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The Rising of the Shield Hero (Light Novel) #2
盾の勇者の成り上がり 2
《電子版限定オリジナルショートストーリー収録！》盾の勇者として召喚された尚文がモンスターくじで引き当てたのは、鳥型の魔物「フィーロ」。やがてフィーロは背中に羽の生えた少女に成長する。亜人の娘ラフタリアと天使のようなフィーロ。彼女たちと共に尚文が始めたのは、なんと「行商」だった!? 異世界リベンジファンタジー第２弾、ここに始まる！
147 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 24, 2013
281 people are currently reading
1071 people want to read
About the author
Aneko Yusagi
148 books186 followersAneko Yusagi (アネコユサギ; Yusagi Aneko) is a japanese creator.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
December 20, 2019
aaaawwwwww... I love this. Raphtalia and Naofumi's relationship is just adorable.
January 27, 2019
Self hatred hurts others
I am thoroughly enjoying the series, I could understand Naofumi's feeling to certain extent. Being mistreated by people that supposedly to protect can and will people wear down. That why I am invested which Naofumi, Raphtalia, and Filo to see where they are heading. The only way to cure self hatred is through service, support, and love ones that cares for you. Self hatred can hurt people even when you don't realize it that why it take time to fully heal from that.
I am thoroughly enjoying the series, I could understand Naofumi's feeling to certain extent. Being mistreated by people that supposedly to protect can and will people wear down. That why I am invested which Naofumi, Raphtalia, and Filo to see where they are heading. The only way to cure self hatred is through service, support, and love ones that cares for you. Self hatred can hurt people even when you don't realize it that why it take time to fully heal from that.
January 3, 2015
I find the hero amusing. Also many of the characters are adorable.
July 14, 2016
Well. I didn't like it. I hate lolita harems in novels.
August 13, 2019
Me ha gustado, eso si, un poquito menos que el primer volumen debido al cambio de actitud de Naofumi hacia el resto del mundo. Un nuevo integrante (que haría las delicias de Prompto) se une al Héroe del escudo, básicamente en este volumen vemos cómo va mejorando tanto en armas, estadísticas y habilidades, a la par que va ganando una buena reputación en ciertas aldeas.
Sobre Naofumi
En cuanto su relación con Raphtalia
Sobre nuevo personaje
En general habrá que ver como continua la relación de estos tres personajes, las reacciones en específico de 5 personajes cuando las historias de sus aventuras se conozcan, y la importancia del nuevo escudo en el futuro.
Gran pregunta sobre el hechizo de esclavitud
“They’d betrayed me… tricked me! That was even more reason for me to… to protect the people who believed in me.” Naofumi.
Sobre Naofumi
En cuanto su relación con Raphtalia
Sobre nuevo personaje
En general habrá que ver como continua la relación de estos tres personajes, las reacciones en específico de 5 personajes cuando las historias de sus aventuras se conozcan, y la importancia del nuevo escudo en el futuro.
Gran pregunta sobre el hechizo de esclavitud
“They’d betrayed me… tricked me! That was even more reason for me to… to protect the people who believed in me.” Naofumi.
September 6, 2022
I really enjoy Rising of the Shield hero, and was excited to try vol 2. Unfortunately, it felt like most of this volume was Naofumi re-learning that he has friends and the value of them... which was the major turning point at the end of vol 1.
There is also a REALLY long time spent doing sort of boring things like getting clothes for Filo, which while having a few interesting moments, at it's core just isn't too interesting.
Those critiques aside, there are some good moments here. Filo as a character is a great addition. The series is also beginning to help demonstrate the difference between the Shield hero and other heroes in the way that he associates with the everyday people of the world. I also like the traveling merchant angle he has going now.
There are also two pretty cool "boss" fights in the second half I enjoyed.
Naofumi is still way too much of an edge lord at times.
Overall, not as good as vol 1, but still enjoyable.
There is also a REALLY long time spent doing sort of boring things like getting clothes for Filo, which while having a few interesting moments, at it's core just isn't too interesting.
Those critiques aside, there are some good moments here. Filo as a character is a great addition. The series is also beginning to help demonstrate the difference between the Shield hero and other heroes in the way that he associates with the everyday people of the world. I also like the traveling merchant angle he has going now.
There are also two pretty cool "boss" fights in the second half I enjoyed.
Naofumi is still way too much of an edge lord at times.
Overall, not as good as vol 1, but still enjoyable.
April 9, 2022
El héroe que es antihéroe y que en el fondo es más bueno que el pan. Naofumi-Sama es lo mejor de esta historia y ver su evolución es sencillamente emocionante. Raphtalia y Filo mis niñas hermosas, un equipo a todo dar.
Sin duda esta historia ha sido lo mejor de mi año, me tiene encantada y enganchada.
Sin duda esta historia ha sido lo mejor de mi año, me tiene encantada y enganchada.
November 11, 2021
Great Read
Great continuation of the series. Looking forward to the next one. I just cannot put it down once I start reading.
Great continuation of the series. Looking forward to the next one. I just cannot put it down once I start reading.
November 7, 2016
This volume was a basic road travelogue and side-quest story. It was a lot like The Druid of Shannara in it's travelogue format. The difference is that instead of a main and side quests like in Druid, it's all side-quests here.
The good part was the character development for Naofumi and Raphtalia (mostly Naofumi), as well as Filo's introduction. Sure, Filo is annoying at times, especially since I like Raphtalia better, but she is an adorable character, and Naofumi finally begins to process his issues and become more heroic.
