REVIEW: ‘Sentenced To Be A Hero’ Episode 2 — “Sentence: Clear The Zewan Gan Tunnels Part 1”

Sentenced To Be A Hero Episode 2 introduces new characters to the cast, further establishes the anime’s world details and lore, and showcases some excellent animation and art direction. Sentenced To Be A Hero Episode 2 sees (Yôhei Azakami), Teoritta (Mayu Iizuka), and other heroes tasked to venture into the Zewan Gan Tunnels, a mine taken over by demon blight, and clear out the Faeries in it.

Two new heroes are introduced to the cast, namely Tatsuya, a seasoned hero who’s now turned mad from being resurrected so many times, and Norgalle, a previous member of the “Academy” who is convinced he is the next ruler of the kingdom.

He committed a large terrorist attack against his “usurpers,” leading him to be sentenced as a hero. Despite his questionable mental faculties, Norgalle is adept at creating Sacred Seals, which allow all manner of magical abilities, from using elements constructively and destructively to crafting exploding weapons seen in the previous episode.

Captain Kivia is tasked with following the heroes in Sentenced To Be A Hero Episode 2.

Teo and the heroes discuss the seals and their mission on the way to the village, and the wide shot of them crossing a bridge over snowy terrain, with the snowy valley in the background, looks impeccable, showcasing amazing art direction.

As the heroes head to their destination, the scene switches to Captain Kivia (Shizuka Ishigami), who is tasked by one of her superiors with following the heroes into the mine after they clear it. He reveals that the Demon Blight has turned half of the habitable land in the kingdom unusable.

As the previous episode established, there are several demon lords, creatures that spread demon blight, which has been progressively worsening since the first of them appeared. While clearly framed as a break for exposition, the anime does a great job of including these scenes in the episode to further establish the narrative and world details in an engaging and not too exposition-heavy way.

Studio Kai showcases explosive fight composition as the group heads into the mine.

Xylo and the heroes reach the village and discover that some miners were trapped in the mine and weren’t evacuated quickly enough, leaving them blighted and turning them to Faeries. Even stranger, the village isn’t fully evacuated, with some villagers hoping their family members would return from the mine. This leads Xylo to become suspicious of the mission’s true nature and the Holy Knights’ real interest in the mine.

The group heads into the mine, and Tatsuya effortlessly kills a group of humans turned Faeries. This short scene showcases explosive fight composition and animation from Studio Kai. It also shows the intricately detailed designs of the turned humans, especially after they were all split and decapitated. It also reveals how humans can turn to the Faeries because of the blight, and that this is the first time the Holy Knights have witnessed it happening.

Little character details enhance the episode’s animation quality.

Kivia meets Xylo and the others at the mine, and the two discuss the mission and Xylo’s suspicions, which are quickly brushed off. They then discover that some miners are still stuck in the mine, and despite his reservations and the Holy Knights’ unwillingness to help, Xylo caves to Norgalle and Teo’s wishes to save them. The episode ends with him heading into the mines without Teo, given the risks involved.

The many slight movements when the characters are speaking are worth noting. They’re a nice detailed touch that enhances the episode’s animation quality and viewing experience. The only visual element that isn’t as great are its sketchy character designs, which make them look not very detailed, but are great regardless due to their unique aesthetic.

Overall, Sentenced To Be A Hero Episode 2 is a highly engaging episode that effectively provides more narrative and world-building details while remaining entertaining through its fights and characters.

Sentenced to Be a Hero Episode 2 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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