Season 2 of Rising of the Shield Hero is coming to an end and with it, the possible conclusion of the New World story arc. The anime has yet to end, but fans already can’t wait for information regarding season 3! But before delving into those details, here’s a quick recap of the anime.

In season one, viewers meet Naofumi Iwatani, an average human who is brought to another world as a weak hero with only a shield as a weapon. On his journey, he meets grotesque monsters called “Waves” and goes through unimaginable hardships. After almost losing his life multiple times, he eventually ends up shunned and is forced to train alone (I won’t spoil why, though!). During his training, he meets a half-human girl, Raphtalia, and Filo, a bird girl! Fans watch the unconventional protagonist as he trains to be strong enough to defeat the Waves!

Now moving on to season 3! Not a lot has been confirmed but considering that the anime is adapted from the light novel, I can assume that the new season will focus on the Fallen Heroes arc. This new story arc would shed light on what happens to the other heroes after the battle with the spirit tortoise.

Rise of the Shield Hero seasons 2 and 3 were both revealed at Crunchyroll Expo in 2019, which initially sparked rumors that the two seasons would be connected in some way. This is supported by the fact that season 2 only had 13 episodes planned.

There isn’t an official release date yet for when fans can expect to see in season 3, but considering the series' prior schedules, the season may be released at the end of 2022 or at the start of 2023. As for how many episodes can be expected, it’s rumored that there will be 13, the same as season 2, but that’s all speculation for now. It may be longer if the studio plans on covering more than just the Fallen Heroes arc from the light novel.

While a lot is just speculation, Rising of the Shield Hero is likely to get an announcement after season 2 reaches its conclusion. The season might have had bumpier appraisals from fans, but hopefully, season 3 can grasp everything that made season 1 the delight that it was. I’ll give you an update as soon as I have more information!