| Sentenced to Be a Hero: The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004 | |
 Fifth light novel volume cover, featuring the main characters Xylo Forbartz (center) and Teoritta (left) | |
| 勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録 (Yūsha-kei ni Shosu: Chōbatsu Yūsha 9004-tai Keimu Kiroku) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Novel series | |
| Written by | Rocket Shōkai |
| Published by | Kakuyomu |
| Original run | October 28, 2020 – present |
| Light novel | |
| Written by | Rocket Shōkai |
| Illustrated by | Mephisto |
| Published by | ASCII Media Works |
| English publisher | |
| Imprint | Dengeki no Shin Bungei |
| Original run | September 17, 2021 – present |
| Volumes | 8 |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Rocket Shōkai |
| Illustrated by | Natsumi Inoue |
| Published by | ASCII Media Works |
| English publisher | |
| Imprint | Dengeki Comics Next |
| Magazine | Dengeki Comic Regulus |
| Original run | March 25, 2022 – present |
| Volumes | 2 |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Hiroyuki Takashima |
| Written by | Kenta Ihara |
| Music by | Shunsuke Takizawa |
| Studio | Studio Kai |
| Licensed by | |
| Original network | Tokyo MX, Kansai TV, BS NTV, AT-X, TUF, NBS, Miyatele, RBC, TSS, AAB, RAB, RKB, NIB, TUT, SUT, OBS, Nagoya TV, tys, IBC, JRT, BSN, itv, UTY, TUY, Fukui TV, NKT, KKB, HTB |
| Original run | January 3, 2026 – present |
| Episodes | 8 |
Sentenced to Be a Hero: The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004 (Japanese: 勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録, Hepburn: Yūsha-kei ni Shosu: Chōbatsu Yūsha 9004-tai Keimu Kiroku) is a Japanese light novel series written by Rocket Shōkai and illustrated by Mephisto. It began serialization as a web novel published on Kakuyomu in October 2020. It began publication as a light novel under ASCII Media Works' Dengeki no Shin Bungei light novel imprint in September 2021. A manga adaptation began serialization in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Comic Regulus web magazine in March 2022.
An anime television series adaptation produced by Studio Kai premiered in January 2026.
Synopsis
Setting
Set in a medieval world where magic and technology function together, humanity is in a war of survival against a blight of demonic faeries. Alongside the knights who work for the government and temple, there are two smaller groups that also fight against the faeries: Heroes, individuals convicted of serious crimes and forced into compulsory service; and Goddesses, highly powerful deities created for the express purpose of the war. Despite their name, Heroes are looked down upon by society and stigmatized for their crimes. While most Heroes did commit crimes in life, their sentencing to become Heroes is actually a means to suppress damning information about the government and temple in order to maintain the status quo. In addition to fighting, Heroes’ punishments also involve them being forcibly resurrected every time they are killed in combat so that they redeployed endlessly as expendable weapons, leaving a bit of humanity behind in the afterlife each time this happens; as a result, becoming a Hero is seen as a harsher punishment than execution.
Plot
The story follows Xylo Forbartz, a former knight commander who killed the goddess he was contracted with after she became corrupted by the demonic blight. He is sentenced to be a Hero for this, which he quickly realizes is a means by the temple to prevent the public from learning that goddesses can be corrupted. Xylo is dispatched to the front lines as field leader of Penal Hero Unit 9004. During one of his missions, he ends up meeting Teoritta, the sword goddess who quickly chooses him to be her knight. Despite his great reluctance to form a contract with another goddess, he reluctantly does so to escape a particularly brutal demon encounter. Afterwards, Xylo and Teoritta team up with the rest of Penal Hero Unit 9004 to continue fighting the faeries, while Xylo also works to figure out why he was truly set up and get revenge on those who did so.
