Action fantasy has long been one of anime’s most-watched genres. It pulls viewers into worlds where rivalries burn, friendships shift, and new powers emerge in moments of crisis. To Be Hero X takes inspiration from these familiar elements; however, it executes them with a unique style. The anime is produced in China, and its bold fusion of 2D and 3D animation makes every sequence visually unique. With the story still unfolding, it is only natural to find yourself craving more. If that’s you, these ten anime deserve a place on your watchlist.
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Although each of these series offers its own unique world, they are all rooted in the action-fantasy genre. For instance, Fate/Grand Order focuses on myths and legends, building fierce battles on a grander scale. Space Dandy takes a more sci-fi approach, following wild space adventures that often end in deeply impactful moments. Black Clover features the classic rivalry of two friends, turning it into both funny moments and a push toward their mutual goal. My Hero Academia shows how excruciating the burden of being a hero can feel in a world that heavily regulates it.
10) Fate/Grand Order
Fate/Grand Order follows Ritsuka Fujimaru, a new Master at Chaldea. Alongside him is Mash Kyrielight, a demi-servant who serves as both his partner and shield. When humanity faces extinction due to anomalies in the timeline, Ritsuka and Mash utilize Rayshifting to transfer their souls into different time periods, which allows them to correct the Singularities and restore the Human Orders.
Both To Be Hero X and Fate/Grand Order tie a hero’s strength to humanity. In To Be Hero X, trust from the public fuels power. While in Fate/Grand Order, Servants draw strength from the legends remembered by people. Both series pressure their characters in different ways: Lin Ling must uphold a flawless public image, while Mash bears the weight of destiny and legacy. Coming to the action, To Be Hero X offered many funny and wild battles, while Fate/Grand Order has more thoughtful and strategic fights. But both appeal to fans of the action fantasy genre.
9) Dungeon (or DanMachi)
If you liked To Be Hero X’s portrayal of how public faith shapes power, then DanMachi offers a similar fantasy world but with a divine twist. In To Be Hero X, Nice rises and falls depending on how much the public believes in him. This system consequently forces heroes into biennial tournaments to maintain their rank and recognition. DanMachi works on a familiar principle, but instead of public faith, adventurers grow through the blessings of the gods.
The story follows Bell Cranel, a rookie adventurer who joins the Familia of the goddess Hestia. With her blessing, he enters the dangerous Dungeon beneath Orario. This is where adventurers fight monsters to gain experience and climb in status. Bell begins weak but dreams of becoming a great hero, pushing himself closer to that goal with every battle.
8) Devilman Crybaby
Devilman Crybaby follows Akira Fudo, a high school student whose life changes drastically after reuniting with his childhood friend, Ryo Asuka. Akira becomes a Devilman, a strange hybrid creature possessing the immense strength of a demon but retaining the heart of a human. Like Lin Ling in To Be Hero X, Akira is alienated by his transformation, forcing him to navigate a new world. Both protagonists struggle with internal conflict while enduring heavy loss and betrayal.
However, the scale and nature of these struggles differ. While Lin Ling fights a flawed superhero system, Akira faces a literal Armageddon orchestrated by demons and humanity’s own cruelty. Both shows share themes of alienation. But Devilman Crybaby pushes these familiar ideas to a much darker extreme. Due to this raw content and brutal themes, the series is primarily intended for mature audiences.
7) Space Dandy
Like To Be Hero X, Space Dandy is a series that experiments with changing animation styles and a reality-defying story. In To Be Hero X, Lin Ling inherits the role of a fallen hero and uncovers the hidden truths of a flawed hero system. In a similar way, Space Dandy follows the carefree alien hunter Dandy through bizarre adventures across the galaxy. But his random quests connect to a larger cosmic game tied to his identity and reality itself.
You’ll also notice how Space Dandy shifts tone often, switching abruptly from light comedy to serious themes. This is similar to To Be Hero X’s constantly shifting themes. And much like Lin Ling, Dandy also has a surprisingly deep backstory.
