It seems Melty has a mission which could change Melromarc for better or worse. Also, Itsuki and Ren seem on the verge of fighting Naofumi.
Episode Information: Episode 10 “In The Midst of Turmoil”
| Network | ||
| Crunchyroll | ||
| Director(s) | Abo Takao | |
| Writer(s) | Koyanagi Keigo | |
| Air Date | 3/13/2019 | |
| Introduced This Episode | ||
| Mirellia Q. Melromarc | Inoue Kikuko | |
Recap
Let Me Upgrade You: Naofumi, Dorei-shou
With nearly everyone peeking at level 40, that means Naofumi and his team are ready for class upgrades. Now, as for what they can upgrade to? Well, that isn’t mentioned. All we are told is that it will likely not happen in Melromarc since the king has forbidden it. Pushing the need to question why he would do so considering they are less than a month from yet another wave. But, as shown, Myne and the king are conniving idiots. Ones which seemingly are willing to lose a hero for with nothing able to be done in Melromarc, Naofumi goes to Dorei-shou for some options, and it seems Naofumi is now going to travel across the continent so he can upgrade his team. Hopefully for a lower price than 15 gold.
Your Reputation Precedes You: Melty, Naofumi, The Queen
There is clearly something going on in Melromarc when it comes to the nobility. The queen seems trapped in her castle as her husband runs amok. Then, to make matters worse, while Naofumi seems to the only one unaffiliated with Myne and King Melromarc, those two have left such a bad taste in his mouth it seems Melty won’t be able to recruit Naofumi to their side. Which for the queen could mean dire circumstances are getting much worse.
We Don’t Need Another Hero: Ren, Itsuki, Naofumi
Lest we forget, Ren and Itsuki are 16 and 17 respectively. Meanwhile, Naofumi is 20. So, taking that into account, it seems they don’t understand when you do what seems to be one small thing, perhaps a good thing, there is a ripple effect. Ren killed a dragon, but by not disposing of it he made things worse. Itsuki allowed for a king to be overthrown, and now there is a refugee crisis.
But all Itsuki can think about is this idea someone is stealing jobs, pretending to be them, and it must be Naofumi. After all, it isn’t like Naofumi doesn’t have a bustling, fairly well known, trade business. Nah, he’d rather do guild quests to make money. You know, work with guilds who’d likely treat him as bad as nuns and either not have work for him or send him on jobs which could get him killed.
But while Ren is able to see that Naofumi means them no harm and is not involved, it seems Itsuki is still sipping the kool-aid. Even if he saw Myne try to sabotage Naofumi in the past – hinting there is more to than what meets the eyes. However, shaking off a rape, as well as having slaves, makes Naofumi trying to redeem himself hard.
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- What have the other kingdoms been doing without heroes to protect them? Especially if they all have dragon hourglasses?
- It appears Naofumi isn’t the only one with a HUD when looking at things. What can others see?
Other Noteworthy Facts & Moments
- Everyone, but Naofumi at level 38, are at level 40.
Review
Highlights
Learning There Are Other Kingdoms, And We’re Likely To See Them
With the king making life absolutely hell in Melromarc, it seems Naofumi is ready to leave it and explore other places. All of which seems quite interesting from the Rome looking Zeltrobe, which apparently is the home to mercenaries. Then there are the demi-human countries of Siltvelt and Shieldfreeden. OF which, I’m sure, one won’t be that human-friendly. Yet, considering how Raphtalia’s childhood stories spoke of the Shield Hero being kind to demi-humans, maybe Naofumi won’t find much friction.
The Queen Returns – With Intrigue
I’d argue the queen is being held captive in the castle for some reason. Maybe she was overthrown, perhaps it is known she’d like to cause a rebellion. Either way, something is up there.
Class Upgrades
While we’ve seen Naofumi’s shield follow a skill path, it was never noted whether there was anything beyond that. So with the noting of class upgrades, so comes the question of what are the options? Can Filo learn how to breathe out elements? What about Raphtalia learning how to be a dual blade swordsperson? Heck, what are Naofumi’s options considering it appears he can’t gain offensive skills?
The Party Grows
While a handful of 25 and less, level wise, members trying to join Naofumi, it is sweet to see him really gain a following. Especially right before a wave hits since the first one was quite underwhelming. So if he is getting back up, it pushes the idea the next one may step in line with recent battles we’ve seen.
