The spring 2022 anime season returns to continue the isekai adventure of The rising of the shield heroThe unlucky protagonist Iwatani Naofumi. However, by the end of Season 1, Naofumi’s fortunes had been reversed. As Season 2 begins, he takes another important step by adding a new member to his adventuring party, Rishia, who already has much-needed experience fighting the deadly waves.
However, Rishia comes with her own baggage. The original leader of her group, the Bow Hero Itsuki, rejects her as a weakling fool, so she now clings to Naofumi as her new leader and she is desperate to prove her worth. Naofumi welcomes Rishia to her party, but it won’t be easy and she makes a tough decision to gain more power.
Season 2, Episode 1 of shield hero he finds Naofumi’s group hard at work to help prepare Lurolona’s village defenses for the inevitable next wave. Tanuki girl Raphtalia feels more ready for action than ever, and so does Filo. In contrast, the green-haired Rishia struggles to prove herself to her, though she does have some talent for controlling her qi energy during a practice session. Suddenly, a swarm of oversized bats attack, and it’s up to everyone except Rishia to fight them off.
Rishia feels inadequate compared to everyone around her, and her insecurities are heightened when she repeatedly fails to fight for Naofumi or impress any of the Cardinal Heroes. She is practically caught in a vicious circle in which her weak performance undermines her confidence, which in turn destabilizes her performance as an adventurer. This could get worse as she continues Naofumi’s adventure, but luckily for Rishia, her new leader really cares for her companions.
Raphtalia shares Naofumi’s generous spirit and offers to help Rishia recover in time for the next wave, but the method she chose may leave a bad taste in some people’s mouths, including Naofumi. The group heads to the same well-dressed slave trader in the capital city who had sold Raphtalia to Naofumi months ago, and Raphtalia recommends that Rishia get a slave badge to become a formal and stronger member of the group. Naofumi objects at first, but Rishia insists, so he and the slave trader go ahead and add the shield. As expected, Rishia’s stats get an immediate boost and Naofumi’s RPG-style HUD gets updates on his status. There is no going back now.
Rishia’s decision to voluntarily get a slave shield placed on her says a few things about her and Naofumi alike. His willingness to gain this kind of power boost, and Naofumi’s hesitation to give him one, shows that he has lost his taste for slave crests and slavery in general ever since. shield hero begun, which is a change for the better. Previously, he was desperate to find allies and resources, and at the time he had no qualms about buying Raphtalia and using her emblem to discipline her.
Now Naofumi has more assets and allies than ever. That, combined with her better attitude after her name was cleared from that fake crime, means she has a new mindset. He is no longer a bitter pragmatist, but a role model and father figure to his group, and he will not wear slave emblems unless the other person demands it.
Furthermore, Rishia’s actions suggest that she is the new Naofumi: an unlucky and desperate adventurer who will pay any price to obtain what she needs to survive, even resorting to slavery and cruel magic. The main difference is that Rishia wanted the slave shield for herself instead of putting it on someone else. Shows remarkable resolve and commitment, but also a low sense of self-esteem. For now, her desperation and her low self-esteem define her character arc in shield herobut if he can get some wins in the next few waves, that may soon change, and he might even reconsider his coat of arms.
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