After commencing serialisation in 2020 and winning multiple awards such as 2020 Kakuyomu Awards, 2021 Tsugirano Awards and This Light Novel is Amazing! 2023 — Kadokawa has announced they are working with the light novel’s creatives Rocket Shokai and Mephisto to adapt Sentenced to Be a Hero (勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録) into a TV anime in the future. This announcement came with not only a key visual (pictured to the left), but also a teaser trailer (below) and more.
The anime adaptation will be produced by Studio KAI, the studio behind shows including Uma Musume Pretty Derby 2nd Season / 3rd Season, 7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy!, Fuuto PI and Shine Post among others.
The “Sentenced to Be a Hero” novel series by Rocket Shokai is a dark fantasy where Heroes—criminals sentenced to heroism service in a penal military unit—must wage war against a demon king’s army. The series began in October 2020 on the self-publishing site kakuyomu.jp, and by September 2021 it had received an official release with illustrations by MEPHISTO under Kadokawa’s Dengeki no Shin Bungei imprint.
The series takes place in a world where “Hero” is the worst punishment imaginable. For those convicted of heinous crimes, they are sentenced to become a “Hero” and forced to enter the mandatory military service in the war against the Demon Lords. These convicts are not even allowed to die—if killed, they will be resurrected to fight another day.
Hero Xylo Forbartz, former head of the Order of the Holy Knights, leads a penal unit of deplorables fighting on the front lines. It’s in these direst of circumstances that he meets Teoritta, one of the world’s the strongest weapons.
“When every last enemy has been defeated, you are to shower me with praise and pat my head.”
In order to survive and to take revenge on those who wronged him, he makes a pact with the goddess and launches headfirst into a maelstrom of war and intrigue.
This news also saw new statements released by the light novel and manga adaptation’s creatives:
Rocket Shokai
I was so happy to see it animated that I went to eat ramen. The ramen was made with broth from grilled dried flying fish.
The slightly bitter, savory broth was well mixed with the medium-thin noodles and the flavor of the iwanori toppings added to it gave it a multilayered satisfaction.
I am confident that the animated version of “Sentenced to Be a Hero” will have this same synergistic effect.
MEPHISTO
Congratulations on the anime adaptation of “Sentence to Be a Hero”!
Given the extremely high motivation of the animation staff, I have a strong feeling that a great work of art will be produced!
I can’t wait to see Xylo and his friends in action……!
Natsumi Inoue (Manga Artist)
Congratulations on the anime adaptation of “Sentenced to Be a Hero”!
The original novel by Rocket Shokai is so cool and exhilarating that I can’t stop reading, and
I love the illustrations by MEPHISTO so much that I can’t stop admiring them, so I’m sure the anime will be great too…!
I can’t wait for it to start airing!
Additionally, other celebratory messages from authors and artists have also come in to coincide with the anime adaptation’s announcement:
Novelist: Keiso (Origiranl author of “Ishura”, published by Dengeki no Shin Bungei)
Don’t you want to see the evilest, strongest, funniest people you can find!?
Novelist: Bokuto Uno (Original author of “Reign of the Seven Spellblades”, published by Dengeki Bunko)
A wide variety of villains who survive in a severe and dark world.
This is a good “attack”; I can’t help but recommend it.
Novelist: Rokudo Ningen (Original author of “You Can’t See the Snow”, published by Media Works Bunko and “Star Shaker”, published by Hayakawa Shobo)
It’s too funny, but that’s not all.
This is a critique dressed in the skin of a light novel, a deconstruction of the tale of a brave demon king.
Novelist: Natsuya Semikawa (Original author of “Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu” published by Takarajimasha Bunko)
This so interesting, won’t it be charged with some crime……?
Scenaio Writer: Kafka Asagiri (Original author of “Bungo Stray Dogs”, published by KADOKAWA Comics Ace)
Oh, come on, what’s this, it’s outrageously funny.
Illustrator: PALOW.
Manga artist: Chika Ogaki
Manga artist: Nakashima723
Official Imagery Credit: ©2024 Rocket Shokai/KADOKAWA/Project Sentenced to Be a Hero
All other imagery belongs to the respective artist associated with the artwork.
