Crunchyroll is the world’s most famous anime streaming service, so naturally, they’re no stranger to some of the medium’s more controversial titles. Despite the objections of many fans, though, some of Crunchyroll’s most contentious titles rank among their most successful, and that’s certainly true for their eighth most popular anime series at the moment.

First released in 2019, The Rising of the Shield Hero is an isekai anime that has developed quite a reputation for itself. Shield Hero returned for its fourth season in July and concluded on September 24th, making it a fresh topic of conversation. With that popularity, however, comes a renewed conversation about the series and its plot.

The Rising Of The Shield Hero Beats Out Several Other Massive Series On Crunchyroll

In its spot at #8 among Crunchyroll’s most popular anime at the moment, it’s beating out critically acclaimed gems such as Dandadan, My Dress-Up Darling, and Spy x Family. That last one is particularly impressive. While Dandadan and My Dress-Up Darling ended their latest seasons in September, like Shield Hero, Spy x Family just started its newest season.

Though these rankings change constantly, and it’s far from guaranteed that The Rising of the Shield Hero will maintain its #8 spot, that’s still an impressive showing for a series with as much controversy behind it as Shield Hero.

Why The Rising Of The Shield Hero Still Ranks Among Crunchyroll’s Most Controversial Anime

Since its 2019 debut, The Rising of the Shield Hero has been met with an intense backlash. The isekai series focuses on a young man named Naofumi who is transported into a fantasy world and becomes the titular Shield Hero, much to the mockery of the three other heroes who are each associated with a different weapon.

While that’s a fairly standard premise for an isekai anime, what earns the series its divisive reputation is Naofumi’s relationship to his demi-human companion, Raphtalia. Raphtalia is Naofumi’s literal slave, a bond magically enforced by a slave curse.

Exacerbating matters is that Naofumi and Raphtalia’s relationship clearly has romantic undertones, despite the fact that she is only technically 10 years old.

Despite being ranked alongside Jobless Reincarnation as the most controversial isekai anime, Shield Hero has a devoted fanbase that is clearly sticking with it long after the series’ fourth season concluded. Though some may balk at The Rising of the Shield Hero, controversy hasn’t seemed to weigh it down as far as Crunchyroll is concerned.