The following contains spoilers for To Be Hero X. It also contains direct descriptions of suicide which could be harmful to some viewers.

Summary

To Be Hero X is a story in which public perception shapes superhero abilities, creating a unique twist on the genre.
The show seamlessly blends 2D and 3D animation styles to enhance important moments and fights.
Episode 3 reveals a deep conflict where heroes are trapped by public expectations, emphasizing that great power can turn into a great curse.

One of the standout anime titles of Spring 2025 has to be the Chinese-produced superhero anime, To Be Hero X. Coming out at the same time as My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, the series has its work cut out for it for various reasons, but especially due to the latter's immense popularity (I for one, have waited years for the adaption), and the anime community's general aversion to 3D animation, To Be Hero X has gone relatively unnoticed.

With amazing visuals, direction and an approach to the burdens of superheroes that goes beyond Uncle Ben's famous adage, "with great power, comes great responsibility", To Be Hero X is doing something so fresh and new, it deserves to be given a chance, especially by fans of the superhero subtrope/genre. Let's get into what makes it worth watching.

What is To Be Hero X About?

A Unique Superhero Narrative

To Be Hero X is set in a world in which superheroes develop their powers and abilities based on their "Trust Value", which is based on the public's perception of them. The higher the trust value, the more powerful the hero, and the top hero is known simply as "X". Their powers and abilities are also determined by "faith", so if enough people believe an individual can fly, they gain the ability to fly. Every two years, the top heroes host a tournament to determine who will win the title of the top hero, known as "X".

Lin Ling is a young man who works for an advertising agency that is mostly involved in creating campaigns for heroes, and one day, he's fired from his job and about to commit suicide when one of the top heroes, Nice, leaps off the same building to his death. Lin Ling is forced to take on the identity of Nice and pretend to be a hero–which is what he once also dreamed of before life got too real. Now thrust into the role, the new Nice is forced to reckon with the new world that he has been exposed to, one that isn't as glamorous as he once thought.

To Be Hero X is a Chinese-Japanese production created by BeDream in collaboration with LAN Studio (A Herbivorous Dragon of 5,000 Years Gets Unfairly Villainized), Paper Plane Animation Studio and Pb Animation Co., Ltd (background art production assistance, Suzume). It was created and directed by Li Haoling (chief director, Flavors of Youth) with character designs by Zhang Lei. To Be Hero X boasts a brilliant score, with an opening and ending theme composed by none other than Hiroyuki Sawano himself, and music by DAIKI of AWSM, Hidefumi Kenmochi, Hideyuki Fukasawa, KOHTA YAMAMOTO (composer, Attack on Titan: The Final Season) Misaki Umase, Ryūichi Takada of MONACA and Shuhei Mutsuki. The To Be Hero X opening is "INERTIA" by SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:Rei, while the ending theme is "KONTINUUM" by SennaRin. The cast includes:

Mamoru Miyano as X
Natsuki Hanae (Ken "Okarun" Takakura, DANDADAN) as Lin Ling/Nice
Aki Toyosaki (Yui Hirasawa, K-ON!) as Xiao Yueqing
Ayane Sakura (Gabi Braun, Attack on Titan) as Loli
Inori Minase as Lucky Cyan
Kana Hanazawa as Queen
Kōichi Yamadera as Tora (Ahu)
Kōki Uchiyama as Ryōryū (Dragon Boy)
Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Big Johnny/Little Johnny
Yūichi Nakamura as Mokusatsu (Ghostblade)

What Makes To Be Hero X Unique?

A Vibrant Ode to Superheroes and the Art of Animation

The first thing that stands out to viewers about To Be Hero X is the 3D animation style, which resembles the aesthetics of Arcane: League of Legends, but does something entirely different as it combines 2D and 3D animation in a very interesting way. The majority of the show is in its distinct 3D style, but to emphasize certain important moments or scenes, the art style changes significantly to adopt a 2D art style that is often times the cel-shaded style commonly associated with anime. It seamlessly switches between styles, creating a visually striking experience in which fights and other major moments are given greater intensity due to the stark contrast in styles. The movement and energy of the 3D animation is smooth and convincing, while the 2D, which isn't always the same style every time, carries immense weight, increasing the excitement and impact of these moments brilliantly.

The narrative is set up like One-Punch Man or My Hero Academia in that being a superhero is a profession and public opinion moulds a hero's reputation, but what sets To Be Hero X apart is how it tackles the challenges of being a hero in a way that is unique. Rather than heroes being born, they are made, with the faith that the public has in an individual, influencing not only their reputation, but their very abilities. This is almost like how gods in Noragami could only thrive if there were many people praying to them. If the public believes you can teleport, you can teleport, but, as seen in the first two episodes with Xiao Yue, these abilities will morph and change as public perception changes, making the powers not an aspect that can free those who possess them, but a cage forged from the expectations of the public.

With Great Power, Comes Great Inability

The Brilliant Approach of To Be Hero X

Stand Man Can't Sleep Lying Down – To Be Hero X Episode 3

To Be Hero X episode 3 brilliantly showcased the conflict between Tall Man and his nemesis, Wolf Girl, in which the latter was trying to release the former from his hero-shaped prison by distributing comics of the superhero in compromising positions, thus slowly altering the public's perception of him. Tall Man, named for his ability to stand tall no matter the circumstances, was once a firefighter who saved a little girl, holding up heavy debris above his own head as flames raged all around them. The girl cheered him on and even used what little strength she had to "help". The little girl's belief was so strong, he was able to stand tall and keep the building from collapsing in on them. He was hailed a hero; and shot to 10th place in the Hero Rankings. From that moment on, Tall Man could no longer bend over, lie down or sit: his ability became a curse that held him place.

The more he engaged in heroics, the more people believed in him. Thus, the further entrenched in the prison of his own powers he became. Xiao Yue, on the other hand, had her teleportation ability turn into the ability to teleport to the side of her boyfriend, Nice, a fellow high-ranked hero with whom she had a very public, but very fake romantic relationship. This approach to the idea of superheroes is contrasted by the concept of "Fear", so just as much as the public's faith can inform a hero's powers, so can their fears determine those of a villain. Beyond the concept, Lin Ling is an interesting protagonist because he's basically a "Quirkless" until circumstances turn him into a hero, even if falsely. Essentially, the perception of Lin Ling as Nice granted him the hero's abilities, and, interestingly, both were facing such despair in their lives that they sought to put an end to it, but in contrast to Nice, whose death has no known reason, Lin Ling sees the expectations, pressures and difficulties of being a hero a bit like a dream come true.

To Be Hero X is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

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