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Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 was released earlier today to mixed reviews from fans of the series everywhere. Some praised Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8’s last minute plot twist for getting them reinvested in the plot. However, others feel it's too little too late, and that their opinion on the sequel season is set in stone.
Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 certainly made an effort to be of a high caliber, especially in the episode’s third and final act. However, a majority of the episode had viewers feel like they were going nowhere fast, with Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 full of montages that didn’t really add much in any aspect of the story.
Follow along as this article breaks down Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 in its entirety.
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 8 gets some viewers invested with final scene, alienates others even further from the series
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 8: Naofumi’s next moves
Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 begins where the prior installment left off, seeing Naofumi, Kizuna, Raphtalia, and Rishia having just escaped the Infinite Labyrinth. After climbing over the nearby courtyard walls, the group then begins discussing and planning their next move. Naofumi says that they should first focus on escaping the area.
The group is then seen walking through a nearby wooded area, where Kizuna comments on the timer for the Waves of Calamity. It’s shown to have roughly 10 days left until the waves arrive in that world, and, presumably, in Naofumi’s as well. Looking at his own HUD, he announces that Filo is, sadly, nowhere nearby.
Kizuna suggests that the group head to Sikul, the country which initially summoned her to the world. To get there, however, they must first go to the capital of Mikakage, the country they’re in now, and use a dragon hourglass to warp to Sikul. The skill is called Return Dragon Vein, and it’s noted that Naofumi’s world’s dragon hourglasses don’t have this ability.
The group then discusses financial troubles after hearing it’ll be a three-day trip to the capital, which prompts Kizuna to say that they’ll need a pass to get through military checkpoints. Naofumi laments being a traveling merchant in yet another world, before Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 plays its opening theme.
Kizuna and Naofumi discuss how the area they’re in is particularly Asian-looking, with the former emphasizing that other areas are more European in style. She continues by explaining the different races present, starting with an Elven-looking race called the Grass people, or just Grass for short. Despite the elven appearance, she specifies that they’re demi-humans, like Raphtalia.
The next group introduced is the Jewel people, or just Jewels for short. It’s revealed here that Therese is one of the Jewels as well, before Kizuna quickly moves on to the next race. A group of pale-looking people are then seen, who she refers to as the Spirit people, or Spirits. It’s revealed here that Glass is one of them as well.
Kizuna continues by explaining that while humans and others have life power and magic power, Spirits only have their energy levels sustaining them. They apparently don’t have levels as a result of that being their only energy, before emphasizing that Spirits with immense energy are incredibly powerful, and their incorporeal state means normal attacks don’t hurt them.
It’s specified that healing and magic items don’t work to recover their energy, which can only be done so naturally. This is obviously a major weakness, even if it is their only inherent one. The conversation is suddenly interrupted by Raphtalia, who points out a nearby poster.
The poster discusses neighboring countries and their development of new weapons and tactics, including one concept which would allow non-Heroes to use teleportation skills and devices. Kizuna points out that, whether true or not, it seems they haven’t realized the group’s breakout yet, to which Naofumi responds that the poster’s subject matter is still concerning.
Raphtalia’s stomach interrupts this discussion, however, prompting Naofumi to suggest they find money for food and a room tonight. Kizuna offers to sell drop items she doesn’t need, but it doesn’t get the group a significant amount of money. The group is then seen eating, as Kizuna and Naofumi begin discussing the currency system and its similarity to old Japanese currency.
When the subject of needing more money is brought back up, Naofumi pulls out a soul-soothing potion, which he explains recovers SP for the user. He then recounts that, when fighting Glass, L’Arc gave her one to consume and it seemed to boost her strength instantly to a tremendous amount.
The group realizes they can sell the item for an extremely high price in this world and set up their next set of moves.
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 8: The rise of the Salesman Hero
After a quick gag scene about Raphtalia’s ravenous hunger, Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 then cuts to the group having set up a wares' stand in town. The three are seen wearing masks as Naofumi shouts about the soul soothing potion and its benefits, as well as where it comes from.
Raphtalia gives out samples to reluctant Spirits, which begins a buying frenzy which clears out all of Naofumi’s currently available potions. With excitement about the product at an all-time high, he says he’ll be auctioning off the rest of the inventory tomorrow. Quickly interrupting the salesman's montage is a scene detailing the group’s efforts in level grinding.
Unfortunately, however, it seems as though Naofumi and his party isn’t leveling at all from Kizuna’s help in killing monsters. The latter says how she wishes there were items that could help, prompting the former to suggest they try using each other’s items. Her earth crystal is first up, which gives Naofumi three thousand experience points when it restores magic for Kizuna.
Other items are quickly attempted before Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 quickly returns to the auction scene, where a bottle has just been sold at a fairly high price. As Rishia gets up to display the box of soul soothing potions, however, Kizuna causes her to trip and fall, smashing all but one of the potions. Naofumi then sells this for an incredibly high price, thus completing his get-rich-quick plan.
The group now has more than enough money to buy the checkpoint pass, and they purchase weapons and armor with the surplus cash. Kizuna opts to keep her clothes with her, which seem to be sentimental to her as one piece was given to her by Glass. With preparations taken care of, the group begins the multi-day journey to the capital city.
