The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 4, which premiered on July 9, 2025, has released promotional videos highlighting the upcoming narrative developments, focusing on the escalating conflict surrounding Raphtalia and the nation of Q’Ten Lo. These trailers have offered fans a glimpse into the new challenges Naofumi and his companions will face as the season progresses.
Season 4 Premieres and Weekly Releases
The highly anticipated fourth season of The Rising of the Shield Hero began airing on July 9, 2025, with new episodes being released weekly every Wednesday on Crunchyroll. As of August 20, 2025, Episode 7 of the season has already been released. This season continues the adaptation of Aneko Yusagi’s popular light novel series, immersing viewers deeper into Naofumi Iwatani’s journey as the Shield Hero.
Promo Videos Offer Glimpse into Q’Ten Lo Arc
Ahead of and during its broadcast, various promotional materials, including trailers, have been released for The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 4. A significant trailer, released on April 21, 2025, not only previewed new cast members but also offered a first listen to the opening song, “Resolution” by MADKID. Crunchyroll also released an “Official Trailer” in June 2025, further building anticipation for the season.
These promotional videos tease the central conflict of the new arc: Naofumi’s confrontation with the empire of Q’Ten Lo. The storyline is driven by a series of assassination attempts on Raphtalia, who has been revealed to be a descendant of the Q’Ten Lo royal family. This season sees Naofumi traveling to the nation of Siltvelt as he prepares to address this escalating threat and ensure Raphtalia’s safety.
Narrative Focus: Raphtalia’s Ancestry and Political Intrigue
Season 4 is set to delve deeper into Raphtalia’s backstory and her connection to the royal lineage of Q’Ten Lo. The previous season’s conclusion hinted at this significant plot point, with assassins from Q’Ten Lo targeting Raphtalia after her royal heritage was revealed. Naofumi’s decision to confront this empire marks a pivotal turn in the series, shifting the focus to political intrigue and the protection of his valued companion. The anime is confirmed to be adapting volumes 13 to 16 of the light novel series for this season, which covers this specific narrative arc.
Returning Staff and Production Details
The production of The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 4 sees the return of key creative personnel, ensuring continuity in its animation and storytelling. Kinema Citrus is once again handling the animation for the series. Hitoshi Haga continues his role as the series director, building on his work from previous seasons. Keigo Koyanagi is in charge of series composition, overseeing the script, while Franziska van Wulfen, Sana Komatsu, and Masahiro Suwa are reprising their roles as character designers. Kevin Penkin, known for his evocative scores, returns as the music composer.
Fans can continue to follow Naofumi, Raphtalia, and Filo’s adventures as they navigate new territories and face powerful adversaries in this latest installment.