The Rising of the Shield Hero Comes to Life in New Stage Play Visual

Stage play adaptations may not be something we get to see in person outside of Japan, but they're a great way to envision how series like The Rising of the Shield Hero would look in live-action form. In the case of Aneko Yusagi's hit fantasy light novel series, a new key visual recently arrived to show the six main cast members of the Shield Hero stage play posed and ready for battle.

Ken Ougida—who previously helmed stage plays for Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits—directed this one, which was previously lined up for performances in Tokyo and Osaka from March to April 2020. The pandemic ended up causing a change of plans, though, and performances are now set for the Theater Sun Mall in Tokyo from July 15 to July 25, 2021.

Here's a closer look at the full visual, which features Yuuya Uno as Naofumi Iwatani, Karin Isobe as Raphtalia, and more.

More of the cast from a previous poster:

Next up for The Rising of the Shield Hero is the second season of the anime. Here's how Crunchyroll describes the series:

Iwatani Naofumi, a run-of-the-mill otaku, finds a book in the library that summons him to another world. He is tasked with joining the sword, spear, and bow as one of the Four Cardinal Heroes and fighting the Waves of Catastrophe as the Shield Hero. Excited by the prospect of a grand adventure, Naofumi sets off with his party. However, merely a few days later, he is betrayed and loses all his money, dignity, and respect. Unable to trust anyone anymore, he employs a slave named Raphtalia and takes on the Waves and the world. But will he really find a way to overturn this desperate situation?

Source: Official website via Crunchyroll