Typical fantasy frameworks contain the heroics of a protagonist, the completion of a noble mission, and a conflict to resolve. Bravery, morality, good versus evil are the codes that determine the fate of the world in this genre. But what happens when heroism exists as a state-imposed punishment, not an honor?

Once in a blue moon, an anime comes to challenge the very core of the genre and injects it with mind-blowing creative superpowers. Particularly in a contemporary world of ongoing wars, some animes almost looms like a dark symbolic reflection of what it even means to be a state-deemed hero. 

Here comes a fantasy anime where people realize that the title of hero is a dangerous thing to possess rather than a quality to be respected.

In a fictional society where brutal justice exists amid endless wars, people experience heroism as the only way to freedom; however, they are stigmatized. Sentenced to be a Hero is a delectable new flavor on the platter of fantasy as it flips, twists, and turns the very traditional essence of the genre, wildly successfully. It presents a dark and captivating experience narrative where the heroes are actually criminals who must battle in a violent conflict against demonic forces rather than noble warriors whom destiny has selected.

The warriors go to the front lines as expendable soldiers who must endure their punishment until death. The heroes experience continuous resurrection, which forces them to fight again and again, turning survival worse than execution. The anime not only does a fine job at ticking all the boxes of the fantasy genre, i.e., rich world-building, deep character study, and coherent storytelling, but also evolves on its own terms.

Metaphysically, the anime questions morality and familiarity while maintaining its warmth. The plot even daringly warps the code of ethics that humans are used to seeing in the fantasy genre. Xylo Forbartz, a knight who killed a goddess, received a sentence to become a hero. He leads a team of violent criminals who possess hidden information about their criminal histories. The narrative reveals that the hero system itself exists to support deception and illegal activities.

A jarring reality check this anime hurls at the faces of the viewers is that Heroes being the strongest yet disposable means to forcibly suppress damning information about the government. Ring a bell? Not many fantasy shows can capture nuances of societal concerns and greater existential issues like Sentenced to be a Hero, while also keeping its emotional core intact. 

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Often, true emotions escape fantasy because, to be honest, it is hard to feel or understand a dragon's tears or an immortal demon king's high-school break-up, unless masterfully executed. But this anime deconstructs the genre to capture pain, hope, and resilience. 

Almost like a symbiotic relationship between the genre of fantasy and the anime's uniquely darker themes, they feed off each other and transform each other. The story depicts justice, corruption, sacrifice, and the significance of human life instead of showing a larger-than-life, shocking battle between good and evil. Sentenced to Be a Hero posits a disturbing inquiry about how saving the world could become the ultimate form of torture.

The anime simply decenters itself from any and all emotive structures and codes of conduct to project harsher realities. And by doing so, it showcases the gripping capacity of fantasy as a necessary genre that exists beyond escapism. It asserts a quietude of critical thinking instead of a one-dimensional adrenaline rush as the Heroes try to survive a world tormented by magic and technology. Sentenced to Be a Hero is now available to stream worldwide on Crunchyroll.  

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What are your thoughts on Sentence to be a Hero? Let us know in the comments.