After arriving in the capital, Naofumi comments how lively it is as the group begins making their way to the palace. However, once at the palace, a heavy guard presence is seen, as well as plenty of citizens watching the palace entryway. It’s revealed that a mage from another country has arrived to test a way for non-Heroes to use the Return Dragon Vein.
The group suspects this to be Kyo Ethnina, but this is proven not to be the case as a purple-haired mage walks out of the palace. The test seems to have been successful, as the now-named Kazuki begins boasting of and discussing his success with what seems to be a palace or country representative.
While the group is appreciative of it not being Kyo, Naofumi points out that Kazuki is nasty in the same way Kyo is. Kizuna asks who this Kyo they keep speaking of is, which, combined with Raphtalia’s sneeze from the cold weather, prompts him to say they should find an inn.
On the way to the said Inn, the three girls of the group have a cute scene where they begin getting into a snowball fight with one another. While Naofumi tries to act stoic and responsible like a father or older brother would, he eventually cracks a smile upon seeing the three girls happily relaxing.
Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 then cuts to the group's room at a local inn, where Kizuna has just been told who Kyo is. Kizuna says she wishes she could hurt him, before lamenting how her weapon is useless against humans. Naofumi uses a shield, and that Raphtalia and Rishia’s levels are too low to fight humans.
It’s revealed here that there’s less than six days to go until the next Waves of Calamity, which causes Naofumi to worry about them running out of time. Raphtalia suggests that they invade the palace now, since the late hours and blizzard should lead to there being very few soldiers standing guard.
He argues that she and Rishia don’t have their levels back enough yet to go fight, prompting her to retort that she’ll always be his sword and protect him no matter what. This seems to satisfy Naofumi, who responds that as the Shield Hero, he’ll always be there to protect her as well as Rishia. The group then solidify their intent to go tonight.
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 8: An unexpected alliance with unforeseen consequences
Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 then shows the group running through the streets to the capital. Kizuna is heard explaining that, once inside, they need to prioritize getting to the hourglass above all else. She says that once she touches it, the teleportation process will begin, and she’s unsure of the range it’ll allow Naofumi and the others to teleport with her to.
The group is then seen arriving at their destination, having successfully snuck through the palace to where the dragon hourglass should be. However, it’s revealed to be a trap, with the hourglass not present and the group being swarmed by guards. The group then ready themselves for battle, with Raphtalia being surprisingly effective despite her low level and short stature.
It’s revealed that most of the doors in the palace have been boarded up as dead ends, leaving the group with no idea of where to go. After escaping the initial ambush, Kizuna suggests that the group should split up and head for the center of the palace. The group then splits up into two teams, consisting of Naofumi and Raphtalia, and Kizuna and Rishia.
Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 aligns its perspective with Naofumi and Raphtalia, showing the two trying to make their way through the palace. The two work together, with the former holding off guards and the latter slicing through dead ends, until they finally arrive at the dragon hourglass.
However, Kazuki is seen waiting for them, before calling out additional guards who surround the two almost completely. It’s revealed here that he and Kyo are working together, an arrangement whose pecking order and purpose isn’t made entirely clear here. Nevertheless, the two are indeed working together in some capacity.
After some banter between Kazuki and Naofumi, the former gives the order to kill the latter and Raphtalia, when Kizuna and Rishia suddenly burst into the room.
The four successfully fend off the guards present, with Kizuna able to begin the teleportation process. A golden aura surrounds the four of them, before suddenly disappearing from Raphtalia.
Kyo’s maniacal laugh is then heard offscreen, as he explains that he has been waiting for this moment. Naofumi asks Kizuna to stop the process, but she reveals that she sadly cannot. Kyo reveals that everything since the Spirit Tortoise’s death has been part of his plan to torture Naofumi, which seems to have worked given his expression here.
Kyo further reveals that he plans on experimenting on Raphtalia, causing Naofumi to try to grab onto her. However, she tells him to go, and in a heartbreaking monologue shares how appreciative she was of being able to relive their first days together in what seem to have been their final days as a pair.
In Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8’s final moments, she turns with tears in her eyes, and tells Naofumi that she’ll always be his sword. As Kyo laughs and relishes in their pain, Raphtalia is seen rushing Kazuki and the guards, while Naofumi calls out to her before disappearing.
Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 reveals the next episode to be entitled “Humming Fairy.”
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 8: In summation
Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 is certainly one of the more varied episodes of the season, and overall series, thus far. While the first two acts of the installment are incredibly slow, Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8’s third act does pick up pace, as well as introduces the season’s presumably final major conflict.
The introduction of Kyo’s partner in the form of Kazuki is also interesting, as it somewhat implies Kyo has a connection to the world that Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 takes place in. With only a few episodes remaining now, this concept will hopefully be discussed and developed beyond the reaches of Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8.
Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 is, overall, an adequate episode for the anime's season. It’s certainly more engaging than the early episodes of the Spirit Tortoise arc, and Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 episode 8 does at least end on a strong note. While far from the season and series’ best, episode 8 is by no means a valley.
Be sure to keep up with all Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 news, as well as general anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2022 progresses.
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