Common Sense Media Review
Bloody action-adventure anime has violent, sexual content.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
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The Rising of the Shield Hero
What's the Story?
THE RISING OF THE SHIELD HERO follows the story of Naofumi Iwatani (voiced in English by Stephen Fu), a Japanese college student summoned to a fantasy world to become one of four heroic saviors. The four heroes must fight against the waves of calamity, portals that open in the sky and pour monsters into the world. Each hero is tied to a legendary armament upon summoning, and Naofumi becomes the Shield Hero. Naofumi is considered the weakest of the four heroes since he can only use a shield, while the other heroes have offensive weapons such as a sword, spear, and bow. Naofumi is also betrayed and has his reputation destroyed in the new world as soon as he arrives. Hated and with no one to trust and nowhere to turn, Naofumi is forced to find allies that can help him overcome his situation.
Is It Any Good?
This isekai anime (anime where characters are placed into another world) stands apart from the rest with its dark twist. The Rising of the Shield Hero flips the traditional isekai narrative on its head by turning the heroic fantasy into a nightmare. Most isekai give the protagonist a chance to escape their mundane lives into a fantasy world where they can be the hero who saves everyone. But in this series, the protagonist may have been better off never having been sent to a fantasy world. The twist element also adds mystery and keeps you guessing about motives of the characters and this ill-fated world.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about trust. Why is trust important, and what are some of the most healthy and effective ways to build trust with others?
Reputation is a theme addressed in this series. Why is reputation important to a person? How does bias affect the reputations of the characters in this series?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 9, 2019
- Cast : Stephen Fu , Erica Mendez , Brianna Knickerbocker
- Network : Hulu
- Genre : Anime
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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