Shield Hero - Anime Spoilers & Speculation (for experienced Shield Hero fans only)

[Kairin]

This thread is for the experienced Shield Hero viewer (i.e. those of you who are familiar with potentially all the light novels / manga), its purpose is to allow free discussion of theories and speculation over the Shield Hero anime series, it therefore will contain unmarked spoilers. If you are a light novel / manga virgin of Shield Hero, then do not read this thread unless you want to be spoiled (use Speculation & Theories thread instead).

Since posters are expected to be familiar with the light novel / manga, there is no real need for spoiler tags, but feel free to include them if you so wish.

Adding a Spoiler tag:

Just highlight your spoiler and click the button found on the "Quick Reply" and "Reply to Thread" forms. Make sure that you include a title that clearly identifies the specific source of the spoiler!

Finally, please remain on-topic and do not use this thread if it's just discussion about the current or previous anime episodes. Also remember that this isn't a light novel / manga discussion thread, if you do want to discuss the light novel then please use the existing thread.

[Galaxian]

I know that the anime is changing a lot of stuff from the novel and manga, but after seeing the King use his knights to threaten Naofumi in episode 4 I really hope they keep the scene after the next wave when he tries that again only for Naofumi to call his bluff and threaten them right back.

[Tactics]

I'm sure enough they will keep it. IMO, Raphtalia flashback can be 'cut' because it will got another exposition later (and how it done in mines can be time consuming if they followed it straight from source). So there should be no changes for that moment but maybe some details before and after.

The changes itself so far is not bad as it helps defining the moment better, especially as we'll see them another time.
I love how they added scar-bro knight, Naofumi went to tower to bait aggro, coordinating evacuation, villagers wanted to help further but retreat once they notice gap of strength; made me wish addition on future is always as good as this. I do looking forward to see scar-bro and his squad on next Wave.

[maximilianjenus]

Well, they already skipped the other parties offering help to naofumi early in the story; I wonder if they will skip raphtalai's towel scene.

[AC-Phoenix]

EP4 Seems like they cut out how Raphtalia got re-enslaved (maybe next episode?) AND the groups punishment for bitchy's interference.

[Twi]

I think those will get moved to the next episode, a wind-down to the emotional climax.

[Galaxian]

They didn't have the "And the evil... Is me" line from the manga...

[AC-Phoenix]

There is an interesting part, that I previously missed in the Manga btw.
In at least one of the heroes realities, the allies seem to have lost WWII, or at least the Pacific war, which might explain how none of them complains about the demi-human discrimination.

[Tactics]

Originally Posted by Galaxian

They didn't have the "And the evil... Is me" line from the manga...

That line worked if we got same angsty Naofumi.

Anime!Naofumi is not on same line of thought as here he got scar-bro and villagers tried to fight monsters with him rather than doing all the job by himself.
It made more sense if he's taking things as 'why the hell I got all this unfair treatment' rather than 'for god sake, as if what you guys did still not enough to make me mad'.

[maximilianjenus]

Yeah,we can consider the anime yet another route, just like the manga and light novel. considering which studio is working in this I have hopes of them fixing problems, particularly someof the villains motivations as the villains are oneof the weakest points of this series.
Like SPOILER , she just wants to increase her level as her ultimate reason and we don't even know why would she want to increase it.

[Galaxian]

Next episode is obviously getting the magic stone for Firo's dress and maybe the event with the bandits. Meanwhile ep7 should cover the evil plant and the start of the zombie dragon fight. I'm expecting ep7 to end with the Shield of Wrath being unlocked.

[Tactics]

The order change and response really hit overall series perspective. IMHO.

Made me somehow doubt Curse Series can overwhelm him unless they made either the dragon working as vicious mind, other heroes became worse people or [spoiler] kill scar-bro (assuming they introduced him further later), triggering his rage.

[Fenrir_valindri]

More surprised they didn't include the practical reason Raphtalea wanted to keep the slave crest.

Spoiler for Potential Spoiler:

If I recall correctly, she states that demi-humans aren't even considered human beings in the Kingdom, so if she wasn't someone's property, she could be hunted down like a wild animal. Which was implied to have been Malty's intent with freeing her from slavery.

Being a slave actually gives her protection under the law.

[Demi.]

Originally Posted by Fenrir_valindri

More surprised they didn't include the practical reason Raphtalea wanted to keep the slave crest.

Spoiler for Potential Spoiler:

If I recall correctly, she states that demi-humans aren't even considered human beings in the Kingdom, so if she wasn't someone's property, she could be hunted down like a wild animal. Which was implied to have been Malty's intent with freeing her from slavery.

Being a slave actually gives her protection under the law.

That's probably because

Spoiler:

I's not mentioned until way later in the LN--Though in hindsight it would have been nice for them to add it early just so there isn't constant discussion about Raphtalia being a slave when it literally has nothing to do with their relationship and Naofumi treats her as his equal.

[Twi]

Originally Posted by Demi.

That's probably because

Spoiler:

I's not mentioned until way later in the LN--Though in hindsight it would have been nice for them to add it early just so there isn't constant discussion about Raphtalia being a slave when it literally has nothing to do with their relationship and Naofumi treats her as his equal.

Spoiler:

While it is true that could mitigate some of the backlash, the fact that she's Naofumi's slave means she still gets crapped on considering a majority of people outside of that village still hate him and we see other demi-humans who aren't slaves not being hunted down within the Kingdom's army itself.

[Demi.]

