Forget Solo Leveling, This Title Did Isekai Much Better & Became the Most Popular Anime in Japan
Tired of typical isekai anime in the spirit of Solo Leveling? 2019 has seen the release of a title that pokes fun at genre clichés, and does so more than successfully.
Most isekai are all the same – typical teenagers find themselves in parallel and game worlds, sometimes in the past or future, and experience adventures to become the most powerful warriors or mages.
Solo Leveling follows the same path – Jin-woo discovers that he has the ability to increase his level.
It makes him the only hunter in the world who can get stronger with every dungeon he completes. Therefore, Solo Leveling is a typical isekai game about how a loser becomes a monster-killing machine.
If you were looking for a title that breaks these stereotypes, you should pay attention to The Rising of the Shield Hero. In 2019, it became one of the most popular titles in Japan, even beating the Demon Slayer, according to the research conducted by Culture Convenience Club and Nikkei Entertainment (via Crunchyroll).
What Is The Rising of the Shield Hero About?
Naofumi Iwatani and his three best friends are summoned to an alternate Japan to become legendary heroes.
Each of the boys is equipped with magical equipment, but Naofumi is only given a shield. He also has no team, only a companion, and is ridiculed and humiliated by his friends, who eventually betray him, and Iwatani becomes an outcast.
The Rising of the Shield Hero Has an Unusual Main Character for the Genre
One of the main patterns of traditional isekai is that the protagonist, usually a loser, is transported to another reality and gains immense power there.
Naofumi's story, however, differs from many isekai almost from the start. Moreover, it mocks the clichés of the genre in many ways.
Although the main character gets a holy weapon, it is passive and not cool. The shield cannot be used to attack, it is an auxiliary item that only works in conjunction with the spear, sword, and bow.
And since the other warriors are not inclined to team up with Naofumi, the shield's usefulness is close to zero. Naofumi will have to work himself to exhaustion to increase his level, and use his brain to gain access to additional options of the shield.
Unlike in Other Isekai Titles, Naofumi Has No Friends or Loyal Team
The protagonist's friends and allies play an important role in every isekai. However, Naofumi initially finds himself in a situation where he has no friends at all.
That's why Naofumi has to buy himself a "friend" – or more precisely, a slave. Only such a companion can be trusted by the hero of the shield, for a slave is bound to his master by a magic spell and cannot betray him.
Naofumi's companion becomes the beast-woman Raphtalia, who is willing to sacrifice everything for her master. It is Raphtalia's selfless efforts that keep Naofumi from going over to the dark side.
Where to Watch The Rising of the Shield Hero?
All three seasons of The Rise of the Shield Hero are available to stream on Crunchyroll.
