To Be Hero X

Okay, I have to say this-there's this anime that nobody seems to be talking about, and I genuinely don't understand why. I stumbled on it randomly, no hype, no recommendations, just pure curiosity. And wow. I was not ready. This show? It's absolutely insane-in the best way possible. The animation alone is chef's kiss-cinematic, fluid, and just visually stunning. You can tell the team behind it poured real love into every single frame. It legit looks like a movie, but it's a weekly series. Like, how??

I kept expecting it to fumble somewhere because that's usually how these under-the-radar anime go-you get a cool idea, maybe solid animation for the first episode or two, then it drops off. But this one? It just keeps getting better. The story actually has layers. The characters feel real, the pacing is tight, and there's just something about it that grabs you and doesn't let go. There's emotional weight to what's happening, but it's also just straight-up cool. It hits that sweet spot of being fun and meaningful.

And listen, I don't say this lightly-but this might be Anime of the Year material. I know we're getting spoiled with big-name releases right now, but this show deserves to be in the conversation. It's better than a lot of the more hyped series I've seen lately, and it's doing its own thing in a way that feels fresh and exciting.

I have no words, it is so addictive. The character, the story, the plot, the music. Everything is so good and best, I think there never been an anime like this, yes it is a dongua, but I thinl it surpassed all anime from the last 60 years, I have watched 170 anime altogether. In my life, this is in my top list.

At first, the animation style takes a bit of getting used to, but you get the hang of it pretty quickly. The story is super engaging, and the music really pulls you in. It kind of reminds me of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.

Cinematically, it's well put together, with some stunning visuals and solid direction. The pacing is just right-never feels rushed, but it also doesn't drag. The characters are already pretty interesting, and it feels like the story is setting up for something big. I have really high expectations for this anime, and I'm excited to see where it goes.

It's so underrated!!! Although there's no hype around its release, it's definitely still a must-watch! The whole show is made in China and has a multiple-style animation. I believe it could end up as good as Arcane or Spider-verse!

The plot is original, and the story layers itself very well. The first episode gets you hooked, something like Oshi No Ko's first episode. It starts strong and instantly does something you wouldn't expect. The plot doesn't drop off either. It just keeps on getting better and better!

The art style is slightly different from traditional anime, but the animation is still fantastic! I would say it reminds me of Spider-verse's animation. The amount of movement sometimes is absolutely insane! You can instantly tell that the animators are being paid well. They play around with the animation sometimes too, as it has a multiple-style animation.

Tapped out midway through season 1. By no means is this bad, but the amount of 10 star reviews is a bit fishy for what it actually is. Let's start with the good:

The sci-fi elements of the series are pretty aesthetic, from the clean gold and white structures, to the perfect cities.

I'm also not overtly opposed to a society anchored around the manifestation of power through a mildly dystopic social credit system, if it weren't so shallowly portrayed.

The fusion of art styles can make for some interesting scenery after you get past the CGI, and some of the concepts are decent, like having to live in the mask of your idols.

Now for the bad:

I'm not a fan how they keep cycling through new lead characters, with completely separated casting. To develop a proper level of attachment, more building is required. But it's cut short here.

Further, side characters are way too one dimensional. If a fan girl is a fan girl, that's all she'll ever be. If a bad guy is bad, then that's about all you need to know.

I'm mostly dissatisfied with the writing, and I really dislike the disjointed pacing around the introduction of new personalities. It's a little repetitive to constantly portray shyness through the main character (for the moment, anyhow). And there's no clear indication as to "how" people started developing powers, which makes it all seem a tad silly. Additionally, it's like they're afraid to showcase the darker and more graphic elements of this sci-fi world, and can at times lean too heavily on more childish marvel-esque themes.