The Rising Of The Shield Hero is an Isekai that thrusts four unsuspecting young men into roles as the four heroes of a foreign land. Although the Shield Hero, Naofumi, is the center of the story, the other heroes still leave a lasting impression, even if it isn't particularly positive.
The Sword and Bow Heroes, Ren and Itsuki respectively, are frustrating characters in how they neglect Naofumi and their own roles as heroes. However, the Spear Hero Motoyasu is the main culprit of being manipulated by Malty Melromarc, with him often wasting his time and energy challenging Naofumi to trivial fights. His abilities as the Spear Hero are adequate, though there are plenty of characters throughout the realms of anime who not only possess better fighting skills with a spear-type weapon, but also have a personality more befitting of a hero.
10 Daryun Is The Obvious Candidate To Be The Spear Hero With His Undying Loyalty & Exceptional Spear-Wielding (The Heroic Legend Of Arslan)
In The Heroic Legend Of Arslan, the titular character Prince Arslan surrounds himself with a formidable group of loyal and talented individuals as he bids to live up to his destiny, with his closest friend and ally being Daryun. Daryun is everything that a hero should hope to become, as a veteran warrior who has made a name for himself but now serves someone he believes in with undying loyalty.
While many heroes believe the recipients of their help and salvation should be the people, Daryun's equivalent is Arslan, with him putting his life on the line for the young prince on multiple occasions. Having a warrior such as Daryun on the frontlines when fighting the waves in the Shield Hero universe would instill confidence in everyone else and inspire passionate perseverance in battle.
9 Sanosuke Harada Would Be Similar To Motoyasu But With More Style & Substance (Hakuoki)
Hakuoki was initially a video game series, but it duly got its anime adaptation. Both formats showcase an exceptional spear-wielder in Sanosuke Harada, whose character was inspired by and based on his real-life counterpart and namesake, a famed Japanese samurai.
In the Hakuoki anime, Harada is a captain within the Shinsengumi before his eventual departure. In addition to his combative skills and prowess, he can flick between being laidback and unleashing his temper, making him rather unpredictable. However, deep down, he is generally friendly and loyal to those who deserve his time, making him a prime candidate to be the Spear Hero.
8 Hak Will Stop At Nothing To Protect A Cause He Cares About (Yona Of The Dawn)
Hak Son is the childhood friend and bodyguard to Princess Yona in Yona of the Dawn. His unwavering loyalty is a vitally important asset to her following the betrayal of Soo-Won, forcing them out of their home and into a life on the run.
Hak wields his glaive with ferocity while protecting Yona and is often seen cutting down multiple soldiers with one swing. This ferocity in the name of protecting someone he cares about would make him a valuable asset as the Spear Hero, providing he felt some sort of loyalty to those asking for protection.
7 The Waves Wouldn't Stand A Chance Against King & His Spirit Spear Chastiefol (The Seven Deadly Sins)
Visual representation of the Seven Deadly Sins is a popular theme within anime, and the namesake series has them all as a group of powerful Holy Knights, captained by Meliodas. While they each have their own different quirks and personalities, none are quite as different as King, who goes by several different names, with him also assuming multiple different appearances and roles over the course of the series.
However, what stays consistent is the Sacred Treasure that King uses, named Spirit Spear Chastiefol, which combines well with his Disaster Ability. Despite representing the Sin of Sloth, King will work hard and seriously for a cause that he believes in. With the incredible attacking prowess that comes with his Sacred Treasure, he would be a valuable asset to any team.
6 Armed With Incursio & Neuntote, Tatsumi Would Gladly Put His Life On The Line For The People (Akame Ga Kill)
Akame ga Kill is infamous for having its heroes and protagonists dying at an alarming rate, but this doesn't mean that they are weak or are not formidable battlers. Tatsumi is the primary protagonist who is welcomed into the band of assassins known as Night Raid. Although he starts off being proficient enough with a sword, he eventually inherits the armor-type Teigu, or Imperial Arms, Incursio from Bulat.
