Review of The Rising of the Shield Hero

Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari Or as I like to call it, the Sasuke of Isekai. Overly edgy at times, quick changes in character motivation, and eventual acceptance of new beginnings. Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD We love lolis!We love furries!

We also love being falsely accused of rape by a magical chick we met in a court full of people who think we’re weak and useless and then think we’re a rapist because we live in a “reSpEcT WoMeN” society where apparently they don’t even hold court trials for one of the four most important people in the world! I think the phrase Social Justice Warrior is thrown around a lot in the wrong context but believe me when I say Melromarc is the SJW capital of the anime gaming world.

There has been a lot of controversy in the anime community surrounding the false rape accusation made by Bitch (formerly Malty) and how it’s “sexist” to make an evil woman (or something like that). Don’t get me wrong, rape is horrible. And putting someone down because of their gender is terrible. But for Christ’s sake, come on. People are blowing this out of proportion. So what you’re saying is that if you knew someone was innocent of rape… you’d still call them a criminal because a woman can’t possibly be wrong? I hate to break it to you but that’s sexist. Bottom line, both men and women are trash so you shouldn’t favor one over the other if you’re a true equal rights activist. Phew, I sounded like an nice guy there for a second.

The show itself is good. I haven’t been one to keep up much with the Isekai genre, but I can already assume that this is much better than a lot of the current trash out there (prime example SAO and arguably the worst anime of this season, Kenja no Mago). The episodes are always interesting, the characters are all dynamic, and its unique while keeping a certain irreplaceable generic Isekai feel to it.

Bitch and Scum’s (the King’s) court trial was the most satisfying part of the entire show, and it was a fantastic opportunity to showcase how Naofumi grew throughout the series, which the show capitalizes on. Although Naofumi was much less forgiving initially in the manga, the outcome stays the same and I think the impact of his kind-hearted decision was much better conceived in the anime. It is fantastic to see his reversal of roles, from a fugitive named the Devil of the Shield to a true Shield Hero. He becomes more heroic through realizing the importance of his friends, and while it may seem quite cliche, this is what makes the show enjoyable. He doesn’t just go rage mode at everything, actually stopping to contemplate the consequences of his actions. Naofumi’s growth is masterfully done, from a betrayed young man who goes to extreme lengths to keep others at arm’s length, to a content caretaker of his party and the people.

I believe the characters are the best part of the show, and therefore deserve a section all to themselves:
Naofumi - Token edgelord that is actually interesting to watch
Raphtalia, Filo, and Melty - They’re very cute but don’t forget that Raphtalia is mentally 10 (that’s canon) and Filo was literally born a couple of months ago. This is a PSA. Stop lewding Raphtalia the poor girl is literally a child she has her first crush on the only guy who cares for her after her parents died and she was sold into slavery. Their progression as characters and motivations for Naofumi is absolutely perfect, and I honestly wish these three balls of sunshine the best (even though they’re fictional characters).
Bitch - MAL can’t take down this review for overused profanity because that’s her legal name. I actually think her character is genius. Making a nefarious female character with a self-serving goal from the get-go is very interesting and I have yet to see it in many other mainstream anime. (It is incredibly satisfying to witness her go through pain and unfortunate events throughout the series though, because she’s a terrible person.)
The other three heroes - They’re basically wannabe women respecters but end up just being stupid. They are so incredibly dumb it hurts. Very interesting to see how they literally don’t develop, even when the truth comes to light.
BONUS) Weapons seller hunk - What a bro would smash 10/10 best waifu

Although the pacing gets fairly slow around the middle, I believe that the show does a good job with it’s pacing, with lots of filling in of plot holes in the final 3-4 episodes. Unfortunately, Naofumi's motives get rushed in the last episode and the ending is unsatisfactory.

Above all, this series is enjoyable. Compared to the run-of-the-mill Isekai, Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari has an element of undisturbed purity, as it not only takes a general Isekai plot, but also nudges in just the slightest bit of social commentary. The characters (especially female) are not as cookie cutter as other series, and honestly, the series never gets boring. Watching and reading this series feels like actually going on the journey with Naofumi and his team. I would definitely recommend it, even if you’re not very keen on Isekai as a genre itself, it’s quite a fun watch with just the right amount of traditional and modern elements of the tried and true Isekai.