The Rising of the Shield Hero's introduction into the world of anime has had a rocky start – but how does it compare to the original material?
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Why The Rising of the Shield Hero's Anime Is Better Than the Original Light Novel
- Thread starter Demelza
- Start date
Gemsy-chan
Shrine Maiden
I'm actually enjoying the light novels a lot (currently nearing the end of vol 3). The whole thing why no one will believe the Shield Hero is starting to take shape in vol 3
I was put off from the first person writing as i didn't really like it when i read the first volume of SAO but i seem to get along with it better in RotSH. I do plan to get and read the other volumes that are currently released.
Since it written from Naofumi's perspective I'm looking forward to the anime as i hope it shows events that are happening away from the Shield Hero.
and as always a church is involved. It appears the Shield Hero has nothing to do with their main religion and they only regard the other 3 heroes as part of it.
I was put off from the first person writing as i didn't really like it when i read the first volume of SAO but i seem to get along with it better in RotSH. I do plan to get and read the other volumes that are currently released.
Since it written from Naofumi's perspective I'm looking forward to the anime as i hope it shows events that are happening away from the Shield Hero.
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IdiomaticLynx
Student Council President
I'm half-way through volume 4 and thus far the writing didn't really improve IMHO. The first person writing is annoying, but you get used to it. The biggest problem is that there's a lot of plot convenience, which the anime adaptation can't possibly avoid (without big changes to the story). Despite all that, the author does have some interesting ideas, which I can't wait to see animated. The biggest draw for me is that it seems to focus on the long run. From the start of the story the MC starts from zero and slowly but steadily rises to become a true hero (in terms of power, party, knowledge of the world, etc...), without ever feeling rushed or painstakingly slow.
As for the anime adaptation already improving on the LN, I'm not so sure. It's been a while since I read the start, but the first episode gave the same feeling. Pretty predictable, some weird behaviour from the other characters, and ultimately a very bitter MC. The adaptation added some subtle foreshadowing, which would've been hard to pull of in written form. As for showing that the MC still has some good in him, I'm not sure that's a good change, as it feels like that now occurs a bit too soon.
It's quite a shame that all the discussion about the show seems to focus on the false rape accusation and the slavery. Sure, they aren't handled particular well, but are simply used as plot devices, which serve their purpose. In fact, I would say that the MC buying a slave was logically sound, given the mindset of the MC at that time.
As for the anime adaptation already improving on the LN, I'm not so sure. It's been a while since I read the start, but the first episode gave the same feeling. Pretty predictable, some weird behaviour from the other characters, and ultimately a very bitter MC. The adaptation added some subtle foreshadowing, which would've been hard to pull of in written form. As for showing that the MC still has some good in him, I'm not sure that's a good change, as it feels like that now occurs a bit too soon.
It's quite a shame that all the discussion about the show seems to focus on the false rape accusation and the slavery. Sure, they aren't handled particular well, but are simply used as plot devices, which serve their purpose. In fact, I would say that the MC buying a slave was logically sound, given the mindset of the MC at that time.
It's so nice to see some nice and thoughtful replies to this topic, I kinda assumed the worst given how the mention of Shield Hero goes over elsewhere lol. Thank you both!
In regards to the spoiler:
It will be interesting to see what they do in that regard because like you say they clearly have the opportunity to show more away from Naofumi, so I hope they do. A bit of a more generalised look at the people in this world away from Naofumi's perspective will probably drop a lot more hints about what's going on and why. At the very least when they introduce Raphtalia hopefully they can showcase how the world seems to her a little more.
I'd be curious to see if the writing suddenly drastically improves once the LN's surpass the web novel content. I don't know how much web novel content there was, but I assume with 20 LN volumes they have gotten beyond it now. I think writing for the long run is what gets the author into so many problems with the characters, as they end up doing unnatural things to make those ends meet. I appreciate how the Naofumi has started from nothing and steadily been improving his status in the world though, it's honestly a big draw to me for the series so I'm glad to hear it has stayed that way up until at least V4.
