Image via Studio KAI
The two lead cast members and other details of the upcoming anime were finally revealed.
Based on a popular light novel series titled Sentenced to Be a Hero: The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004, written by Rocket Shokai and illustrated by Mephisto, the dark fantasy series finally revealed a tentative release window. Although the first trailer of Sentenced to Be a Hero came out back in March 2024, fans didn’t have many updates about it afterwards. Thankfully, on January 14, 2025, the anime released a new teaser visual and announced that it will be released sometime this year.
The latest update revealed the second teaser visual of the show, as well as two new cast members. As per the announcement, Yōhei Azakami, known for his work as Iwan Karaev in Kengan Ashura and Masayoshi Hashimoto in Classroom of the Elite, will be voicing the protagonist Xylo Forbartz. On the other hand, Mayu Iizuka, known for voicing Akane Nimura in Sakura Trick and Rina in Million Doll, has been cast as Teoritta. Studio KAI is the production house behind the anime, but the staff members have yet to be confirmed.
As per the novel, the story takes place in a world where heroism is the punishment saved for the worst of criminals. Once sentenced, they have to fight the demons that threaten to lay waste to civilisation. If you die, you will be revived and forced to battle forever. One such criminal turned hero Forbartz, who is a goddess killer, meets a new goddess Teoritta. The two form a pact that can actually change the whole world. With its gritty action and mysterious plot, the audience has a lot of expectations from this show.
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