勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録
Sentenced to Be a Hero
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. (Source: Crunchyroll) Notes: - The first episode aired with a runtime of ~58 minutes as opposed to the standard 24 minute long episode. - Initially scheduled to air in October, 2025
Names
| Original | 勇者刑に処す 懲罰勇者9004隊刑務記録 (japanese) |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Yuusha Kei ni Shosu: Choubatsu Yuusha 9004-tai Keimu Kiroku |
| English | Sentenced to Be a Hero |
| Chinese | 判处勇者刑 惩罚勇者9004队刑务纪录 (simplified · via bangumi) |
| Also known as | ผู้กล้าโทษประหาร : บันทึกการรับโทษของหน่วยผู้กล้าต้องโทษ 9004 · 용사형에 처함 |
Facts
| Format | TV series · 12 ep · 25 min · 5h total |
|---|---|
| Aired | 2026-01-03 → 2026-03-26 (Winter 2026) |
| Status | FINISHED |
| Studio | Studio KAI |
| Source | Light novel |
| Origin | Japan (Anime) |
| Genres | ActionDramaFantasy |
| Themes | MedievalMale ProtagonistDemonsAnti-HeroGodsGoreEnsemble CastCrimeMilitarySwordplay |
| Streaming | Crunchyroll · iQ · Bilibili TV · YouTube |
Reception
| Community score | 8.20 / 10 |
|---|---|
| Bayesian score | 8.18 / 10 |
| Composite | 66.8 |
| On lists | 158,421 |
| Favourited | 4,646 (2.9%) |
| Completion | 54.9% |
| Drop rate | 4.9% |
| In backlog | 25.1% |
| Score spread σ | 1.37 |
| MyAnimeList | 8.13 / 10 |
Score distribution
119327731824341588461,71775,737813,091912,924105,522
Where it places
| Cohort | Value | Tier | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | Studio KAI | — | 3 of 22 |
| Broadcast season | Winter 2026 | B | 13 of 67 |
| Year | 2026 | B | 22 of 203 |
| Era | Mid 2020s | A | 49 of 487 |
| Source material | Light novel | A | 67 of 927 |
| Season (all years) | Winter | A | 106 of 1,557 |
| Genre | Fantasy | A | 131 of 2,142 |
| Genre | Action | A | 196 of 2,765 |
| Length | Single-cour | A | 202 of 2,668 |
| Genre | Drama | B | 255 of 1,917 |
| Format | TV series | A | 298 of 3,322 |
| Origin | Japan | A | 413 of 7,157 |
Key staff
| Director | Hiroyuki Takashima, Yoshiki Nakakouji |
|---|---|
| Series composition | Kenta Ihara |
| Character design | Takeru Noda |
| Original creator | Rocket Shoukai |
AniList id 167152 · MAL id 56009 · Bangumi 445905 · record updated 2026-08-27