A 'Perfect' New Anime Has Arrived - But Is It Really That Good?
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 has just started, and it should easily be dominating anime fan conversation right now. But as far as ratings go, there’s a surprise pretender to the shonen throne.
At a glance, Sentenced to be a Hero looked like it had potential even before it premiered. In a schedule typically overpopulated by sequel seasons, it was one of the few new names that seemed deserving of a top ten spot on my most anticipated shows of 2026 list.
Now, not only has the fantasy series distinguished itself by dropping a one-hour premiere, but that blockbuster episode has received an extraordinarily warm reception from viewers. Here’s more about Sentenced to be a Hero, what the hype is, and if it’s actually worth your time.
Sentenced to be a Hero’s ‘Perfect’ Viewer Scores
Not long after the first episode began streaming, Forbes reported that the anime was accruing critical acclaim from its viewership: a 9.4 on IMDb (which has dipped by one point since, at the time of writing), and even more improbably, five full stars based on 14,000 reviews on host streamer, Crunchyroll. This rave reception instantly catapults it into the same big leagues with long-reigning giants like One Piece and Attack on Titan, as well as newer smash-hits, like the aforementioned Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer and Solo Levelling.
What Is Sentenced to be a Hero About?
Sentenced to be a Hero: The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004, to give it its full, lengthier title, is based on a web novel of the same name, written by Rocket Shōkai and illustrated by Mephisto. Firmly in the dark fantasy genre, it takes place in a world that remixes the kind of Ren Faire aesthetic of a standard D&D game with the ‘magic punk’ technology of a Final Fantasy title. It also deploys ‘heroes’ like sacrificial lambs to the slaughter; the title being a punishment dished out to society’s most heinous criminals.
The show’s main protagonist is one such unfortunate soul, Xylo Forbartz, whose enforced military service has him in a desperate and never-ending battle against demon lords and their hordes. It’s a war he’ll be resurrected and sent back into each time he dies.
His main sidekick is Dotta, a compulsive thief, who steals a large box at the start of the story that is revealed to contain a sleeping goddess, Teoritta. If Xylo agrees to make a pact with her, she offers him her incredible power of sword summoning – all for a simple head pat in exchange. But will he give it to her? Will he heck.
Is Sentenced to be a Hero Worth the Hype?
It’s obviously difficult to totally judge something by its first episode – even a long first episode. Though these days, with streamers like Netflix so eager to wield the cancellation axe, it certainly feels like TV lives or dies on its earliest instalments. But I would say that, while I wasn’t quite as entranced by Sentenced to be a Hero as I was after watching the premieres of things like Attack on Titan, Spy x Family, and Chainsaw Man, I definitely agree it’s about as good as a first episode can be. In fact, its plotting, pacing, and characterisation are so taut and fleshed-out that it could easily function as a standalone OVA.
The animation, from the little-known Studio Kai, isn’t as mindblowing as what MAPPA or even Toei’s One Piece have been putting out, but I really like the look and feel of it, and appreciate the effort clearly put in to distinguish it from the rest of the isekai-esque slop pile. I’ll be interested in whether it can sustain this level of quality throughout its run; action-oriented anime has a tendency to unravel once its initial burst of ingenuity fizzes out.
One smaller detail I also really appreciate is how much Xylo exerts himself during the near-non-stop combat of the hour-long premiere. It’s normal for anime protagonists to shed some blood, sweat, and tears, but we’re also just as accustomed to them hacking their way through enemies like butter through toast with no visible toll. In Sentenced to be a Hero, Xylo is constantly panting, collapsing; he even passes out a few times. Yes, we still get those satisfying one-hit K.O power fantasy moments from him, but I love that this is counterbalanced by real, human exhaustion. It makes his wins feel that much more earned and his desperation excitingly palpable.
Should I Watch Sentenced to be a Hero?
Tower of God and Solo Levelling fans will naturally be drawn to the concept of an underdog hero fighting his way through a vicious, fantastical world with magical and modern flourishes. I also thought of Shield Hero while watching the premiere, not only because of Xylo’s characterisation, but also for the less (I hope) problematic version of the ‘master and servant’ dynamic between him and the goddess Teoritta. The ‘grizzled hero/cute but powerful sidekick’ duo is perennially popular, from Lone Wolf and Cub to the Lone Wolf and Cub-copying Mandalorian.
I’m also happy to report that if you like dungeon crawlers and dark fantasy hack ‘n’ slashers, Sentenced to be a Hero is very much both those things, and while it’s super tropey, those tropes are so well pulled off that they feel fresher than what you may have grown tired of. And if you’re a newcomer to all those things I’ve mentioned, but they sound appealing to you, all the better! This is about as solid an entry point into this kind of anime storytelling as you’re going to find.
