[source](https://to-be-hero-x.fandom.com/wiki/To_Be_Hero_X_(Donghua))
When I started watching *To Be Hero X*, I had no idea what to expect. I already knew [*To Be Hero*](https://myanimelist.net/anime/33047/To_Be_Hero) and [*To Be Heroine*](https://myanimelist.net/anime/37080/To_Be_Heroine), the previous entries, and I kinda liked the whole nonsense vibe with some unexpected drama mixed in.
*To Be Hero X* is **different**.
Not just because of its *surreal animation*, but because it mixes genres and styles in a way that *shouldn't work… but it does*. I found myself glued to the screen, episode after episode, trying to figure out what was coming next. Spoiler: *you won’t be able to predict anything*.
The first thing you’ll notice is the art style.
Forget the usual cute anime tropes or polished realism.
[source](https://elcomercio.pe/saltar-intro/noticias/to-be-hero-x-hora-confirmada-de-estreno-crunchyroll-noticia/)
Here, the studio [Paper Plane Animation Studio](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/company.php?id=22214) and the Chinese team threw in a bunch of different styles. *Some scenes look like an indie game*, others like a rough storyboard sketch, and some feel like a bizarre dream made in rough CGI. The main director is [Li Haoling](https://myanimelist.net/people/37999/Haoling_Li), who also directed stuff like [*Heaven Official’s Blessing*](https://myanimelist.net/anime/40748/Tian_Guan_Ci_Fu) and [*The King's Avatar*](https://myanimelist.net/anime/34574/Quan_Zhi_Gao_Shou). This guy has an artistic vision that doesn’t follow any rule and here he *throws all of them out the window* on purpose. And in the middle of this visual chaos, the anime delivers heavy messages and *some social commentary that really hits*, kind of like [*Mob Psycho 100*](https://myanimelist.net/anime/32182/Mob_Psycho_100) or [*Ping Pong the Animation*](https://myanimelist.net/anime/22135/Ping_Pong_the_Animation), but with even more sarcasm and absurdity.
[source](https://www.imdb.com/es/title/tt23139038/news/)
The first few episodes are *really confusing*. I even thought, “man, this isn’t going anywhere.”
But out of nowhere, the story starts clicking. *You realize all the nonsense has a purpose*, and the characters, even if they look dumb at first, *get deeper over time*.
The main character, [*X*](https://to-be-hero.fandom.com/wiki/X), is this wild anti-hero/meme hybrid. He reminded me of [Saitama](https://myanimelist.net/character/64527/Saitama) from *One Punch Man*, but with deeper trauma and a way more chaotic energy. And [*Sakura*](https://to-be-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Sakura), who seems like just a generic sidekick at first, ends up delivering some *shockingly emotional moments*. I swear. I thought it was all a joke, but when the drama hits, it hits *hard*.
[source](https://animeflix.com.br/to-be-hero-x-trailer-explica-historia-e-poderes-de-x/)
The anime nails the balance between humor and seriousness. One minute you’re laughing at dumb jokes and *breaking the fourth wall*, and the next you’re hit with heavy stuff like injustice, social control, trauma, and more. There’s brutal criticism of the system, capitalism, authoritarianism, and appearance-based judgment... And the best part: it’s *all wrapped up in slapstick humor*. It feels like a top-tier episode of [*South Park*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0121955/), but with the soul of an underground anime.
And of course, there’s **fighting**.
The fights are creative, over-the-top, with *insane visual effects* and rules that change constantly. But that’s part of the charm. Nothing is static here. The anime *plays with narrative*, genre, and even format. Sometimes it feels like watching a live manga, with frames slicing the screen, pop-up text, sounds that don’t match visuals... *but it all adds to the intentional madness that is To Be Hero X*.
This anime is **not** for everyone.
If you only enjoy linear stories with a clear beginning, middle, and end, you *might get frustrated*. But if you're into *experimental stuff*, if you liked things like [*Tatami Galaxy*](https://myanimelist.net/anime/7785/Yojouhan_Shinwa_Taikei), [*Kaiba*](https://myanimelist.net/anime/3640/Kaiba), or even [*FLCL*](https://myanimelist.net/anime/227/FLCL), then *To Be Hero X* will totally surprise you.
This is a Sino-Japanese production, with support from [bilibili](https://www.bilibili.tv/) and [Aniplex](https://aniplexusa.com/), and you can clearly feel the cultural fusion throughout the episodes. Some moments feel like a jab at [Chinese censorship](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_China), while others totally mock Japanese tropes. *It’s cultural chaos* but it fits the show’s vibe perfectly.
[source](https://x.com/nolookbackthen/status/1908681975692419486)
*To Be Hero X* isn’t just a sequel to *To Be Heroine* it’s on another level.
Bolder, crazier, deeper. It’s an emotional rollercoaster: it’ll make you laugh, think, get confused, then feel sad, then confused again and finally, *hooked*.
If you want to explore more about the creative madness behind this, check out the creator of *Mob Psycho*, [ONE](https://myanimelist.net/people/28811/ONE), who also wrote *One Punch Man*, and the director [Masaaki Yuasa](https://myanimelist.net/people/1176/Masaaki_Yuasa), who made *Tatami Galaxy* and *Ping Pong*. Their fingerprints are all over this *blended perfectly*.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B433_-vANzQ