This year has been absolutely stacked with great anime. We’ve already been treated to Solo Leveling and Lazarus, among many others. And the summer anime season sees the return of giant series, like Kaiju No. 8, My Dress-Up Darling, Demon Slayer, and Dandadan, along with some highly anticipated new releases, like Gachiakuta. But, not every new series has hit its release window, and 2025 has claimed its next casualty, as one of the most promising new series has been hit with a big delay.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Sentenced to Be a Hero, based on the light novel Sentenced to Be a Hero: The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004 by Rocket Shokai, was billed as one of the biggest new releases of 2025. But, the series has been sentenced to a major delay. Unfortunately, fans of the light novels and those who were swayed by the jaw-dropping trailers will have to wait a while longer to see Studio Kai’s anime adaptation.
Sentenced to Be a Hero Is Delayed Until 2026
Kadokawa announced that the premiere of Sentenced to Be a Hero has been pushed back by several months. The series will debut sometime in January 2026. The cause of the delays is due to production issues, and Studio Kai made the decision to delay the series to improve the show’s overall quality. Sentenced to Be a Hero was initially slated for release in October 2025. An exact release date has not been revealed.
However, it’s not all bad news. To make up for the delay, Kadokawa and Studio Kai are making the show’s premiere even bigger than before. Sentenced to Be a Hero will now premiere with an hour-long debut episode. It’s a shame that we’ll have to wait even longer to experience Sentenced to Be a Hero‘s highly anticipated first episode. But, if it’s in the name of overall quality, then any kind of delay is worth it.
What Is Sentenced to Be a Hero About?
Sentenced to Be a Hero: The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004 was first serialized on Kakuyomu in October 2020. Since then, the dark fantasy series has accrued a gigantic readership, accumulating a gigantic amount of hype for the upcoming anime.
The series puts a surprising spin on the conventional tropes of the fantasy genre. The official synopsis reads, “Heroism — a punishment for only the worst criminals. Those sentenced to the fate of a hero are forced to fight at the front lines against the demon king’s army — and if they die, they can expect to be revived and continue the battle. But when their leader, convicted of killing a goddess, meets another goddess himself, the contract they forge may be enough to change the world…”
Hiroyuki Takashima directs the series at Studio Kai, with Yoshitake Nakakoji acting as assistant director and creature designer. The anime stars Yohei Azakami as Xyle Forbartz, Mayu Iizuka as Teoritta, Shizuka Ishigami as Patausche Kivia, Shun Horie as Dotta Luzulas, and Shunichi Toki a Venetim Leopool.
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Lionsgate