Characters
Main characters
- Xylo Forbartz (ザイロ・フォルバーツ, Zairo Forubātsu)
- Voiced by: Yuichi Nakamura[2] (PV), Yōhei Azakami[3] (anime) (Japanese); David Matranga[4] (English)
- A "hero", a criminal made immortal and forced into endless service and the leader of Penal Hero Unit 9004. Before his sentence, he was the commander of the 5th Order of the Holy Knights in a pact with the Goddess Senerva, until he was forced to euthanize her when she became corrupted by Demon Blight during a failed mission. Afterward, he was made a hero for killing a goddess, a sentence he vows to survive and get revenge after realizing that the mission was a setup. He has magical seals inscribed on his body that allow him to achieve limited flight and turn whatever sword or dagger he throws into an explosive.
- Teoritta (テオリッタ)
- Voiced by: Tomori Kusunoki[2] (PV), Mayu Iizuka[3] (anime) (Japanese); Emi Lo[4] (English)
- Teoritta is the 13th goddess of swords who Xylo and Dotta find during a mission. She is very quirky, noble, and energetic. Like all goddesses, she loves being praised and is very proud of her power. She eventually forms a pact with Xylo and helps him defeat the Demon Lord Awd Goggie. She is very fond of Xylo as her knight and is somewhat perplexed by how he cares about her survival and tells her to conserve her power, despite her being a "tool" to defeat enemies. Due to Xylo's past trauma, he tended to keep a distance from her and tried to keep Teoritta out of the fight. Despite this, Teoritta refuses to back down, telling Xylo that her purpose is to help others, and he should simply protect her if he is worried. Her power consists of summoning swords to defeat her enemies, whether hundreds of small ones or a few larger ones for Xylo to wield. She can also muster all her power into summoning a single, powerful sword capable of obliterating a Demon Lord instantly.
- Patausche Kivia (パトーシェ・キヴィア, Patōshe Kivia)
- Voiced by: Shizuka Ishigami[5] (Japanese); Dawn M. Bennett[4] (English)
- The commander of the 13th Order of the Holy Knights who Teoritta originally supposed to be contracted with and is initially quite arrogant and despises heroes, like most people. She refused to retreat despite her orders, wanting to hold the line, and die if necessary so Teoritta would be transported safely. Despite being saved by Xylo, she arrests him under suspicion of stealing Teoritta and later gets re-assigned to be their supervisor for their missions. As she sees Xylo and Teoritta in action, she slowly comes to trust them more. She is fairly capable as a commander and in combat. She tends to get flustered when Xylo gets close or compliments her. Later upon discovering her Uncle's (who is a high priest) corruption with the demon blight and euthanizing him, she was arrested and sentenced to be a hero as a cover-up similar to Xylo, later ending up in his unit and becoming his second-in-command.
Penal Hero Unit 9004
- Dotta Luzulas (ドッタ・ルズラス, Dotta Ruzurasu)
- Voiced by: Shun Horie[5] (Japanese); Joshua Waters[4] (English)
- A fellow hero and a kleptomaniac. He loves stealing from the knights, which tends to infuriate Xylo. He was sentenced to be a hero to cover up the imprisonment of the crown prince, whom Dotta had tried to rescue while in the middle of stealing a dragon, by the state; the attempt also cost him his left arm, which has been replaced by a cybernetic. While his eyesight is exceptional, making him a good scout, his combat ability is mediocre.
- Venetim Leopool (ベネティム・レオプール, Benetimu Reopūru)
- Voiced by: Shun'ichi Toki[5] (Japanese); Jessie James Grelle[4] (English)
- A fellow hero. Typically handles support and logistics and can remotely communicate with Xylo and other heroes. He tends to sit back and avoid combat at all costs in a cowardly fashion. Despite this, he supports them when they really need it. He's very intelligent and good at convincing people for his benefit. It is revealed that before he was a hero, he was a notorious con man who attracted the attention of the temple after writing an article about them. He wasn't sentenced for writing lies, but rather writing the truth.
- Norgalle Senridge (ノルガユ・センリッジ, Norugayu Senrijji)
- Voiced by: Yōji Ueda[6] (Japanese); Jason Marnocha (English)
- A hero who deludes himself into believing he is the king of the nation, causing him to act very confidently and order his comrades around. In reality, he led a rebellion against the Empire but was defeated, after which he was sentenced to be a hero. Despite his delusion, he truly cares for those whom he perceives as his people and is willing to die to protect them. He can create powerful seals on weapons and equipment to boost combat capacity and is fairly capable in battle.