Originally Posted by Twi

Spoiler:

While it is true that could mitigate some of the backlash, the fact that she's Naofumi's slave means she still gets crapped on considering a majority of people outside of that village still hate him and we see other demi-humans who aren't slaves not being hunted down within the Kingdom's army itself.

Spoiler:

Yeah, but what if she were a demi-human who was Naofumi's partner without the slave crest? Malty would be the most likely candidate(especially after the king removes Raphtalias slave crest and she still follows Naofumi) to act on it but as he is hated what better way to break him then by killing his partner.

[Twi]

Originally Posted by Demi.

Spoiler:

Yeah, but what if she were a demi-human who was Naofumi's partner without the slave crest? Malty would be the most likely candidate(especially after the king removes Raphtalias slave crest and she still follows Naofumi) to act on it but as he is hated what better way to break him then by killing his partner.

Spoiler:

The Shadows to start with. Malty tried to have him executed already and after that she didn't learn that Raph was a slave until the dinner party. She couldn't risk killing her even then because there is not excuse for that when the other two heroes are there. And now the Shadows are running active interference with the Queen telling her to cut it out, meaning that for her to make an active attempt on her life would mean she may as well try killing him outright. And at that point her being a slave stops mattering because she's outright breaking the queen's laws and will kill her regardless.

And, as we''ve seen, Malty is fine with abusing the laws so being a slave offers no protection when the King can literally snap his fingers and have the brand removed or the law ignored.

[Demi.]

Originally Posted by Twi

Spoiler:

The Shadows to start with. Malty tried to have him executed already and after that she didn't learn that Raph was a slave until the dinner party. She couldn't risk killing her even then because there is not excuse for that when the other two heroes are there. And now the Shadows are running active interference with the Queen telling her to cut it out, meaning that for her to make an active attempt on her life would mean she may as well try killing him outright. And at that point her being a slave stops mattering because she's outright breaking the queen's laws and will kill her regardless.

And, as we''ve seen, Malty is fine with abusing the laws so being a slave offers no protection when the King can literally snap his fingers and have the brand removed or the law ignored.

Spoiler:

Malty is manipulating the king or at least is in cahoots with him. She knew he wouldn't be executed. As the king said, he is still the shield hero. She just wanted to ruin his reputation and make it so the population hates him and so that he can't form a party in order to gain levels. Also we should be looking at things from Raphs perspective, not the perspective of how low Malty/the king is willing to go. It makes sense to be the slave of a master who treats her like his equal if it's a safeguard against other people with a strong disdain against demi-humans. Particularly against the ones who also think poorly of the shield hero and would seek to benefit from hurting/killing raph.

[BWTraveller]

Originally Posted by Demi.

Spoiler:

Malty is manipulating the king or at least is in cahoots with him. She knew he wouldn't be executed. As the king said, he is still the shield hero. She just wanted to ruin his reputation and make it so the population hates him and so that he can't form a party in order to gain levels. Also we should be looking at things from Raphs perspective, not the perspective of how low Malty/the king is willing to go. It makes sense to be the slave of a master who treats her like his equal if it's a safeguard against other people with a strong disdain against demi-humans. Particularly against the ones who also think poorly of the shield hero and would seek to benefit from hurting/killing raph.

I won't put this in spoiler since I'm only addressing Malty's established treatment of the Shield. Thinking about it, I'm not entirely sure she really did all this out of direct hatred or even a specific desire to put him personally down. I don't think she had any feelings or opinion of him at all, or probably of anyone else for that matter. I get the feeling that she initially just wanted to get in the good graces of the most popular hero, get as much control of him as possible, and gain as much as she could as quickly as she could. To do this, she determined that making up a "rescue romance" cliché would be useful, and with the Shield's reputation Naofumi made the perfect villain; and as a bonus she could steal his funds to line her pockets and give herself an even quicker start. She didn't feel anything positive or negative toward him, but once the deed had been done she needed to keep him down as she'd made an enemy of him. A scapegoat with influence or who's given the chance to demonstrate how out-of-character his supposed crimes would be is dangerous, so to protect her own skin she has to push him as far down as possible and hold him there, along with anyone who'd dare to speak well of him. And of course after a while with him thwarting her plans hatred blooms, but only later.

[Demi.]

Originally Posted by BWTraveller

I won't put this in spoiler since I'm only addressing Malty's established treatment of the Shield. Thinking about it, I'm not entirely sure she really did all this out of direct hatred or even a specific desire to put him personally down. I don't think she had any feelings or opinion of him at all, or probably of anyone else for that matter. I get the feeling that she initially just wanted to get in the good graces of the most popular hero, get as much control of him as possible, and gain as much as she could as quickly as she could. To do this, she determined that making up a "rescue romance" cliché would be useful, and with the Shield's reputation Naofumi made the perfect villain; and as a bonus she could steal his funds to line her pockets and give herself an even quicker start. She didn't feel anything positive or negative toward him, but once the deed had been done she needed to keep him down as she'd made an enemy of him. A scapegoat with influence or who's given the chance to demonstrate how out-of-character his supposed crimes would be is dangerous, so to protect her own skin she has to push him as far down as possible and hold him there, along with anyone who'd dare to speak well of him. And of course after a while with him thwarting her plans hatred blooms, but only later.

I suppose that's possible, although Malty does appear openly hostile towards him. She is also a princess so I honestly didn't see her stealing his funds as anything more than screwing him over...As I'd imagine that daddy could just line her pockets with whatever amount of silver she needed. One thing is for certain, Malty is a terrible person. I wouldn't put anything past her as long as she thinks she can get away with it.