The story is as you read in the synopsis and may sound unoriginal at first, but is completely the opposite and has its own originality. With your run-of-the-mill isekai anime that have been flooding the anime community for a while now, we usually see the main protagonists of these shows transported to a world where they’re the center of attention, become super strong and eventually end up as Gary Stus or Mary Sues that are fawned over and loved by other characters in the story. However, as previously mentioned, it's exactly the opposite with this series and that’s what makes it so engaging and a must-watch. It’s just different.
Our main protagonist, Iwatani Naofumi, becomes the “Shield Hero", the hero with the weakest reputation among the Four Cardinal Heroes. This causes Naofumi to become the target of prejudice and is quickly repudiated by those around him. As he begins his life in this new world, in less than a day he is falsely accused of a crime he did not commit, and as a result, is heavily discriminated against by the people of Melromarc for being an "awful" man who "dishonourably" holds the title of a hero. Haunted by the false accusation, Naofumi continues to live the life of a man who's unjustly hated and ostracized for something he didn’t do, but continues training to defeat the Waves of Catastrophe that plague the country of Melromarc.
This concept is already quite different from what we see in regular isekai anime, where the protagonists, like I mentioned, are easily lovable and powerful in the world they’re transported to. The fact that this isn’t the case with this series is what draws me towards it because it’s such a different concept. However, what draws me more towards this series is the portrayal of our main protagonist. Iwatani Naofumi isn't your typical Gary Stu of a male protagonist and it wins me over. Even though Naofumi is treated unfairly because of the false accusations against him, instead of defending himself every time he's insulted or pushed around (mainly because he knows even when he's telling the truth, no one seems to believe him anyway) he carries on with a heedless and impetuous attitude about the whole thing. He just doesn't really seem to care what people think of him. We experience firsthand the hell Naofumi is spiralled into, yet, he hides his feelings of frustration, distrust and betrayal behind his shield and continues to fight and fulfil his duty as one of the Four Cardinal Heroes. He also doesn’t seem to be heroic for some commonplace or mainstream reason, he simply just does what he does. As the series progresses, the only person who sees Naofumi for the kind person he really is, is the slave Raphtalia he picks up along his journey. The relationship between these two is pleasant in the way it's presented.
If the concept and main protagonist doesn't already draw you in, then the story itself will. This story includes heavy topics of discrimination and a clear abuse of power that morphs into a story deeper than what it shows on the surface. We also see the now growing issue of men who are falsely accused by women who are looking to gain something from it, front and center in this anime and we also witness the way men are treated for this very reason by society. It's a quite a serious yet lowly discussed topic that this series shines light on, which even as a woman myself, find very satisfying since this issue is awful for men to go through. The manner in which it's shown through Rising of the Shield Hero and how Naofumi is treated is an eye-opener to yet another societal problem we must fix. These topics are handled in a careful manner and well-paced rate that leaves you wanting more, rather than confused or rushed in terms of detail. You learn about the world Naofumi is transported to at a good pace and you’re provided with enough information to understand the world as a watcher. The story also in its short period of time preserves intense emotional depth that's enough to make you feel genuinely awful for what the main protagonist is going through, and builds a suitable relationship between him and the slave, Raphtalia that alleviates this emotional distress.
Overall, this series seems to be going in a really good direction from what it's shown in the mere 6 episodes that have aired. It's a capturing series that explores deep-rooted issues, is led by a non-cliche protagonist who has his own individuality and has a story that isn't basic. If you’re looking for isekai anime that's new and different, you'll definitely enjoy this series!
The art and music are really good as well and complement the story too.
P.S. The opening is also really good!