Oh, to be sure, he is heroic for these first two books, really. But he seems unwilling or unable to admit this to anyone, especially himself. So he acts more cynical. I understand this won't be broken completely, if ever, for quite a while. But he is beginning to get better and have his heart open more, which is good.
I love how adorable and badass Filo and Raphtalia can be. Great stuff and the pacing of the story is good, so even without a real major plot, the narrative still kept my interest.
All in all, a great second entry to this series.
The good part was the character development for Naofumi and Raphtalia (mostly Naofumi), as well as Filo's introduction. Sure, Filo is annoying at times, especially since I like Raphtalia better, but she is an adorable character, and Naofumi finally begins to process his issues and become more heroic.
Oh, to be sure, he is heroic for these first two books, really. But he seems unwilling or unable to admit this to anyone, especially himself. So he acts more cynical. I understand this won't be broken completely, if ever, for quite a while. But he is beginning to get better and have his heart open more, which is good.
I love how adorable and badass Filo and Raphtalia can be. Great stuff and the pacing of the story is good, so even without a real major plot, the narrative still kept my interest.
All in all, a great second entry to this series.
September 20, 2018
Woohoo! The next instalment to this series! I really liked the prequel to this book, although I must say it stirred up a whole lot of anger within me. In contrast, this book was a whole lot lighter and seems to create such a positive progress on the characters' lives. From the cover, I believe, you can already see the change in atmosphere—what with Filo's angelic face taking up more than 50% of the illustration—and I really love it!
First of all, I must say how much I love Naofumi's character. In the first book, he was really super gloomy, pessimistic and losing the will to live. In this one, he is more driven and curious and good things are starting to happen to him—some of which are thanks to his efforts in the prequel. That being said, I'm glad he still has some of cynicism and caution still with him—although he often thinks about what's best for others and how to help solve others' problems. It makes me so happy and relieved for him to be able to clear up his name little by little. Unfortunately, if you are looking for a bit more romance, this book will be more of a disappointment, since there is virtually no development on the love front—especially between Naofumi and Raphtalia. It does, however, become more interesting with the appearance of a new 'rival'—shall we say—in the form of the lively, forward and innocent Filo.
Second of all, it's starting to shape up into an RPG/fantasy genre with the various classes and types of abilities one can have—namely, in the learning of magic by our two main characters. The range of friendship Naofumi seems to establish has also widened, that he manages to benefit from their knowledge and skills to improve his own abilities. It's very, very intriguing to see the magic that this world possesses—although it seems to be a soft magic (not being very specific about the rules of the magical capabilities of the people). Personally, I find it very fascinating that our main character is a lot more passive, in terms of class—what with his defence and healing magic being his strong suit, accompanied by his apt for concocting medicine. It's quite refreshing, in contrast to the usual heroes of such stories being really aggressive and heavy in attack powers.
Lastly, I really love how peaceful and serene this whole book feels compared to its prequel. Although the protagonists fight monsters from time to time—and deal with a number of dramatic events too—it is mostly very content. They even have a bit of a routine of traveling from one village to the next to sell their stuff and basically carry on their jobs. It's a great break from all the betrayal, heartache and absolute madness that happened in the first book.
What I find somewhat weird about this book—and possibly the whole series—is how inconsistent the concept of time is. Before, the whole book managed to capture 45 days that go on between each wave of destruction. However, this time—although a lot more things seem to be going on—the wave of destruction hasn't come yet. I don't know if that is an indication of what will happen later on—if it is, it is not in the least bit hinted in the book—but it sure feels rather off.
Overall, though, I'll keep reading this series for now. Really enjoy it so far!
First of all, I must say how much I love Naofumi's character. In the first book, he was really super gloomy, pessimistic and losing the will to live. In this one, he is more driven and curious and good things are starting to happen to him—some of which are thanks to his efforts in the prequel. That being said, I'm glad he still has some of cynicism and caution still with him—although he often thinks about what's best for others and how to help solve others' problems. It makes me so happy and relieved for him to be able to clear up his name little by little. Unfortunately, if you are looking for a bit more romance, this book will be more of a disappointment, since there is virtually no development on the love front—especially between Naofumi and Raphtalia. It does, however, become more interesting with the appearance of a new 'rival'—shall we say—in the form of the lively, forward and innocent Filo.
Second of all, it's starting to shape up into an RPG/fantasy genre with the various classes and types of abilities one can have—namely, in the learning of magic by our two main characters. The range of friendship Naofumi seems to establish has also widened, that he manages to benefit from their knowledge and skills to improve his own abilities. It's very, very intriguing to see the magic that this world possesses—although it seems to be a soft magic (not being very specific about the rules of the magical capabilities of the people). Personally, I find it very fascinating that our main character is a lot more passive, in terms of class—what with his defence and healing magic being his strong suit, accompanied by his apt for concocting medicine. It's quite refreshing, in contrast to the usual heroes of such stories being really aggressive and heavy in attack powers.
Lastly, I really love how peaceful and serene this whole book feels compared to its prequel. Although the protagonists fight monsters from time to time—and deal with a number of dramatic events too—it is mostly very content. They even have a bit of a routine of traveling from one village to the next to sell their stuff and basically carry on their jobs. It's a great break from all the betrayal, heartache and absolute madness that happened in the first book.
What I find somewhat weird about this book—and possibly the whole series—is how inconsistent the concept of time is. Before, the whole book managed to capture 45 days that go on between each wave of destruction. However, this time—although a lot more things seem to be going on—the wave of destruction hasn't come yet. I don't know if that is an indication of what will happen later on—if it is, it is not in the least bit hinted in the book—but it sure feels rather off.
Overall, though, I'll keep reading this series for now. Really enjoy it so far!
