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Sentenced to Be a Hero Debuts as Crunchyroll’s Early 2026 Standout With Top Ratings

Exceptional early ratings reflect praise for its craftsmanship, subversive premise.

Overview

  • The series premiered January 3 on Crunchyroll with a special hour‑long first episode produced by Studio Kai.
  • Early audience data reports a 9.3–9.4 score on IMDb and a five‑star average on Crunchyroll from more than 14,000 reviews.
  • Critics single out polished animation, confident direction by Hiroyuki Takashima, and a strong soundtrack.
  • The story reframes heroism as a punitive sentence for criminals in a penal unit, which outlets note as a fresh non‑isekai angle.
  • The next episode is slated for January 15, with some coverage reporting a 12‑episode first season.