Is The Rising of the Shield Hero Based on a Manga or Light Novel

The Rising of the Shield Hero has emerged as one of the most popular isekai anime of recent years. Naofumi’s redemption story set in a fantasy land riddled with real-world issues has excited fans, many of whom have jumped ahead of the delayed Shield Hero Season 2. If you want to join them, we’ve explored whether The Rising of the Shield Hero is based on a manga or light novel and if it’s finished.

Is The Rising of the Shield Hero Based on a Manga or Light Novel?

The Rising of the Shield Hero anime is based on the light novel of the same name written by Aneko Yusagi, first released in 2013.

22 volumes of The Rising of the Shield Hero light novel have been published. The first season covers around five volumes, which gives you some indication as to how much more Shield Hero content there is to enjoy!

The Rising of the Shield Hero light novel is actually an adaptation of a web novel first published on the user-generated novel site Shōsetsuka ni Narō. The light novel is essentially a professional re-write of the original by the same author, with a refined and expanded storyline.

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Some plotlines have been changed from the web novel to the light novel, and the anime follows the LN changes rather than the web version.

A manga of The Rising of the Shield Hero is also available, with the first volume released in 2014. The manga is itself an adaptation of the light novels and is not the inspiration behind the anime.

The Rising of the Shield Hero Manga vs Light Novel: Which is Better?

It’s widely agreed that The Rising of the Shield Hero is best enjoyed through the light novels.

The light novels deliver the story as intended by the author. Compared to both the manga and anime adaptations, the light novel provides more details about the world and its characters which can create a richer experience.

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However, not everyone enjoys stories in the same way. Just as fans have enjoyed watching the anime, so have many people enjoyed The Rising of the Shield Hero’s manga.

As mentioned above, there is also the original Shield Hero web novel. However, unless you’re curious as to how the series was created, this is largely redundant thanks to the light novel.

The argument around manga and light novels is a broad one, and which medium you prefer is up to you. However, it’s recommended that you try the light novels if you want the original experience.

Is The Rising of the Shield Hero Light Novel Finished?

While The Rising of the Shield Hero’s story hasn’t finished yet, no new light novels have been published since 2019, which has led fans to believe it might never be finished.

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At the start of the Light Novels, new volumes were released at a rate of around four per year. That speed slowly decreased, and only two were published in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

The last Rising of the Shield Hero light novel ended on a cliffhanger, and most fans believe many more volumes are required before the series can be concluded. No explanation has been given for the hiatus.

The original Rising of the Shield Hero web novel did finish, so there is a conclusion to the story out there. However, the light novel has significantly deviated from the original web novel, making that ending not canon.

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