English Dub Review: Sentenced to Be a Hero “Episode 2”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
A convicted goddess killer is condemned to a cycle of eternal punishment of battling hordes of enemies.

Our Take:
As we’ve seen in the previous episode, Xylo doesn’t seem to be the “hero” type, at least according to those around him.  But, as it turns out, he’s actually a victim of a conspiracy placed against him, according to the episode’s flashback.  People assumed that Xylo murdered his former goddess, Senerva, but he actually saved her from being corrupted by the Demon Blight.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to matter when the enigmatic conspirators are only focused on making Xylo’s life a living hell.  Understandably, Xylo’s rage towards the people who set him up fuels his desire for revenge, but also his dismissal of goddesses, especially Teoritta. His estranged relationship with his new goddess ally would undoubtedly play a key role in the remaining series, as Teoritta continues her strive to fulfill her duty in assisting Xylo.
Although that is easier said than done due to Xylo’s stubbornness.  Not to mention, they find themselves on another assignment involving the village’s tunnels, which forces Xylo to make his ultimate choice.  Regarding the execution of this chemistry, I still think Emi Lo was a strong choice for conveying Teoritta’s perky and noble personality through her vocal performance. However, her voice may come across as annoying to other viewers.  Additionally, the animation from Studio Kai remains a strong aspect of the series, particularly in the smooth character movements during dialogue scenes.  In short, even without a significant action set piece, the second episode further demonstrates the anime’s potential to be one of the year’s most surprising heroes in the anime department.