A major highlight of the 2026 anime lineup, Sentenced to Be a Hero makes a strong debut with its bleak fantasy setting and an intense lineup of performances.
The Sentenced to Be a Hero voice actors play a crucial role in shaping its unforgiving world, giving depth and humanity to characters trapped in a relentless cycle of punishment, resurrection, and battle.
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Headlining the series is Yohei Azakami as Xylo Forbartz, the infamous goddess killer forced into eternal service with Penal Hero Unit 9004. He’s joined by a strong supporting lineup that adds emotional weight and menace to the anime’s grim tone and high-stakes battles.
Originally published as a web novel on Kakuyomu in 2020, Sentenced to Be a Hero: The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004 is written by Rocket Shokai and later released as a light novel under ASCII Media Works’ Dengeki no Shin Bungei imprint in 2021.
What you need to know about Sentenced to Be a Hero anime
Sentenced to Be a Hero received an anime adaptation produced by Studio Kai, directed by Hiroyuki Takashima, with Kenta Ihara overseeing series composition, Takeshi Noda handling character design, and Shunsuke Takizawa composing the music. The anime officially debuted on January 3, 2026.
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Trapped in an unforgiving system where execution is replaced by endless resurrection, Xylo is sent to the front lines to battle grotesque abominations without reprieve.
In this brutal cycle of death and rebirth, there is no escape—only relentless combat and the slow erosion of what it truly means to be a hero.
Full list of Japanese Sentenced to Be a Hero voice actors
| SENTENCED TO BE A HERO CHARACTERS | DESCRIPTION | SENTENCED TO BE A HERO VOICE ACTORS (JAPANESE) | OTHER FAMOUS ROLES |
 Xylo Forbartz | A notorious goddess killer sentenced to fight as a hero. Hardened by experience and emotionally guarded, he faces an unending loop of death and revival. |  Yohei Azakami | Mydei (Honkai Star Rail) Ron Kamonohashi (Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions) Aoi Todo (Oblivion Battery) Kenyu Otaguro (Bungo Stray Dogs 4) Akihito Takigawa (Solo Camping for Two) |
 Dotta Luzulas | A cunning and ruthless strategist whose ambition drives him to manipulate others and exploit every opportunity for power. |  Shun Horie | Aether (Genshin Impact) Taro Tanaka (Blue Miburo) Migi (Migi and Dali) Kai Minamisawa (World Trigger Season 2) Kazuya Kinoshita (Rent-A-Girlfriend Season 2) Sariel (The Seven Deadly Sins) |
 Teoritta | The thirteenth goddess is a golden-haired child with fire-red eyes and the power to summon a vast array of mystical swords, her survival depends on Xylo. |  Mayu Iizuka | Rina (Million Doll) Airi Eniwa (Cue!) |
 Patausche Kivia | Captain of the Thirteenth Order of the Holy Knights, she takes a fearless approach to danger and faces every fight head-on, often inspiring those around her. |  Shizuka Ishigami | Laufen (Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End) Nerimaki (KonoSuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World!) Rekka Rin (86) |
 Venetim Leopool | Venetim is the flashy but cowardly commander of Penal Hero Unit 9004, whose charm masks his ineptitude and criminal past. |  Shunichi Toki | Kazutora Hanemiya (Tokyo Revengers) Freminet (Genshin Impact) Mikado Momodera (Tougen Anki) |
 Tatsuya | A mysterious, hulking, and nearly speechless veteran of Penal Hero Unit 9004, whose repeated deaths and resurrections have eroded his identity, leaving him to communicate only through groans and expressions. |  Yoshitsugu Matsuoka | Sword Art Online (Kirito) Inosuke Hashibira (Demon Slayer) Xiao (Genshin Impact) Zanka Nijiku (Gachiakuta) Takashi Mitsuya (Tokyo Revengers) Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti (Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World) Vash the Stampede (Trigun Stampede) Jingo Raichi (Blue Lock) |
 Norgalle Senridge | Norgalle is the pompous yet skilled engineer of Penal Hero Unit 9004, who insists he is the rightful king of the Federated Kingdom. He shows genuine humility toward the goddess, Teoritta. |  Yoji Ueda | Eisen (Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End) Retsu (Street Fighter 6) Oetsu Nimaiya (Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War) Alexis Leskinen (Steins;Gate 0) Leif Ericson (Vinland Saga) Charlie Dickenson (Banana Fish) |
 Tsav | A cheerful yet unpredictable sniper of Penal Hero Unit 9004, Tsav is a former assassin prodigy whose genius is matched only by his reckless tendencies and loose grip on morality. |  Jun Fukushima | Shoukichi Naruko (Yowamushi Pedal) Kotoura-san (Yoshihisa Manabe) Kazuma Sato (KonoSuba) Formaggio (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind) |
 Rhyno | An unpredictable and eccentric member of Penal Hero Unit 9004, Rhyno has an unsettling demeanor. His voluntary enlistment makes him even more mysterious. |  Yuichi Nakamura | Gojo Satoru (Jujutsu Kaisen) Hawks (My Hero Academia) Tetsuro Kuroo (Haikyu!!) Houtarou Oreki (Hyouka) Tomoya Okazaki (Clannad) Tatsuya Shiba (The Irregular at Magic High School) Flins (Genshin Impact) Valentin Voda (Code Vein II) |
 Jayce Partiract | Jayce is a dragon-obsessed member of Penal Hero Unit 9004 who, after leading a draconic rebellion and engaging in drug trafficking, now serves as a reluctant hero alongside his allies while remaining devoted solely to his dragons—especially his favorite, Neely. |  Shoya Chiba | Sethos (Genshin Impact) Akihiko Nirei (Wind Breaker) Taiki Inomata (Blue Box) Sigma (Bungo Stray Dogs 4) Eiji Mishima (Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Disturbance) Lucas Wykes (The Beginning After the End) Sing Soo-Ling (Banana Fish) Yu (Fire Force) |
Full list of English Sentenced to Be a Hero voice actors
| SENTENCED TO BE A HERO CHARACTERS | SENTENCED TO BE A HERO VOICE ACTORS (ENGLISH) | OTHER FAMOUS ROLES |
Xylo Forbartz |  David Matranga | Shoto Todoroki (My Hero Academia) Teru Minamoto (Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun) Bertholdt Hoover (Attack on Titan) Yutaro Kindaichi (Haikyuu!!) Ken Masters (Street Fighter 6) |
Dotta Luzulas |  Joshua Waters | Phainon (Honkai Star Rail) Klein Moretti (Lord of Mysteries) Miyano (Sasaki and Miyano) The Quadruplets (Tribe Nine) Anthony Woodville (Requiem of the Rose King) Shiraishi (Prince of Tennis) |
Teoritta |  Emi Lo | Columbina (Genshin Impact) Ruan Mei (Honkai Star Rail) Lucy (Cyberpunk: Edgerunners) Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries) Han Song-yi (Solo Leveling) |
Patausche Kivia |  Dawn M. Bennett | Aigis (Persona 3 Reload) Arnes (KonoSuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World!) Lusamine (Pokemon Evolutions) Emilia Ludowell (The Misfit of Demon King Academy) Kou (Kono Oto Tomare! Sounds of Life) |
Venetim Leopool |  Jessie James Grelle | Nobuchika Ginoza (Psycho-Pass) Armin Arlert (Attack on Titan) Fumikage Tokoyami (My Hero Academia) Yuri Katsuki (Yuri on Ice) |
Where to watch Sentenced to Be a Hero
Catch Sentenced to Be a Hero anime streaming on Crunchyroll and Netflix with weekly episode releases.
