Crunchyroll’s Next Big Fantasy Hit Is A Perfect Break From Isekai Slop

January 4, 2026, 9:02am

Few anime genres are more controversial than isekai anime, and for good reason; not only is there always an overabundance of them, but with how often they follow the most basic power fantasy and escapism plots with little to no variety, it’s rare to find one that isn’t an utter slog to get through.

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Isekai anime have been a major source of slop in anime for over a decade, but that doesn’t mean there are never any straightforward fantasy anime to balance things out anymore. One new fantasy anime on Crunchyroll, in particular, is doing a great job of that, and anyone tired of isekai anime would be remiss not to check it out.

Why Isekai Haters Have To Watch Sentenced To Be A Hero

If there’s any anime isekai haters should be watching right now, it’s Studio Kai’s Sentenced to Be a Hero. Right off the bat, it’s a breath of fresh air for simply being about the characters of a fantasy world going on an adventure, with no hooks of reincarnation or transmigration needed to justify its plot.

The plot, of course, is the biggest draw to Sentenced to Be a Hero, as what’s presented is a dark war story where being a hero is a punishment and the goddesses guiding the heroes are artificial weapons. Add in a unique take on demons, and it’s a refreshingly dark story with just enough levity to avoid being completely depressing.

Tying it all together is an amazing production, with series director Hiroyuki Takashima using his experience on shows like SSSS.Dynazenon and Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation to deliver gorgeous animation and direction from start to finish. It all results in Sentenced to Be a Hero excelling both visually and narratively, and hopefully, the rest of the series will follow suit.

2026 Is Going To Be A Big Year For Traditional Fantasy Anime

As much as isekai anime have been dominating the fantasy genre over the past decade, traditional fantasy anime have been making a comeback in recent years, with shows like Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Delicious in Dungeon, and the Spice and Wolf reboot all being some of the biggest hits of the past few years.

That trend, of course, is continuing in 2026, as well; Sentenced to Be a Hero kicks off the year as a massive traditional fantasy story, and with shows like Witch Hat Atelier and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End season 2 coming out as well, it’s looking to be another great year for traditional fantasy fans.