To Be Hero X, a donghua (Chinese animation) by Studio LAN, Pb Animation, and Paper Plane, introduces a new world protected by heroes who are gifted their powers by the public. However, while the trust value of heroes determines their strength, there are manipulative forces at work behind the scenes to shape those numbers according to the desires of certain individuals. And as people obsess over hero rankings, an ominous power grows with fear.
The opening half of To Be Hero X‘s first season dives into its world through the lens of several different heroes. Presented in an anthology format, the four characters that the show centers its stories on help explore the nature of heroes and the world, both in significant and subtle ways.
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The opening arc of the series follows everyday worker Lin Ling (Natsuki Hanae, Nier Automata ver1.1a), whose world gets turned upside down when he witnesses the suicide of fan favorite hero Nice. Being of a similar build to the now-deceased hero, Lin is forced to secretly take the hero’s place.
To Be Hero X gives audiences a new take on heroism.
This opening storyline is a brilliant way to introduce the inner workings of the world. Through Lin’s overwhelmed eyes, we learn about how trust powers heroes and the lengths PR agencies go to make their heroes as popular as possible. The work of heroes quickly becomes less about saving the public and more about rising through the ranks to become the coveted Hero X.
While this dive into the shady side of heroes would make a compelling story, To Be Hero X puts another twist into how heroes work when it introduces just how powerful people’s trust can be. It not just empowers the heroes, but can alter who they are.
The public perception of Nice is that he is perfect. In his stylish white and gold costume, the hero can do no wrong. As Lin becomes unconsciously accepted as Nice, he begins to become a perfectionist. This reflection of belief takes some disturbing turns. Like a hero who can’t lie down to sleep because the public believes he “always stands.”
To Be A Hero X Season 1 has a lot of lying, but also a lot of belief.
This unexpected wrinkle creates an aura of mutual guilt between everyone involved. PR companies manipulate people’s perceptions, and people manipulate the heroes, turning them into what they want, regardless of what it does to them. These revelations come back to the opening moments of the series, explaining why the original Nice would possibly make the choice he did.
While the initial four-episode arc dives deep into the larger world, To Be Hero X uses the rest of its opening half-season to follow three separate characters, exploring each’s unique journey to becoming a hero. Just like their predecessor arc, these stories are never clean-cut. Rather, they are full of twists and turns, as each character comes to grapple with the hidden forces that shape the superhero society.
The standout of the trio is Lucky Cyan (Inori Minase, takt op.Destiny). Cyan is an orphan girl who was the sole survivor of a plane crash when she was only a baby. Believed to be able to bless others with luck, the operator of the orphanage where she lives tries to use her to vicariously fulfill his dreams of heroism. As she enters her teens, she comes to rebel against the predetermined path her life seems set on.
Nice, isn’t the only important hero in To Be Hero X Season 1.
Her story shines so bright because of how the world’s view of her and her luck change repeatedly throughout her story. How she is praised, shunned, and ostracized in turn showcases the fickle nature of public opinion and the cruelty of subjecting a kid to it.
Even as all the personal journeys and heroic growth are happening, there is a dark power also forming in the background. Just as trust in this world empowers heroes, we learn that fear can empower villains. The dark auras of those enabled by this new force bring a dreadful energy to all their scenes. Its ominous nature hints at greater threats to come, despite some significant showings already in the opening stories.
Now that we’ve talked about the story and characters of To Be Hero X, we have to talk about the visual design. Just as the narrative takes a multi-tiered approach to storytelling, so too do the visuals. At least, until they don’t, which puts the animation in a unique predicament.
The visual style in this series pushes expectations of blending 3D and 2D art.
The opening arc is predominantly presented in 3D, computer-generated animation. This style looks great and captures the flair of the heroes and the menace of the dangers that rise to challenge Lin. But while it’s the dominant style, it’s far from the only one. Various forms of 2D animation show up throughout these episodes. Crafted to fit their sequences, these stylish variations add an extra level to the visual presentation.
However, once the first arc is in the rearview, the visual variety quickly wanes. The second arc uses the CGI style as well as a lovely 2D style, but with none of the one-shot animation variations the opening did. The final five episodes use only the main 2D style, forgoing any CGI at all.
In any other series, the 2D presentation would be nothing to complain about. It’s hands-down gorgeous. It delivers great dynamics to character motion while also bringing deep emotions and striking color palettes to the screen. But after seeing so much variety and experimentation in the beginning, this singular style, no matter how good, feels less than. Like the budget was getting out of control, and they had to dial it back.
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Complementing the visuals is an audio design that augments everything the story sets out to accomplish. From sound effects to music and voice acting, everything is fantastic. It brings an extra layer of hype to the biggest moments, and also draws extra impact from the story’s most personal scenes.
All of the above elements come together in episode twelve, ending the opening half of the season with the show’s biggest bang yet. An epic fight that brings both emotional weight and dramatic scale is crafted with world-class skill. The battle is as breathtaking as it is terrifying, closing the first half-season on a fantastic beat.
To Be Hero X is off to a phenomenal start. Deep storytelling, great characters, and gorgeous visuals come together to bring memorable narratives that feel like they are setting up even bigger things to come. Here’s hoping the back half of the season can keep the momentum going.
To Be Hero X Season 1 part 1 is streaming on Crunchyroll, with new episodes airing on Saturdays.
