Forum - View topic(The) Rising of The Shield Hero (TV).
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Edjwald
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Yah, the lack of immediate comeuppance is a disappointment, and I'm clueless as to how they're planning to tie everything up. I guess maybe the wave itself won't show up? Maybe the 4 heroes will reunite and finally do some power levelling and end with a guts pose in hopes of a season 4? Or else, some dark hidden hand will reveal itself and cue the cliffhanger?
Anyway, the Archer's wake-up slap was more interesting than I was expecting. Has the bow rejected him entirely, or was it just a tiff? Also...he's a level E on some kind of Wuxia or Korean Dungeon world? So he's a little stronger and faster than a normal human? |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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S3 #11
Like Ren before him, some background into the Bow Hero Itsuki and how that made it easier for Malty to get her claws into him when he was vulnerable. It's interesting he's the only one of the four Heroes to actually be something more than human before this whole enterprise began, but ended up learning the world is a bigger place than he imagined and failed to adapt to the shock. It says a lot about how far he'd fallen that Rishia was able to gain the upper hand so easily before he had to resort to the Curse series. And even with one of the Curse series flashy moves requiring incantations, Rishia was still able to suppress him with her own weapon before he broke it. Not sure what the deal is with that fancy shape-changing weapon that's part of her new kit, but I don't think there's enough time to explore that before the adaptation draws to a close. Rishia did what she aspired to do, and she'll have to do much more if Itsuki is to be any use before the Phoenix rolls round. Malty is almost certainly getting external help from somewhere, and speculation would naturally turn to the Invaders who have been targeting Naofumi and co's world. It's still pathetic that her influence is reduced to corrupting every one who isn't Naofumi compared to what she was capable of in season one, and it's a one-trick pony as well since everyone who's been tricked acquires significant immunity to any repeat attempts for at least an extended period of time. I'm betting the last episode of this quarter is going to be the prelude to the Phoenix arc. The episode title doesn't suggest anything fancy, so probably the last moment of reflection they have before the Four Heroes must deal with the Phoenix as well as other Invaders taking the opportunity to save their world by destroying others. How the animators will approach this will have a huge say in how successful this season has been. By my estimate it's already surpassed the very low hurdle of season two but as expected is not worthy of comparison to the first season and its much longer airtime. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4997 |
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Huh, I kind of expected the final episode to be a prep one that would show the hero gang getting ready to battle the phoenix. In reality it is the start of a whole new arc waging a war and then being able to solely focus on the phoenix again.
It kind of fits in with the rest of the season. Season 3 does not progress the main storyline concerning the waves and guardian beasts, instead it is a collection of side quests so to speak. Gathering all the heroes (and dealing with their bullshit), freeing the slaves, building up the town and dealing with issues and new characters that pop up unannounced. I loved some parts of it like building up the town and getting everyone stronger, yet the other heroes can jump of a cliff for all I care. Anyway, the third season is a lot better than whatever the hell the second one was. The animation is great, the story while succinct is being told in an understandable way and the world got a fair bit more interesting. It is a solid to good time. One moment of peace for the big victim of the season though....the buildings that keep getting destroyed.... |
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Edjwald
Posts: 3510 |
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I agree that this season was much better than season 2, and I'm up for a fourth if anyone is offering.
I will say that I'm a bit surprised that the anime spent the entire season previewing and foreshadowing and referencing an upcoming event, and then never got around to it. Didn't even set it up as the next arc for the next season. As to questions - Was it just me, or did the queen, who's always been a stalwart, competent, ally of the Shield Hero, look evil when she glanced sideways this episode? And it's possible, but is it likely that Malty has been getting help from this island kingdom that's trying to kill Raphtalia? Her boat seemed to be headed in that direction if I'm getting the implication right. It had an Eastern feel to it anyhow. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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S3 #12 End
Well that came out of nowhere. The approach towards compressing the adaptation to the bare necessities for narrative exposition have shown its worst facets again as casual viewers are taken completely by surprise in the latest revelations. There was no indication even from season one Raphtalia was anything more than just an unfortunate victim of raids, while her guardian's introduction this season didn't hint at anything more than just fellow villagers. Kadokawa are banking on fans of the source material being interested enough in this next story arc to keep adaptation of this franchise going, since casual viewers who have stayed since season one won't be enough to fund a fourth season. Although this season did a better job than the previous one at moving the storyline along using limited airtime, it's still a flawed approach and not one to keep interest from casual viewers engaged. The first season did well because it had the airtime and the right pacing to develop the franchise; subsequent seasons have abandoned that formula altogether. I personally like the franchise enough to hope for more adaptations, but the production decision from season two onwards might have doomed this franchise to an incomplete adaptation with no chance of the full story being adapted. It is a shame, since the world presented has moved on from the shock value in season one used to hook viewers and has its own appeal that has been deliberately kneecapped by the production powers that be. I'd loved to be proven wrong and for more seasons to be greenlit, but the best I can hope for is something similar to season 3 and the heights of season 1 will remain unsurpassed. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4997 |
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The fourth season has started and it reminds me of why the show feels like a game that gives you endless side quests while being busy trying to finish an urgent main quest. There is the Phoenix who is soon to rampage, several of the gang are still cursed and Raphtalia has been made into a target by Q'ten Lo. Despite that the short visit to Siltvelt has become a new challenge and the ignored request from Fitoria is probably coming back to bite them. That is not mentioning a lot of other things but you get the point.
