History Headscratchers / TheRisingOfTheShieldHero

** The other countries are already pissed that Melomarc violated the agreement in how the heroes were to be summoned. It is in her kingdom's best interest to mend relationships with the Shield Hero and help train all the holy heroes to fight now in her care. Otherwise she'd send them off and lose what little leverage she has against already angry leaders.

** If he was sent to one of the country's that worships the Shield Hero they'd definitely learn how badly he was treated and it could have potentially have started a war

** Politically, having him on Melromarc's side acts as a deterrent against war, especially from countries like Shieldfreeden and Siltvelt who revere the Shield Hero and would be enraged by Naofumi's poor treatment.

* Um... what happened to Bow Bro’s and Sword Bro’s parties? It looks like only Spear Bro and Shield Bro kept their people alive.

** Politically, having him on Melromarc's side acts as a deterrent against war, especially from countries like Shieldfreeden and Siltvelt who glorify the Shield Hero and would've been enraged by Naofumi's poor treatment.

** Pragmatically, it's because he's useful in battles (especially during the Waves) for his StoneWall and [[SupportPartyMember supporting]] capabilities. How many lives has he preserved each time he singlehandedly tanks a powerful large-scale attack?

** Pragmatically, it's because he's useful in battles (especially during the Waves) for his StoneWall and [[SupportPartyMember supporting]] capabilities. How many lives has he saved each time he singlehandedly tanks a powerful large-scale attack?

** Pragmatically, it's because he's useful in combat (especially during the Waves) for his StoneWall and [[SupportPartyMember supporting]] capabilities. How many lives has he saved each time he singlehandedly tanks a powerful large-scale attack?

** Pragmatically, it's because he's useful in combat (especially during the Waves) for his StoneWall and [[SupportPartyMember supporting]] capabilities.

** Pragmatically, it's because he's useful in combat (especially during the Waves) for his StoneWall and [[SupportPartyMember supporting]] capabilities in combat.

* Why didn't the Queen of Merlomarc, upon learning how the Shield Hero was treated in her country, didn't just send him off to the other countries where he will be treated like the hero that he is? Given how she was working herself to the ground just to pacify the other countries when they learned that Merlomarc summoned all 4 heroes and was working extra hard just to keep secret how the Shield Hero was being treated, it would've been easier to just take Naofumi and send him to the neighboring countries, especially those that ''will'' gladly choose to summon the Shield Hero and treat him with respect. Also Naofumi would gladly leave Melromarc given the chance because of how he was treated.

* Did they ever explain WHY Glas and L'Arc had to kill heroes from another world to save their world or delay the Wave? How would killing delay the Wave in any way?
* Why didn't the Queen of Merlomarc, upon learning how the Shield Hero was treated in her country, didn't just send him off to the other countries where he will be treated like the hero that he is? Given how she was working herself to the ground just to pacify the other countries when they learned that Merlomarc summoned all 4 heroes and was working extra hard just to keep secret how the Shield Hero was being treated, it would've been easier to just take Naofumi and send him to the neighboring countries, especially those that ''will'' gladly choose to summon the Shield Hero and treat him with respect. Also Naofumi would gladly leave Merlomarc given the chance because of how he was treated.

* Did they ever explain WHY Glas and L'Arc had to kill heroes from another world to save their world or delay the Wave? How would killing delay the Wave in any way?

* Did they ever explain WHY Glass.and L'Arc had to kill heroes from another world to save their world or delay the Wave? How would killing delay the Wave I'm any way?

*** It's just another jab at the "Isekai"-genre in general. Considering how many of those protagonists have a tendency to be loners, losers, [=NEETs=], otakus or people so bland and insignificant or plain insufferable that they need to enter a whole different universe just to stick out from the background, the selection process might go by the priority of "pick people that '''nobody''' will notice or miss in their original worlds". The poor selection of these four are just the testament on how poorly it would turn out to have these kind of people dragged into this kind of situation with four different heroes to further be deconstructed. The four types being The AntiHero (Naofumi), the IdiotHero (Motoyasu), the IdealHero (Itsuki) and TheDrifter (Ren) being deconstructed down to the core.

*** Did I say "picked" and "pick?" I meant "gotten" and "get." Regardless even if this was the case couldn't the forces there invoked have exercised a ''some'' measure of scrutiny!? Surely those forces had the power to choose which dead people became which heroes, [[spoiler: unless a certain "goddess" was deliberately meddling in affairs to her advantage. In which case I rescind my argument.]]

