REVIEW: ‘Sentenced To Be A Hero’ Episode 1 — “Sentence: Support Retreat From Couveunge Forest”

Sentenced to Be a Hero is one of the most anticipated anime this year, in a year already filled with some juggernaut titles. Sentenced to Be a Her Episode 1 is not unlike many fantasy anime of recent years, but it distinguishes itself with its impeccable animation, character designs, and worldbuilding.

Sentenced to Be a Hero Episode 1, as the name suggests, is set in a world where criminals are sentenced to be heroes. However, unlike the traditional sense, these heroes are not righteous warriors who put their lives on the line to protect the weak, but rather are indentured and enslaved soldiers who work under the order of the Holy Knights. Despite being equipped with fighting tools, they are basically sacrificed constantly as foot soldiers.

When they die, they are revived to continue their sentence, and this cycle continues as many times as possible throughout their eternal sentence. For years, the Knights and Heroes fight the forces of several Demon Lords who use a mind-altering mass known as the Demon Blight to control monsters called Faeries.

Sentenced to Be a Hero Episode 1 provides a concise introduction to the anime.

The story follows Xylo Forbartz (Yôhei Azakami), a recently sentenced hero, and his associate Dotta (Shun Horie). The first episode sees the two on a mission to assist a group of Holy Knights with their retreat from a massive Faerie invasion.

During this mission, Dotta steals a coffin from some Knights sent to protect and deliver it. They open it and discover a Goddess called Teoritta (Mayu Iizuka), one of the many powerful weapons created by humanity to fight against the Demon Lords’ threat. Despite his disdain for Goddesses, Teoritta claims Xylo as her new knight, and only he can wield her as a weapon to fight the demon lords.

Sentenced to Be a Hero Episode 1 is an hour-long premiere that does an excellent job of providing a concise, well-paced introduction to the anime. It seamlessly introduces the protagonist, his background, the world, and the major threat it faces.

Interesting worldbuilding sets Sentenced to Be a Hero Episode 1 up for success.

The story so far is substantial and serviceable. However, it doesn’t do much to break the mold set by many fantasy anime of this era. The main concept of humans desperately fighting for survival against the monolithic threat of the demon lords is not new to the genre.

To top things off, it’s revealed at the end of the episode that Xylo’s main goal is to seek revenge on the Holy Knights who framed him during a mission that went wrong and sentenced him to be a Hero. The revenge motive is a tired narrative trope in the dark fantasy genre, and its inclusion in this anime makes it very similar to other works in the genre.

Sentenced to Be a Hero Episode 1 subverts a lot of fantasy tropes.

Additionally, the characters are noticeably tropey. Xylo is your typical angry protagonist seeking revenge, and Torietta is the typical cute but shockingly powerful loli. However, every other element of Sentenced to Be a Hero Episode 1 works incredibly well so far, such as its narrative subversion of typical tropes. While elements like heroes and demon lords are far from new, the anime’s portrayal of them is incredibly interesting and is further enhanced by its worldbuilding.

However, the best part of the episode has to be its immaculate production from Kai Studios. The anime features crisp visuals, intricate motions, impeccable composition, and explosive, engaging effects, most notably in the scene where Teoritta finally shows off her powers. The first episode also shows off fantastic character designs for the Knights, the Goddesses, and even Xylo, with his unique outfit and tattoos.

Unique weapon concepts add to the medieval setting.

The anime also features unique weapon concepts. The first episode sees the Holy Knights fend off thousands of Faeries with medieval-looking weapons, infused with magical and modern tech twists, such as exploding swords, sabers, and spears, laser-shooting trebuchets, advanced magic bombs, and more. Despite some derivative narrative elements, the anime’s worldbuilding and designs make it incredibly engaging and set it apart from others like it.

Lastly, Sentenced to Be a Hero episode 1 has immaculate pacing. The hour-long premiere does a fantastic job of providing a prologue that’s a complete package. It introduces the core elements and answers questions seamlessly and engagingly. If the rest of the season is as entertaining as the first episode, the anime will not only live up to expectations but also rank among the best this season.

Sentenced to Be a Hero Episode 1 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.