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apoc9

  • Joined Nov 22, 2011
  • 38 / M

Aside watching the anime I’ve already read all released volumes of the manga, which covers the first and part of the second arc. Rise of the Shield Hero is one of the countless isekai light novel adaptation, but is it any good? I would say it is not as good as one would think after the first episode. It tricks viewer with few gimmicks to make illusion it’s somewhat better than average at best. Firstly it presents a silly notion, that a shield can’t be used as a weapon. Even a gamer, who never held the real thing, knows it is simply not true. Especially with magic, there are many ways a shield could be used as weapon to pummel enemies. Around the second wave the story makes a shift and starts to portray other three heroes as incompetent. Interaction with other heroes becomes about Naofumi being the only one able to act in responsible manner. That sets things upside down, because in the first wave the other three heroes were able to defeat the wave boss without Naofumi. The notion of having no weapon is abandoned, when the shield hero gets shield skills, which can be used as attack skills. It also flies against the notion of game-like world made by the three heroes at the beginning. In RPG games tank class occupation is usually very useful.
It presents main character as unjustly treated in order to gain sympathy from the viewers. The false rape accusation of main protagonist upsets all the modern feminist SJW types, even if this theme has been done before in movies. It upsets their silly narrative, that one should automatically have a blind faith in somebody, who claims to be a victim. However this whole conflict between Naofumi and the princess and in extension her father is just for the first arc. Once the first arc ends this issue is no longer there and the story shows how little there is to it. It show itself for what it is. It’s a fighting shounen and empowerment fantasy, where only the shield hero can save the day with some contribution of his party members. Even the resolution of the first arc is 5/10 at best. Did I mention the repeating theme of shield hero saving the day despite other heroes’ lack of cooperation? 
There is kind of troll plot twist as some important information about the state and organization of power in the kingdom is revealed just towards the end of the first arc.
Mediocrity is even more obvious how every side kick is female and more or less in love with the main protagonist. Even the slave aspect of the story is in a countless fantasy manga series.
Surprisingly the anime doesn’t end with the first arc, but goes to the beginning of the second arc to end in a very rushed manner. The ending is shoehorned after one battle, which was not in any respect final battle. More like initial battle with the not so new enemies. Also it rushes into introducing a new side character amongst heroes. Animation and sound is ok, it is not really something exciting. Neither anything I would have issue with.
Overall the series was pretty average isekai destined to be forgotten as soon as the hype moves to the next thing.

5/10 story
5/10 animation
5/10 sound
4/10 characters
5/10 overall
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