Low Point
Are You Dumb, Blind or Stupid?
I’m just trying to understand Ren’s way of thinking. Does he just have a hero complex and needs Naofumi to be the villain so he can feel like a hero? Is that why he avoids the obvious? Well, at least what seems obvious to us?
On The Fence
It’s Hard To Say Goodbye
We’re reminded this episode that once the waves end, there goes Naofumi, and that means Filo and Raphtalia likely will be left behind. But like other shows, Re:Zero, for example, there is the need to question if going back is possible or that easy? Never mind the need to question if it may even happen this season. For while this has two cours, over 20+ episodes, there seems to be a lot to cover, and this show isn’t rushing at all.
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| Season/ Episode | Synopsis | Director, Writer, and Introduced Actors | Topics & Focused Characters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Season 1, Episode 15 “Raphtalia” | Raphtalia’s childhood up until when she was purchased by Naofumi is uncovered, and it is a tear-inducing tale. |
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| Season 1, Episode 16 “Filoial Queen” | Never mind the beasts from the last episode, all eyes are on the Filolial queen Fitoria. |
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| Season 1, Episode 17 “A Promise Made” | As Fitoria presents her ultimatum, the other heroes may have walked into a trap. |
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| Season 1, Episode 14 “Everlasting Memory” |  With being unable to cross into Siltvelt, the team encounters someone connected to Raphtalia’s past as someone’s slave. |
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| Season 1, Episode 13 “The Devil of the Shield” |  Are you tired of Myne? I’m tired of Myne, and luckily the heroes are reminded that she isn’t the benevolent person she pretends to be. |
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| Season 1, Episode 11 “Catastrophe Returns” |  While the 2nd wave has far more interesting battles than the first, it is the arrival of the character Glass that will be noteworthy. |
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| Season 1, Episode 10 “In The Midst of Turmoil” | It seems Melty has a mission which could change Melromarc for better or worse. Also, Itsuki and Ren seem on the verge of fighting Naofumi. |
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| Season 1, Episode 11 “Catastrophe Returns” | While the 2nd wave has far more interesting battles than the first, it is the arrival of the character Glass that will be noteworthy. |
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| Season 1, Episode 12 “The Raven Invader” | While you may think the battle between the heroes and Glass would be the highlight of the episode, oh you got another thing coming! |
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| Season 1, Episode 9 “Melty” | Naofumi finds himself involved with a young girl named Melty, thanks to Filo, and he is under the impression she may bring nothing but trouble. |
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| Season 1, Episode 7 “The Savior of the Heavenly Fowl” | Raphtalia has it bad for Naofumi, as does Filo, and both are beginning to make plans on how to make him theirs. |
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| Season 1, Episode 8 “Curse Shield” | Remember that dragon Ren supposedly killed? Well, Naofumi and his girls end up having to face it because Ren didn’t finish the job. |
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| Season 1, Episode 6 “A New Comrade” | As Raphtalia gets jealous of Filo growing closer to Naofumi, we’re given an update on what the other heroes are doing. |
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| Season 1, Episode 5 “Filo” | We’re informally introduced to another kingdom this episode, alongside seeing that Myne and her father truly are trash. |
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| Season 1, Episode 4 “Lullaby at Dawn” | The Riding of the Shield Hero kicks things up a notch as Naofumi, once more, is coerced to play the villain thanks to Myne. |
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| Season 1, Episode 3 “Wave of Catastrophe” | Naofumi and Raphtalia experience their first demon wave, and Raphtalia begins to hear whispers of Naofumi’s past. |
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| Season 1, Episode 2 “The Slave Girl” | Naofumi gets his first follower and may begin to show the world the rumors about him are untrue. |
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The Rising of the Shield Hero lives up to what its trailer hyped and may provide oh so much more. |
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Part of me wishes the anime was fleshing out more details and not holding them off as long as the books did given reading something in a single sitting or even over one or two sittings is significantly faster than having details drip fed over weeks of episodes. Then again, that’s always a problem with seasonal watching.
Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if Crunchyroll pulled a Netflix with some of their series and dropped entire seasons at one time. I know it is unlikely to happen, but it makes for a interesting idea.