The Sentenced to Be a Hero event at Kadokawa’s AnimeJapan 2025 stage today released a brand-new trailer and key visual, confimring both an October 2025 broadcast and the action fantasy anime’s production staff. The new trailer also provides a first preview of the series’ cast, which includes:
Xylo voiced by Yohei Azakami
Teoritta voiced by Mayu Iizuka
Patausche voiced by Shizuka Ishigami
Dotta voiced by Shun Horie
Venetim voiced by Shunichi Toki
Sentenced to Be a Hero Anime Trailer
Sentenced to Be a Hero Anime Key Visual
Rocket Shokai began the series on the Kakuyomu website in October 2020, with physical volumes featuring illustrations by Mephisto beginning in September 2021, with seven volumes released in Japan to date. A manga adaptation illustrated by Natsumi Inoue began in March 2022, with two volumes released in Japan to date.
Hiroyuki Takashima (Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation animation director) directs Sentenced to Be a Hero at Studio KAI, with series composition by Kenta Ihara (Saga of Tanya the Evil), character designs by Takeru Noda and music by Shunsuke Takizawa (Kemono Michi: Rise Up). Yoshitake Nakakoji serves as assistant director and creature designer, Nobutaka Ike serves as world designer and Kota Sugawa serves as prop designer.
Yen Press publishes an official English version of the original light novels and describes the story:
Heroism—a punishment for only the worst criminals. Those sentenced to the fate of a hero are forced to fight on the front lines against deadly centers of contagion that rot the land and turn its creatures into roving armies of violent beasts. And if a hero dies, their only reward is being brought back to life so they can continue the never-ending battle. But when Xylo Forbartz, a member of Penal Hero Unit 9004 and a convicted goddess killer, comes face-to-face with a new goddess, the pact they forge might just be enough to change the world…
Source: Press Release