6) Black Clover
In Black Clover, Asta and his rival Yuno vow to become the Wizard King, the strongest mage in the Clover Kingdom. Despite lacking magic, Asta receives a rare five-leaf clover grimoire that grants him anti-magic abilities. This gives him a chance to compete with Yuno and chase their shared dream.
Both Black Clover and To Be Hero X feature protagonists who begin as underdogs in worlds ruled by magical or superhuman abilities. Asta, born without magic, and Lin Ling, an ordinary office worker, both challenge systems that reject them. Each hero discovers a unique power that helps them stand out: Asta gains anti-magic while Lin Ling inherits a cursed hero identity. In the end, both fight for a place in worlds determined to keep them down.
5) My Hero Academia
Compared to the dark world of To Be Hero X, My Hero Academia offers a more classic take on superhero society. Like Lin Ling, Izuku Midoriya starts with no powers but inherits a legacy from his idol, All Might, who chooses him as his successor. Instead of navigating a system built on manipulation from the get-go, however, Izuku first trains at U.A. High, a school that focuses on training future pro heroes.
Despite this, there are cracks in My Hero Academia’s hero world that make it surprisingly similar to To Be Hero X’s. This anime also has televised tournaments to showcase their heroes abilities and publicly rank them. Furthermore, both series feature a tightly organized professional hero system and the immense burden of inherited power, as shown when Izuku inherits One For All.
4) Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners follows David Martinez. A street kid who loses his mother and becomes a mercenary to survive Night City’s corporate world. Only to spiral into cybernetic addiction and tragedy.
If you liked how To Be Hero X explored the darker side of heroism, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a natural follow-up. Both stories center on flawed individuals trapped in exploitative systems that strip away the supposed glamour of power. Just as Lin Ling is worn down by the burden of being Nice, David too is ultimately discarded by Night City’s mega corporations.
3) Link Click
Link Click and To Be Hero X come from the same director: Li Haoling. Both anime use a mix of humor and action to reveal darker truths. Link Click’s plot follows Cheng Xiaoshi and his friend Lu Guang, who use mysterious powers to step into photographs and complete tasks for clients. But changing the past often alters the future in painful and unpredictable ways.
Link Click begins with simple photo requests but quickly escalates into a tense mystery. Much like To Be Hero X, it too follows flawed characters who pay a hefty cost for their extraordinary abilities. With Cheng Xiaoshi scarred by reliving memories and Lin Ling burdened by his role as Nice.
2) Mob Psycho 100
Fans of To Be Hero X will find a similar kind of story in Mob Psycho 100, though told in a much more personal way. Instead of Lin Ling fighting to keep up a perfect image built on public trust, Mob struggles with the pressure of his own psychic powers. But what makes these two stories so similar is how each character holds incredible strength, but both rely on mentors who are far from perfect.
Lin Ling looks to the legacy of past heroes, while Mob learns from Reigen, a con artist who still manages to guide him. The wild and stylish battles of To Be Hero X mirror the ones in Mob Psycho 100 to a certain degree, where fights can quickly change in scale according to Mob’s emotions. This makes the transition between the two shows feel natural, as both explore the journey of an unlikely struggling hero.
1) One Piece
Compared with To Be Hero X, One Piece is also a social critique, though on a much bigger scale. The series follows Monkey D. Luffy, a carefree but determined pirate who sails with his crew in search of the legendary treasure known as the One Piece. Both stories shed light on how reputation can be manipulated to control others.
Lin Ling is a reluctant hero trapped in a system that monetizes public trust, while Luffy’s growing fame becomes a political weapon, marking him as a threat to a corrupt World Government. Luffy’s clashes with injustice form some of the most powerful arcs in the story. Where To Be Hero X uses satirical action to drive its flashy battles, One Piece uses its action for much darker themes like injustice and oppression.
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