Fans of the popular Isekai anime series, The Rising of the Shield Hero, can rejoice as the highly anticipated fourth season officially premiered on July 9, 2025. The new season began its run on Crunchyroll, bringing the latest adventures of Naofumi Iwatani and his companions to viewers worldwide.
Global Release and Streaming Platforms
The premiere of The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 4 (also known as Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari Season 4) was a global event, with Crunchyroll streaming new episodes simultaneously with their Japanese release. The service is making the season available across North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, CIS, India, and Southeast Asia. For those preferring English dubs, the dubbed version of Season 4 also began streaming on Crunchyroll starting July 10, with a returning cast including Stephen Fu as Naofumi and Erica Mendez as Raphtalia.
Production Details and Returning Staff
Season 4 sees the return of key production staff and the animation studio, ensuring continuity for fans. Hitoshi Haga, who directed Season 3, is back at the helm for Season 4. Studio Kinema Citrus is once again responsible for the animation. Keigo Koyanagi is handling the series composition, with character designs by Franziska van Wulfen, Sana Komatsu, and Masahiro Suwa. Kevin Penkin is composing the music, continuing the established sound of the series. The series is based on the light novel series written by Aneko Yusagi with illustrations by Seira Minami.
What to Expect: Season 4 Plot Overview
The official synopsis for The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 4 indicates a focus on new challenges for Naofumi and his party. As Naofumi prepares for the Phoenix’s return, Raphtalia finds herself targeted by assassins from Q’ten Lo, who mistake her for a throne usurper. This conflict necessitates Naofumi’s journey to Siltvelt, where he is welcomed by demi-humans, but faces opposition from others. Raphtalia’s role evolves as she becomes a revolutionary symbol in the politically charged Q’ten Lo. The season will explore whether Naofumi can unite his allies and navigate the rising chaos to achieve salvation.
Journey So Far: A Brief Recap of the Shield Hero’s Adventures
For those needing a refresher, The Rising of the Shield Hero follows Naofumi Iwatani, an ordinary university student summoned to the kingdom of Melromarc as one of four Cardinal Heroes, tasked with defending the world from catastrophic “Waves.” Framed and ostracized early on, Naofumi’s journey has been one of overcoming adversity and betrayal, slowly building a loyal party including Raphtalia, Filo, and later Melty.
Throughout the previous seasons, Naofumi has worked to clear his name, expose the machinations of those who wronged him, and protect the innocent. His efforts led to him becoming governor of Raphtalia’s home village, which he aimed to rebuild and make self-sufficient. He has also dealt with threats from other worlds and the complexities of inter-hero relations, often finding himself cleaning up the messes made by the other Cardinal Heroes.
The series has seen Naofumi and his companions travel through various lands, facing powerful foes like Glass, L’Arc, and Therese, who hail from another world also affected by the Waves. The overarching narrative continues to explore themes of trust, prejudice, and the true meaning of heroism.
The fourth season is expected to have a total of 12 episodes, released weekly after the premiere.
