Summary
Naofumi Iwatani serves as the central protagonist of The Rising of the Shield Hero. Originally a nineteen-year-old university student from Japan, he was summoned to the world of Melromarc as one of the four Cardinal Heroes tasked with fighting off the Waves of Calamity. Despite his role, he was summoned with the Legendary Shield and is widely considered the weakest of the heroes, particularly by the populace of Melromarc and Lurolona Village. His status led to widespread refusal from others to ally with him, with the sole exception of Myne Sophia. However, Myne falsely accused him of sexual assault, resulting in the loss of his dignity and all his funds. This betrayal transformed the formerly cheerful Naofumi into a cynical individual who lost the capacity to trust others. He eventually purchased the slave Raphtalia and the bird Filo, yet he treats them as daughters rather than property.