I think adding in the stuff to show the MC is still even a little bit good really helps the viewer though, otherwise I think it would be very easy to bounce off the first episode and not come back. Especially when you compare it to the first LN and everything that happens there to help redeem Naofumi for the reader. It might not be the right choice, but it seems important to me.
Agreed on all counts! I think there is going to be the opportunity for some really great discussions on this series and the things it does going forward. Hopefully with the first episode (or 2) out the way a lot of the outcry will begin to die off and we'll be left with just the people watching it who want to discuss the plot. Re: the spoiler - also totally agreed it makes sense within the context.
In regards to the spoiler:
Of course the church is evil. Sounds quite JRPG-y. I wonder if he was struck off from the religion because he's nice to demi-humans in the legends (as mentioned in volume 1) and demi-humans are further down the ladder than the humans.
It will be interesting to see what they do in that regard because like you say they clearly have the opportunity to show more away from Naofumi, so I hope they do. A bit of a more generalised look at the people in this world away from Naofumi's perspective will probably drop a lot more hints about what's going on and why. At the very least when they introduce Raphtalia hopefully they can showcase how the world seems to her a little more.
I'd be curious to see if the writing suddenly drastically improves once the LN's surpass the web novel content. I don't know how much web novel content there was, but I assume with 20 LN volumes they have gotten beyond it now. I think writing for the long run is what gets the author into so many problems with the characters, as they end up doing unnatural things to make those ends meet. I appreciate how the Naofumi has started from nothing and steadily been improving his status in the world though, it's honestly a big draw to me for the series so I'm glad to hear it has stayed that way up until at least V4.
I think adding in the stuff to show the MC is still even a little bit good really helps the viewer though, otherwise I think it would be very easy to bounce off the first episode and not come back. Especially when you compare it to the first LN and everything that happens there to help redeem Naofumi for the reader. It might not be the right choice, but it seems important to me.
Agreed on all counts! I think there is going to be the opportunity for some really great discussions on this series and the things it does going forward. Hopefully with the first episode (or 2) out the way a lot of the outcry will begin to die off and we'll be left with just the people watching it who want to discuss the plot. Re: the spoiler - also totally agreed it makes sense within the context.
thedoctor2016
Mushi-shi
I just won’t be watching or reading it’s seems full of tropes, sexism, and potential Pro slavery. (As Yes a slave is a cute girls it’s just a shame after Kinema did MiA and Revue they do a tropey cliche Isekai
That's totally fair and I think anyone who dislikes those tropes are right in giving this one a miss because they definitely won't like the content.
I'm not sure I'd agree that it's a shame to see Kinema pick this up for adaption though. The series is popular in Japan with 3.3 million copies in print across its various volumes and spin-offs, so either way I reckon Kinema will be able to sell the anime well and then go on to do more shows that others will enjoy more.
thedoctor2016
Mushi-shi
Yeah I feel this is there aim at something bigger, I get why they got commissioned for it. It would also potentially allow for more niche shows afterwards from them. So I fully understand why.
Luna
Death Scythe
Haven't watched the anime yet.
But sounds like this one won't be butchering the story as Kinema Citrus did with Black Bullet. (Which very much comes to mind with Yuki Kaki voicing the main.)
I did read the WN and the ight novels up to v11.
It's a pity through that the anime will most probably stop at a certain Arc after which things actually get more interesting (and slightly less tropey or rather more playful with the tropes.)
The LN didn't strike me as particular spectacularly interesting until about volume 4-5. Especially Naofumis self-introduction about being "somewhat of an otaku", was, well. a bit very bland.
The writing style stays pretty simple even in the 2-digit area, which makes it for a nice quick read.
The webnovel (which came before) does diverge considerably after the arc at around volume 4, it's interesting to read the LN after this, as you can see how the author is trying to fix up several underdeveloped elements of the WN pretty early on now. Also interestingly enough the WN still goes on, despite the main story being finished there.
