Forum - View topic(The) Rising of The Shield Hero (TV).
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11300 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Well, after the Queen tried to clear his name, I think he started to take a little advantage of the clout and influence he had. Plus, the other Heroes seemed like they were starting to wise up and follow suit. But I think the overall story just had way too many other plot elements on the side to really flesh out anything other than Naofumi's rise. You've got the Waves, Raphtalia and Filo's development, the Church conspiracy, all the politics with demi-humans, the other Heroes and the consequences of their actions, Bitch and Trash getting in his way, the Queen and Melty trying to clean up that mess, Glass and her companions and how the heck any of that cross-world revelation stuff is gonna' factor in for future seasons, and then a whole bunch of world building and RPG mechanics to explain. That's a lot of extra stuff for only 26 episodes worth of time to try and cohesively develop on top of Naofumi's growth as a character. And I don't even know how far this adapted in terms of the light novels. What if it was like, barely, the surface, but there's crap-tons more stuff? Thinking about it in hindsight, I'm actually quite impressed with how they handled everything. But I had so many questions when it was over  . Seasons 2 and 3 need to happen faster.
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Probablytomorrow
Posts: 164 |
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But it’s not abusing power if he’s waiting for the queen to give it to him? And he still didn’t free any slaves, just acquire more of them. I’m not sure what you mean. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11300 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Oh, I was thinking of demi-humans, instead of slaves, since some of the demis had been kept and sold into slavery by that one noble guy. I meant Naofumi used his status to reclaim Raphtalia's old town and turn it into a haven for demis who I'm assuming some were also former slaves.
But after Naofumi initially acquires Raphtalia and Filo, I guess they never really address actual animal slaves, again. The few times we see the slave trader guy, he says he doesn't have anymore after the Shield Hero made him famous and people cleaned out his stock. I was trying to say that with those other story elements I mentioned, they probably decided to downplay the slavery thing, or maybe even just ignore it, so they could still try and cram everything else that was more important into the plot. As for Naofumi's power abuse, it's only considered abuse if he's doing it and nobody approves. But after the Queen clears his name, it's not abuse anymore, 'cause he's earned peoples respect at that point. In that respect, I guess he never really did abuse his power. |
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Probablytomorrow
Posts: 164 |
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Okay, yeah.
I would have preferred to lose a subplot or three in order to focus on Naofumi’s character and the power imbalance in this world, but that’s just me. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2850 |
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Season 2 #1
Note to administrators: this series does not appear in the list of anime at the top of the series discussion forum. Please do something about it, took me a while to dig this back up. To think it's been nearly three years since the last episode of season 1 aired. A lot has happened since then, despite delays the second season is finally upon us and no time is wasted on a recap. Viewers are thrown straight into the action so those who've forgotten what happened previously are advised to watch at least the last two to three episodes of the first season to catch up. I'm annoyed Malty is still alive, since she's still capable of mischief despite the punishments inflicted on her after the trial. Will the Shield Hero's magnanimity come back to haunt him? Since he's bound to his new feudal territory, he has no choice but to accede to the queen's request, especially when Filotia threatens to make good on her promise to eliminate all four heroes unless the boss monster of this season is dispatched with. Looking at the ED (OP?) animation, there are a lot of new characters to be introduced in this airing. The mysterious cloaked woman is the first, and she immediately asks the Shield Hero to kill her. What a way to end an episode, but she's probably not going to get her wish unless Naofumi and company figure out who she is. Action-wise, it looks like Naofumi has sufficient control over his doomsday shield to turn it off without requiring Raphtalia or Fio to risk their lives to stop him. With the addition of one more (voluntary) slave, his party has more options even if he's not optimistic of his new slave's prospects. One thing I've never liked about this series is the horrible use of mangled English for the RPG super moves, but it's part of the series character and all I can hope for is the grammar doesn't deteriorate further if Naofumi and the other Heroes learn new tricks. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11300 Location: Frisco, TX |
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My fault. I had it indexed at one point, but think I cut and pasted the link, instead of copying and pasting into the upcoming/current season chart. But then it got delayed, and I deleted the link altogether, so it was just gone. The link for this thread is in both, the current season and master index, now. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2850 |
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Season 2 #2
Compared to the pilot, not much action to be had since there's a lot of build-up before the first battle with the Tortoise begins. It's not boring though, a few questions posed at the start are answered while the pattern for this season is set. I didn't remember who Eclair was when she showed up last week as part of Naofumi's entourage. Turns out I shouldn't have, she joined their group after season 1 and before the events in this series. She seems nice enough, although the same cannot be said for the mysterious woman from last week. For a familiar, she seems oddly out of it at times with her strange mix of inside knowledge and naivete. The main group has no choice but to trust her for now, since Naofumi and company have never seen the tortoise up close and don't have a clue what they're up against. There's a brief shot of a man with spectacles midway through the episode. Is that the puppet master responsible for everything? He doesn't feature in the OP animation, so nothing to work with there. The Group of Seven certainly feature in the OP animation, or at least some of them anyway based on the weapons they wield. If anything, Naofumi might have met some of the Seven before last season when his group was on holiday on that tropical island. ED song isn't half bad, while the animation featuring Filo as the centrepiece appears to have some significance since she's using abilities that have yet to air. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2850 |
