The Winter 2026 anime lineup gains a major highlight with Sentenced to Be a Hero, which launches its English dub alongside the Japanese version in a same-day release format. This strategy ensures global accessibility right from the premiere.
The series debuts with a special 60-minute first episode on January 3, 2026, allowing English-speaking fans to experience the dark fantasy narrative simultaneously with subtitled viewers.
Studio KAI produces the anime, directed by Hiroyuki Takashima. The team includes series composition by Kenta Ihara, character designs by Takeru Noda, and music by Shunsuke Takizawa. SPYAIR performs the opening theme "Kill the Noise," which captures the story's intense and foreboding tone.
The English dub for Episode 1 boasts a talented lineup of voice actors:
David Matranga as Xylo
Emi Lo as Teoritta
Joshua Waters as Dotta
Dawn M. Bennett as Kivia
Jessie James Grelle as Venetim
Nicholas Huber as Rajit
Jim Foronda as Priest
Naya Moreno as Siena
Ethan Gallardo as Zofflec
Additional voices include Abigail Blythe, Kelly Greenshield, Peyton Howard, Joshua Hires, Tom Aglio, Mauricio Ortiz-Segura, Alex Hanback, Brandon Acosta, Eli Farmer, Abi Kumar, Conner Allison, and Seth Magill.
The English dub production is handled by an experienced team:
Voice Director: Shawn Gann
Producer: Susie Nixon
Adaptation: Audrey Drake Rigg, Matthew Greenbaum
Mixer: William Dewell
Engineer: Victor Acosta
This dedicated crew delivers a localization that preserves the series' dark atmosphere and complex character dynamics, especially for the protagonist Xylo.
After initial delays to refine production quality, Sentenced to Be a Hero has built strong anticipation through trailers, key visuals, and preview events.
What is Sentenced to Be a Hero about?
Sentenced to Be a Hero: The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004 began as a web novel by Rocket Shokai on the Kakuyomu platform in October 2020. It was subsequently acquired by ASCII Media Works and published as a light novel series under the Dengeki no Shin Bungei imprint, with illustrations by Mephisto, starting in September 2021. Yen Press licenses the English editions of the novels, which explore a dystopian fantasy setting with mature themes of justice and survival. A manga adaptation has also been running since 2022, further expanding the franchise's detailed world-building.
Crunchyroll's official description captures the essence:
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.
Sentenced to Be a Hero streams exclusively on Crunchyroll, with new episodes of both the subtitled and English-dubbed versions dropping weekly, beginning with the premiere on January 3, 2026.
Source: Crunchyroll