- Tatsuya (タツヤ)
- Voiced by: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka[6] (Japanese); Marcus D. Stimac (English)
- The oldest hero in the Penal Hero Unit 9004. Because he has been a hero for so long and has died many times, he has lost his memories and displays little cognitive function. Not much is known about him, including what crime he was sentenced to be a hero for, though it is rumored he was summoned from another world by a goddess. Despite his mental state, he is extremely strong in combat.
- Tsav (ツァーヴ, Tsāvu)
- Voiced by: Jun Fukushima[6] (Japanese); Ben Stegmair (English)
- A fellow hero. Despite his cheerful demeanor, he shows little regard for those around him and lashes out violently once upset.
- A former assassin, he uses a sniper rifle tuned by Norgalle.
- Jayce Partiract (ジェイス・パーチラクト, Jeisu Pāchirakuto)
- Voiced by: Shōya Chiba[7] (Japanese); Ryan Negron (English)
- A dragoneer assigned to the Hero Unit. He initiated a rebellion in an attempt to save dragons, which led to him being charged with mutiny. His sentencing as a hero was on account of the rebellion being far grander in scale than previous ones, leading the embarrassed government to punish him out of spite. Cocky and outspoken, he frequently clashes with and infuriates Teoritta. He's extremely fond of Neely, treating her like his girlfriend and talking to her.
- Neely (ニーリィ, Nīryi)
- Voiced by: Yoko Hikasa[7] (Japanese); Morgan Lauré Garrett (English)
- Jayce's dragon.
- Rhyno (ライノー, Rainō)
- Voiced by: Yuichi Nakamura[8]
Holy Knights
- Hord Clivios (ホード・クリヴィオス, Hōdo Kuriviosu)
- Voiced by: Yūya Murakami (Japanese); Seth Magill[9] (English)
- The commander of the 9th Order of the Holy Knights who is contracted to the goddess Pelmerry.
Goddesses
- Senerva (セネルバ, Seneruba)
- A goddess formerly contracted to Xylo. She was euthanized by Xylo when she was corrupted by a Demon Blight caused by the 11th Demon Lord on a mission that turned out to be a setup. Her death was framed as a murder that led Xylo to be sentenced to be a hero.
- Pelmerry (ペルメリ, Perumeri)
- Voiced by: Yurina Amami (Japanese); Rebecca Danae[9] (English)
- The 9th goddess who is contracted to Hord.
Demon Lords
- Awd Goggie (オード・ゴキー, Ōdo Gokī)
- The 47th Demon Lord who is the source of the Demon Blight in the Couveunge Forest.
- Lotus (ロータス, Rōtasu)
- A Demon Lord who is the source of the Demon Blight in the Zewan Gan mine. It specializes in the use of sound to disable or hypnotize humans.
- Iblis (イブリス, Iburisu)
- The 15th Demon Lord who invades Mureed Fortress. It is infamous for its regenerative capabilities, surviving numerous attempts to kill it.
- Spriggan (スプリガン, Supurigan)
- A Demon Lord capable of transforming into a human. Unlike other Demon Lords, he is far more intelligent and knowledgeable, and possesses the ability to speak. Even in his human form, he is exceptionally powerful, able to survive a direct hit from a dragon. For reasons unknown, he is determined to either kill or capture Teoritta.
Other characters
- Frenci Mastibolt (フレンシィ・マスティボルト, Furenshī Masutiboruto)
- Voiced by: Saori Ōnishi[8] (Japanese); Natalie Van Sistine (English)
- Xylo’s fiancée, though he refers to her as his “ex” due to his criminal status making an union between them forbidden - a label she firmly rejects, insisting their vows still stand. A beautiful woman who speaks bluntly and in a relatively monotone voice. Despite everything, she apparently still cares for Xylo and actively works to secure his pardon. She has a habit of comparing people and situations to strange animals or objects, and her presence around Xylo often sparks jealousy in Teoritta.
