go down well, focusing not only on Naofumi but on the other Heroes and their parties too.

RJ: And it’s all the better for it. Now the series has an ensemble cast that can carry their own weight.

Allen: I feel that is one issue the anime had regarding its second season. Ironically enough, I’m staying more true to the characters and events from the light novels than they were. There was so much content they cut from the Spirit Tortoise Arc that further established Eclair, Granny, and even the other Heroes like Ren.

RJ: What was your inspiration for writing this fanfic?

Allen: Obviously not the entire thing. It started out with me just wanting to write a start that’d allow for Raphumi to develop because I loved them so much in the anime. I ended up loving them even more after reading the LN’s and seeing how much Raphtalia meant to Naofumi there. Then, after the first arc, I ended up writing more and more, continuing down the rabbit hole to see where the path would go

RJ: Plenty of people would think shipping Naofumi with Raphtalia Is weird due to her technically being ten. Do you think it is?

Allen: I have a whole freaking thing on my fanfiction profile explaining why this is stupid. I sum it up as “if you want to argue another race’s age instead of how quickly or slowly they mature being the primary thing that makes them legal, you are advocating for Baby Yoda to be made legal.” In short, I don’t find it weird at all, and what I find weird is people trying to inflict human standards on a race that isn’t human, to begin with.

RJ: Fair enough. Btw, did you know that your fic’s tv tropes page says it’s better than canon?

Allen: Yes, I do know that. And it is fine for people to have their opinions. But I don’t prefer people using that message to spread word of my fic around. Despite its shortcomings, I love the anime, and I love the light novels it’s based off of even more. I cannot put into words how much the original story means to me.

RJ: How were you able to make Bitch even worse than she was in canon?

Allen: I didn’t. I simply allowed her more opportunities to be herself. 

RJ: With more screentime?

Allen: And the version of events that played out. The first real big change up was nothing stopping Motoyasu from being made the Lord of Lute (Riyute) Village. So there was nothing to stop Malty from doing what she was going to do there.

RJ: Where do you get inspiration for all your original characters? Because there are quite a number of them.

Allen: The inspiration sometimes comes from them getting introduced into the story for an event and me thinking about them in general. That was how my Hakuko OC Dou-Lon ended up getting added to it. Other times, I start with a concept for a character like Altara, and then, later on, I had thoughts that led to a parallel with Darth Vader’s transformation. And I look at what I wrote and realize I can fit it in easily.

RJ: Alright, last question: Who’s cuter, Raphtalia, Filo, or Raph-Chan?

Allen: Wyndia, Lol.

He really likes Wyndia, a dog demihuman that the anime has yet to introduce. 

Click here to read the fanfic for yourself. Updates Every Monday