The shonen anime scene is evolving, bringing in new waves of content as iconic classics like My Hero Academia near their conclusions. While the dust has not settled on which new anime show will usher in a new era under the superhero genre, Crunchyroll’s latest addition, To Be Hero X, has confidently entered the arena to plant a flag as its new standard-bearer. What’s more, its premiere episode emphatically shines a spotlight on Chinese animation, a historically under-appreciated medium that is as equally must-watch as its Japanese counterpart.
To Be Hero X, a donghua (Chinese animation) directed by Li Haolin of Link Click, is set in a fantasy world where heroes are not created, not born. In this universe, hero status is earned through public “trust,” reminiscent of how social media influencers gain fame by amassing loyal followers. Its story centers on Lin Ling, an ambitious young man whose journey into heroism is thrust upon him after a public relations agency orchestrates his rise, transforming him from a struggling superhero advertising agent into the successor of Nice, one of the world’s most beloved heroes.
While maintaining the guise of a dead ringer for the renowned hero, Ling must navigate the chaotic highs and lows of superhero fame. His journey becomes even more daunting with a looming tournament arc designed to disrupt the superhero status quo and crown the ultimate hero worthy of the coveted title of X.
While its themes aren’t groundbreaking in the genre—similar ideas have propelled shows like The Boys and My Hero Academia—To Be Hero X takes a different approach by placing them front and center rather than treating them as mere set dressing. The show’s system fully embodies its power through celebrity concept. If enough people believe an influencer like mega-popular Twitch streamer IShowSpeed can fly, he will gain the ability to fly. While the premiere keeps the specifics of this system somewhat ambiguous, it explains it as “trust” data gathered from followers and infused into a person’s super suit. Think of it as a social media-driven version of Goku’s spirit bomb from Dragon Ball Z.
The series distinguishes itself with its bold fusion of 2D and CG animation. While its CG visuals may not quite reach the level of Arcane, they hold their own, drawing comparisons to Netflix’s Love, Death & Robots anthology series. This is by no means a drawback, though—if anything, To Be Hero X feels like a passion project, condensing the artistic diversity that anthologies like Love, Death & Robots or Star Wars: Visions deliver over a season into a single, breathtaking premiere. More impressively, the series promises to sustain this high quality standard throughout its 24-episode run.
This all comes as a collective effort from BeDream, Lan Studio, Paper Plane Animation, and B. Cool, whose collective effort makes the premiere episode feel like an anthology unto itself with how its style seesaws between CG and a kaleidoscope of 2D animation. To Be Hero X‘s emotional climax builds like a fuse racing toward firecrackers with disperate animation styles, including hash-toned comic book illustrations, corporate-style art, and 2D animation with vibrant impact frames.
Sandwiched between the show’s impressive pastiche of animation styles are two giant WTF twists, anchored at the onset and climax of its premiere episode, before the show commences once more with its rollercoaster flourish of vibrant and kinetic animation and action sequences. Unfortunately, there’s a trade-off in that its character writing feels on autopilot in the jumble of the show’s all-gas, no brakes pacing in its premiere episode.
With a 23-minute runtime, To Be Hero X struggles to establish its protagonist as more than a cliché—a kind-hearted individual routinely taken advantage of and exploited. The supporting cast, while not blah to watch, also leans on familiar archetypes, such as Nice’s faux-mance partner Moon being a beautiful goddess; his PR agent Ms. J being a stern, no-nonsense business woman; and sensationalist reporter Enlightener being the show’s slimy TMZ stand-in.
Hopefully, as the series progresses, To Be Hero X will develop its characters into more nuanced and compelling figures, imbuing them with the same levels of depth and vibrancy as its high-energy action sequences.
To Be Hero X is streaming on Crunchyroll.
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