The Rise of Shield Hero tells stories of old and new heroes. The modern world is in danger, and so the kingdom of Melromarc calls four heroes to rise to the occasion to protect their land.
Although Naofumi, who ends up holding the title of criminal, is the main character of the show, fans have also fallen for the strong-willed Raphtalia. She is half human and half Tanuki, which is what explains her appearance. She has dog-like ears and a bushy tail. Despite her rough upbringing, including being purchased as a slave, she becomes the Katana Hero.
Here is The Rise of The Shield Hero: 10 Facts You Need To Know About Raphtalia.
10 10. A ROYAL
Throughout the series, fans, of course, get the sense that the new four heroes are meant to resemble the originals. Still, it might be surprising to know that Raphtalia actually has some ties to a royal lineage.
Before her parents left their land, they were part of another species of Tanuki. This particular species is not only special, but comes from a secluded village. Maybe that explains why her purchase was actually the Queen's plan all along. She knew that Raphtalia had some royal background!
9 9. HER PAST
Raphtalia lived right outside Melromarc, and for a long while, everything was peaceful. When the attacks began, she fled her home with her parents, who ended up sacrificing themselves to save her.
She, unfortunately, had to watch them pass away, as they were taken out by the wave monster. She survived, and in her sadness, tried to look for her parents even though she had seen what happened to him. To make matters worse, after the elimination of the adult survivors, she was captured with others and sold as a slave.
8 8. TRAUMA
Although it's an anime show, people often forget the severity of the things that Raphtalia has both seen and been through. She was bought and sold to a Noble of Meromarc, who enjoyed torturing his slaves. She not only watched her parents die at a very young age, but she also had to watch her best friend die as well.
For a ten-year-old, that is a serious amount of trauma to deal with. She ends up having a massive breakdown, and thankfully Naofumi found her and changed her life. Considering all of this, it's safe to say that she severely suffers from PTSD, and the anime has portrayed that quite well.
7 7. WHAT SHE'S AFRAID OF
She may be a skilled and trusted fighter now, but Raphtalia had to work very hard to come to that point. She had a very severe fear of blood, to start with, which made becoming a warrior quite difficult.
However, she eventually learned how to master a knife, and overcame her fear of blood. Another trauma that she was forced to overcome was her fear of Cerberus. She got over that one when she had decided to eliminate the two-headed dog, effectively winning over her trauma. Keep in mind, she had to overcome all these fears while being 10 years old mentally, despite the growth of her body.
6 6. HER RELATIONSHIP WITH NAOFUMI
Despite being originally frightened of Naofumi, she ends up falling in love with him and giving up everything for him. She has made it her mission to do anything she can to make him happy, and luckily for her, it goes both ways.
However, the complicated part comes with their romantic feelings, as Naofumi sees himself as a father figure, while Raphtalia is clearly in love with him. They are both each other's favorite person, and the two of them constantly learn from one another. One thing is certain, despite their feelings, Raphtalia is Naofumi's right hand, and he trusts her above anyone else.
5 5. SHE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT BEING FEMININE
Raphtalia is many things; she is strong, has a kind heart, and is basically a royal. One of the things she doesn't care about, however, is being in touch with her feminine side.
It's actually to a point that Nafoumi, who considers it his job to raise her, feels that he did something wrong because she doesn't have any girly traits. She is busier with her training, focusing on her morals, sanity, and her personal and mental growth. Her long term goal is to rebuild her village, rather than being more of a woman.
4 4. POWERS
Raphtalia has a number of very impressive powers, all of which make her one of the most skilled fighters in the anime and the manga. Although her weapon of choice is a sword, and she can use light and dark magic, she is able to wield many different types of magic as she continues her training.
She is even able to channel her magic to her weapons and accessories, making her even more of a threat. She studied with a number of people, but the most important was Granny, who allowed her to become a skilled fighter in the art of Hengen Musou.
3 3. HENGEN MUSOU
Throughout her adventures, Raphtalia learns a type of fighting style called the Hengen Musou, and it allowed her other abilities to become more powerful.
The Hengen Musou is a fighting style that was adapted so people could save the world without having to rely on people with superpowers to do it. While originally, the style was supposed to die out, it ended up being shared through the generations, and Raphtalia has mastered it. Luckily for her, it is also a style that never loses when going against an opponent.
2 2. SHE CAN BE VERY DESTRUCTIVE
Raphtalia is one of the strongest characters in the series, and between her stamina that never runs out, the amount of magic she has, and her immense skill to carry weapons, she is one of the biggest threats of the show.
While her body may have reached adult levels, we have to remember that her mind is only ten years old, and she has managed to become a master in weapons, magic, and fighting at an extremely young age. She is so powerful that she can essentially destroy everything and everyone around her, and she has as much power as the sword she carries.
1 1. SHE IS THE SWORD
The great thing about the anime and the manga is the metaphor that each hero has with their weapon. She tells Naofumi that he is the shield, but she will always be his sword. It makes sense, considering how much she goes through just to prove herself to the people around her, and rising above her horrifying past.
Naofumi is the shield of the show, protecting people, protecting Raphtalia herself. Raphtalia will be his sword, in that she will always lead the battles and make sure to fight to restore peace in her world.