- Boojum (ブージャム, Būjamu)
- Voiced by: Shin-ichiro Miki[10] (Japanese); Peyton Howard (English)
- The human suspected to be Spriggan.
- Shiji Bau (シジ・バウ)
- Voiced by: Yū Sugimoto[10] (Japanese); Jaclyn Thomas (English)
- An infamous adventurer known for killing people extremely efficiently. She's extremely capable in combat. She currently is working for Boojum/Spriggan.
Media
Light novel
Written by Rocket Shōkai, Sentenced to Be a Hero: The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004 began serialization as a web novel published on the Kakuyomu website. It was later acquired by ASCII Media Works who began publishing it as a light novel with illustrations by Mephisto under their Dengeki no Shin Bungei light novel imprint. Eight volumes have been released as of January 17, 2026.[11] The light novels are licensed in English by Yen Press.[12]
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 17, 2021[13] | 978-4-04-913903-7 | August 22, 2023[1] | 978-1-9753-6826-5 |
| 2 | January 17, 2022[14] | 978-4-04-914103-0 | December 12, 2023[15] | 978-1-9753-6828-9 |
| 3 | August 17, 2022[16] | 978-4-04-914443-7 | August 20, 2024[17] | 978-1-9753-9134-8 |
| 4 | December 16, 2022[18] | 978-4-04-914672-1 | May 20, 2025[19] | 978-1-9753-9136-2 |
| 5 | August 17, 2023[20] | 978-4-04-915168-8 | December 9, 2025[21] | 979-8-8554-0761-7 |
| 6 | April 17, 2024[22] | 978-4-04-915606-5 | — | — |
| 7 | January 17, 2025[23] | 978-4-04-916024-6 | — | — |
| 8 | January 17, 2026[11] | 978-4-04-916550-0 | — | — |
Manga
A manga adaptation illustrated by Natsumi Inoue began serialization in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Comic Regulus web magazine on March 25, 2022.[24] It has been collected in two volumes as of April 26, 2024.[25] The manga adaptation is published digitally in English on Kadokawa's BookWalker website.[26] In December 2025, Yen Press announced that they would begin releasing the manga in volume form in June 2026.[27]
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | North American release date | North American ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | December 9, 2022[28] | 978-4-04-914726-1 | June 23, 2026[29] | 979-8-8554-3791-1 |
| 2 | April 26, 2024[25] | 978-4-04-915691-1 | — | — |
Anime
An anime adaptation was announced at the Dengeki Bunko 30th anniversary event on July 16, 2023,[30] which was later confirmed to be a television series produced by Studio Kai and directed by Hiroyuki Takashima, with Yoshitake Nakakōji serving as assistant director, Kenta Ihara handling series composition, Takeshi Noda designing the characters, and Shunsuke Takizawa composing the music.[31][3] The series was initially scheduled for October 2025,[32] but was later delayed in order to further improve the series' quality, which eventually premiered on January 3, 2026, on Tokyo MX and other networks.[33][8] The opening theme song is "Kill the Noise", performed by Spyair.[8] Crunchyroll is streaming the series.[34] Medialink licensed the series for streaming on Ani-One Asia's YouTube channel.[35]
Episodes
| No. | Title [36][37] | Directed by [36] | Written by [36] | Storyboarded by [36] | Original release date [38] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Sentence: Support Retreat From Couveunge Forest" Transliteration: "Keibatsu: Kuvunji Shinrin Tettai Shien" (Japanese: 刑罰：クヴンジ森林撤退支援) | Hiroyuki Takashima, Taisuke Tsukuda & Ori Yasukawa | Kenta Ihara | Hiroyuki Takashima | January 3, 2026 | |
|
Immortal heroes Xylo Forbrantz and Dotta Luzulas are tasked with aiding Holy Knights escape from a Demonic Blight, which turns animals exposed to it into monsters called faeries. Inside a coffin Dotta retrieved from the knights, they find a goddess, a powerful, living weapon in the form of a girl named Teoritta. Upon awakening, Teoritta asks Xylo to form a pact with her, but he refuses. Fellow hero Venetim Leopool then informs Xylo that the knights' commander, Patausche Kivia, is refusing to retreat. Rushing to her location, Xylo tries to convince Kivia to follow orders. However, they are then attacked by the blight's source, the Demon Lord Awd Goggie. With no other choice, Xylo forms a pact with Teoritta, allowing him to defeat the Demon Lord. Afterward, however, Kivia arrests Xylo and reveals to Teoritta that he is an ex-Holy Knight who murdered his former goddess, Senerva. In a flashback of Xylo's trial, he insists that he euthanized Senerva to prevent her succumbing to a blight, but is ignored, causing him to realize that he was set up and vow vengeance on the conspirators as he is sentenced to be a hero. | ||||||
