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The Rising of the Shield Hero season 3 episode 1 is set to be released on Friday, October 6, 2023, at 9 pm JST. Following the lukewarm reception that the series’ previous season had for various reasons, fans are cautiously optimistic regarding the upcoming season based on its trailers.
The Rising of the Shield Hero season 3 episode 1's plot is largely unclear as of the time of writing. While this is to be anticipated given how rarely anime episode spoilers are disclosed, it is nevertheless a nuisance for anime-only fans who want to know what to expect.
Follow along as this article breaks down the latest release information for The Rising of the Shield Hero season 3 episode 1 and more.
The Rising of the Shield Hero season 3 episode 1 set to continue Naofumi and co’s efforts to defend their world
Release date and time and where to watch
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The Rising of the Shield Hero season 3 episode 1 is set to begin airing on local Japanese networks at 9 pm JST on Friday, October 6, 2023. International audiences can stream the episode on Crunchyroll shortly after the episode begins airing in Japan.
While Funimation previously streamed the series’ new episodes for their subscribers weekly, it’s unclear if they’ll continue to do so for the upcoming third season. Consequently, Crunchyroll is the overall better and more reliable option for legally viewing the upcoming episode.
The Rising of the Shield Hero season 3 episode 1 will be released in Japan at each of these times in the corresponding time zones:
- Pacific Standard Time: 5 am, Friday, October 6
- Eastern Standard Time: 8 am, Friday, October 6
- Greenwich Mean Time: 12 pm, Friday, October 6
- Central European Time: 2 pm, Friday, October 6
- Indian Standard Time: 5:30 pm, Friday, October 6
- Philippine Standard Time: 8 pm, Friday, October 6
- Japanese Standard Time: 9 pm, Friday, October 6
- Australia Central Standard Time: 10:30 pm, Friday, October 6
Season 2 recap
Season 2 saw Naofumi and teammates defend their world against the Spirit Tortoise, a disaster said to be more impactful than the Waves of Calamity. Naofumi’s group then met Ost Horai, who joined them on their journey to defeat the Spirit Tortoise. While it initially seemed that they defeated the Tortoise, Ost still being alive (given her role as the manifestation of its soul) proved this to not be the case.
The group then investigated the mountain on top of the Spirit Tortoise, eventually running into L’Arc, Therese, and Glass, whom they had previously fought during season 1’s events. It was then revealed that Kyo Ethnina, a Book Hero from another world, was controlling the Tortoise for his own ulterior motives. Thanks to Ost sacrificing herself, the group was able to defeat the Tortoise, chasing Kyo into his world.
However, they then awoke in a prison cell, meeting Kizuna Kazayama. The group and Kizuna then escaped together, going on a quest to find Kyo. They do eventually find him, but he captures Raphtalia, who is thrown in prison with Kizuna’s comrades. Once both groups reunited, the final episodes of the season saw Kyo’s true goal in creating the Waves of Calamity revealed and stopped by the heroes.
What to expect (speculative)
With the second season having introduced the concept of the Guardian Beasts via the Spirit Tortoise, it’s anticipated that The Rising of the Shield Hero season 3 episode 1 will focus on additional Guardian Beasts. This is further supported by scenes from the second season and promotional material for the third, which suggests an avian-based Guardian Beast is next up for Naofumi to deal with.
In terms of production for the upcoming season, however, fans can expect the series to take a major step up after the flak the second season received. With the future of the series riding on a strong bounceback from the misstep that was season 2, it’s highly unlikely that season 3 is anything short of visually stunning throughout.
Be sure to keep up with all The Rising of the Shield Hero news, as well as general anime, manga, film, and live-action news, as 2022 progresses.
