The dark fantasy anime Sentenced to Be a Hero (Yūsha-kei ni Shosu), which premiered with an extended 60-minute Episode 1 on January 3, 2026, has adjusted its airing schedule.
Originally expected to continue weekly from January 10, the series has been delayed. Episode 2 is now set to air on January 15, 2026 (Thursday in Japan), with simulcast on Crunchyroll shifting to Thursdays moving forward.
The change, confirmed by Crunchyroll’s updated schedule and Japanese broadcast listings, appears to be a production or timing adjustment following the high-profile premiere. The anime, produced by Studio Kai and streaming exclusively on Crunchyroll with subtitles and same-day English dubs, continues to draw strong early praise for its gritty take on immortal “Heroes” serving brutal penal sentences in a fantasy world.
Fans can catch up on Episode 1 now while awaiting the next installment on January 15.
The anime also unveiled new cast members:
- Shōya Chiba as Jayce Partiract
- Yōko Hikasa as Neely
Stars of the anime include:
- Yōhei Azakami as Xylo Forbartz
- Mayu Iizuka as Teoritta
- Shizuka Ishigami as Patausche Kivia
- Shun Horie as Dotta Luzulas
- Shunichi Toki as Venetim Leopool
- Yōji Ueda as Noragalle Senridge
- Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Tatsuya
- Jun Fukushima as Tsav
Sentenced to be a Hero anime premiered on January 3, 2026.
Staff of the anime include:
- Hiroyuki Takashima as Director
- Animation Studio: Studio KAI
- Yoshitake Nakakōji as Assistant Director, and Creature Designer
- Kenta Ihara as Script Supervisor, and Writer
- Takeshi Noda as Character Designer
- Shunsuke Takizawa as Music Composer
- Nobutaka Ike is credited for Wordbuilding
- Kouta Sugawa as Prop Designer
Crafted by writer Rocket Shokai and brought to life with illustrations by Mephisto, Sentenced to Be a Hero: The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004 is a gripping Japanese light novel series. It first emerged as a web novel on Kakuyomu in October 2020, captivating readers with its unique premise. The series transitioned into a published light novel under ASCII Media Works’ Dengeki no Shin Bungei imprint starting in September 2021. A manga adaptation, expanding the story’s reach, began serialization in ASCII Media Works’ Dengeki Comic Regulus web magazine in March 2022.
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