The beginning is kind of subpar though. I've heard of many preferring the Manga, which rushes though the plot more and (going by volume 1) picks out more of the actionish parts to emphasize one. I can't say I like it too much. It does get over the more bland plot points more quick, but also killed most of the SoL portions of the novel. (Which were by far the most interesting things of the whole title for me.)
On the whole, the LN feels more planned out than the WN does. Or at least, it feels like the author is trying to plan it out more.
I wonder if it may end up, that both WN and LN will be canon. The WN had elements, which could actually justify this.
I'm kind of a little bit put away from the anime overall through.The first trailer had some good animation and framing, but something just felt completely off to me about it.
But the trope criticism will only get worse once Filo joins, I suspect. (I did take me a while to get accustomed to her.) At least she is a moe-idiot whose brain has the size of a bird, because she has exactly that, the brain of a bird.
But sounds like this one won't be butchering the story as Kinema Citrus did with Black Bullet. (Which very much comes to mind with Yuki Kaki voicing the main.)
I did read the WN and the ight novels up to v11.
It's a pity through that the anime will most probably stop at a certain Arc after which things actually get more interesting (and slightly less tropey or rather more playful with the tropes.)
The LN didn't strike me as particular spectacularly interesting until about volume 4-5. Especially Naofumis self-introduction about being "somewhat of an otaku", was, well. a bit very bland.
The writing style stays pretty simple even in the 2-digit area, which makes it for a nice quick read.
The webnovel (which came before) does diverge considerably after the arc at around volume 4, it's interesting to read the LN after this, as you can see how the author is trying to fix up several underdeveloped elements of the WN pretty early on now. Also interestingly enough the WN still goes on, despite the main story being finished there.
The beginning is kind of subpar though. I've heard of many preferring the Manga, which rushes though the plot more and (going by volume 1) picks out more of the actionish parts to emphasize one. I can't say I like it too much. It does get over the more bland plot points more quick, but also killed most of the SoL portions of the novel. (Which were by far the most interesting things of the whole title for me.)
I mentioned that above already, but surpassing WN content doesn't really fit for that title. The WN is already a complete story. (Complete main story, although it left something open.) The LN starts of the same, but diverges at around V4 (Calmira Arc) with the introduction of two new characters and the whole plot topples over into a complete new direction. (Very interesting how some dialogue stayed completely the same, but it's context changed, which made it play a considerably enough overall.) After that yet another new character gets introduced, who was only very very remotely mentioned in the WN as a "missing person" lost who knows somewhere. That arc kind of feels like a side quest at first glance, but it already echos a concept that was introduced in the WN much much later and (and felt woefully underused) and also does some more characterization on some of the side cast.
On the whole, the LN feels more planned out than the WN does. Or at least, it feels like the author is trying to plan it out more.
I wonder if it may end up, that both WN and LN will be canon. The WN had elements, which could actually justify this.
I'm kind of a little bit put away from the anime overall through.The first trailer had some good animation and framing, but something just felt completely off to me about it.
But the trope criticism will only get worse once Filo joins, I suspect. (I did take me a while to get accustomed to her.) At least she is a moe-idiot whose brain has the size of a bird, because she has exactly that, the brain of a bird.
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Gemsy-chan
Shrine Maiden
@Luna Naofumi is voiced by Kaito Ishikawa Naofumi Iwatani
With 25 episodes I'm assuming the anime is going to get quite far, so I'm assuming the arc you're referencing is even further in? It's interesting to hear that the light novel diverges from the web novel, although I guess that's not unusual either. It sounds like the author liked dabbling in this world with the web novel but didn't really want a super focused story, so it sounds like that was a fun read in its own right just for being different.
I read the first volume of the manga on Crunchyroll and it seems alright, but I agree that losing the slice of life stuff does hinder the characters and the enjoyable elements of the book so I definitely prefer the light novel (and anime) more. The action scenes in the manga aren't even that good, so while I appreciate some people prefer reading manga to light novels in general they're definitely missing out!
