It has been almost a week since The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 3 ended, and the anime has yet to reveal if Naofumi Iwatani’s journey will continue in a fourth season. Naofumi has to fight off a new kingdom to keep Raphtalia safe from the assassins before the Phoenix finally arrives in two months. And if the final episode’s tease has anything to go by, it looks like The Rising of the Shield Hero 4 will come to fruition.
The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 3 finale made an ominous tease for a possible fourth season. When the 12th episode ended, the series title and the words Season 3 appeared, while the number three sign slowly vanished in the air. Though The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 4 wasn’t officially announced then, fans considered it a subtle hint that a new season would be in the works.
Fans have high hopes for the anime to continue, especially since the third season ended with a major cliffhanger. Season 3 featured the challenge Naofumi had to face by finding the other three heroes to fight the Phoenix with the next wave. However, as it ended, it revealed that Naofumi had to face a much bigger problem before the battle against the second Guardian Beast finally happened.
What to expect from The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 4
If Rising of the Shield Hero Season 4 is made, it’s expected to adapt the light novel series' Volumes 13 and 14. In Volume 13, Naofumi and his crew finally arrive in Q’ten Lo, where they plan to talk to the kingdom about Raphtalia. However, their intention to make its people pay for their unjust actions is about to change when they learn that even its own citizens suffer from the leadership of their incompetent rulers.
Alternatively, Volume 14 will see Q'ten Lo’s Heavenly Emperor going after Raphtalia. Hence, to keep her safe, Naofumi will work with the country’s revolutionaries to kick their leader out of his position. But things won’t be easy, as someone seems to be controlling them to do what they must.
The anime is based on the light novel series of the same name by Aneko Yusagi. It was originally published as a web novel in the user-generated novel site Shosetsuka ni Naro. Media Factory later published it with an expanded storyline with illustrations by Seira Minami. Running since August 2013, it already had 22 volumes as of June 2019.
It was then adapted into a manga by Aiya Kyu, published by Media Factory, and released in 24 volumes as of November 2023. Kinema Citrus then adapted it into anime, with the first season released in January 2019, the second season in April 2022, and the third season in October 2023.
Do you want to see Naofumi’s story to continue? So far, as there are no words on whether there will be Rising of the Shield Hero Season 4, fans can stream its first three seasons on Crunchyroll.