September 8, 2019
Read this review (and others) at: https://literatureislife.com/2019/09/...
The Rising of the Shield Hero, Volume 2 starts off shortly after Volume 1 ended. For people who watched the anime, Volume 2 covers episodes 5 through 8. Despite coming out of his shell a bit and newfound trust in Raphtalia after the end of the previous book, Naofumi is still in a dark place. But this is still the beginning phase of his journey, as Naofumi and his allies rise into becoming true heroes. While Naofumi and Raphtalia and still a key focus here, they pick up a third party member in this book: Filo.
Filo is a creature called a filolial, a large, intelligent bird creature that is totally definitely not a chocobo. Basically, filolials are this magical world’s equivalent of horses. But they can also be trained to fight monsters and whatnot. Having a large creature that can also pull a wagon quickly puts Naofumi on the next track of his journey: becoming a trading merchant. With the kingdom still ostracizing him, the group journeys around the countryside fighting monsters for experience and selling medicines, food, and other needed goods to the poorer areas who see little trade. But Naofumi is not the only one having adventures.
Over the course of this book, Naofumi’s group hears rumors about the other three heroes. And all three of them are very much still treating this new world like a video game. But Naofumi realizes that this world is no game and that in the real world, actions have consequences. The group’s journey soon develops a pattern of cleaning up the other heroes’ messes. The actions of the other heroes inadvertently lead to Naofumi becoming stronger. While the other heroes “know what they are doing” from their video game knowledge, Naofumi continues to learn from scratch and pick up on things the other heroes remain unaware of.
Is Volume 2 of Rising of the Shield Hero particularly exciting? Not really. This is a story full of side quests. These are the mini-missions you have to do in games to get the experience/loot to tackle the big story. But while the main plot crawls along here, the character development continues to expand. Naofumi, Raphtalia, and Filo all grow as people from these experiences. Both individually and in their relationships together as a team. Even characters who are not always directly involved, like the other three heroes, get some development via the actions Naofumi knows they have taken. Rising of the Shield Hero Volume 2 is very much a stepping stone, but it seems to be moving the series in the right direction.
The Rising of the Shield Hero, Volume 2 starts off shortly after Volume 1 ended. For people who watched the anime, Volume 2 covers episodes 5 through 8. Despite coming out of his shell a bit and newfound trust in Raphtalia after the end of the previous book, Naofumi is still in a dark place. But this is still the beginning phase of his journey, as Naofumi and his allies rise into becoming true heroes. While Naofumi and Raphtalia and still a key focus here, they pick up a third party member in this book: Filo.
Filo is a creature called a filolial, a large, intelligent bird creature that is totally definitely not a chocobo. Basically, filolials are this magical world’s equivalent of horses. But they can also be trained to fight monsters and whatnot. Having a large creature that can also pull a wagon quickly puts Naofumi on the next track of his journey: becoming a trading merchant. With the kingdom still ostracizing him, the group journeys around the countryside fighting monsters for experience and selling medicines, food, and other needed goods to the poorer areas who see little trade. But Naofumi is not the only one having adventures.
Over the course of this book, Naofumi’s group hears rumors about the other three heroes. And all three of them are very much still treating this new world like a video game. But Naofumi realizes that this world is no game and that in the real world, actions have consequences. The group’s journey soon develops a pattern of cleaning up the other heroes’ messes. The actions of the other heroes inadvertently lead to Naofumi becoming stronger. While the other heroes “know what they are doing” from their video game knowledge, Naofumi continues to learn from scratch and pick up on things the other heroes remain unaware of.
Is Volume 2 of Rising of the Shield Hero particularly exciting? Not really. This is a story full of side quests. These are the mini-missions you have to do in games to get the experience/loot to tackle the big story. But while the main plot crawls along here, the character development continues to expand. Naofumi, Raphtalia, and Filo all grow as people from these experiences. Both individually and in their relationships together as a team. Even characters who are not always directly involved, like the other three heroes, get some development via the actions Naofumi knows they have taken. Rising of the Shield Hero Volume 2 is very much a stepping stone, but it seems to be moving the series in the right direction.
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May 10, 2025 Melhores trechos: "...Apesar de não ser como se estivéssemos competindo, era levemente frustrante ficar atrás dos outros heróis. Era só que lutar com monstros novos e deixar meu escudo evoluir não soa muito mal... Eu ouvi uma voz rouca vindo dos estábulos. Olhando para a figura dela, os pés e o pescoço ficaram mais longos, remodelando ela mesma como se fosse um manju. Eu digo que ela parecia muito com um avestruz. Era uma mudança incrível. O crescimento dela era completamente diferente dos pássaros que eu conhecia. A altura dela era perto do nível do meu peito, então ainda era impossível para uma pessoa montar nela... Firo tinha começado com uma ainda maior amplitude e largura, a fazendo parecer como uma espécie de monstro coruja. A forma de avestruz amigável, eu me pergunto, para onde foi. Então, eu queria perguntar diretamente. Esse cara é o monstro que eclodiu do ovo que eu comprei a partir desse lugar. Que tipo de ovo me deu?... Eu vou ser principalmente um cara que faz bicos. Viajando de povoado em povoado, de cidade em cidade carregando e transportando mercadoria que me deparo, escoltando pessoas... Parece que a explicação de Raphtalia no poder mágico é o mesmo que a de Firoː é um sentimento em seu corpo que vem da alma. Seguindo o sentimento de poder mágico que sensoriamento Firo tem, o que é Magia? Que tipo de sentido é esse? Continuamente refletindo sobre essa mesma pergunta na minha cabeça... Eu ignoro as vozes dos aldeões e vou em direção da massa de vinhas. Atrás de mim seguem Raphtalia e Firo. Eu amarro o amplo saco de dinheiro que eu recebi no meu quadril, e desço a rua pavimentada com a vegetação invasora... Então tá, o inimigo que está vindo é uma planta. De acordo com meu vasto conhecimento de ervas medicinais, a planta em frente é bem única. Vários frutos maduros podem ser encontrados de suas vinhas e batatas podem ser vistas em suas raízes. Isso não é tudo, aparentemente também tinha a habilidade de cuspir veneno e anexar parasitas no corpo humano. Será que o herbicida será efetivo? Fisicamente derrotar ela também não parece um bom plano… Se o dragão apodrece então o que será afetado é a vizinhança. Alguns gourmets podem querem isso, mas aventureiros não tem uso para carne apodrecida. Apesar de eu não ter ideia de como carne de dragão é tratada nesse mundo. Ela pode ser deliciosa mas nós não sabemos. As entranhas deixadas para trás, especialmente o fígado vai apodrecer facilmente... Motoyasu gritou na direção da Firo, tentando parecer uma boa pessoa. Esse é o pássaro gordo que você queria matar não faz muito tempo. Oh certo, ela está na forma humana dela agora. É porque ela é bonita? Isso de fato parece com o Motoyasu..."
