# The Rising of the Shield Hero (2019)

> A wrongly betrayed otaku summoned to another world as the Shield Hero builds his own party from the ground up while battling world-ending catastrophes.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/70920

## Facts

- Seasons: 5
- Episodes: 62
- Episode runtime: 24 min
- Status: Returning Series
- Genres: animation, adventure, fantasy, drama
- Network: AT-X
- Cast: Kaito Ishikawa, Asami Seto, Rina Hidaka, Maaya Uchida, Hiroki Yasumoto, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Kikuko Inoue, Makoto Takahashi
- TMDB rating: 7.6/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9529546/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: bitter, hopeful, adventurous, gritty, intense

## What critics say

Viewers rate the series positively, praising its worldbuilding and the protagonist's arc, while finding its later seasons slightly weaker and its handling of slavery and sexual-assault allegations uncomfortable.

## Synopsis

The Rising of the Shield Hero (2019-present) is a Japanese anime isekai fantasy series produced by Kinema Citrus and broadcast on AT-X. Adapted from a light novel, it follows Iwatani Naofumi, a withdrawn otaku summoned to a parallel fantasy world as the Shield Hero, one of four legendary heroes tasked with fighting the Waves of Catastrophe. Betrayed by his companions and stripped of his money and reputation, Naofumi is left to rebuild alone, and his engine is a stubborn quest to survive and prove himself. He buys the enslaved Raphtalia (voiced by Asami Seto), and his growing circle including the bright Filo (Rina Hidaka) gives each episode its warmth and friction. Episodes mix training sequences, merchant dealings, dungeon fights, and political intrigue, with a tough, gritty edge around distrust and redemption. Its tone moves between bitter, hopeful, and adventurous, and its world building is detailed and sprawling. Four seasons and sixty two episodes have aired so far. Fans of Log Horizon, Re:Zero, and Sword Art Online will find resonance in its blend of isekai escapism and emotional grit.

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- [World Trigger (2014)](https://ember.film/tv/54918)
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