I am glad to have the show back but given the previous seasons I remain cautious since quality/pacing has not always been consistent. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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S4 #1
Kadokawa have seen enough of the reception to season 3 that it has greenlit season 4 with the same formula used since season 2 i.e. use one quarter to animate the key areas of a major volume or two dealing with a big story arc. This approach backfired in season 2 to the point they had to change the animators for season 3, and it seems season 3 did just enough to allow the season 3 producers to keep their jobs and continue the work they started. As such, there is little to remind casual viewers of what went on the season before beyond Naofumi's monologue right at the beginning. Because they mastered the art of fast travel using pre-set teleport portals last season, it makes sense he makes a pre-emptive stop at his destination to set a portal so that the rest of his chosen group can join him once base preparations are complete. After a quick stopover at his fief, he and his group make all haste to Siltvelt (the kingdom that worships him because of his fair treatment of demi-humans) in the hopes of a ship to Raphtalia's ancestral kingdom to resolve the assassin issue from the end of season 3. Only thing is, his plans never progress the way he'd like. The boot is on the other foot now as he gets the same treatment his peers used to receive in the kingdom which summoned them. Having clawed his way out of this fantasy realm the hard way from season one, Naofumi has learnt to be cautious to the point of paranoia. The last thing he wants is to be held up by a kingdom which worships him when he just wants to finish his next trial and continue progressing towards his ultimate goal of the survival of his world and being allowed to return home to where he came from. Unlike the loner who was persecuted in season one, he's now a political figure in his own right and like it or not has to work within the constraints imposed on him. He deflects the attentions the same way he uses his shield, but he's already finding out life as a living god isn't as simple as a guardian hero with a simple objective. The new OP showcases some of the season's prominent personages who will help or hinder his quest. The lion representative is there, as is the Q'ten Lo antagonists out to kill Raphtalia. The white tiger siblings might play an important role as well given their origins. At least the Spear Hero is making himself useful by eliminating all of the Q'ten Lo assassins before they can reach Naofumi's inner circle. He's still cursed and delusional, but at least he's nominally on Naofumi's side and not actively working against him like in previous seasons. |
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Hiroki not Takuya
 Posts: 3028 |
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Have to say the background artwork is gorgeous and the character artwork is very good as well. The original VA cast is back (unlike Panty&Stocking
 ...) and happy to see more worldbuilding along with fantasy politics, but I really hope the reveal that SH getting an automatic harem as a matter of course and getting a disease is a joke of some kind because that would be a stupid and needless narrative choice (like Turtleissimo) if you ask me...
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Edjwald
Posts: 3510 |
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Welp, I'm glad the show isn't making Naofumi perfect, but the series still goes too far making act like a petulant jackass from time to time - I'm specifically thinking of the scene where he refused to even take 40 seconds to listen to the request of the Phoenix - a being who is powerful enough to destroy him, is ultimately on his side, and who has lived a lot longer than him and understands the ins and outs of the dimensional sieve situation way better than him. Having been around for 3 seasons and understanding his scars, I get that he's frustrated with constantly getting sidetracked and wants to finish a task in a straightforward fashion for once, but that's no excuse just being @#$%ing stupid.
I don't know if the current situation is going to be frustrating or entertaining as most of this episode was buildup rather than execution. I do know that a little of the bird guy's weird "Pushiness through abject dependence" goes a long way, so I hope it comes to a head during the banquet instead of becoming a long, drawn out plot device. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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Two requests are made of Naofumi in this episode: Filolia (via Filo) and the Siltvelt Phoenix. Filolia is easily able to kill Naofumi (and his peers) and has threatened to do so multiple times, but is willing to let Naofumi go as she's aware of what he's engaged in. As for the Phoenix, I don't know where you're getting your information as nothing in the episode indicates what kind of individual he is relative to the Shield Hero. So anything referring to him as some kind of anti-Naofumi counter sounds very much like a source material spoiler. |
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Edjwald
Posts: 3510 |
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Oops, I said Phoenix instead of Fiolia. Probably one of the perils of being a casual viewer.
