English Dub Review: Sentenced to Be a Hero “Sentence: Support Retreat From Couveunge Forest”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Penal hero Xylo gets an unwelcome helper during an assignment to support the main army’s retreat.

Our Take:
Everyone has a choice on whether to become a hero or not, but what if that choice is made for you, whether you like it or not?  Former knight commander, Xylo Forbartz, discovered that the hard way, as he’s forced to become one after being falsely convicted of killing a goddess.  Consequently, he finds himself on a brutal adventure that puts him within a system that treats other heroes as expendables.  In the span of an hour, the first anime of the new year offers an intriguing yet violent spin on the “hero” formula, where being the savior of humanity is as punishing as becoming a villain.
Its world-building centers on a crime system in which convicted criminals are forced to become heroes to defend humanity against the demonic army known as the Demon Blight.  They could escape this sentence by killing themselves, but then they’ll be brought right back to the land of the living, adding to the torture of saving the world.  Of course, this spells bad news for Xylo, who’s forced to lead a unit called Penal Hero Unit 9004 and assist the army’s retreat with his partner, Dotta.  This leads them to help the Holy Knights defeat the Demon Blight, forcing Xylo to reluctantly make a pact with Teoritta, a young, perky sword goddess, to achieve victory.
After experiencing similar anime featuring heroes fighting demon lords, seeing one that explores the dark side of saving humanity has already intrigued me.  Of course, it all comes down to whether its execution can blend its revenge premise with themes of honor.  Based on its hour-long first episode, I have a feeling that it might have a shot of being the first anime hit of 2026.  It does feature the usual elements seen in other revenge-focused projects.  Regardless, its unique premise, solid dub performances, and visually stunning presentation from Studio Kai help deliver a consistently thrilling and striking first impression that signals potential in Xylo’s quest for rebellion.