Season 3 of "The Rising of the Shield Hero" is finally set to air, and Season 2 ended with Naofumi and his friends winning their battle against Kyo in the other world and returning safely to their original world, where they returned to Lulorona Village. The final episode looked back on Season 2 and aired with them going to Ost to report that they had finished safely, but narratively, the previous episode, where they returned, marked a turning point. So, you're probably wondering how Season 3 will unfold. In this article, I'd like to take a look at the first half of the series, taking into account the new cast members that have been announced.
Before considering Season 3...
"The Rising of the Shield Hero" began serialization on "Let's Become a Novelist" in 2012, concluding in 2013. It was published as a book by MF Books in 2013, and as a manga by Comic Flapper in 2014. The content of "The Rising of the Shield Hero" has been revised each time it is published. While it generally adheres to the original work, some parts have been toned down or cut. On the other hand, some parts have also been added.
What about the anime version?!
Then, an anime adaptation was decided, and the anime began airing in 2019. In Season 1, character personalities were changed, and some plot developments and character behavior were revised. The number of episodes was also set, so perhaps cuts and changes were unavoidable due to time constraints. Season 1 had a total of 25 episodes, while Season 2 only had 13, making this a more noticeable trend.
What will Season 3 bring?
In Season 2, when Naofumi returns from another world, there are other heroes present, but in the manga, they are all missing when he returns. I'll be discussing the first half of Season 3, but I'm not sure how the story will unfold. My analysis may be completely different, but I hope you'll read this as background information before watching.
The story begins in Lulorona Village!?
The story will likely center around Rurororna Village, ruled by Naofumi. Naofumi plans to find and buy back the former Rurororna Village children who were captured as slaves, like Raphtalia, after the Second Wave.
Where does the story begin?
New characters made a brief appearance at the end of Episode 12 of Season 2. They were a woman fighting with a spear and a demi-human boy who was kept in a cage as a slave. The girl fighting was "Nadia," and the one in the cage was "Fowl." The two are located in the mercenary nation of "Zeltoble." I believe the first setting will be this "Zeltoble."
How much of the original story will Zeltoble be based on?
It's difficult to predict how the events in Zeltoble will be portrayed. This is because there are significant differences between the original and manga versions. However, considering Nadia's battle at the end of Season 2, I suspect the story will be closer to the manga. In the original version, Nadia appears as a slave at the slave trader's place. In the manga, she first appears as a mysterious female warrior fighting in the Zeltoble Coliseum.
And there's another character too!?
"Atlas," a new character whose information has been released, will also appear in Zeltoble. This is because Atlas and Fohl are siblings. While it's unclear how Fohl will be portrayed, there's no doubt that he's there for Atlas. And if Nadia is fighting in the Colosseum, I think we'll understand why. In fact, the fact that she calls herself "Nadia" almost certainly makes it closer to the manga version. To find out why, watch the anime.
Another New Character
Another new character, "Sein," is a character whose detailed introduction here would be a major spoiler. Details about his background and why he's working as a mercenary in Zeltoble all relate to future story developments, so I won't go into them here. However, there's no doubt that he'll join Naofumi and his companions.
What happens after Zeltoble?!
The official website states that Naofumi will join Raphtalia and Filo in the underground gambling arena in Zeltoble to rescue the residents of the former village of Llorona. What happens next after that Zeltoble event? The website also mentions "Three broken-hearted heroes" and "Myne, also known as Witch, working in the shadows." These details will hold the key to what happens next.
Three Broken-Hearted Heroes
At the end of Season 2, there was a scene where Naofumi and his friends were fighting in the other world while dealing with a wave. However, the official website states that "The three heroes, who made a blunder during the Spirit Turtle incident, are missing." Since they are still missing, as in the original work, it seems likely that "Witch" is involved. There may be completely different developments, so I will refrain from further speculation. However, if the story follows the original, "Witch" will likely be upgraded to "Damn Witch."
Witch in the Shadows
And as the title says, "Witch, also known as Myne, is working in the shadows," Witch is a key character in Season 3. If that's what the official website says, I expect she'll be doing things pretty much exactly as in the original. I think Witch will be involved in most of the chaos that occurs in Season 3. She's the worst kind of character, using anyone for her own benefit and eliminating anyone who gets in her way.
Summary of Thoughts on the First Half of Season 3
This article introduces the first half of Season 3 of "The Rising of the Shield Hero" based on the new characters whose information has been released. First of all, the battle at the Zeltoble Coliseum will likely be one of the highlights of the first half. Also, keep an eye out for how Witch operates behind the scenes and how that will affect the story as a whole. Thank you for reading to the end.