As Incursio and Tatsumi grew and adapted, Tatsumi was able to properly wield the Neuntote Spear, resembling a formidable halberd, capable of slicing through most opponents with impressive range. Despite being armed with sufficient and substantial armor, weaponry and abilities, Tatsumi ended up giving his life protecting the people, which is exactly the dedication and devotion needed from the heroes in Rising of the Shield Hero.
5 Lancer Would Be A Valuable Asset To Any Side Or Team (Fate/Stay Night)
With Lancers being a class within the realms of the Fate series, naturally, there are several strong and formidable lance-wielding candidates, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and quirks.
However, Cu Chulainn steals the show in Fate/stay night with a mixture of fiery spear-wielding intensity and fighting for justice. This is despite finding himself as the Servant to antagonist Kirei Kotomine following his attack on Lancer's previous master, Bazett Fraga McRemitz. Lancer's thirst for justice has him wanting to avenge his former master, but his honor ultimately prevents him from acting on it. Lancer is a case of a character fighting on the "wrong side," but he would certainly fit well on the "good side" if circumstances were different.
4 Ushio Aotsuki Would Be A Highly Capable Hero As Long As Tora Behaved (Ushio & Tora)
Ushio & Tora is ultimately a story of the son of a temple priest who has to release and chaperone an unruly beast named Tora in order to save others, with him taking up the Beast Spear. A normal and kind-at-heart teenager, Ushio is thrust into a world out of his comfort zone with a deep dive into the spiritual realm alongside his unusual partner Tora.
The Beast Spear is more than just a spear, as it grants Ushio extraordinary magical powers and capabilities, making him more than capable of detaining Tora should he turn and betray his trust. With Beast Spear in hand, Ushio would be a formidable force when dealing with the waves, but his conflicting relationship with Tora always threatens to disrupt or distract him.
3 Following Her Defeat To Her Earth Land Counterpart, A More Merciful Erza Knightwalker Would Be A Prime Candidate For Spear Hero (Fairy Tail)
Erza is one of the strongest and most beloved characters from the stacked Fairy Tail roster. However, the Edolas Arc reveals a Fairy Tail Guild from a parallel universe, with very different versions of various characters, with Erza Scarlet's very own opposite, Erza Knightwalker.
The introduction of the Edolas version of Erza is rather shocking with her merciless authority and her hand in wiping out half of the Edolas Fairy Tail Guild. Knightwalker is eventually defeated by Erza Scarlet, which humbles and softens her somewhat, polishing the edges and leaving a strong soldier with much more humility and compassion. Knightwalker uses a magic spear and would certainly be a strong replacement for Motoyasu as the Spear Hero.
2 Whitebeard Would Simply Overwhelm The Waves With His Sheer Power & Presence (One Piece)
Edward Newgate became one of One Piece's most popular characters under his most commonly-known name of Whitebeard. Up until and including his death, Whitebeard was commanding with each appearance, with his colossal presence being so much more than just his hulking stature.
He commanded respect, but he also earned it with his formidable nature and apparent invincibility in battle. As well as possessing the powers of the Gura Gura no mi Devil Fruit — known as Tremor-Tremor or Quake-Quake in English — Whitebeard also wielded the colossal spear Murakumogiri, a large curved blade that was a perfect fit with his overwhelming size and power. Whitebeard was a hero in his own right, with him exclaiming that the One Piece was real before dying while still standing up being remembered as one of the greatest ever One Piece moments.
1 Balsa Would Be A Loyal Protector Until The End (Moribito)
Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit was initially a novel by Nahoko Uehashi, published in 1996 that eventually got an anime adaptation in 2007. Balsa is introduced as a spear-wielding wanderer tasked with protecting Prince Chagum. Her story and reason for fighting give an interesting layer of depth to her character, making her especially compelling.
Balsa's loyalty to Chagum and devotion to fulfilling the promises she has made are unwavering. Despite her often serious and cold demeanor, Balsa is truly caring and a perfect fit to be a bodyguard. This sense of duty and protection would make for a perfect Spear Hero candidate, with her being someone to make the people feel safe, above all else.