Yesss, Naofumi, Rapthalia and Filo are back for the second season of the Shield Hero, an isekai i really enjoyed last year.
And with naofumi now rebuilding and lording over the lands Raphtalia hails from, preparing for the next Wave.
He and the other heroes are summoned by the Queen, as an ancient monster, the Spirit Tortoise, has awakened and she wants them to investigate and stop it if needed. In the meantime, Naofumi gains a new "slave" as the girl that joined his band at the end of the first season, Rishia, wants to do everything to become a capable adventurer.
Naofumi is approached by Ost Hourai, concubine and regent of the Spirit Tortoise lands, but in reality a human familiar of the ancient beast. She explains how the Spirit Tortoise is seemingly malignly released, and how it works to block of the Waves should the Cardinal Heroes not manage to overcome those yet.
The Spirit Tortoise (terrible CGI mind you!) attacks, and the army suffers heavy casualties before the heroes party finally overcomes it. But as Ost doesn't disappear, that must mean the Spirit Tortoise isn't completely defeated somehow. They mount the tortoise, but upon entering the inner body meet L'Arc, Therese and Glass... They learn from them that one of the vassal weapon wielders of their world, the Book vassal Kyo, is gathering the power of spirit animals around the realms, and that the only way to stop the Spirit Tortoise is by killing Ost. Kyo has captured the other 3 Cardinal heroes, but they manage thanks to Rishia to stop Kyo and force him to flee back to his own world, at the expense of Ost as she and the Spirit Tortoise dissolve.
They follow him, but Filo becomes seperated as they end up back on their starting levels in a place called the Infinite Labyrinth. There they meet and team up with Kizuna, the Hunter hero from Kyo's world that has been stuck there for years. Together they manage to transfer themselves to the world of Kizuna, and have to start levelling up again, but in a well laid trap by Kyo, Rapthalia is taken away from the group as well.
Creating a shikigami to find her, they come across Filo who is being tortured by a circus artist. They free her, though she is a Humming Faerie in this world where Filolial don`t exist. Raphtalia in the meantime finds herself imprisoned together with L'Arc, Therese and Glass. they maintain their truce in order to escape, and visit the ceremony that will appoint the new Katana vassal weapon wielder. But the sword chooses Raphtalia instead, and while it levels her up fast as she overcomes the jealous intended wielder, her power wanes as a huge Byakko arrives. But Naofumi and his party intervene, reuniting him with his dear Raphi-chan.
Naofumi and Kizuna seal a pact that they will stop the waves without their worlds destroying each other, and together with L'Arc and his party to stop Kyo. But Kyo completes his work, and creates a wave of his own design. As Naofumi faces of against him, he nearly succumbs to the te;ptation of the Wrath shield, but Risia and Ost can bring him back from the edge and he defeats Kyo, allowing them to go back to their own worldm where they reflect on the events that had unfolded. They bring a final farewell offering to Ost and walk back towards their destiny.
Okay, so this season, going by the first 4-5 episodes, looked like way less then the awesome first one, but it quickly started redeeming itself and picking back up to the high level of enjoyment. Naofumi remains a great character, and once the new characters in his party found their place and the story really progressed again, it was anew a series you just counted down the days for the next episode to air.
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