| 2 | "Sentence: Spearhead the Recapture of the Zewan Gan Tunnels 1" Transliteration: "Keibatsu: Zewan=Gan Kōdō Seiatsu Sendō 1" (Japanese: 刑罰：ゼワン=ガン坑道制圧先導1) | Takanari Hirayama | Kenta Ihara | Hiroyuki Takashima, Takumi Narita | January 15, 2026 | |
|
Xylo asks Teoritta to end their pact, but she refuses. Returning to duty, Xylo, Teoritta, Venetim, Norgalle Senridge, a hero who deludes himself that he is royalty, and Tatsuya, a hero despondent from over-resurrection, are tasked with defeating faeries that have infested a mine near the town of Zewan Gan. Suspiciously, upon arriving, they find that the inhabitants have not evacuated, and the faeries are confined inside the mine. Though Xylo is skeptical of the situation, the group descends into the mines where they reunite with Kivia, who is there on her own mission. After setting up camp, the heroes receive a distress signal from Kivia, who is under attack from miners who have been transformed into Faeries, and they come to her aid. Afterward, a surviving miner requests their aid to rescue his trapped colleagues. However, this conflicts with Kivia's mission: caving in the mine with explosives. Therefore, to not endanger anyone else, Xylo decides to rescue the miners by himself. | ||||||
| 3 | "Sentence: Spearhead the Recapture of the Zewan Gan Tunnels 2" Transliteration: "Keibatsu: Zewan=Gan Kōdō Seiatsu Sendō 2" (Japanese: 刑罰：ゼワン=ガン坑道制圧先導2) | Fumiaki Usui | Kenta Ihara | Fumiaki Kōta, Hiroyuki Takashima | January 22, 2026 | |
|
Xylo, with assistance from Norgalle and Tatsuya, defeats the faeries to protect the trapped miners. One of the miners warns Xylo about a strange voice that caused his colleagues to transform into faeries. More faeries attack, which the heroes and miners manage to defeat. A bigger wave of faeries overwhelms them, but Teoritta defeats them despite Xylo's orders to stay behind. Afterwards, the heroes and miners hear a powerful screech, an attack called Tinnitus from the blight's source, the Demon Lord Lotus. Unaffected by Tinnitus, Tatsuya engages with Lotus directly with Xylo assisting from a distance. However, the body turns out to be a decoy with the real body going after the Holy Knights. Norgalle attempts to defeat Lotus with a sacred seal but is immobilized by Lotus. Norgalle cuts his leg off to free himself and provide an opening for Xylo to defeat Lotus. Afterwards, the miners return to town, and Kivia comes to the heroes' defense for their deeds after being called out for violating several regulations. The leader of the miners and his family personally thank Xylo despite his status as a hero, since it doesn't change the fact he saved their lives. | ||||||
| 4 | "Standby Order: Mureed Fortress" Transliteration: "Taiki Shirei: Myūriddo Yōsai" (Japanese: 待機指令：ミューリッド要塞) | Tsuyoshi Tobita | Kenta Ihara | Shunsuke Machitani | January 29, 2026 | |
|
The heroes arrive at Mureed Fortress during the Great Exchange festival for their next mission. While Teoritta and the others enjoy the festival, Xylo initially confines himself to the heroes' dungeon quarters until Kivia approaches him. Speaking in private, Kivia comes clean about actually being glad that Xylo contracted Teoritta, revealing that the military was planning to experiment on her to mass-produce goddesses. The heroes learn that their assignment is a suicide mission to defend the fortress and lure the local Demon Lord, Iblis, so that the holy knights can kill it; any attempt to flee will result in execution. As he negotiates for better terms, Venetim recalls the trial where he was sentenced to be a hero: a former con-man who attempted to sell the royal castle to a circus; he was really arrested to silence him after he wrote a fake news article about Demon Lord worshippers infiltrating the Holy Knights, which, unbeknownst to him, is actually true. Elsewhere, another hero, Tsav, cuts off the hand of a cheating dealer whom he lost a gamble to. | ||||||
| 5 | "Sentence: Defense Against Corruption at Mureed Fortress 1" Transliteration: "Keibatsu: Myūriddo Yōsai Bōei Osen 1" (Japanese: 刑罰：ミューリッド要塞防衛汚染1) | Shin Mita | Kenta Ihara | Shin Mita | February 5, 2026 | |