May 13, 2022
Either this book is written slightly better than the last or I'm just getting used to the writing style. Still, the prose itself isn't that great, outside of the dialogue (which is just as confusing with the lack of dialogue tags).
Also, the shield upgrade text is needlessly split up. I started skipping the first half and just reading the second, since the second tells you more info. Really, the two should just be combined, with the abilities of the shield listed right after it being unlocked.
Before I get into the story itself, I wanted to go back to the slave controversy. It's no longer a spoiler at this point, seeing as it was brought up in the end of the first book, but... This is honestly the series' biggest mistake, from what I've seen/read of it. There is literally zero reason this has to happen, other than for some fetish thing. Like, it's not even used once in this volume. So, unless there ends up being an important twist with it later on, there is literally ZERO reason for Raphtalia to become a slave again. It's not like even Naofumi cares at this point--just Raphtalia.
Basically, in this volume, it's just a reason for Naofumi to visit the slave trader again.
As for the rest of the volume, there's much less tension in it than the first, as it's mostly just Naofumi and his party traveling around and helping people (even if Naofumi is just doing it for money). The waves are hardly mentioned, and even the party leveling up is secondary to just traveling around and unlocking new abilities/learning new skills.
It's still an enjoyable book, especially with the introduction of a new character that really helps create a fun group dynamic. In some ways, it doesn't feel like much happened, but there actually were quite a few adventures, and Naofumi and his party all grew some mentally and emotionally (and physically, for one of them in particular).
Overall, while some of my complaints about the first book still stand, and while this book has way less tension, I think I enjoyed this one a bit more. While Naofumi still comes across as pretty heartless, it's clear he's on a better path than before, and the new character helps add more to the group dynamic and is just a fun character all-around. Raphtalia is great, though she was relegated a bit to the side in this book, because of her motion sickness. Still, I think this book set things up well for the future, and I'm excited to read the next volume.
Also, the shield upgrade text is needlessly split up. I started skipping the first half and just reading the second, since the second tells you more info. Really, the two should just be combined, with the abilities of the shield listed right after it being unlocked.
Before I get into the story itself, I wanted to go back to the slave controversy. It's no longer a spoiler at this point, seeing as it was brought up in the end of the first book, but... This is honestly the series' biggest mistake, from what I've seen/read of it. There is literally zero reason this has to happen, other than for some fetish thing. Like, it's not even used once in this volume. So, unless there ends up being an important twist with it later on, there is literally ZERO reason for Raphtalia to become a slave again. It's not like even Naofumi cares at this point--just Raphtalia.
Basically, in this volume, it's just a reason for Naofumi to visit the slave trader again.
As for the rest of the volume, there's much less tension in it than the first, as it's mostly just Naofumi and his party traveling around and helping people (even if Naofumi is just doing it for money). The waves are hardly mentioned, and even the party leveling up is secondary to just traveling around and unlocking new abilities/learning new skills.
It's still an enjoyable book, especially with the introduction of a new character that really helps create a fun group dynamic. In some ways, it doesn't feel like much happened, but there actually were quite a few adventures, and Naofumi and his party all grew some mentally and emotionally (and physically, for one of them in particular).
Overall, while some of my complaints about the first book still stand, and while this book has way less tension, I think I enjoyed this one a bit more. While Naofumi still comes across as pretty heartless, it's clear he's on a better path than before, and the new character helps add more to the group dynamic and is just a fun character all-around. Raphtalia is great, though she was relegated a bit to the side in this book, because of her motion sickness. Still, I think this book set things up well for the future, and I'm excited to read the next volume.
December 31, 2022
Volume two of Shield Hero doesn't bring us any big adventures or revelations but instead is a lovely smooth ride on the coattails of the emotional ending of volume one. The entire novel is basically just a slew of side quests and grinding levels to give the characters time to get over some mental hurdles. Naofumi is struggling with the weaknesses brought on by the role he's been forced into, his guilt in dragging others into this adventure, and his want to fully trust his companions. Raphtalia no longer wants to be seen as a child but a grown adult that Naofumi can rely on. And the newest addition to the group, Filo, is trying to find her place in this little family.