*** Did I say "picked" and "pick?" I meant "gotten" and "get." Regardless even if this was the case couldn't the forces there invoked have exercised a ''some'' measure of scrutiny!? Surely those forces had the power to choose which dead people became which heroes, unless a certain [[spoiler: "goddess" was deliberately meddling in affairs to her advantage. In which case I rescind my argument.]]

*** Did I say "picked" and "pick?" I meant "gotten" and "get." Regardless even if this was the case couldn't the forces there invoked have exercised a ''some'' measure of scrutiny!? Surely those forces had the power to choose which dead people became which heroes, unless a certain [[spoiler: "goddess"]] was deliberately meddling in affairs to her advantage. In which case I rescind my argument.

** He has no real offensive ability ([[MagikarpPower at first]]), so he has to rely on [[CounterAttack counter-attacks]] and more indirect methods. Because of this, he seems useless in fights, but those who underestimate him often regret it later.

** There's also the fact that he, in part, raised her after buying her as a slave. He might have some lingering paternal feelings for Raphtalia and that becomes too much {{Squick}} for him to consider a romantic relationship for his surrogate daughter.

* Why did the anime change Fitoria's threat to Naofumi? In episode 16, 17 and 18, Fitoria is criticizing Naofumi that he didn't try to make up with the other heroes. The anime plays it off like Naofumi, the victim of the situation, is the one solely at fault for the things that have happened to him. Yet this doesn't make sense as no one would bother to help Naofumi, never mind try to hear him out, and Fitoria should already know this as she knows that the Shield Hero is hated in Melromarc. For anyone who's read the LN or Manga, this interaction doesn't exist, instead it's just her demanding that Naofumi bury his grudges; unconcerned by what they where.
* Of all the people they could've picked to wield the Spear why did it have to be a gullible, stubbornly deluded, skirt chasing imbecile like Motoyasu Kitamura, who believes women can't be wrong or evil and refuses to live outside his own little world!? Were they so desperate that they couldn't pick someone smarter or wiser!?

*** It's just another jab at the "Isekai"-genre in general. Consider how many of those protagonists have a tendency to be loners, losers, neets, otakus or people so bland and insignificant or plain insufferable that they need to enter a whole different universe just to stick out from the background, the selection process might go by the priority of "pick people that '''nobody''' will notice or miss in their original worlds". The poor selection of these four are just the testament on how poorly it would turn out to have these kind of people dragged into this kind of situation with four different heroes to further be deconstructed. The four types being The AntiHero (Naofumi), the IdiotHero (Motoyasu), the IdealHero (Itsuki) and TheDrifter (Ren)being deconstructed down to the core.

** To add on to all the previous reasons mentioned, he was accused of raping the princess...in a matriarchist kingdom. That's probably the worst sin you could commit there. She lied, of course, but the King was predisposed to both believing his daughter AND hating the Shield Hero [[ItsPersonal for his own reasons]], so he effectively turned the whole kingdom against the guy.

** Nothing odd there. After all, "virgin" is also synonym with "unmarried woman" in the eyes of a child or "untouched" by the eyes of religious beliefs. No wonder she believes what she believes about the misunderstanding mentioned above.
* Why did the anime change Fitoria's threat to Naofumi? In episode 16, 17 and 18, Fitoria is criticizing Naofumi that he didn't try to make up with the other heroes. The anime plays it off like Naofumi, the victim of the situation, is the one solely at fault for the things that have happened to him. Yet this doesn't make sense as no one would bother to help Naofumi, never mind try to hear him out, and Fitoria should already know this as she knows that the Shield Hero is hated in Melromarc. For anyone who's read the LN or Manga, this interaction doesn't exist instead it's just her demanding that Naofumi to bury his grudges; unconcerned by what they where.

** You're presuming that the summoners actually get to ''pick'' the candidates for the four weapons before summoning them. That said, the summoning ritual is practically a "cacha game" on a insane scale. You put the coin in and what you receive is what you got.
*** Did I say "picked" and "pick?" I meant "gotten" and "get." Regardless even if this was the case couldn't the forces there invoked have exercised a ''some'' measure of scrutiny!? Surely those forces had the power to choose which dead people became which heroes, unless a certain [[spoiler: "goddess"]] was deliberately meddling in affairs to her advantage. In which case I recind my argument.