Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
JoeMalone
I went into To Be Hero X with no real expectations, and it ended up being one of the biggest surprises I've had. The anthology narrative is amazing in how it flows the entire story together, even though the timeline isn't in chronological order. At first, the timeline can seem tough to grasp and you'll sometimes get confused, thinking "wait what happened?" or "what period was that event in?" But as the show goes on and finally ends, every doubt gets cleared and you understand the whole timeline. Every event affects the others and watching the connections click into place is half the fun.
The animation is just as impressive. It switches between different styles, from CGI to regular 2d anime style to psychedelic and experimental styles etc and it never feels messy. The visuals are gorgeous…
Read at the sourceReftyy
The use of colour and art throughout the show was absolutely masterful, alongside the incorporation of music in everything - all in all, it was a great experience to go through and that alone would warrant my recommendation for someone who has not seen it.
The story as a whole is very well written as well, with the world building and character development, you feel as though you get to know the motivations, dreams, and desires of all of the characters by the end of it as opposed to the typical linear storytelling where one character becomes the lens through which we as the audience see the world through.
Something I really enjoyed was how well thought out the story as a whole is, it wasn't something littered with plot holes, though I did have one question that might be a plothole about a…
Read at the sourcemarvinarviin
To Be Hero X has a genuinely interesting concept, where a hero's powers are shaped by the faith and expectations of their fans. The animation is absolutely godly, and each hero gets a few episodes to tell an often emotional and touching story. Unfortunately, the way these stories are presented makes the series incredibly convoluted and disjointed. Just as you start getting invested in one character, their story abruptly ends and you're thrown into another timeline with a new hero, leaving you wondering what happened to everyone before them. Individually, these stories can be great, but they rarely feel satisfying as a whole. The finale looks spectacular, but ultimately leaves you with more questions than answers.
Read at the sourceDraco_Titanfall
Gorgeous CGI animation can't save a horrendous messy plot and horrible pacing. The first 4 episodes were genuinely great, at least 8/10. The next 3 episodes were good but not amazing, 7/10. From then onwards it was a downward spiral and the writing quality plummeted. Every arc focuses on a different hero but basically all of them end on a cliffhanger, and I felt like it was implied that we'll get a final ultimate resolution at the end of it. But when episode 24 finally came around, basically fucking nothing happens. There's no resolution at all and nothing is answered. It was extremely unsatisfying. Other than that, all the arcs after the E Soul arc were full of little plot holes and careless writing that wouldn't have been issues by themselves but they snowball into giving you this feelin…
Read at the sourceJayJayLwr
(EN-PT)
Without a doubt, one of my favorite anime of 2025!
It's my Anime of the Season. It feels completely different from everything else, with a story that constantly pulls you into both what's happening now and what's yet to come. The series reaches some incredibly high peaks, and Episode 20 is, in my opinion, one of the greatest anime episodes I've ever watched. It's the episode that genuinely made me reconsider giving the series a perfect score. Seeing so many storylines come together, the narrative finally paying off, and everything naturally leading into the present timeline was simply incredible. The mystery aspect is also handled exceptionally well, with every answer leading to another question and making it almost impossible not to keep watching.
If I had to explain why this i…
Read at the sourceBosMossel99
Feels like a breath of fresh air in the anime world (suitably so, since it's a donghua), and can maybe bring inspiration for new plots and archetypes. Each plot twist was unexpected.
The way each part of the anthology followed reverse chronologically made me jump back to previous episodes and makes the world setting unfold, without any handholding.
It tastefully includes some more dramatic scenarios and real-world violence.
Through the whole experience it felt like unpacking a Russian Nesting doll.
I have only watched one other donghua, Shiguang Dailiren, and if this trend keeps going at this rate I will become a huge donghua fan
Read at the sourceZepherd
To be hero X is probably one of, if not, the best 3D animation/CGI anime I have ever seen. And the fact that it also combines 2D animation to it as well makes it the most unique anime I have ever seen. It was a hard watch at first since I'm more used to the original 2D animations, and if you are like me, then just give it a try, let it marinate because it pays off gradually.