While not as exciting compared to the first novel it does give great insight into our main characters, the other heroes, and the world they're in. It shows us that while the other heroes are completely treating this world like a video game without thinking about consequences, the Shield Hero is out there getting to know the locals, the lore, and the way of the world. Naofumi is slowly changing the false image people have of him by making careful, though out decisions and helping others in the best way he possibly can, which also involves cleaning up some messes left behind by the other heroes' thoughtless actions.
Though I enjoyed the novel for the most part I did give it a 3 mostly due to getting tired of Raphtalia and Filo's fighting for Naofumi's affection. While I love that, unlike a lot of other harem types, Naofumi doesn't see either of his companions as a possible sex partner it's still annoying having them hanging all over him. In the last chapter, that's in Raphtalia's point of view, she even mentions knowing that Naofumi has a trauma towards women due to the events in the first book but still insists on trying to make him see her as someone to be lusted after. The end of the chapter we see a sort of bond form between Filo and Raphtalia so there'll likely be less fighting going forward, but I hope to also see less pushing themselves on Naofumi and instead letting him naturally form his own feelings towards them. We're already seeing that he's putting a lot of thought into his relationship with them, and while for now he feels safe seeing them as adopted daughters he needs to protect, how he views them could easily change later down the road without their interference.
While not as exciting compared to the first novel it does give great insight into our main characters, the other heroes, and the world they're in. It shows us that while the other heroes are completely treating this world like a video game without thinking about consequences, the Shield Hero is out there getting to know the locals, the lore, and the way of the world. Naofumi is slowly changing the false image people have of him by making careful, though out decisions and helping others in the best way he possibly can, which also involves cleaning up some messes left behind by the other heroes' thoughtless actions.
Though I enjoyed the novel for the most part I did give it a 3 mostly due to getting tired of Raphtalia and Filo's fighting for Naofumi's affection. While I love that, unlike a lot of other harem types, Naofumi doesn't see either of his companions as a possible sex partner it's still annoying having them hanging all over him. In the last chapter, that's in Raphtalia's point of view, she even mentions knowing that Naofumi has a trauma towards women due to the events in the first book but still insists on trying to make him see her as someone to be lusted after. The end of the chapter we see a sort of bond form between Filo and Raphtalia so there'll likely be less fighting going forward, but I hope to also see less pushing themselves on Naofumi and instead letting him naturally form his own feelings towards them. We're already seeing that he's putting a lot of thought into his relationship with them, and while for now he feels safe seeing them as adopted daughters he needs to protect, how he views them could easily change later down the road without their interference.
November 29, 2020
So with volume 2, we pick up with Naofumi and Raphtalia having made it past their first wave of destruction. The other heroes were off fighting the boss of the wave, while the Shield decided to do what heroes do: Save people. He spent the majority of the wave defending the town the wave showed up in, much to his chagrin, because if you all remember, his anger toward the world he’s been summoned to is at an all-time high.
Just in case you’ve forgotten, after Naofumi was summoned, he was duped and vilified by Myne and her father, the king. The other heroes turn their back on him, and the people he’s been tasked with saving all see him as nothing more than an irredeemable villain. So he spends the majority of this novel traveling with Raphtalia, and their new party member, Filo selling his medicines. I didn’t want to like Filo at first because I figured she would be lewded (sexualized) sooner or later, because that’s a thing that’s pretty common in anime unfortunately. Thankfully, Filo is as wholesome as a kid can be, and she grows on you fairly quickly.
I loved seeing Naofumi’s party grow, and the more laid-back approach to this installment helped give Naofumi and Raphtalia’s character development time to breathe. Naofumi especially. He learns new skills, and meets new people. He still does his best to hide the fact that he’s the Shield, just so he isn’t treated as unfairly, but that’s kind of hard to do when he has to walk around with a shield on his arm. Still, his growth is something to smile at throughout this novel, and the epilogue only goes to show just how much he’s grown in roughly a month’s time. We see him grow closer to his party members (who wishes he would see them in a different light), and see him grow as a character. I’m looking forward to jumping into the next one.
Just in case you’ve forgotten, after Naofumi was summoned, he was duped and vilified by Myne and her father, the king. The other heroes turn their back on him, and the people he’s been tasked with saving all see him as nothing more than an irredeemable villain. So he spends the majority of this novel traveling with Raphtalia, and their new party member, Filo selling his medicines. I didn’t want to like Filo at first because I figured she would be lewded (sexualized) sooner or later, because that’s a thing that’s pretty common in anime unfortunately. Thankfully, Filo is as wholesome as a kid can be, and she grows on you fairly quickly.
I loved seeing Naofumi’s party grow, and the more laid-back approach to this installment helped give Naofumi and Raphtalia’s character development time to breathe. Naofumi especially. He learns new skills, and meets new people. He still does his best to hide the fact that he’s the Shield, just so he isn’t treated as unfairly, but that’s kind of hard to do when he has to walk around with a shield on his arm. Still, his growth is something to smile at throughout this novel, and the epilogue only goes to show just how much he’s grown in roughly a month’s time. We see him grow closer to his party members (who wishes he would see them in a different light), and see him grow as a character. I’m looking forward to jumping into the next one.
July 30, 2022
This is the Filo arc. It isn't noticeable in the anime, but this volume is structured around Filo. She is the Arc Heroine, just like Raphatalia was in volume 1. Indeed, this volume follows a fundamentally similar structure.
At the start, Naofumi is mistreated by King Aultcray, who favors the other heroes over him. Then he acquires Filo and raises her while he does his adventurer-merchant thing. Spear Hero causes him trouble because of Princess Malty. Then a certain event occurs where he fears losing Filo, a Curse Shield activates, and Raphatalia brings him back to his senses. That is the bare-bones structure, and it is misleading.