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Season 2 #3
Heavy losses, but Naofumi's plan to decapitate the tortoise eventually worked. Unfortunately for them, fighting a foe who was previously known only in legends and fables has the downside of incomplete information. Turns out decapitation isn't enough against legendary monsters, so all they've done so far is buy time. Ost has gravity powers, which is quite rare even in fantasy settings. Her utility is proven, but her whimsical nature means she can be a liability if she isn't concentrating. All in all, the episode is quite fun to watch. It feels like the series' own take on the MMORPG boss raid, where lots of characters work together to finish off the flagged target. The series itself is a game of sorts (Naofumi's HUD display amongst other things) so it's not out of character. However, this is a one-trick pony which shouldn't be repeated since the series is more about Naofumi and his immediate companions rather than some international boss raid. If the next episode title is any indication, it looks like it's back to classic dungeon spelunking with Naofumi's immediate party members. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2850 |
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Season 2 #4
Those watching this for the action would have found this episode very boring compared to the last three. However, an episode dedicated to fleshing out the hitherto plain and ditzy Rishia's character and background is not a bad thing as far as I'm concerned. Viewers who remember the first season will know the main trio had plenty of opportunities for character exposition, so it's good for the series to use a few episodes to do the same thing for the expanded ensemble, even if it means dragging out the pace a little. Still, it saves the animators a bit on the budget end with the lack of action this week. That Tortoise is so huge that whole communities could settle on its back and make a living. Unfortunately, it incurs the same risk as real-life humans who settle near active volcanoes for their fertile soil; one never knows when the volcano will blow its top with the consequent loss of life and property. If viewers are wondering why the Bow Hero would do something like that, it's actually in keeping with his character. Those who forgot what he's really like should watch the second half of the first season when Naofumi and company were cleaning up after one of his messes. Although it's effectively character exposition intermission this week, the last part revealed what the OP animation has been hinting at since it first aired: the powerful adventurer pair and Glass DO feature in this season. Most likely as wielders of the seven artifacts which the Queen mentioned a couple of weeks before. This begs the question: if Glass is from another world and is recognised as one of the Seven, what's her deal trying to kill the Four Cardinals back in season one? The adventurer pair did not oppose Naofumi directly, in fact they actually helped indirectly in a small way when they first met. So if they're mates with Glass, what's going to happen now that their cover is blown? |
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MaritLage
 Posts: 140 |
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we·ve watched episodes<>02 so far and we really like it so far
#Dante looks great as the #SheildHero and he weathered the #SilverquillInquisition like a #Maestro it·s refreshing to see an honorable character that takes slaves tbh |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2850 |
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Season 2 #5
Naofumi and co now have a goal: defeat the wielder of the Book, preferably in the most humiliating manner available just so he can be shut up for good. VA for this season's main villain has done enough to portray him in the most obnoxious manner possible, which is easier for the audience to get behind. That's the same face shown a few episodes back and in the OP, so with that I think this season's ensemble cast has been introduced. To be fair to Naofumi and the others, there's no way they could have suspected Ost Hourai of being anything other than what she initially claimed to be. After all, she had amnesia until very recently and up to the end of the episode had kept her word to assist the main party in fulfilling its main quest of getting close enough to the tortoise core to kill it. That scene towards the end is also ambiguous; it might well have been she was telling the truth but was only recently connected to the tortoise core after making contact with the crystal. Only those who've read the source material can say for certain though. So the three former adversaries are now simply neutral to Naofumi and the others for now. They're not much help though, since the book wielder has rightly pointed out they don't have the skills to see through the deception placed beforehand. Assuming they're far away from Naofumi's location, they will play no further part in what is to come since Naofumi has to make a huge choice now that the implications of the link are clear. The simple solution is to do what he's being goaded towards; the more complicated solution with the better outcome would be to somehow sever the link between Book and Tortoise, but there's no guarantee that's even possible. I'm not sure if this season is one quarter or two quarters long like the last airing. If it's just a quarter long there's not going to be enough airtime to see the new main villain given the beatdown he deserves, perhaps a minor victory for Naofumi and the others while they start their pursuit of him. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2850 |
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Season 2 #6
