JonnyDonny321 Review of The Rising of the Shield Hero

The Rising of the Shield Hero (2019– )

A Man, a Raccoon, and a Chicken walk into a bar...

[7/10 · 19 September 2019]

At a glance, The Rising of the Shield Hero may look like another "I'm stuck in another world" anime (isekai). And on first impressions, it does fall into the same formulaic tropes we've come to expect from these shows. However, if you look close enough there is a story to be enjoyed with dynamic characters and compelling drama. And while it doesn't quite break the molds of anime cliché, it still can make for an entertaining 6 hours. Let's start with the characters. All characters presented are all consistent and serve a purpose in the plot. As well as staying consistent they are also dynamic and have complex backstories that aid their development. It's really gripping to see how Nao interacts with his environment and the people he comes across, and how his party reacts to his behavior. The conflict that arises when Nao's morals comes into his decision leave you always wondering what he is going to do next. The supporting characters to Nao's story only help to solidify his ties with the people around him making for unique situations between the people he dislikes. The only time a character doesn't work is when the narrative feels compelled to put the main plot on hold for a backstory. For example, around Ep 15, our side character Raphtalia, has several flashbacks of being a slave when she was a child. It wouldn't be a problem to have a backstory episode, however this completely drags the pacing down as our heroes need to find a way out of the castle they have infiltrated. There are many of these slow down moments cut in between action shots which kill the pacing to a grinding halt, especially in the final confrontation. The animation is quite good concerning movement and design of the figures. Its fluid in the action sequences and done in way that engages the viewer, for the talking shots, a lot of anime use the slowly tilt up shot while characters exchange dialogue. Shield Hero is no exception as it uses these endlessly for almost every piece of dialogue. There is also a big use of flashbacks and shots of characters that don't move and make single response answers: Something is considered lazy in some respects. Sometimes they make use of CGI to render in bigger objects and complicated movements of many figures, it looks good enough to not bother the viewer nor is it used to often, however there are many shots that last too long, so the bad CGI starts to get noticed more. The animation is crisp and is only aided by the music which can inflict emotions on the viewer. From raging battle ready, to soft and melancholy, the music is expertly crafted and tailored perfectly to fit within the narrative. To conclude, The Rising of The Shield Hero is a well-crafted anime show that can be enjoyed by anyone. While the narrative is trying hard to break the clichés, it just barely breaks the form previously established by other isekai anime (which isn't aided by the already oversaturated market). However, if you can ignore the anime tropes, there is a lot of enjoyment in Shield Hero. Good story, compelling drama, and wonderful music has others eagerly waiting for the next chapter in Naofumi's story. 7/10