This volume is very different from volume 1. Naofumi has developed as a person since the previous volume, and he has Raphtalia to soften his rough edges, so his interactions with others are different. The sense of despair and desperation that marked the first volume is not present here, because Naofumi is now an experienced hero and has a truly loyal party member.
Naofumi raises Filo from an egg, and so he truly is her father for all intents and purposes (aside from laying the egg himself). Filo is also a different character from Raphtalia, and the fact that she is even is a character at all, rather than a simple beast of burden, was a surprise to both Naofumi and Raphtalia.
Naofumi has advanced his trade beyond selling monster parts and is now a traveling apothecary. There's little detail on this but it is an interesting direction.
That's a thing about this volume. There is little detail given to things like Naofumi's trade or to the fights that he and his party engage in. The hostile plant encounter was really hard to follow, and the zombie-dragon likewise. The author seemed more interested in the emotional exchanges.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "Rising of the Shield Hero - light novel volume 2" a B+
At the start, Naofumi is mistreated by King Aultcray, who favors the other heroes over him. Then he acquires Filo and raises her while he does his adventurer-merchant thing. Spear Hero causes him trouble because of Princess Malty. Then a certain event occurs where he fears losing Filo, a Curse Shield activates, and Raphatalia brings him back to his senses. That is the bare-bones structure, and it is misleading.
This volume is very different from volume 1. Naofumi has developed as a person since the previous volume, and he has Raphtalia to soften his rough edges, so his interactions with others are different. The sense of despair and desperation that marked the first volume is not present here, because Naofumi is now an experienced hero and has a truly loyal party member.
Naofumi raises Filo from an egg, and so he truly is her father for all intents and purposes (aside from laying the egg himself). Filo is also a different character from Raphtalia, and the fact that she is even is a character at all, rather than a simple beast of burden, was a surprise to both Naofumi and Raphtalia.
Naofumi has advanced his trade beyond selling monster parts and is now a traveling apothecary. There's little detail on this but it is an interesting direction.
That's a thing about this volume. There is little detail given to things like Naofumi's trade or to the fights that he and his party engage in. The hostile plant encounter was really hard to follow, and the zombie-dragon likewise. The author seemed more interested in the emotional exchanges.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "Rising of the Shield Hero - light novel volume 2" a B+
July 31, 2021
En esta ocasión pudimos ser testigos del nacimiento de Filo, una de las compañeras y amigas de Naofumi (si, se convirtió en su nueva "hija"). Al inicio Filo me pareció un personaje demasiado infantil y egoista, hasta el punto de jamás hacer nada de lo que le piden y terminaba sufriendo por el sello de esclavo pero, conforme avanza el libro, ella va madurando y comprende mucho más la situación en la que están. Se da cuenta de muchas cosas y es un miembro especial.
Con ella al frente y gracias a cierta situación, Naofumi pudo iniciar un negocio de venta ambulante, lo que comenzó a darles los ingresos que tanto necesitaban para subsistir y más ahora con un ave gigante que come por 5 personas.
También nos encontramos con la aparición de uno de los escudos más controversiales y peligrosos de Naofumi, el Escudo de Ira. Como se menciona dentro del volumen, la Serie Maldita—en este caso la Ira—concede un gran poder, pero a cambio se debe pagar un precio muy alto, en esta ocasión la que pagó el precio fue Raphtalia así que esperamos que en el siguiente volumen las cosas vayan para mejor.
Por otro lado, me enoja muchísimo que los otros 3 héroes estén recibiendo misiones pagadas para ayudar a la gente mientras que a él lo dejan de lado, pero después es el pobre de Naofumi el único que termina arreglando el lío que hicieron los otros con sus misiones.
De todas formas me alegra mucho, realmente mucho, el crecimiento emocional que tuvo nuestro protagonista. Maduró a pasos agigantados empezando a confiar un poco en la gente.
Lo que no me gustó es que este libro da inicio a una especie de harem en donde a parte de Raphtalia se nos suma una loli (Filo), no sé veremos como sigue todo y como encaran la situación.
Con ella al frente y gracias a cierta situación, Naofumi pudo iniciar un negocio de venta ambulante, lo que comenzó a darles los ingresos que tanto necesitaban para subsistir y más ahora con un ave gigante que come por 5 personas.
También nos encontramos con la aparición de uno de los escudos más controversiales y peligrosos de Naofumi, el Escudo de Ira. Como se menciona dentro del volumen, la Serie Maldita—en este caso la Ira—concede un gran poder, pero a cambio se debe pagar un precio muy alto, en esta ocasión la que pagó el precio fue Raphtalia así que esperamos que en el siguiente volumen las cosas vayan para mejor.
Por otro lado, me enoja muchísimo que los otros 3 héroes estén recibiendo misiones pagadas para ayudar a la gente mientras que a él lo dejan de lado, pero después es el pobre de Naofumi el único que termina arreglando el lío que hicieron los otros con sus misiones.
De todas formas me alegra mucho, realmente mucho, el crecimiento emocional que tuvo nuestro protagonista. Maduró a pasos agigantados empezando a confiar un poco en la gente.
Lo que no me gustó es que este libro da inicio a una especie de harem en donde a parte de Raphtalia se nos suma una loli (Filo), no sé veremos como sigue todo y como encaran la situación.
September 21, 2020
The Rising of the Shield Hero book two hones in on Naofumi's story. It picks off directly after the first one and continues the moment of his hardships. This story resonated with me because it's not like other books in its genre. The Rising of the shield hero was the first light novel I ever read, after finishing the anime I had a desire to know more. The anime although its good doesn't have the same feeling that the books do. The book allows the reader to envelop the reader in the story, it explains everything to the last detail and never misses a beat.