|
Tsav, an assassin of the Gwen Mohsa, was sentenced for being a serial killer with a government official among his victims. Preparations for the battle against Iblis continue as Xylo, Kivia, Dotta, and Tsav go on a scouting mission, anticipating the faeries arriving at night, while Tsav uses his sniping ability to shoot the faerie scouts. Returning to the fortress, Xylo encounters Hord Clivios, Captain of the 9th Order, and his contracted goddess Pelmerry. Meanwhile, the rescued miners from Zewan Gan volunteer to assist in the defense. Xylo explains the plan as the soldiers fight the faeries in order to draw Iblis out for Xylo to defeat by himself before it gets close to the fortress. Afterwards, Xylo gets a letter from Frenci Mastibolt that he refuses to read despite the promise of additional reinforcements, while Venetim expresses his concern about the lack of soldiers in this operation. That night, the battle begins as the first wave of faeries are easily defeated. However, the battle takes a turn as humans are spotted fighting alongside the faeries. The human enemies destroy the traps and barriers, allowing the faeries to breach the fortress. | ||||||
| 6 | "Sentence: Defense Against Corruption at Mureed Fortress 2" Transliteration: "Keibatsu: Myūriddo Yōsai Bōei Osen 2" (Japanese: 刑罰：ミューリッド要塞防衛汚染2) | Jun Nakajima | Kenta Ihara | Shunpei Umemoto, Hiroyuki Takashima | February 12, 2026 | |
|
With the situation dire, Xylo decides to charge towards Iblis and deal with it together with Teoritta. Meanwhile, Tatsuya kills the human enemies without remorse. As Xylo and Teoritta charge forward, the soldiers Venetim called in arrive despite Xylo's disapproval, as well as mercenaries chasing Dotta having stolen their money instead of hiring them as asked. The sudden arrival of reinforcements confuses Iblis, giving Xylo an opening to attack it, then lure it to a trap he set up during the scouting mission for Teoritta to defeat. However, Iblis survives and Xylo is seriously wounded protecting Teoritta from a surprise attack by Iblis. Teoritta convinces Xylo to continue fighting by summoning a powerful "holy sword" from another world that can destroy anything it touches. With Dotta and Tsav covering for him, Xylo slays Iblis with the sword. Sometime later, Xylo awakens in the infirmary in a port city and is greeted by Kafzen Dachrome, Captain of the 12th Order. Kafzen warns Xylo about the Coexisters, a faction seeking harmony with the Demon Blight and views Xylo as a big threat. Teoritta then comes to visit him, and he finally accepts her as a Goddess. | ||||||
| 7 | "Sentence: Feigned Day Off at Port City Ioff" Transliteration: "Keibatsu: Kōwan Toshi Yōfu Kyūka Gisō" (Japanese: 刑罰：港湾都市ヨーフ休暇偽装) | Yuichi Shimohira | Kenta Ihara | Naoki Takeda | February 19, 2026 | |
|
Now in the port city Ioff, Kivia orders Xylo to protect Teoritta from the heretics expelled from the temple and are temporarily off the front lines. Afterwards, Jayce Partiract, a dragoon hero who has trafficked drugs and was sentenced for allegedly inciting a rebellion, comes in to collect his pay from Xylo for winning a wager over who killed more Demon Lords. Xylo is discharged and meets with Frenci, his former fiancée. Frenci tells Xylo that despite the law banning marriage for heroes, she intends to secure a pardon so she can marry him, and that she came to locate Spriggan, a Demon Lord masquerading as a human. To lure out the heretics, Xylo, Teoritta, Kivia, and Tsav go shopping in disguise. Two assassins strike in the market, and the four run towards the alternate route expecting backup from the Holy Knights, but they never arrive. They are attacked by the assassin Shiji Bau, followed by the heretic squad led by Boojum. Jayce and his dragon partner Neely attack from above to kill the heretics, but Shiji Bau dodges the attack, while Boojum survives it as Teoritta deduces that Boojum is Spriggan. | ||||||
| 8 | "Sentence: Underground Investigation in District of Sodrick 1" Transliteration: "Keibatsu: Sodorikku Gaiku Sennyū Chōsa 1" (Japanese: 刑罰：ソドリック街区潜入調査 1) | Jun Fujiwara | Kenta Ihara | Jun Fujiwara | February 26, 2026 | |
|
