Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

The Rising of the Shield Hero: Season One, Part Two Blu-ray Movie Review

Another action-packed set: The Rising of the Shield Hero is back!

Returning for another set of fun action-packed adventure, The Rising of the Shield Hero: Season 1, Part 2 offers plenty of excitement for the series devoted fans. Inspired by the light novels which helped launch the franchise (and were later spun in to a seperate manga version), the anime is the latest adaptation of the story. The second set from Funimation includes episodes 14 through 25 (the season finale). The production continues to be produced by studio Kinema Citrus (Made in Abyss, Code:Breaker) and brings back the same core players in the production team. Fans will want to see what happens next.

Adapting to his new role as The Shield Hero in the Kingdom of Melromarc, Naofumi Iwatani (Kaito Ishikawa) is struggling to cope with the feelings of darkness growing inside him. After the intense betrayal he felt after being double-crossed from his one and only road companion, Naofumi thus enlisted the help of slave girl Raphtalia (Asami Seto) to take care of his battles while he offers her guidance and protection with his shield. It isn't long before Naofumi helps set her free and she thus becomes his new companion on the road (and is no longer a slave).

Unable to fight with a sword himself, Naofumi finds it a difficult task to be The Shield Hero (his one true weapon and his source of defense). As the season starts to unfold further, some shocking events start to happen. Naofumi and Raphtalia become framed for the unexpected kidnapping of Princess Melty. As Raphtalia flees to save her life, the mystery of her past starts to come in to focus. Dangers loom around every corner.

Before long, the Three Heroes Church attempts to destroy the shield, and The Pope fights the group with his unique super-powers. Shocking revelations are also at play as the truth behind accusations against Naofumi are brought to light. Can The Shield Hero survive these epic battles and make new friends along the way?

"Shield or no Shield?"

The second half of season one of The Rising of the Shield Hero continues to showcase the exceptional animation quality displayed during the first half of the season saga. The production values remain as impressive components of the anime throughout season one. The visuals are often superb. Chief animation director Masahiro Suwa (Scorching Ping Pong Girls, Chaika – The Coffin Princess) understands how to bring an epic visual aesthetic to the series. The second half of the season is surprisingly even better visually than the first half. As the season nears its conclusion, the art is especially impressive and it seems as though the animators invested even more in to the series.

The action element of The Rising of the Shield Hero is even more intense during this batch of episodes. During the second half, the storyline veers towards epic battles even more-so than during the first set. These episodes become non-stop adrenaline rushes of action that will have fans of the show on the edge of their respective seats. The characters seem to become better skilled and The Shield Hero is learning the ropes more. This element makes the fight scenes more interesting.

Continuing to provide the series with a top-notch score during the second half, composer Kevin Penkin (Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul) provides the production with nice tunes that add tension during the big battles and comedic-relief during the quieter slice-of-life style scenes. This is an enjoyable, fun, and action-packed score that fits the bill perfectly.

Director Takao Abo (Eureak Seven) continues to serve as the filmmaker in charge (working alongside a team of other talented directors). The second half of season one of The Rising of Shield Hero is more entertaining than the first half. Perhaps the best element of the later episodes is the increase in the action-packed quotient. The story by Keigo Koyanagi (Classroom Crisis) also fills in some of the storytelling gaps left unanswered by the end of episode 13.

While the storyline isn't perfect (and struggles with character-development for the lead, Naofumi, who seems to bounce back and forth between being a charming kind-spirited man and a vengeful anger-ball ala Harry Potter in Order of the Phoenix), the series still finds a way to become even more entertaining during its second half (despite some qualms). The Rising of the Shield Hero is a somewhat flawed – but fun – anime series.

The Rising of the Shield Hero: Season One, Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Funimation Entertainment, The Rising of Shield Hero – Season 1, Part 2 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The second collection of episodes is every bit as beautiful looking as the exceptional first set. Color reproduction is exceptional.

The level of clarity and detail in the animation truly stuns. The encode quality is similarly impressive and a sight to behold. There are no egregious issues with compression artifacts or banding to report. The video-quality looks exceptional and manages to pull one in to the storytelling with ease.

The Rising of the Shield Hero: Season One, Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release features two audio options: English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD surround sound and Japanese 2.0 Dolby TrueHD with English subtitles. The lossless audio encoding provides fans with a downright thrilling sound mix that doesn't comprise on sound quality. The English dub track is particularly engaging with its use of surround sound. The rear speakers were actively engaged during fight sequences and these moments are far more immersive and action-packed as a result.

The music score sounds similarly crisp and dynamic throughout the saga. While the LFE isn't as strong as some might hope for, the level of clarity in the tracks is exceptional and brings one in to the storytelling with total ease. A fantastic effort by Funimation that fans will be pleased with.

The Rising of the Shield Hero: Season One, Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Please Note: The Rising of the Shield Hero is presented as a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Combo Pack release. The first printing of the set includes a stunning o-card slipcover that slides over the case.

Fans who purchase Season 1, Part 1: Limited Edition and Season 1, Part 2 can slide the second set inside the collectible art box to form a more complete and epic "Season 1" collection. A nice perk Funimation provides for those who opt for the premium sets.

On disc extras are as follows:

Textless Opening Song (HD, 1:32)

Textless Closing Song (HD, 1:32)

The Rising of the Shield Hero: Season One, Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Rising of the Shield Hero is just as fun as it is inconsistent. The series has plenty of action-adventure and drama to keep fans entertained but the series seems to struggle sometimes with its voice. The action is probably enough reason for most anime enthusiasts to give it a spin, though. The Blu-ray features a strong video-audio presentation and is worth a pick up for series fans. Recommended.