One Hero and a Whole Lot of Idiots
- Episodes : 25
- Genre : Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
- Airing Date : January 2019 – ongoing
- Producers : Kinema Citrus
Contains Spoilers
Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (The Rising of the Shield Hero) Introduction and Story
Naofumi Iwatani and three other boys are summoned into the kingdom of Melromarc to become heroes and save the people from the Waves of monsters periodically attacking. The weakest as the Shield Hero, Naofumi starts out at a disadvantage, one that continues to increase as people brand him a criminal. Eventually, Naofumi is able to build up a rather unusual party to help him fight, consisting of the demi-human Raphtalia and the filolial queen Filo. The Shield Hero becomes just as strong as the other heroes, thanks to the effort he puts into a variety of studies and the trust he puts in his companions. Of course, with each step he takes in a positive direction, the princess Malty Melromarc and her father are there to tear him down in some way…
There are still plenty of questions to be answered in the second half of Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari, like why the royals hate the Shield Hero so much, and what role Glass and the Waves play in this world. Naofumi has had to fight against opposition every step of the way, but he continues to get stronger and win the gradual trust of people in the kingdom, with even some of the other heroes questioning their initial impression of him. Hopefully we will get more answers and see some more great action from this series as it goes forward!
1. Fighting and Strategizing Unusual for the Isekai Genre
Despite most other isekai protagonists with flashy fight styles (ahem, we’re looking at you, Kirito!), Naofumi uses the exact opposite. He does have some attacking moves he can use but he spends most of his time defending himself and his allies. Though he is reluctant to this at first, the strategizing and planning he puts in for his allies is far more interesting than straight slaughtering enemies with a sword all the time. It gives the show a unique basis to work from, one that the plot continues to improve upon.
2. Deals with Deeper Societal Issues
Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari takes a look at more thoughtful issues as well, including discrimination and slavery. Though it doesn’t always provide a clear answer to these matters, it is interesting to see how Naofumi deals with these topics in Melromarc. He faces plenty of hatred through no fault of his own, though Raphtalia and the demi-humans are the main focus of these deeper discussions. We’re sure that the anime will continue to touch on these important topics in the future, especially with our heroes intending to head out of Melromarc into the wider world.
3. You Want to Root for the Shield Hero!
From the first episode, this series shows its precedent for the unpredictable, making Naofumi the villain in his new world right away. Even as he continues to improve on his own, the royal family pushes him back down, even in small ways like not allowing his party to break their level cap or taking away some coin he earned. It’s beyond frustrating to watch at every turn, but it also makes us want Naofumi to win in the end, over all the people who thought he was a monster or manipulated him.
1. Repetitive Royal Nonsense
We just talked about how the royals beating on Naofumi moves us to root for him, but it can also be too frustrating to watch at times. While it’s fun to watch our hero come up with ways to win, Malty and her father’s actions can be overly predictable after a bit. We still don’t know for sure what motivates them to hate the Shield Hero, but we can be sure that they will always be doing something to stop him – and that can become tiring.
2. Some Standard Character Tropes
While the anime is unique in the way its hero fights, Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari still suffers from some of the same problems its genre is plagued with. Naofumi ends up building his own version of a harem with his party, albeit rather unintentionally; and Raphtalia, Filo, Malty, and some of the other supporting characters fall pretty solidly into the usual tropes. We also know deep down that Naofumi and his companions will win out in the end, so despite the shocking beginning for the series, the later plot follows a distinct pattern of victory.
Final Thoughts
Despite some predictability and repetitive aspects, Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari is a refreshing and interesting isekai series, which draws you in with a shocking beginning and leaves you earnestly hoping Naofumi wins in the end. We can’t wait to see where the series heads next, especially with questions left still unanswered!
Let us know what you liked, or didn’t like, about the anime so far in our comments section below!
Author: Meghan May Dellinger
