Crunchyroll Might Have Found Its Next Solo Leveling to Kick Off 2026

When Solo Leveling arrived on Crunchyroll, the anime adaptation was so massive that it reportedly threw a monkey wrench into the streaming service’s servers. While anime like Attack on Titan have done the same, doing so with a show’s first episode is nothing to sneeze at. In a surprising twist, a major new release for 2026 is seemingly following in the footsteps of Jinwoo Sung when it comes to fan response. While the new anime might not have crashed Crunchyroll’s servers, the critical response might put the show on an even playing field with Solo Leveling.

Sentenced To Be A Hero was released on Crunchyroll on January 3rd, and ever since, anime fans have been sharing their praise of the series on social media. Brought to life by Studio Kai (Uma Musume Pretty Derby, Captain Tsubasa: Junior Youth Arc, Fuuto PI: The Portrait of Kamen Rider Skull), the new anime adaptation is based on a long line of stories focusing on Xylo Forbartz. Creator Rocket Shokai first started their tale as a novel series, eventually spinning out the story to light novels and manga in 2021 and 2022. With the arrival of the anime adaptation, fans who witnessed the first episode have given it a 9.4/10 on IMDB. So what is it about Sentenced To Be A Hero that has garnered it such praise?

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Sentenced To Be A Success

If you haven’t had the opportunity to check out the newest hit that landed on Crunchyroll this month, here’s how the streaming service describes the Studio Kai production: “In a world where heroism is a punishment, Xylo Forbartz, a condemned goddess killer, battles endless hordes of monstrous abominations as part of Penal Hero Unit 9004. Death is no escape, only a cycle of resurrection and relentless combat. But when Xylo encounters a mysterious new goddess, their unlikely alliance sparks a rebellion that could shatter the chains of eternal punishment.” Confirmed to have twelve episodes as part of its first season, the anime adaptation is going places.

While Sentenced To Be A Hero might not be similar to Solo Leveling in its story, Xylo certainly has more than a few things in common with Jinwoo Sung. The powerful protagonist harbors blades and otherworldly abilities to fight against monstrous hordes, though being a hero isn’t exactly something that he originally had in the cards. Placed in a life-or-death scenario, Xylo now must fight alongside warriors to test his strength against rampaging hordes of monsters. In a surprising twist, the protagonist discovers something that just might help him get revenge against those who doomed him to this fate. While we are, most likely, some time away from receiving a season two confirmation, there is plenty of material to pull from for the foreseeable future should Sentenced To Be A Hero want as lengthy a run as Solo Leveling.

What do you think of Sentenced To Be A Hero becoming a critical darling following its Crunchyroll debut? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!