This episode is a spectacle of action, however the haste in which the plot is pulled forward suggests a lot of the source material was truncated so that this arc could fit into the first half of the adaptation with the second arc focusing on the pursuit of the Book hero in his home world. For the action, it's entertaining from start to finish. We get to see what the Book hero is capable of, and how much of a scumbag he is despite the power he wields. His VA has done a sufficient job to really goad viewers into hating his guts, so there's that. Fitoria's cameo (which is one of the many things in this episode not explained) is a reminder of how powerful she is and why Naofumi and the others will do anything not to cross her path. Whatever Rishia did to withstand the gravity attack, she'll need to carry it through to the next world. If she really mastered the Ki techniques her master was trying to instil into her, then she's going to be a far greater asset than Naofumi and the other party members can even imagine. It might just be she's powered up only when taking on the Book hero because of how similar he is to her and how much she detests such personalities abusing their privileged positions, but no answers will be forthcoming for now. We were told in previous episodes that the other Cardinal Heroes were near the Tortoise; turns out they were captured and used as batteries. We're not told how that happened; only that Book hero was responsible and didn't break much of a sweat in the process. Although I'm not surprised the other Three turned out to be bit players, it's starting to get old just how much of an obstacle they're proving to be for Naofumi and company. By the looks of things, the animators are doing their level best to fit a lot of source material into one quarter, unlike the more leisurely pace provided by season 1 with the two quarters afforded to it. Viewers who just want the action will be happy with season 2, but I'm not as enthusiastic since I like the world exposition and rushing the plot like this because of time constraints means viewers who didn't read the source material are losing out on the full experience (which might well be the point: a big hint to anime-only viewers to seek out the light novels and read them to fill in the gaps). |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2850 |
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Season 2 #7
An almost obligatory intermission episode after all the action last week. Can't kill the animators with budget-busters every time, so something quieter to set the scene for the new world they've invaded is much obliged. It doesn't make up for the rush through the source material (which is noticeable even here), but the new character is nice and cheerful and her interactions with Naofumi and his party are something fun to look forward to. In case viewers have forgotten why Raphtalia looks the way she does, this is a world setting that was in place since the first season which Raphtalia herself kindly reminded everyone watching this week. She's back to her 6-year old self, so watching her use an over-sized sword for her level is quite comical. Rishia being human doesn't change physically, but I don't think she's using her overpowered ability from last week anytime soon. Naofumi still has his shield and endurance, but moving to a new world is like starting a new game on a different server so everything has to be relearned from scratch. For this reason I expect Filo to be affected adversely through the move and the trio will need to stay friendly with Kizuna if they want to progress any further in their chase. Kizuna's relation to Glass and L'Arc is somewhat unexpected, but it's clear she's been out of the "game" for so long that her once erstwhile companions have most likely outstripped her in combat ability. Their world-hopping is another difference, since Kizuna doesn't know anything about Naofumi's world and what the Waves are. What she's doing in this fantasy world is another question left unanswered, since Glass and L'Arc are very keen on stopping their world from being destroyed even if it means the destruction of others. For all this season's flaws, I like the characters enough to see this through to the end. It won't be as highly rated as the first season, but I blame the reduced airtime and need to cover as much ground as possible. It might still turn out alright, depending on how the pacing follows for the rest of the adaptation. |
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MaritLage
Posts: 140 |
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(she/her)
S01E16 For a show with a male lead , this show has a lot of strong female characters . It·s actually really difficult to find this level of female inclusion in media lately . |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2850 |
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Season 2 #8
The pacing is still very quick, but there are a few nice touches as the animators still found a way to squeeze in a few world-building expository tidbits here and there as Naofumi, Kizuna and company find a way to close the distance. The series never strays too far from its gaming roots; I liked the little vignette when Kizuna and Naofumi experiment with the different buffing items and how they react differently to each hero. As for the different races of this world (server), one question which was left open since the first season was answered in a very unexpected way. Perhaps viewers will see more of these revelations as we proceed, since the world-building was one of the best parts of this franchise and I'd like more of it regardless of how quick the pacing is. Naofumi as the travelling salesman hasn't been seen since his wanderings midway through season one. It shows you can apply skills and knowledge acquired elsewhere so long as the sentient beings on a different world obey the rules of supply and demand. Quite a few underhanded sales tricks as well, but as the scorned Shield Hero he needed every single edge he could get in a world which initially despised him. The episode title speaks for itself, although I seriously doubt we have seen the last of Raphtalia. We're not told what trick Kyo employed to sever the link, but he doesn't want Raphtalia dead and Naofumi and the others still have time both to look for Filo, get more help and hunt down Kyo and accomplices before the deadline. How this will turn out isn't obvious, but I'm sticking with this to the end and am hopeful for a satisfying conclusion. |
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