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This article includes mention of suicide and spoilers for all episodes of To Be Hero X. Reader discretion is advised.
2025 has given audiences a lot of great anime so far; however, the best new series doesn’t come from Japan. To Be Hero X is a Chinese donghua that has been making waves since its first episode debuted. The series follows several aspiring Heroes as they go from normal citizens to the city’s protectors.
To Be Hero X separates itself from other superhero series with its fluctuating animation and unique storytelling angle. Rather than linearly focusing on the Heroes, blocks of episodes are set aside to show how each new Hero rose to prominence. Unlike a lot of anime of its kind, this donghua doesn’t shy away from gore and violence and chooses to depict the true horrors and sacrifices that Heroes must endure.
To Be Hero X Separates Itself With Its Main Characters
To Be Hero X Is An Anthology Superhero Series
To Be Hero X primarily separates itself from other superhero anime with its main cast. Rather than focusing on one character or an ensemble cast, To Be Hero X highlights each of the top Heroes’ journeys from citizenship to heroism. They all have different ways they became heroes and have varying attitudes towards how their popularity came to be.
Lin Ling was just a marketing agent when he witnessed the death of one of the most popular Heroes, Nice. He was then wrangled into becoming his replacement, until his secret was revealed, trying to save the woman he loved. Yang Cheng made a living impersonating a Hero for the stage and eventually became said Hero’s rival. The final Hero represented so far was seen as a Hero from the outset. She was even named Lucky Cyan because of the luck she seemed to bestow on people.
To Be Hero X has some similarities to other superhero anime, but it goes into much more detail about how varying the path to heroism can be. Becoming a Hero isn’t all about getting supernatural powers on a whim. It has a lot to do with altruism, trying to prove one’s worth, and the freedom that prestige can afford.
To Be Hero X Uses Animation Changes To Emphasize The Story
To Be Hero X Switches Between 2D & 3D Animation
Another thing that makes To Be Hero X so unique is that it uses two different animation styles: 2D and 3D. Most of the series is created using 3D animation. This seems to signify the present and other mundane things occurring. However, it also stays in 3D during tragic moments, like during someone’s death.
2D animation is reserved for more heroic moments. Whether it’s all-out fights or little flashes during battle. Most notably, the flashes occurred during Yang Cheng’s fight with the original E-Soul. However, 2D animation is also used for past events. This is evident during flashbacks from Firm Man’s past. It could also be why Lucky Cyan’s entire story so far has been in 2D.
Another theory about Lucky Cyan’s section being entirely in 2D could be because she has been a Hero from the start. It’s possible her power initially came from the people who were on the plane with her as a child and believed in her to survive the crash. She then just carried that luck with her and had the ability to bestow it onto others inherently. While it is more likely due to the fact that her section is set in the past, it could also be because she already had so many people believing in her from the start.
To Be Hero X Depicts The High Toll Of Becoming A Hero
Every Hero In To Be Hero X Has Lost Something Or Someone They Cherished
One of the biggest things that stands out in To Be Hero X is that it doesn’t shy away from the price of becoming a Hero. Superhero fans are always passively aware that Heroes have a hard time maintaining families or justifying falling in love. But To Be Hero X says the quiet part out loud. Just as every Hero fears that their families and loved ones will be targeted, every featured Hero so far has lost friends and loved ones either to death or circumstance.
Superheroes are always seen as bastions of good and justice. But that ignores the sacrifices they have to make daily. Even if they do choose to settle down or to stick by their families, it only puts them in much more danger than if the Heroes were to remain alone. It’s a harsh truth that To Be Hero X puts forth in a chillingly matter-of-fact way.
Although the series has only focused on a few Heroes, fans have already witnessed two deaths, a relationship that fizzled before it could start, a betrayal, and a close relationship that was nearly torn asunder by fame. The Heroes in To Be Hero X all claim that they want to become Heroes to be harbingers of justice, but is their fame and their need to help others truly worth the sacrifices they regularly make? It is questions like this that highlight the nuances in a great series like To Be Hero X.
To Be Hero X Is The Same, But Different
To Be Hero X Refines The Superhero Genre
Though it separates itself from other superhero anime, it still retains the same heroic flavor that fans crave. Epic battles, idealistic characters, and emotional storytelling are all part of this excellent donghua. The initial desires of the characters are fairly similar to other protagonists, like Izuku Midoriya and Saitama. However, To Be Hero X focuses more heavily on the darker sides of heroism.
One of the first things fans witness at the beginning of the series is one of the most loved Heroes, Nice, purposefully falling to his death. Presumably, the pressure of being perfect at all times got the better of him, and he felt like the only option was to end things, permanently. Audiences are also forced to watch Yang Cheng lose his innocence after his friend, Shang Chao, dies in his place. Even Lucky Cyan is not so lucky when it comes to forming relationships. In the end, she escapes from her orphanage, but not without leaving her best friend, Calamity, behind.
To Be Hero X also does not shy away from murder. As fans have seen, Yang Cheng is not only responsible for E-Soul’s death but also appears to be the one who killed Moon on the beach. Audiences also see how Yang Cheng’s parents were murdered and the aforementioned death of Shang Chao. Most superhero anime would keep things like that offscreen, but To Be Hero X challenges its audiences by confronting them with such violent imagery in a superhero context.
With that said, another constant between To Be Hero X and other anime in the same genre is the Trust that the public has in its Heroes. Public Trust means a lot to any Hero. This is especially true of series like My Hero Academia and To Be Hero X. However, it is vital for the latter. Trust is how the Heroes gain and maintain their powers. Without it, they are nothing. On the flip side, Villains are fueled by public Fear. Depending on how people view these characters, the public’s opinions can make or break them, which is true of any Hero.
Overall, To Be Hero X is a great donghua that more people should be watching. It has all fans’ favorite superhero tropes, but elevates them in a clever and unrelenting way. To Be Hero X serves to shine a more realistic light on what it means to be a Hero, rather than the often sanitized versions that are popular in today’s media.
To Be Hero X takes risks that pay off in a big way. Whether it is the two different styles of animation, the anthology-style storytelling, or the overall story, To Be Hero X is not afraid to take a leap of faith. So far, these risks have paid off to create the best new series of 2025. There are still other highly anticipated anime coming fans’ way this year, but To Be Hero X has made itself a staunch contender for the coveted Anime/Series of the Year award. Anyone who has been curious about this fantastic donghua needs to take the plunge and immerse themselves in this hauntingly gorgeous tale of heroism, sacrifice, and love.