Here's a revision. I'm specifically thinking of the scene where he refused to even take 40 seconds to listen to the request of the Fiolia - a being who is powerful enough to destroy him, is ultimately on his side, and who has lived a lot longer than him and understands the ins and outs of the dimensional sieve situation way better than him. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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S4 #2
As a starting story arc, one has to give credit to the source material for trying something new compared to the more conventional fare served up to date. Rather than risking his life defending against some kind of world-ending danger, Naofumi and co's first task is to lose as little time as possible getting out of a kingdom that has every intention of keeping them in a gilded cage. To his credit, Naofumi recognizes there are two competing power centres very quickly, while the eyes of his entourage (particularly Atla and Fohl) reveal that for all of the kingdom's veneration of him as a deity, they do not share the same ideal of racial equality that his fief embodies. The incident at the bathhouse (which he received accurate information about even if he didn't take it seriously) convinced Naofumi he had to make his own plans to strike out from the political prison he found himself in. I'm betting the poison was served up by Naofumi himself. He probably took the antidote for appearance sake, since past seasons have revealed he's supposedly immune to just about every poison and venom out there. Fabricating an excuse to force the cold war between the two competing factions into the open, he has set the stage to force his way out only for Atla to pre-empt him. Even with her status as the former ruler's offspring, she and her brother are treated with disdain by the court. I'm not sure what she's trying to do upstaging her master, but it'll need to be spectacular to gain any traction with the others. Smuggling himself out of the kingdom was always going to be impossible, so the plan is to reveal to the commoners about the attempted assassination attempt and get the truly loyal subjects to do what he has requested from the start. At least that's what I'm guessing based on next week's title. How that comes up to pass is going to be interesting, either way because of the way this animation is set up it is going to be three episodes in Siltvelt and a departure by ship before the end of next week's episode. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4997 |
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During the previous seasons I thought about how great it would be for Naofumi to travel to Siltvelt and finally get proper appreciation. The past two episodes have shown that things never go smoothly for the shield hero. Yeah, Naofumi is not branded as some evil/failed hero but being stuck in a gilded cage with a lot of political strife going on is not much better. Hell, I am starting to doubt if he will even get a boat from the country.
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Edjwald
Posts: 3510 |
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I think for me, after the Malty thing was resolved at the end of season 1, and I watched season 2, nuff said, the primary draw of this show since season 3 has been watching the MC strengthen his relationships with a growing party that was denied him at first, and the other shield heroes. For example, I'm enjoying seeing the young brother and the sister come into their own on this trip. My biggest apprehension about the show is that the current arc is the side trip of a side trip.
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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S4 #3
I must admit, I did not think the animators would use four episodes to get through this story arc. Compared to the previous two adaptations which tended to squeeze story arcs into no more than three episodes at a highly condensed pace, having four episodes to resolve the extended stay at Siltvelt feels like a luxury which I'm not sure this adaptation can afford as it's not two quarters long. Perhaps they'll cut material from elsewhere to make it to their designated stop point in time, so it's going to be a test of the adaptation's writing on how seamless the transition is to fool the unacquainted casual audience. Viewers had a hint of who Atla and Fohl really were in last week's episode, but this week's flashback confirms something from season three in addition to their true identities. The staff hero has always felt guilty about his indirect role in reducing the siblings into slaves (and doubly so with Atla's blindness), while the remaining White Tiger attendant has kept his head down and remained undercover waiting for the day the Shield Hero returned. Although their father was slain on the battlefield, there was the rumour from Ethan last episode that Jaralis had a hand in his defeat from behind the scenes. With Naofumi's chastity on the line, both siblings have a golden opportunity to not only play their part in resolving their master's situation but also in redeeming themselves and their fellow kin. I expect the pair to win, since this is but episode four and Raphtalia is supposed to be the main character in this adaptation arc. The process should be interesting, since they are outmatched in size by their opponents. That said, Atla is deceptively strong and her brother isn't too bad (even if his younger sister beats the stuffing out of him). Provided both of their opponents are caught unawares, it shouldn't be too difficult for them to turn the tables. If it is an all-out brawl, it will come down to whether their training and experience since they served Naofumi can carry the day. Getting the ship to move them on after this unexpected delay shouldn't be too difficult once they win; the elder Okina has enough sway to bend Jaralis and Werner to Naofumi's will once the duel is settled. There hasn't been much action since Naofumi's party landed up in Siltvelt, so the first large-scale action set piece is the first opportunity to show the casual audience this adaptation can still do scenes not involving pure conversation competently. Not expecting too much, but if it's on par with season 3 at the very least it won't be a complete disaster. |
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