During the book, however, I felt it went a little slow, the introduction of a new character with her arc allowed the book to gain more momentum but I didn't feel the same about this character than with Raphtalia. The book only begins to pick up speed once the ending of the book comes which is one of the book's best aspects. The books always leave you hanging, it doesn't leave on some overused cliff hanger instead it leaves you wanting more out of the story.
The Rising of the Shield Hero is one of the best fantasy isekai series iv ever read, it mixes fantasy action with drama and a bit of romance. This book is perfect for teens and young adults as it allows us to relate to the characters' struggles as we face our own in this world. The book was amazing and I'm excited to read the third book as well as watch the new season of the anime once it comes out next year. If I had to read one series for the rest of my life it would be this.
fn "Isekai" = Genre of one who gets transported to a new world
During the book, however, I felt it went a little slow, the introduction of a new character with her arc allowed the book to gain more momentum but I didn't feel the same about this character than with Raphtalia. The book only begins to pick up speed once the ending of the book comes which is one of the book's best aspects. The books always leave you hanging, it doesn't leave on some overused cliff hanger instead it leaves you wanting more out of the story.
The Rising of the Shield Hero is one of the best fantasy isekai series iv ever read, it mixes fantasy action with drama and a bit of romance. This book is perfect for teens and young adults as it allows us to relate to the characters' struggles as we face our own in this world. The book was amazing and I'm excited to read the third book as well as watch the new season of the anime once it comes out next year. If I had to read one series for the rest of my life it would be this.
fn "Isekai" = Genre of one who gets transported to a new world
February 22, 2021
Idea
Very good development in this new volume.
The MC basically goes around with the objective to make money, but he also end up improving the public opinion others have towards him.
Also, I like the idea of him being grinding levels and learning new skills, improving them through try and error, and with the help of others.
Execution Macro
The pace is very fast, he moves around a lot solving problems here and there then moves again to another location to help there.
There is basically no time to dwell. Always on the move.
Execution Micro
As he moves around a lot, even with the amount of details that surrounds him, I feel like there could be more explained, to help understand better the background, the people and other characters.
There could be some major improvements in this area. I would say it could improve a lot the series.
All-in-All
I liked it.
We can see he is human and prone to make mistakes, but those around him help him stay on the path and right to the cause.
I intend to read the following volumes.
Very good development in this new volume.
The MC basically goes around with the objective to make money, but he also end up improving the public opinion others have towards him.
Also, I like the idea of him being grinding levels and learning new skills, improving them through try and error, and with the help of others.
Execution Macro
The pace is very fast, he moves around a lot solving problems here and there then moves again to another location to help there.
There is basically no time to dwell. Always on the move.
Execution Micro
As he moves around a lot, even with the amount of details that surrounds him, I feel like there could be more explained, to help understand better the background, the people and other characters.
There could be some major improvements in this area. I would say it could improve a lot the series.
All-in-All
I liked it.
We can see he is human and prone to make mistakes, but those around him help him stay on the path and right to the cause.
I intend to read the following volumes.
March 31, 2023
The Rising of the Shield Hero 2 is a continuation of the first volume of the Light Novel. I mostly enjoyed the book, but that could just be my bias from watching the anime adaptation beforehand, which was done very well. The plot in the second volume continues the first. The plot revolves around the geek Naofumi Iwatani, who gets summoned into a fantasy RPG-like world, which all proceeds mostly stereotypically until he is stripped of everything, labeled a criminal, and rejected by all of society under false claims, now in pursuit of power and redemption. In the second volume, Naofumi kind of recovers and pulls himself together, adding more allies to his side and unlocking additional skills and weapons. Again, some things that I believe were done okay were the world building and the pacing. All in all, a solid and easy book to read, especially if you’ve seen the animated version. As a sequel to the first volume, it doesn’t disappoint. I think anyone who enjoyed the first volume would like this one as well.
February 4, 2019
I only started this because I enjoyed the first 4 episodes of the anime and I wanted to know what happened next because I couldn't wait till next week's episode.
Boy, was it bad. The writing style is awful or should I say nonexistent. The author makes lots of repetitions, lots of unnecessary deviations just to provide useless information; at times when 3+ characters are having a conversation it's hard to discern the person who's talking at the moment. The pacing is terrible as well. As for the plot, nothing really important happens except the introduction of a new party member (who, to be honest, I don't really care about), but that is it; the rest is pretty much filler.
I hope the novel will be adapted well in the anime. I doubt I'll continue reading the next volumes. Might give one more a try though.
Boy, was it bad. The writing style is awful or should I say nonexistent. The author makes lots of repetitions, lots of unnecessary deviations just to provide useless information; at times when 3+ characters are having a conversation it's hard to discern the person who's talking at the moment. The pacing is terrible as well. As for the plot, nothing really important happens except the introduction of a new party member (who, to be honest, I don't really care about), but that is it; the rest is pretty much filler.
I hope the novel will be adapted well in the anime. I doubt I'll continue reading the next volumes. Might give one more a try though.
April 20, 2022
Part 2 starts where Part 1 ended: in a dusty room in the castle. Naofumi faces some of the same trickery from the king and his daughter, but this time he does get a bit of help, leaving him with at least some dignity and reward. Still angry and distrustful of others he sets out as a merchant and crafter in disguise, gaining a second much better reputation in the process while cleaning up some of the mess left behind by heroes still treating the world as a game and forgetting to look beyond the immediate.