And the other thing that may throw people off is the way they project the story. Most animes gives flashbacks of a character's past in the heat of the moment or when it actually matters, but To Be Hero X does not copy the same principle. To Be Hero X throws all the character's past one after another and then connects it all at the end. Watching this anime feels like assembling a puzzle in a form of an anime because o…
Read at the sourceDutchleague
To Be Hero X is a visual marvel that pushes the boundaries of what a superhero story can look like. It is a show built on "phenomenal animation" and a high-concept world where fame is literally power. If you go in looking for an action-packed, sensory feast, you will likely be "very happy" with the ride.
● Short Synopsis
In a world where hero status isn't born or made through training, but earned through "Trust Value" — a literal measurement of public faith — heroes are treated like elite influencers or rock stars. The story follows Lin Ling, a struggling advertising agent who is suddenly thrust into the limelight as the successor to "Nice," one of the world's most beloved heroes. As he navigates the cutthroat world of PR-managed heroism, he finds himself on a collision course with a ma…
Read at the sourceDark_Dracula
It adds a unique feel by the use of the different animation styles; they are done quite well and synchronize with each other- so nothing feels choppy. Now, the plot can be a bit hard to grasp at first, with the full picture becoming somewhat clearer at the end.
But there are a few holes in the plot- they will maybe get explained in the second season. Overall, the plot is decent if we ignore some logical flaws.
It has decent highs and lows with some comedy sprinkled on top. So, it is not stuck on the same note.
If you don't like a storytelling with lots of timeframes than don't watch it. Otherwise, it is a decent watch.
Read at the sourceHenelyThornhill
Go watch this. Seriously. I beg of you.
Don’t overthink it, don’t even focus too much on the story at first — just watch it. This is one of the most innovative, bold, and straight-up insane pieces of animation I’ve seen in YEARS.
Like, we’re talking about a show that just casually switches between multiple animation styles — and not in a gimmicky way. Every single style is polished, intentional, and hits. It’s not just flexing, it’s art direction on another level. And the way they use 3D? I kid you not when I say this is what 3D in animation is supposed to be !!!
This show isn’t just good-looking — it’s a creative statement. A straight-up feat.
Now yeah, on the downside — the story is kinda convoluted.
You really gotta lock in to follow everything. Multiple storylines, different chara…
Read at the sourcerobertino129
Overrated mediocre show. If you were to judge it by simply the first two arcs, it would be a great show, 9.5/10. The first arc being quite great, however the cliffhanger at the end is never addressed in the entire show. The second arc, which built upon the character of the seeming assassin in the previous arc, also proved to be a well executed reverse spiderman. However all arcs after that were boring as hell. All the female arcs and the dog one were much worse than the first ones where the betrayal, plot twists and character development were king. Only the final arc sort of tied them all together, being somewhat interesting, but it was an exposition heavy episode with little progress to be made.
7/10 for the entire show, 9.5/10 for the first two arcs. You can just watch episodes 1-7 and…
Read at the sourcenegga_kun
nothing special about the story at somepoint everything becomes predictable there is no specific story or arc solid start but after ep its just idk hero solving problems with the power of trust and love [ like c'mon this is so childish] flashy animation aura farming i mean i probably would ve liked it more if i was a 11 year old i am a type of person who loves to try and open for all new sorts of stuff i dont like it that much nor i dislike it i think if you r a solid anime fan like watched all the popular stuff [ naruto , bleach etc ] then its not for u but still u can try not something if u dont watch it u will miss anything
Read at the sourceRamun_Flame
Wow, just wow. I came in knowing the series was hyped, and still enjoyed it quite a bit. It blends interesting stories and characters with great animation and action.
The series gets you from the start, letting you know it's not just some run of the mill hero story. The world is filled with intrigue, and will leave you asking questions that may or may not be answered. It's not afraid to tell the story out of order, or not spell out everything. A lot of the story needs to be inferred from stray lines of dialogue.
The main gripe many may have is the unorthodox story telling, and how certain story points aren't resolved this season. There are plans to have a season 2/part 2 though, so hopefully those get closed off by then.
My only issue with the show is some plot points seem to be a bit c…
Read at the sourcemaryam_rma77
Critical Review: To Be Hero X.. When Heroism Shatters the Mirror of Deception
To Be Hero X goes far beyond being a mere visual masterpiece; it is a work specifically crafted to engage sophisticated minds, boldly posing the ultimate existential question: "Who is the true hero?"
