To Be Hero X [Season 1 Episodes 1-12]

To Be Hero X: A Wild, Interactive Ride That’s More Than Just a Battle Royale

If you’ve ever wanted to yell at your screen and actually change the story, To Be Hero X is your new obsession. This Chinese-Japanese collab (from Bilibili and Aniplex, directed by Haolin Lee of Link Click fame) isn’t just another hero anime—it’s a chaotic, character-driven experiment where your votes literally shape the plot. Let’s break down why Season 1 (Episodes 1-12) is blowing up for Gen Z viewers.

First off, the setup is genius. The world runs on “hero trust”: the more fans love a hero, the stronger they get. Every two years, the top 10 heroes fight in a tournament to become “X,” the ultimate hero. But here’s the twist: the show’s an anthology. Each hero gets their own episodes to shine—Nice, the cocky underdog, has four episodes so far, while others get one or two. And guess what? You can vote for your favorite on Bilibili. Right now, Nice is leading (duh, he’s got the most screen time), but fans are already theorizing this “democracy” is a trap. As one MyAnimeList user put it: “You think you’re controlling the heroes, but you’re just part of a mass that can be manipulated easily.” Spooky, right?

The characters are where To Be Hero X really pops. Nice (voiced by Mamoru Miyano, who’s basically anime royalty) is this flashy hero with a secret—his real name’s Lin Ling, and he’s hiding a past that ties into the villainous Spotlight Organization. Fans are losing it over his arc: “Nice’s backstory in Episode 3 hit hard,” one Reddit user raved. “When he said, ‘I just want to be seen for who I am,’ I felt that.” Then there’s X, the mysterious, silent hero no one knows anything about. Is he a villain? An anti-hero? Half the fandom thinks he’s Nice’s alter ego (even though the ED debunked that—oops). Either way, his vibe is chef’s kiss—think My Hero Academia’s All For One but with more mystery.

The animation? Chef’s kiss. Lee’s signature style—vibrant, fluid, and unafraid to switch genres—keeps you on your toes. One minute you’re in a neon-lit battle, the next in a cozy slice-of-life scene where Nice bonds with his little sister. The voice cast is stacked too: Kana Hanazawa (from Demon Slayer) and Koki Uchiyama (Shigaraki in MHA) bring the heroes to life with so much energy, you’ll forget you’re reading subtitles.

But the real star is the interactivity. Fans are losing their minds over the voting system. “I voted for Nice because his episodes are hilarious,” says 17-year-old Mia from TikTok. “But now I’m low-key rooting for Lin Ling—she’s got this quiet strength that’s underrated.” The show even teases that votes might affect who survives the tournament. As one MyAnimeList user joked: “It’s like an anime award show, but the awards actually break the plot.”

Is it perfect? No. Some episodes feel rushed (looking at you, the one-episode heroes), and the pacing can be all over the place. But that’s part of the charm. To Be Hero X isn’t trying to be a masterpiece—it’s trying to be fun. It’s for the kid who’s ever argued with their friends about who’s the best hero, or the teen who’s sick of stories where the ending is set in stone.

By Episode 12, the stakes are sky-high. The Spotlight Organization is creeping in, Nice is hiding a huge secret, and X is still a total enigma. Fans are speculating that X will turn out to be a villain who hates the trust system (“He’s gonna destroy all the top heroes!” one user predicted). But here’s the thing: we don’t know. Because we get to decide.

If you’re into anime that’s more than just fighting—if you love messy characters, wild twists, and feeling like you’re part of the story—To Be Hero X is a must-watch. Just don’t forget to vote. Your favorite hero’s life might depend on it.

Final Verdict: 8/10. Chaotic, creative, and totally addictive. Perfect for anyone who’s ever wanted to be the hero of their own story—even if it’s just through a screen.

P.S. Nice stans, keep voting. We need more of his chaotic energy.