Gah the more I read about this the more I really want to read more of the LN! I was intending to pick it up when the anime ends, but I might just have to start reading them sooner rather than later at this rate. ;__: I like the idea that both the web novel and light novel could be canon as that's something that definitely doesn't happen as much, usually the web novel is just considered replaced by the LNs.
Also on the subject of VA's I was actually disappointed to find out that Yoshitsugu Matsuoka wasn't playing Naofumi. I like the character that he is playing, but I feel like he has the range and depth of character to have played Naofumi well (and then I could fangirl more...). Kaito Ishikawa has been doing a good job so far though, so I'm not as disappointed as I otherwise might have been.
sniper_samurai
Railgun
The LNs are on sale on Bookwalker, if you don't mind their annoying drm system too much. Volume 1 is half price, all the others have 20% off.With 25 episodes I'm assuming the anime is going to get quite far, so I'm assuming the arc you're referencing is even further in? It's interesting to hear that the light novel diverges from the web novel, although I guess that's not unusual either. It sounds like the author liked dabbling in this world with the web novel but didn't really want a super focused story, so it sounds like that was a fun read in its own right just for being different.
I read the first volume of the manga on Crunchyroll and it seems alright, but I agree that losing the slice of life stuff does hinder the characters and the enjoyable elements of the book so I definitely prefer the light novel (and anime) more. The action scenes in the manga aren't even that good, so while I appreciate some people prefer reading manga to light novels in general they're definitely missing out!
Gah the more I read about this the more I really want to read more of the LN! I was intending to pick it up when the anime ends, but I might just have to start reading them sooner rather than later at this rate. ;__: I like the idea that both the web novel and light novel could be canon as that's something that definitely doesn't happen as much, usually the web novel is just considered replaced by the LNs.
Also on the subject of VA's I was actually disappointed to find out that Yoshitsugu Matsuoka wasn't playing Naofumi. I like the character that he is playing, but I feel like he has the range and depth of character to have played Naofumi well (and then I could fangirl more...). Kaito Ishikawa has been doing a good job so far though, so I'm not as disappointed as I otherwise might have been.
Luna
Death Scythe
@Gemsy-chan
........ Ooooooh! What trailer must I have been mixing up there.... oo" Ishikawa's voices certainly sounds like a good choice from the roles I've seen him voice.
The WN is kinda focused, like there is antagonist revealed in the end, that kind of times together everything to be happening because of that antagonist. Aside that, Naofumi's romance aspects, or well, Harem in a way? is also addressed. That part is pretty conclusive, but on the way there are a whole bunch of side character or not-endboss antagonists, many of which are promising, but rather on the underdeveloped side or just simply one dimensional. (One of them probably being the "Endboss" of what the anime will get into. That one just stays as one dimensional in the LN,)(I should note, I have not read the beginning in the WN, as they say, it's pretty much same as in the VN.)
There will be considerably more dabbling in the world (and even beyond) in this series. It's kind of going to be his second job description. (Well, not literally in the description, but the job is practically that.)
I think that started in volume 2?
(There is another LN format particularity about that, you always get a few pages of narrative summarizing the previous event, which is helpful to refresh your memory, but gets a bit repetitive and of course since it's volume sized, every one of them needs a climax. One arc had a half new character introduced, that felt a bit to me like, she mostly needed to be there to spice things up with more emotional drama.)
The WN does get some pretty long arcs later on, will be interesting how it get chopped up into volumes.
Oh. That voice. Hmmm, no I don't really think so, what sticks mostly out to his roles (that leave any impression on me, there are a lot that I have watched, but can recall), is this coolish-badassy-slightly arrogant attitude in contrast to a kind of pathetic backside. Naofumi has those badass moments, too, but he's actually pretty dense (in the romantic sense, but at least he has some reason, the girls he meets are mostly a little bit nuts, except Raphtalia and a certain fan-wielding girl later on guess), while being pretty responsible and also somewhat realistic. (Shows he is an adult as oposed to all those teenagers.) He does have some arrogant moments through, but in the LN/WN at least it felt more like a front (to get better sales) than anything.