The Manipulation of Trust
In this work, heroism is transformed into a "Spectacle"—a brilliant allegory that extends beyond fantasy into our contemporary reality. We see this in the politician, the influencer, and the content creator who offers hollow substance yet is revered as a role model. The concept here is both terrifying and honest: choice is no longer based on "nobility" or true value, but on whatever "collective belief" dictates and what the noise of the masses imposes.
Who is the Hero?
The series breaks th…
Read at the sourceValleyLicious
I've watched many anime in my life but i really haven't seen anything like To Be Hero X
To start with, the individual pacing of the story and their respective arcs are really well done, to explain a character's motive and background in 3 or less episodes is brilliant writing and screenplay. Lin Ling's the only character with 4 episodes all about him (I consider the Moon episode as a part of him as well but it showed much more general information about the world and previous Nice) and the other character's get 3 or even just 2 episodes, like.. How did i come to love Ghostblade so much in such a short amount of time, or Queen or even E Soul (both of them), it's not just a tragic backstory, it's a long project explanation of change in people. Every one of these characters experienced an old…
Read at the sourceUpholder
If frustration were embodied in an anime, this is it.
When To Be Hero X is good, it's really good. Awesome art, great characters, great worldbuilding. The problem is, this isn't a story. There's no arc, there's no climax. This is pretty much an anthology of stories setting up the next season, and that's just so disappointing. As strong as the characters and drama were, I feel cheated. 24 episodes, and nothing resembling a climax, a significant event, or even a checkpoint.
A cliffhanger isn't unusual for a series in progress, but even then the series usually concludes with at least some semblance of progress. Not so in this case. Season 1 of 'To Be Hero X' is supplemental backstory, not the core narrative itself, and as such feels like a waste of time in isolation. When it comes to scori…
Read at the source9Jizhu
Alright, that's a wrap. *click*
I'll keep the review spoiler free.
. . . and keep in mind this is 24 episode review I don't care about how they will do X or Z in the future
Just finished watching Tu Bian Yingxiong X (To be Hero X) and I'm actually kind of surprised how well it was made.
YOU can be a hero too!! . . . can anything be more cliche? WELL here it DOES make sense actually LITERALLY lmao.
To start off I was not familiar with any Chinese animations till now and to my surprise it was good... like really good (to be fair it was developed with aniplex but shh...)
So, at the start we are introduced to our first 'hero' and we are left with bunch of questions without answers that suppose to hook us into watching more and more to uncover what happened? what's going on? how does it eve…
Read at the sourceTheEasternModie
To Be Hero X is a great concept for a story but it is also a bit pulled down by its own ambitions of wanting to be this grand overarching story that hooks you with a plot twist every episode, but then only delivering on few of them. It is still a good show, the animation is outstanding, the switches in style are creative (though the usage falls short in later episodes) and the fights are entertaining. Furthermore, especially the first half comes with a very well placed sovial critique in all kinds of places that I really enjoyed. But the longer the series went, the more it seemed like all of these early good parts, that actually made it its own hero show different from what I already saw, were reduced more and more and it became what you would expect from this type of story. Still well ani…
Read at the sourceemberreviews
To Be Hero X is, if nothing else, a massively ambitious swing in terms of story structure and artistic direction. The full CG animation in the first 7 episodes, and especially so when it returns in the finale, is some of the most stylish and eye-catching I’ve ever seen, to the point where I actually got upset when almost the entire rest of the series was in a worse, but still fairly solid, traditional 2D style. Its direct commentary on societal perception and how that translates into how each character perceives themselves was astute and compelling, with the growing layers of bureaucratic manipulation presenting itself as a riveting and existential burden to overcome. The way that it turns its semi-anthological narrative into a web of interconnecting characters, many of whom I adored for t…
Read at the sourceIzxo
Absolute cinema!
The first episodes hook you with a mystery, a relatable character, and a plot twist that isn’t resolved in the entirety of the first season.
The anime jumps through time, revealing the origins of each main player while that cliffhanger lingers in the back of your mind — and it’s not the only one. The show teases multiple unresolved threads with every new character, yet you’re not even mad, because the writing is just that good.
And the animation, man, this is what happens when the animators has a blank check and complete freedom to go wild. It jumps from one artstyle to the next, from wester comics, to CGI and traditional 2D anime style animation, with action peaking at Solo Leveling levels. The last episode even blows Demon Slayer out of the water. The only animated m…
Read at the source
