The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Review
In January 2019, an isekai would release showing the genre was still able to produce creative fantasy stories and add just a bit of darkness to the tone for good measure. The Rising of the Shield Hero would blow the minds of isekai fans as this tale took an ordinary young man, threw him into the role of the so-called “cursed” Shield Hero, made his life all about surviving in a place that didn’t want him, and gave him a seemingly useless weapon. The Rising of the Shield Hero was met with a lot of praise that a second season was ensured but it would take nearly three years for the second season to grace our TV/monitors. Dub fans would, unfortunately, get some sad news in the form of Billy Kametz—the voice of Naofumi the Shield Hero himself—passing away from colon cancer but his legacy will always remain in our hearts here at Honey’s Anime! That’s why we want to make sure we do this right and give our best review for The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2!
The Trials and Tribulations of Season 2
When season 2 of The Rising of the Shield Hero was released we had our first impressions out as soon as episode 3 concluded and we had our grievances. While we enjoyed seeing the cast return—alongside some new faces—the early set-up worried us that it wouldn’t be as powerful as season 1. We weren’t alone as we read many comments from fellow fans of the series and saw they agreed but hoped the big light novel shock could save the second season. Well, folks, their wishes were heard as Shield Hero did get a lot better when the big change occurred, and here’s why! Shield Hero season 2 started off pretty formulaic with Naofumi and his party once more dealing with a new threat aside from the “Waves” but where season 2 really shined was when the party was thrown into yet another world! Akin to isekai inception, The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 goes from Naofumi’s new world to another hero world with new threats, dangers, and adventures. This shift was what the series needed to have a stronger second season and while it didn’t completely rescue season 2 from some issues, it at least made it feel similar to season 1 in terms of drama and darker themes.
Where Shield Hero Season 2 Shined
With Naofumi, Filo, Raphtalia, and Rishia being sent into the world of Vassal our heroes' party not only gets nerfed quickly—having their skills almost completely reset to level 1—but they are separated and forced to endure a strange world where their original power is all but lost. This leads to some eye-widening dark moments where Filo is captured and treated as a literal beast, Naofumi almost again succumbs to the Wrath Shield, and Raphtalia in her younger form is captured. Honestly, it might feel like a repeat of some themes in the first season but Shield Hero season 2 thrives when it creates this dark tension that has fans wondering how the team will endure these various problems! Season 2 also added in some new characters that we liked even if a few—like the primary antagonist Kyo—weren’t fully fleshed out. Kizuna, the Hunt Hero, and Ost, the familiar of the Spirit Tortoise, were some of our favorite additions to season 2 as they brought a new type of vibe to the tale when they engaged with various characters throughout the season. Kyo was a great and evil villain but we do feel his reasons weren’t shown well and while they tried to compare his life to Naofumi—via a quick dual flashback of them both being in their respective original worlds—it didn’t make his evil actions pitiable or relatable. Kyo was just evil and that didn’t make for the best final boss the team could have gone up against.
The Ding in The Shield Season 2
From the get-go, season 2 felt almost too much like season 1 and while that isn’t a bad concept on paper, it doesn’t work when season 1 is nearly perfect and season 2 is okay at best. Shield Hero versus some baddie, Shield Hero saves his team and Shield Hero awakens a new power is how season 2 plays out and that doesn’t make for the best narrative. Do we feel this is a bad format? No, but when we can almost certainly guess how an entire 12-episode season will play out, that doesn’t make for gripping storytelling and makes the experience feel repetitive.
Why We Still Need a Season 3 and Why It Needs to Release Sooner
Crafting anime is no easy job. Writing a fiery review or talking about a series in-depth still takes less effort than making a single episode and it's why we have nothing but respect for anime studios. However, we need a season 3 of Shield Hero sooner rather than later. Long breaks between seasons never help a franchise—this is mirrored even in western TV shows—and hurts the feelings experienced in a previous season. The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 did a great job feeling like it didn’t take nearly three years for the new season to release but in our hearts, we wonder if that long break kept us a bit reserved in various feelings.
Final Thoughts
The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 wasn’t without its failings but the overall experience was pretty solid in our minds. We loved the new characters and seeing a new world, even if briefly, was fun and a much-needed change of pace. The final episode reminds us, viewers, that Naofumi’s journey is far from over but will we get a third season faster than before? That, readers, is a mystery we hope is revealed soon! Did you folks enjoy The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 or did you feel differently than us? Leave a comment below so we can chat with our amazing readers! Keep stuck to our Raphtalia-loving hive here at Honey’s Anime for even more spring 2022 anime reviews and coverage!
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