Suspecting that Lideo Sodrick, the local guild's guildmaster, betrayed the Holy Knights leading to a massive loss of soldiers, Kivia is tasked with kidnapping Lideo and investigating the guild. The next day, Xylo, Kivia, and Dotta disguise themselves as nobles to infiltrate the guild that has Dotta recalling his trial. He was sentenced for stealing a dragon at the request of the captive crowned prince, which the judges refused to believe. On their way to the guild, Kivia tells Xylo that her parents are priests and being distrustful of their influence, she joined the military to walk her own path. Dotta learns that the guild raises orphaned children to be their loyal soldiers. Xylo and Kivia arrive at the guild and submit a job request. However, the guild anticipated their arrival, and before Xylo causes a commotion Frenci, posing as an undercover adventurer, arrives. As the three converse, an assassin and several child soldiers attack, but Xylo and Kivia defeat them with the fight causing damage to the guild hall. Xylo views this as an opportunity to clean up the city's corruption. | ||||||
| 9 | "Sentence: Underground Investigation in District of Sodrick 2" Transliteration: "Keibatsu: Sodorikku Gaiku Sennyū Chōsa 2" (Japanese: 刑罰：ソドリック街区潜入調査 2) | TBA | Kenta Ihara | Takashi Katagiri | March 5, 2026 | |
Reception
In the 2023 edition of the Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! guidebook, the series ranked third in the tankōbon category.[39]
See also
- As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I'll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World, a light novel series, whose manga adaptation is also illustrated by Natsumi Inoue
- Scum of the Brave, another light novel series written by Rocket Shōkai
References
- ^ a b c "Sentenced to Be a Hero, Vol. 1 (light novel): The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004". Yen Press. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ a b 『勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録』スペシャルPVが公開 中村悠一さんと楠木ともりさんが出演. LN-News.com (in Japanese). September 22, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
- ^ a b c Cayanan, Joanna (January 14, 2025). "Sentenced to Be a Hero Anime Reveals Main Cast, Confirms 2025 Debut". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Dempsey, Liam (January 1, 2026). "Sentenced to Be a Hero English Dub Reveals Same-Day Release, Cast & Crew". Crunchyroll. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
- ^ a b c Cayanan, Joanna (February 19, 2025). "Sentenced to Be a Hero Anime Unveils 3 New Cast Members". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ a b c Kara, Dennison (July 26, 2025). "Sentenced to Be a Hero Anime Announces Three New Cast Members". Crunchyroll News. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
- ^ a b Hodgkins, Crystalyn (September 19, 2025). "Sentenced to be a Hero TV Anime Reveals 2nd Promo Video, 2 More Cast Members". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Hodgkins, Crystalyn (December 13, 2025). "Sentenced to Be a Hero Anime's New Video Reveals January 3 Debut, Spyair's Theme Song". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ^ a b Gann, Shawn [@ReadyKafka] (February 5, 2026). "Episode 5 of #SentencedToBeAHero is out! Please welcome @RebeccaDanaeVO as 9th Goddess Pelmerry & #SethMagill as Hord Clivious!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b Cayanan, Joanna (February 19, 2026). "Sentenced to Be a Hero Anime Casts Yū Sugimoto, Shinichirō Miki". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ a b 勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録VIII (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
- ^ Mateo, Alex; Hodgkins, Crystalyn (February 17, 2023). "Yen Press Adds 12 Manga, 3 Light Novels". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ 勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録 (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. December 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ 勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録II (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ "Sentenced to Be a Hero, Vol. 2 (light novel): The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004". Yen Press. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
- ^ 勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録III (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ "Sentenced to Be a Hero, Vol. 3 (light novel): The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004". Yen Press. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