If you like part 1, you like part 2, although except for the addition of a new group member there are few changes with part 1. Crafting appears to be a viable character role, and you do not need to be ultrapowerful to help people, but Naofumi does not realize that very well. Fun quick read with the occasional awkward language and a hint of darkness.
If you like part 1, you like part 2, although except for the addition of a new group member there are few changes with part 1. Crafting appears to be a viable character role, and you do not need to be ultrapowerful to help people, but Naofumi does not realize that very well. Fun quick read with the occasional awkward language and a hint of darkness.
January 6, 2019
Decent follow up of the initial volume that introduces the 2nd main heroine (or sidekick?) of the Shield Hero. The volume mainly follows up on the persecution the hero continues to face and shows up trying his utter best to make a living despite the hardships he faces.
The climax of the book is when the hero awakens his first "offensive" ability, given his inability to do such thus far and having to rely on the heroines to attack. However it comes with a pretty big price.
Doesn't really match up to the interesting setup in the first volume. The translation quality is also quickly dropping off, with a lot of confusing text where the speaker is barely recognisable. Definitely needs a do-over of the text.
The climax of the book is when the hero awakens his first "offensive" ability, given his inability to do such thus far and having to rely on the heroines to attack. However it comes with a pretty big price.
Doesn't really match up to the interesting setup in the first volume. The translation quality is also quickly dropping off, with a lot of confusing text where the speaker is barely recognisable. Definitely needs a do-over of the text.
May 22, 2021
I so far have pretty much enjoyed the series. Nao certainly gets the short end of the stick and is poorly treated by the other "heroes" and the kingdom. It is nice to see that some of the other folk around are starting to see that perhaps he's not as bad as he's been accused of being.
That being said it was a bit uncomfortable. Not sure what I'd have done in his place since things were getting out of control and our of hand. But it also makes him more believable. That while he has been mistreated and ill used that is actually a flawed person and while generally trying to do good isn't perfect.
I'll definitely be looking up the next (few) volumes.
That being said it was a bit uncomfortable. Not sure what I'd have done in his place since things were getting out of control and our of hand. But it also makes him more believable. That while he has been mistreated and ill used that is actually a flawed person and while generally trying to do good isn't perfect.
I'll definitely be looking up the next (few) volumes.
June 17, 2022
Wow I just flew trough this one. It just reads so easy and quick before I knew it I had reached the end.
I totally loved it, the last part ended with the heroes defeating the second wave so in the volume we don't get any big battles but the preparation time between the waves. Filo gets introduced Noafumi learns new skills, we visit new places and the underling relations grow.
So some may say it is boring because the big plot doesn't get anywhere but you don't to have a big epic battle to be entertaining. it may have been just a couple of side quest but they were fun and I am looking forward to the next installment where I think the next wave is going to hit.
I totally loved it, the last part ended with the heroes defeating the second wave so in the volume we don't get any big battles but the preparation time between the waves. Filo gets introduced Noafumi learns new skills, we visit new places and the underling relations grow.
So some may say it is boring because the big plot doesn't get anywhere but you don't to have a big epic battle to be entertaining. it may have been just a couple of side quest but they were fun and I am looking forward to the next installment where I think the next wave is going to hit.
December 22, 2022
Decent plot but the writing style is terrible. It may just be an issue with the translation, so I don't want to disrespect the original author. I'm sure a series this successful was written competently in the original language. But the official English translation is awful; The text lacks detail and the dialogue is hard to follow. It feels like the writer just wrote random sentences with no context and it's impossible to even understand what's happening.
If you are going to read this I recommend a fan translation. I haven't read any fan translations but I'm pretty sure anything would be better than this.
If you are going to read this I recommend a fan translation. I haven't read any fan translations but I'm pretty sure anything would be better than this.
May 1, 2018
Well, more of the same, I'd say. The casualty with which the protagonist handles slavery is kinda unsettling, making it very difficult to relate; and the other characters are either too friendly or too evil, no shades of grey, when I thought the author might add depth to the setting that was created in the first volume. About the narration: stuff happens with apparently no direction, it feels like it's going nowhere through the whole book and we're actually following the daily life of a NPC. I don't think I'll be reading through the rest.
February 7, 2019
Had to drop it. There was no improvement in writing style and the back and forth that was a prevalent issue in the first light novel is exasperated even more here to the point that the entire book is just a slog to get through. I maintain my stance in the first review that fans should stick to the manga as it distills its best parts into a more digestible format while simultaneously cutting out all the erroneous fluff. Once more, only read this series in LN form if you are a die hard fan of Shield Hero or you are used to this type of quality commonly found in most LN's nowadays.
May 26, 2019
More of a 3.5 than a 4- the story is still good. Naofumi's snarky attitude is refreshing and the parental love is a different pace from the romance typically featured. Though I enjoyed the 2nd volume less than the 1st volume, and will not rush out to buy the physical copies. If I find them used, on sale, or at the library is the only way I will continue to read the light novel.
I enjoy the anime which sways my rating a tad bit. The book is easy to get through quickly. The story has peaked my interest- just not enough to continue to pay anything over $8 for the books.
I enjoy the anime which sways my rating a tad bit. The book is easy to get through quickly. The story has peaked my interest- just not enough to continue to pay anything over $8 for the books.
April 6, 2022
It's getting worse...
It was like a motorcycle versus a motorized bicycle. Naturally, Filo was the motorcycle in this case whereas Motoyasu was stuck with a motorized bicycle. That’s how much faster we were.
“Gaaah!”
Filo shouted in joy, as if to show off how confident we were with our lead. It was like being on a motorcycle. We cut through the wind, and the village flew by, just strips of color in my periphery. We finished the first lap, and we must have been five body-lengths or more in the lead.
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