I spent the last hour thinking how to open this Sentenced to Be a Hero review outside of the typical “wow, where do I start?”…and came up with nothing, so I should definitely be punished for this sentence.
Besides loving the irony in the title, I was also attracted to it because of its explicit exploration of the concept of “hero.” Most of us are familiar with traditional themes that Marvel and DC have been putting out for the past two decades, but I’ve far more appreciated titles that sit deep within the grey: Heroes, The Boys, Gen V, and most recently, Chinese anime To Be Hero X, which you can also find exclusively on Crunchyroll.
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Anti-hero? Basic. Give me superheroes that kill other superheroes, heroes that kill non-supers (and somehow receive praise for it), heroes who make heroism their entire identity but eventually find out how much they’ve been manipulated by the most powerful organizations in society and in the end, can’t distinguish between what’s right or wrong anymore. The best hero stories are those that make you question their actions at every single turn.
From the title alone, Sentenced to Be a Hero appears to fall into the grey. Its premise is exactly what you expect it to be — in this fantasy world, the ultimate punishment for criminals isn’t to die, but rather, to be reborn as a hero who is branded and condemned by society. Read this spoiler-free review before you decide whether this anime is worth your confinement time.
Sentenced to Be a Hero anime: What to expect in the story
Originally a web novel published on Kakuyomu in 2020, Sentenced to Be a Hero is written by Rocket Shokai. It was then published as a light novel under ASCII Media Works’ Dengeki no Shin Bungei in 2021.
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A manga adaptation launched serialization in ASCII Media Works’ Dengeki Comic Regulus web magazine in March 2022 before receiving this anime adaptation that debuts on January 3, 2026. Both the novel and manga are still ongoing.
The story follows Xylo Forbartz (Yohei Azakami), a condemned goddess killer, who battles endless hordes of monstrous abominations as part of Penal Hero Unit 9004. There is no escape from death, only a cycle of resurrection and relentless combat.
But when Xylo encounters a mysterious new goddess, their unlikely alliance sparks a rebellion that could shatter the chains of eternal punishment.
What makes Sentenced to Be a Hero compelling is how it interrogates the cost of redemption in a system that commodifies strength. Rather than focusing solely on spectacle or action, the series leans into the psychological weight of obligation, control, and identity.
It asks whether someone forced into heroism can truly become one, or whether the sentence itself is just another form of confinement dressed up as justice.
Sentenced to Be a Hero review
Visuals, animation, and music shine in a darkened world
Why do fantasy anime and movies always open with a scene of a book written in a foreign script? Stereotypical starters aside, you’ll forget this opening as fast as the five seconds it was shown.
The series drops viewers straight into the action, introducing the recognizable, pink-haired Dotta Luzulas (Shun Horie) as he is being by mobs we do not yet understand.
You hear fast moving, high-pitched strings leading the orchestra to climax during Dotta’s near-death encounter that’s swiftly reduced to just vocals and drums when he is saved by protagonist Xylo Forbartz, reminiscent of the high fantasy soundtracks like Lord of the Rings and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End.
Usually, such arrangements are reserved for big battle scenes where we witness large armies clash in a narrative-altering fight when an arc peaks many more episodes into the season. I did not expect to be treated to such dramaticism during an isolated incident involving two characters just three minutes in!
Composed by Shunsuke Takizawa, best known for his work in multimedia franchise The iDOLM@STER, the Sentenced to Be a Hero anime is the first dark fantasy title in his repertoire. By all accounts, it feels like he intended to open the series with a bang to announce his entry into mainstream anime.
This musical dramaticism is paired perfectly with the incredibly detailed animations that use surprising yet very deliberate camera angles each time our “hero” Xylo makes a move. If you appreciate Jin Woo’s choreography in Solo Leveling season two and the jaw-dropping number of frames per second, you’ll definitely like how action is delivered in the Sentenced to Be a Hero anime.
Surprisingly, it is also animation studio Studio Kai’s first entry into dark fantasy. Best known for the now famous Uma Musume Pretty Derby anime, they’ve mostly produced shoujo titles alongside an entire 39-episode season of football anime, Captain Tsubasa: Junior Youth Arc.
