REVIEW: ‘Sentenced To Be A Hero’ Episode 4 — “Standby Order: Mureed Fortress”

Studio Kai’s Sentenced to Be A Hero Episode 4 surprises in many ways by being completely entertaining and interesting without a single action scene. The episode highlights some side characters, the world’s lore, and previously unknown details without losing focus or becoming boring.

Sentenced to Be A Hero Episode 4 begins as Xylo (Yôhei Azakami), Teoritta (Mayu Iizuka), and the group of heroes arrive at Mureed Fortress as part of their next assignment. The town in this fortress is having a festival called The Great Exchange, and Dotta (Shun Horie) and Venetim (Shunichi Toki) are taking a break and having a chat about how heroes don’t often get a chance to relax, while also pointing out how this brief reprieve is not for rest but to be on standby.

Meanwhile, Xylo has locked himself away in a nearby prison cell to read alone. However, he still gets bothered by Norgalle (Yôji Ueda) and Teo regardless. Teo asks to play a game of Zigg, this world’s version of Chess. He brushes her offer aside, and in their conversation, it’s revealed that Xylo loves poetry and explains the odd, fantastical poetry he’s reading. He also claims that if he never become a Holy Knight or a warrior, he would have been a poet, which understandably shocks Teo.

Sentenced to Be A Hero Episode 4 expands its lore and answers questions.

The scenes involving these four characters do an immaculate job of doing several things at once. Not only do they further develop the world by revealing the festival, board game, and peculiar poetry of this world, but they also reveal a surprising aspect about the protagonist, all in a fluid, seamless, and engaging way.

Teo and Xylo’s conversation is interrupted by Captain Kivia (Shizuka Ishigami), who requests an audience with Xylo. The three head out into the town, and a stand of shaved ice takes Teo’s attention. Kivia explains what it is to the two in a way that makes it clear that she loves sweets and cute things.

Teo leaves the two to get some for herself and Xylo, and they start a conversation without her. During their conversation, Kivia reveals that her opinion of Xylo has shifted in light of his recent heroics. She also reveals that forming a pact with Teo likely saved her and reveals that the Holy Knights were originally planning to kill and dissect her to learn more about goddesses in order to potentially mass-produce them, simply because, compared to the other goddesses, Teo isn’t as strong.

Kivia and Xylo’s conversation then provides some exposition. It reveals the goddesses’ origins, their distinct abilities, and that, before the death of Senerva and the discovery of Teo, there were twelve goddesses. It’s also revealed that Goddesses appear in response to the Demon Blight, which would explain why more are still being discovered.

“Standby Order: Mureed Fortress” tries to balance exposition with storytelling.

The most interesting revelation of all, however, is that Tatsuya was apparently transferred to the anime’s world by a goddess’s abilities, which would also explain why his name is the only name known so far to be Japanese, and likely means he was summoned here from Japan.

This detailed but short exposition dump does an even better job of showing how interesting the anime’s world is while also emphasizing the many moving parts of the series. It expands the anime’s world while also excellently providing answers to some questions posed in earlier episodes.

It also shows how well written the anime’s limited cast is. Kivia is notably suffering from the guilt of taking on the mission in Episode 1 that would’ve led to Teo’s death. Her body language and facial expressions from Studio Kai excellently portray her pain.

That said, more information about the origins of the war between the goddesses and demon lords, more details about the past civilization, details about Tatsuya’s past, and what deaths drove him mad would be some answers to look forward to in future episodes. Additionally, the plot to kill Teoritta and create new goddesses proves that the Holy Knights are cruel, but also that they can’t make goddesses and, so far, have only been able to find them.

Sentenced to Be A Hero Episode 4 keeps building on every episode, creating a larger world.

Kivia and Xylo end their conversation, and Xylo meets their commanding officer with Venetim. They are then given their next mission, to defend the fortress to “death” from an incoming Demon Blight known as Iblis, while the Holy Knights wait, rest, and serve as a last line of defense. The Holy Knights will then lead a charge with a goddess who uses poison.

The heroes are obviously being sent on a suicide mission due to nothing but malice and scorn. While Xylo is visibly upset and about to have a meltdown, Venetim not only calms the situation but also convinces the commander to change his plan and secures his group more men, weapons, and supplies.

This scene proves that, despite being useless in combat, Venetim remains useful as a hero thanks to his wit and charisma. Following this, a new flashback scene plays out. This scene reveals how Venetim, once a con man, was imprisoned and sentenced to be a hero.

This segment of Sentenced to Be a Hero Episode 4 gives the character more screen time, during which we learn he’s clever, charismatic, and knowledgeable enough to get things done, and those traits are likely what led him to become a con man. Unfortunately, those skills were also his downfall, as the Holy Knights feared his ability to uncover and expose the truth, as he once did when he wrote an article claiming the blighted had infiltrated the Holy Knights. However, this lie turned out to be true, and as a result, he was sentenced to be a hero so he could be silenced.

The Holy Knights take on new meaning in “Standby Order: Mureed Fortress.”

The flashback reveals a giant twist in a highly engaging way that also seemingly answers why the Holy Knights would be okay with killing a goddess despite the controversy it would cause. It also leaves even more questions, which gives viewers a great reason to tune in to future episodes.

Following this shocking reveal, the episode ends with the introduction of a new hero named Tsav, who we see cut off the arm of a swindler without batting an eye.

All in all, Sentenced to Be A Hero Episode 4 is another fantastic episode, one of the best so far. It manages to be entertaining and engaging from start to finish, thanks solely to its characters, dialogue, and world-building.

While this episode did not feature any fights, the production was still on par with previous episodes, and the music is especially notable. Each background song emphasizes each scene marvelously. Given all that the episode has set up, future episodes should be just as good, if not better.

Sentenced to Be a Hero Episode 4 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.