Really going to be curious how much of that salesman part they will retain, since a lot is more SoL. He is a notorious cheapskate, though not necessarily outright greedy. (The only other title that comes to my mind that pulls such a balance off would be "What did you eat yesterday?"'s Shiro.)
.... I should just go watch the episode already, I guess.
........ Ooooooh! What trailer must I have been mixing up there.... oo" Ishikawa's voices certainly sounds like a good choice from the roles I've seen him voice.
There is one point which is probably a good cut of to end on an semi-conclusive open (kinda positive) note. I very much suspect that to be the end of said arc. And yes, it's actually comparatively far, but no, it's not where the interesting things started for me.
The WN is kinda focused, like there is antagonist revealed in the end, that kind of times together everything to be happening because of that antagonist. Aside that, Naofumi's romance aspects, or well, Harem in a way? is also addressed. That part is pretty conclusive, but on the way there are a whole bunch of side character or not-endboss antagonists, many of which are promising, but rather on the underdeveloped side or just simply one dimensional. (One of them probably being the "Endboss" of what the anime will get into. That one just stays as one dimensional in the LN,)(I should note, I have not read the beginning in the WN, as they say, it's pretty much same as in the VN.)
There will be considerably more dabbling in the world (and even beyond) in this series. It's kind of going to be his second job description. (Well, not literally in the description, but the job is practically that.)
I think that started in volume 2?
Well, if you wait now, you have more to binge-read later. The release dates aren't too much of a snail, but slow enough, that I start stocking up already. (2 or something volume behind at the moment.) Especially since some arcs are split into multiple volumes, or arcs closely tieing each other.
(There is another LN format particularity about that, you always get a few pages of narrative summarizing the previous event, which is helpful to refresh your memory, but gets a bit repetitive and of course since it's volume sized, every one of them needs a climax. One arc had a half new character introduced, that felt a bit to me like, she mostly needed to be there to spice things up with more emotional drama.)
The WN does get some pretty long arcs later on, will be interesting how it get chopped up into volumes.
It's surprisingly enough that the WN stayed online even after the LN is being published. I though most just get taken down. (Most surprisingly is also, it still gets updated, while the LN publishing goes on and the author even has the LN version of the Spear Hero Spin Off publishing in parallel.)(Yes, the most obnoxious Motoyasu gets his own series. It gets briefly mentioned in the WN what must have had transpired there, and it sounds rather hilarious.)
*looking the name up*
Oh. That voice. Hmmm, no I don't really think so, what sticks mostly out to his roles (that leave any impression on me, there are a lot that I have watched, but can recall), is this coolish-badassy-slightly arrogant attitude in contrast to a kind of pathetic backside. Naofumi has those badass moments, too, but he's actually pretty dense (in the romantic sense, but at least he has some reason, the girls he meets are mostly a little bit nuts, except Raphtalia and a certain fan-wielding girl later on guess), while being pretty responsible and also somewhat realistic. (Shows he is an adult as oposed to all those teenagers.) He does have some arrogant moments through, but in the LN/WN at least it felt more like a front (to get better sales) than anything.
Really going to be curious how much of that salesman part they will retain, since a lot is more SoL. He is a notorious cheapskate, though not necessarily outright greedy. (The only other title that comes to my mind that pulls such a balance off would be "What did you eat yesterday?"'s Shiro.)
.... I should just go watch the episode already, I guess.
Gemsy-chan
Shrine Maiden
Ugh...Motoyasu gets his own story...he’s a bloody idiot.
Luna
Death Scythe
He is. The most annoying one at first, but he is surprisingly immune to almost everything, which gives him some sense of a bird-brained innocence. Especially after the other heroes, which seemed even worse to me after their arcs and in comparison, Motoyasu became an, essentially goodhearted, but really just kind of braindamaged moron. (And he might indeed be damaged at that point, if he wasn't so to begin with in other ways.)
kuuderes_shadow
Thousand Master
I suppose it's arguably sexist against men given that men in the series in positions of authority are mostly idiots in one way or another, whereas the women in said positions are by and large very much the opposite.
