One of the biggest anime series in 2025 is To Be Hero X, for its unique animation style and compelling storyline. It’s an anthology rather than a straightforward timeline, where the audience has to think about the events unraveling on screen.
The most interesting part about To Be Hero X, however, is the different characters you follow in the story. They all have different personalities, origin stories, and motivations. It might be a hero series with some incredible action sequences, but what really gets you hooked is the emotional rollercoaster it puts you through.
This is why some Shonen stories end up feeling flat. In To Be Hero X, you get emotionally connected to the characters. Visuals can only get you so far, but the story needs to drive it.
To Be Hero X might be a visual masterpiece, but the producers know the story is the real deal
The blend of animation styles in To Be Hero X catches your eye. The unique 3D models and vibrant world are entirely new in the world of anime, but it gets more complex as the story progresses. It often changes styles depending on the character we’re focusing on. These visual motifs make it all the more enticing to fans.
As the story goes on, however, fans don’t seem to just praise the visuals anymore. Each arc is quite emotional in various ways. We can feel Lin Ling’s turmoil for pretending to be Nice, Yang Cheng’s desperation to become the hero he wants to be, and the shift in his personality, and Lucky Cyan’s loneliness.
The latest episode undoubtedly left us all in tears, and there’s plenty more to shed in the upcoming episodes. We don’t know exactly what’s in store for us with the rest of the heroes, but the track record has been spotless. The three arcs we’ve watched so far have been excellent.
We’ve never felt so attached to characters in such a short time, and that’s the strength of To Be Hero X. It might dazzle you with the animation, but the real crux is the drama. Makoto Takashina, one of the producers of the series, talks about this in an interview with Cocotame. He says:
The setting is a fictional world where special scientific technology has developed, but the atmosphere is similar to the modern society we live in. Another appealing point is that the drama depicted in the story is very emotional.
The first thing that catches your eye is the flashiness of the visuals, but the story is centered on the drama. The depiction of relationships between people, such as family, friendship, and love, based on the keyword “trust,” is wonderful, and there are many tear-jerking scenes.
Takashina knows how impactful the drama is. Li Haoling loves his twists and turns, making even the audience feel a variety of emotions.
To Be Hero X is a well-balanced series, but the drama carries it
There will always be something for everyone in the anime. Whether you crave gorgeous visuals or want something exciting to watch, To Be Hero X is there for you.
The drama is the most tantalizing part of the show. We might have been fooled by it, possibly thinking it’ll be a typical hero anime, but when Nice died within the first few minutes, we knew we were so wrong about it.
It quickly became more than just another hero series. It’s about the human beings behind the costumes and how their lives have been affected, including what they’ve done to others. The audience can empathize while still being critical of the characters’ actions. For example, when Yang Cheng distanced himself from Xia Qing, it was relatable, but a huge mistake on his part.
Overall, you might watch To Be Hero X believing it’s all glam, but you’re left with tears and conflict in your heart. We wonder how Queen’s arc will play out and tie into the story next.
To Be Hero X can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
