Who is Rishia in Rising of the Shield Hero?

The Spring 2022 anime season has kicked off with a bang, as returning fan-favourite Rising of the Shield Hero debuted its first episode of the second season.

It's been a long time since we saw Naofumi, Raphtalia and the rest of the gang since the first season wrapped up its 25 episode-run back in 2019. As a result, many fans that aren't familiar with the manga have started to wonder who is the mysterious green-haired girl that hangs out alongside Naofumi's party.

Introduced making several small cameos during season 1, Rishia Ivyred is poised to become a central figure during season 2 of Rising of the Shield Hero. But who exactly is she?

Who is Rishia in Rising of Shield Hero?

Born into a fallen noble family, Rishia is a shy 17-year-old girl who originally accompanies Itsuki Kawasumi, the Bow Hero. After being wrongfully accused of breaking one of Itsuki's most precious accessories, she's cast out of his party. 

Sometime after that, Naofumi's crew finds her while trying to drown, with Filo saving her. Looking to help clear her name, Rishia joins the Shield Hero's party, setting up the events of season 2. 

While still far from fulfilling her potential, Rishia is a powerful magic user, capable of utilising for all sorts of things, in and out of combat. 

A huge reason why Naofumi decides to immediately welcome Rishia to his party is that the Shield Hero was wrongfully accused of things he also didn't commit. In his case, a sexual assault that never occurred barred him from receiving the full support of those he's tasked with defending.

As season 2 continues, we'll most likely see Rishia take a more prominent role in Rising of the Shield Hero, becoming more confident in her abilities as she evolves past being a simple servant, like she used to be for Itsuki's party. 

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There's also her devotion to Itsuki, which, despite being cast out by him, is an important part of why she wants to become stronger. Both to prove the rest of her former companions wrong and to show Itsuki her true worth.

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Featured image courtesy of OLM.