At least I hope that's what you were referring to by that - goodness only knows what you've been looking at if you got vibes of sexism in the other direction.
thedoctor2016
Mushi-shi
It suggests women can be bought and she gets in love Also it’s kinda sexist by saying women are believed instantly when things like MeToo prove they ain’t.
Gemsy-chan
Shrine Maiden
In the novel their are male and female slaves...so it’s not just that women that get bought.
Luna
Death Scythe
It's not (just) woman that can be bought, but it's the Demi-Human folks. Next to Raphtalia (in the LN at least) wear also male slaves.
Given what a certain (later) character does to her husband there is certainly one woman who does questionable stuff with her husband. (Even if he is introduced as a nasty moron.)
But then again, the WN does feature have rather questionable stuff going indeed into that field coming from a man, even if that guy doesn't enter the stage directly, but is featured via rumors and the delivery of something like a snuff video. (Which I suspect will not be featured in the LNs and which probably is a good thing.)
Given what a certain (later) character does to her husband there is certainly one woman who does questionable stuff with her husband. (Even if he is introduced as a nasty moron.)
But then again, the WN does feature have rather questionable stuff going indeed into that field coming from a man, even if that guy doesn't enter the stage directly, but is featured via rumors and the delivery of something like a snuff video. (Which I suspect will not be featured in the LNs and which probably is a good thing.)
ayase
State Alchemist
I can never understand why. Yeah, they're horrible things, but they're things that happen. Do these same people think murder shouldn't be used as a plot device due to sensitivity to people who have friends and relatives who have been murdered? War crimes? The Holocaust? Hell, even deaths of soldiers in war? Like we're fine with depictions of people being bloodily shot, sliced up or rounded up en masse and gassed to further a plot but sexual assault is too far? I don't know how much interesting fiction we'd be left with if we stopped exploring the awful side of humanity out of sensitivity to people who've been victims in real life.
Thoughtful and interesting read though @Demelza. Inflammatory comment added, exit stage left.
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Edit because I can't help myself and this got me thinking, if anyone who liked the post previously wants to unlike it, I understand.
I do find it interesting the incredible significance society attaches to depictions of sexual assault or sexual violence in fiction when just outright violence itself seems to elicit nowhere near the same level of soul-searching or condemnation from critics. Not anime, but I'm currently re-watching The Sopranos - Almost every major character in that show has committed murder or at least violent assault. Yet the audience feels for them and often roots for them because we see every side of them, they're not just murderers, they're other things too like parents, children and friends. The horrible acts of violence they commit doesn't totally define who they are as characters or people. It's difficult to imagine the audience having the same reaction however, if instead of murderers they were rapists. Because that particular horrible act does seem to define any character completely in the minds of audiences or critics, regardless of whatever else they might do or be.
Now in no way is this a defence of people in real life who commit rape or murder, but it's interesting to me that as a society we can't seem to explore fictional characters who commit sexual violence in the way we regularly explore characters who commit other kinds of violence (the only writer I can think of who has done this successfully is Stephen Donaldson in The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant). If as a society we consider sexual assault verboten in fiction and immediately reduce any character to being solely defined by that experience, whether rapist or victim (I've seen people who'd call themselves feminists write scathing criticisms of female characters being raped in fiction, as though that's essentially tarnished or ruined the female character, which also says something very interesting about how people view rape victims, defining them solely by that experience also). I dunno. It's weird. Rambling and a bit off topic now. It's a horrible act, but why is it so horrible we can't even confront and examine it rationally in fiction like we do the other equally horrible dark sides of humanity?
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kuuderes_shadow
Thousand Master
Slaves can be bought in this world. Those slaves are not all of one or another gender.
Women who are not slaves cannot be bought. Men who are slaves can be bought.
And no, it doesn't say women are believed instantly. It says that one man believed his daughter instantly over someone he had extremely strong pre-existing prejudices against, and the town believed that man because he is their king - and because they too hold extremely strong pre-existing prejudices against Naofumi.