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The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 12 Review – Quick Summary
In The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 episode 12, “Reason to Fight,” Naofumi, Raphtalia, Filo, Rishia, and Yomogi Emarl fought their way to Kyo’s lab. Their goal? Defeat Kyo and put a stop to the Waves attacking this world. But Kyo had some surprises waiting for them, including modified versions of some old acquaintances. Can Naofumi and company fight their way through? If they do, what other tricks will Kyo have waiting for them? And what was Kyo’s goal, anyway?
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.
Favorite Quote from The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 12
Look, I’m not saying that the Rage Shield-infested Naofumi was necessarily wrong… Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Do you ever have a hard time telling the difference between your deepest, most inner thoughts, and the voices of demons? No? Maybe it’s just me.
Well, not just me. Naofumi experienced that very thing in this episode! He had had enough of Kyo’s crap. And, let’s be honest, haven’t we all? So Naofumi fired up his Rage Shield to take Kyo out.
Rishia, bless her cowardly little heart, tried to stop him. She did the “Please remember who you are” thing. Naofumi, nearly possessed by the fire dragon behind the Rage Shield, had had enough of that cliche, too. He grabbed her by the throat and proceeded to berate her.
At the end of the impressive tirade, Rishia gasping for air in his grasp, he said (13:02), “Why am I stuck taking care of a girl whose life goal was to get into the Bow Hero’s pants?”
To be fair, Naofumi’s possessing demon had a point. But he could have phrased it in a less hurtful way!
Best in Show Moment for The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 12
Hey, look who’s back in pale ghostly form! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Setup: Built on a Shaky Foundation
This is a good example of what happens when I try to stay true to the spirit of this site’s mission, which is to celebrate anime. There were several moments in this episode that, if I did maintain my steadfast dedication to my goal, would have driven me to distraction.
But I seriously to to be true to the mission. And that mission is determined to find something to celebrate. So far, only two series have fought hard enough to nearly derail me, with another series in a distant third place. The two that were most successful (in that they prevented me from celebrating anything) were Taboo Tattoo and The Promised Neverland Season 2. In third place? Dies irae. It’s a “distant” third primarily on the strength of its soundtrack and Eleonore von Wittenburg. Because, well damn, she was an impressive character.
I’m not saying this episode – or this season – of The Rising of the Shield Hero is anywhere near that rarified level of achievement. I’m just saying if I had to hear Kyo cackle one more time, or if I had to watch Kizuna, Glass, and friends locked in an epic battle with stationary foes, I was probably going to pause the video and go do something more interesting. Because I’m sure there’s paint somewhere that’s trying to dry without an audience. Wouldn’t that be tragic?
It’s got to be tough trying to anime a series without adequate budget or time. Seriously; that’s gotta suck. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Fortunately (for me; unfortunately for the audience-craving paint), my favorite kept me interested. Well, to be fair, so did Rishia talking back to the first dragon. It was cool seeing her find her voice, even if it came out a bit strangled, given Naofumi’s grip on her throat.
Seriously. I did enjoy Rishia’s contribution.
But do you know who’s contribution I liked even more? Ost Horai, the Spirit-Tortoise-Familiar-Who-Was-Reallly-The-Spirit-Part, that’s who. Back in episode 6, just before she perished, she gave Naofumi a better alternative than the Rage Shield. It was a power based on the compassion he and his companions shared with each other. It wasn’t a sure-fire thing. To Naofumi, trust and companionship didn’t come easy. But in this episode, Ost Horai helped him take the next step forward.
Delivery: Rishia Set the Ball for Ost Horai
Rishia actually set up the moment. Even while he was trying to choke the life out of her, Rishia said to Naofumi (and the Fire Dragon within) (14:19), “I don’t know who you are, but get out of Naofumi-san!”
Rishia deserves a lot of credit for keeping it together in this scene. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
That loosened the demon’s hold on Naofumi, but he found himself still in chaos. It was only after the spiritual avatar of Ost Horai took him by the hand that he began to find himself again.
“I told you, didn’t I, Shield Hero?” she asked him in a kind voice (16:03). “You don’t need these flames… You decide what your task is.”
It might be cliche. But for me, the moment struck home. Dramatically, it showed Naofumi moving forward, surrounded by his friends. More importantly – people he himself recognized as friends. That was the point of the second season, after all. Losing Raphtalia and Filo made him realize how much they meant to him. Ost Horai showed him how to draw his power from those relationships – in a way that would not end up with him being possessed.
I’ll miss Ost Horai. But I’m interested to see where Naofumi, Raphtalia, Filo, and Raphtalia go from here. Especially with one episode left, when the dramatic arcs seem to have been wrapped up!
What did you think of Raphtalia’s upgraded sword skills? What were your favorite moments in this episode? Feel free to share them in the comments!
The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 12: Other Posts
Other Anime Sites
- Reddit: Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari Season 2 – Episode 12 discussion
- RABUJOI: The Rising of the Shield Hero S2 – 12 – Savage Burn
- Random Curiosity: Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari Season 2 – 12
This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)
- The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 1: A New Roar
- The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 2: Footprints of the Spirit Tortoise
- The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 3: Shaking Land
- The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 4: Ruins in the Fog
- The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 5: Ost Hourai
- The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 6: Racing to Catch Up
- The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 7: Infinite Labyrinth
- The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 8: A Parting in the Snow
- The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 9: Humming Fairy
- The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10: Katana Hero
- The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 11: Kizuna
- The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 12: Reason to Fight
- The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 13: Flowers Offered in Recollection