Directed by Hiroyuki Takashima, who is responsible for key animations in single episodes in MAPPA’s Chainsaw Man, Banana Fish, and One Punch Man season 1, and many more from Akame ga Kill! and Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu, his experience certainly shines from episode one of Sentenced to Be a Hero. It’s as if all the players involved are here to prove they can do justice to this genre and this morally complex narrative despite their resume.
I must warn you though: the visual palette of Sentenced to Be a Hero is entirely befitting of its story and themes, leaning heavily on muted colors. As a consequence, the immersion might leave you feeling a bit heavy at times, as if you’re the one being sentenced and limited in this dreary world.
On the flip side, when there is high contrast, you’ll notice it right away, and eventually come to understand how colors play a large part in conveying irony in questionable situations.
And so for such a unique and vast universe that Rocket Shokai has created, there’s only so much backstory you’ll receive in episode one even though it’s already twice as long. Many worldly concepts are mentioned but not fully explained, which can leave you feeling unsettled.
We understand factions, alliances, and through visuals, directing, and music, we will very quickly find ourselves on Xylo’s side. But to fully appreciate the depth of the story, you’ll need a bit of patience and willingness to watch on.
To top off the hype in what may become one of the biggest titles this Winter season, the opening song is by none other than one of our favorite anisong bands, Spy Air! Titled “Kill the Noise,” it is musically very much a trademark Spy Air tune. Whether it’ll be as big of a hit as Imagination and Orange though, I have my reservations.
S-tier voice actors are key for complicated roles
Every time I write about voice actors I must first qualify that I’m a huge fan so that you understand the depth of my bias, and hopefully, be willing to dive in with me.
I’ve spent many hours listening to Yohei Azakami lately. Starting from his first major breakout role as Ron Kamonohashi in Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions in 2023, Aoi Todo in Oblivion Battery in 2024, and now Mydei in Honkai Star Rail in 2025, his career is finally starting to soar.
Playing Mydei in HoYoverse’s turn-based RPG is a big honor. The high-earning global hit is played and beloved by millions around the world. One of the two male leads alongside Phainon, he carries Amphoreus’ dense arc with hours and hours of dialogue, yearning, and brooding.
Like Mydei, Xylo is explosive — literally and metaphorically — when he gets all riled up. They’re both prisoners trapped in their lives, but Xylo expresses more angst. He’s also forced to make on the fly decisions, which you feel in between silent pauses and Azakami’s measured tone.
You will feel Xylo’s extent of unwillingness weighed against his conviction — even as a convict — in every situation through Azakami’s voice control that suits the role’s gravitas.
Azakami wasn’t originally cast as Xylo. In a 2021 PV that promotes the light novel, it is Yuichi Nakamura (Gojo Satoru in Jujutsu Kaisen, Hawks in My Hero Academia) who voices Xylo. But showing what he can do as Mydei, I’m not at all surprised that it is Azakami who takes center stage in the Sentenced to Be a Hero anime. After learning about Xylo, I’m sure you’ll agree the casting director made the perfect choice.
The male-domianted Sentenced to Be a Hero are full of other HoYoverse heavyweights, much to the delight of fans. Dotta is voiced by Shun Horie, who plays Aether, the male lead in Genshin Impact. Tatsuya is played by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Xiao, Genshin Impact), Venetim Leopool by Shunichi Toki (Freminet, Genshin Impact), Jayce Partiract by Shoya Chiba (Sethos, Genshin Impact) and of course, Yuichi Nakamura (Flins, Genshin Impact), who returns as Rhyno.
While I am rejoicing about having many male characters to savor, I don’t like the fact that we needed a token “cute anime girl” in Teoritta, who, surprise, surprise, contrasts with the protagonist in every way imaginable. A typical, repeated trope that’s overused in anime, I didn’t like her the moment she was introduced.
I’ve only watched the first two episodes, so honestly I’m not sure how much I can put up with her and what she represents. We’ll have to see. For a certain demographic of male viewers, I can only assume that her presence makes the anime much more palatable.
| SENTENCED TO BE A HERO REVIEW | SCORE |
| Story: narrative and writing | 7.5/10 |
| Characters | 7/10 |
| Visuals and animation | 9/10 |
| Music and sound | 8/10 |
| Pacing and structure | 8/10 |
| Overall | 7.9/10 |
Catch Sentenced to Be a Hero on Crunchyroll from January 3, 2026 with weekly episode releases.