- ^ 勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録IV (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ "Sentenced to Be a Hero, Vol. 4 (light novel): The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004". Yen Press. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ 勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録V (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ "Sentenced to Be a Hero, Vol. 5 (light novel): The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004". Yen Press. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
- ^ 勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録VI (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. December 5, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ 勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録VII (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
- ^ Dengeki Comic Regulus [@dc_regulus] (March 25, 2022). 【新連載】『#勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録』第1話更新！大罪を犯し勇者刑に処されたクズ勇者たちに、人類の未来は託された……！絶望に抗うダークファンタジー、開幕！！ (Tweet). Retrieved July 16, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ a b "KADOKAWA Corporation" 勇者刑に処す 2 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録 (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ Cayanan, Joanna (October 23, 2023). "BookWalker Global Exclusively Releases 'Why Does Nobody Remember Me in this World?', Sentenced to Be a Hero Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
- ^ Mateo, Alex (December 12, 2025). "Yen Press Licenses Gundam: The Witch from Mercury—Vanadis Heart, Sentenced to Be a Hero, More Titles". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ "KADOKAWA Corporation" 勇者刑に処す 1 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録 (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ "Sentenced to Be a Hero, Vol. 1 (manga): The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004". Yen Press. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
- ^ Loo, Egan (July 16, 2023). "Sentenced to Be a Hero Light Novels Get Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 22, 2024). "Sentenced to Be a Hero Anime Confirms TV Format in Teaser Video". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
- ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (March 23, 2025). "Sentenced to Be a Hero Anime's Video Reveals Staff, October Premiere". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
- ^ Cayanan, Joanna (July 1, 2025). "Sentenced to Be a Hero Anime Delayed to January 2026". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
- ^ Cardine, Kyle (May 30, 2025). "My Dress-Up Darling Season 2, Rent-a-Girlfriend Season 4 and More Anime to Stream on Crunchyroll". Crunchyroll News. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
- ^ "❄️ #Medialink January 2026 New Anime Line-Up❄️ ⚔️Sentenced to Be a Hero". Ani-One Asia. October 30, 2025. Retrieved October 30, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b c d "EPISODES｜Terebi Anime『Yūsha-kei ni Shosu: Chōbatsu Yūsha 9004-tai Keimu Kiroku』Kōshiki Saito" EPISODES｜TVアニメ『勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録』公式サイト [EPISODES｜TV Anime『Sentenced to Be a Hero』Official Site]. yushakei-pj.com (in Japanese). Retrieved January 3, 2026.
- ^ "Watch Sentenced to Be a Hero - Crunchyroll". Crunchyroll. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
- ^ "ON AIR｜Terebi Anime『Yūsha-kei ni Shosu: Chōbatsu Yūsha 9004-tai Keimu Kiroku』Kōshiki Saito" ON AIR｜TVアニメ『勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録』公式サイト [ON AIR｜TV Anime『Sentenced to Be a Hero』Official Site]. yushakei-pj.com (in Japanese). Retrieved January 3, 2026.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (November 25, 2022). "Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! Reveals 2023 Series Ranking". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
External links
- Web novel at Kakuyomu (in Japanese)
- Light novel official website (in Japanese)
- Manga official website at ComicWalker (in Japanese)
- Anime official website (in Japanese)
- Sentenced to Be a Hero (light novel) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
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Categories:
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