The official website of the anime adaptation of Aneko Yusagi and Minami Seira’s Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (The Rising of the Shield Hero) has revealed the first key visual for the series’ upcoming 3rd season.
The site has also confirmed the staff members for season 3:
- Director: Hitoshi Haga (Sin in the Rain, Made in Abyss Season 2)
- Series Composer: Keigo Koyanagi (Regalia: The Three Sacred Stars, Go! Go! 575)
- Music Composer: Kevin Penkin (Made in Abyss, Under the Dog)
- Animation Studio: Kinema Citrus (Barakamon, Yuyushiki)
The main cast of season 2 includes:
- Kaito Ishikawa (Tsumugu Kihara from Nagi no Asukara) as Naofumi Iwatani
- Asami Tano (Akane Hino from Smile Precure!) returns to voice Raphtalia
- Rina Hidaka (Airi Kashii in Ro-Kyu-Bu!) as Filo
- Natsuko Hara (Kotonoha Kanade from Rikei ga Koi ni Ochita no de Shoumei shitemita.) returns to voice Rishia Ivyred
- Kana Hanazawa (Kanade Tachibana from Angel Beats!) joins the cast to voice Ost Horai.
Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (The Rising of the Shield Hero) is a fantasy light novel series written by Yusagi Aneko and illustrated by Seira Minami. The series began as a web novel on Shousetsuka ni Narou. Publisher Media Factory picked up the series in 2012 under their MF Books imprint, where to date a total of 22 volumes have been published. The novels received a manga adaptation in early 2014, being published in Kadokawa’s Monthly Comic Flapper magazine with a total of 17 compiled volumes. Two more subsequent manga spin-offs and a light novel spin-off were also produced. The series was adapted into a TV anime that premiered during the Winter 2018/2019 anime season, directed by Takao Abo (Norn9: Norn+Nonet) and produced by Kinema Citrus (Barakamon, Yuyushiki). A second season of the anime was produced for the Spring 2022 anime season, directed by Masato Jinbo (Senryuu Shoujo, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya).
Here is the series synopsis from MAL:
The Four Cardinal Heroes are a group of ordinary men from modern-day Japan summoned to the kingdom of Melromarc to become its saviors. Melromarc is a country plagued by the Waves of Catastrophe that have repeatedly ravaged the land and brought disaster to its citizens for centuries. The four heroes are respectively bestowed a sword, spear, bow, and shield to vanquish these Waves. Naofumi Iwatani, an otaku, becomes cursed with the fate of being the “Shield Hero.” Armed with only a measly shield, Naofumi is belittled and ridiculed by his fellow heroes and the kingdom’s people due to his weak offensive capabilities and lackluster personality.
When the heroes are provided with resources and comrades to train with, Naofumi sets out with the only person willing to train alongside him, Malty Melromarc. He is soon betrayed by her, however, and becomes falsely accused of taking advantage of her. Naofumi then becomes heavily discriminated against and hated by the people of Melromarc for something he didn’t do. With a raging storm of hurt and mistrust in his heart, Naofumi begins his journey of strengthening himself and his reputation. Further along however, the difficulty of being on his own sets in, so Naofumi buys a demi-human slave on the verge of death named Raphtalia to accompany him on his travels.
As the Waves approach the kingdom, Naofumi and Raphtalia must fight for the survival of the kingdom and protect the people of Melromarc from their ill-fated future.
A third season of the Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari anime will air has been announced and is in production.
Visit the anime’s website here: http://shieldhero-anime.jp/
And follow their Twitter: @shieldheroanime