The Scum of the Brave and Sentenced to Be a Hero TV anime series have both received a special collaboration video and illustration featuring each show’s respective protagonists.
The newly released illustration is drawn by Scum of the Brave manga series artist Nakashima723, which includes several main characters from each series.
©2024 ロケット商会/KADOKAWA/勇者刑に処す製作委員会
©ナカシマ723／ロケット商会／リイド社・製作委員会のクズ
Scum of the Brave is expected to begin broadcasting in Japan on January 10, 2026 and will air for two consecutive cours.
Shinji Ushiro (Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro 2nd Attack) is directing the anime series, with Yoichi Kato as series composer and scriptwriter, and Rika Murakami as character designer. OLM is handling the animation production.
The anime’s voice cast stars Ryota Suzuki as Shinigami Yashiro, Akari Kito as Aki Jogamine, Momo Harumi as Yukine Indo, and Yumiri Hanamori as Saera Kashiwagi Pendragon.
The original light novel series is written by Rocket Shokai and illustrated by Yuya Kusaka, and was first published under the KADOKAWA Books imprint on December 24, 2016. A new version with revisions and illustrations from toi8 was announced, along with the anime adaptation, this year.
©ナカシマ723／ロケット商会／リイド社・製作委員会のクズ
Scum of the Brave began as a Kakuyomu web novel in 2016. The light novel also inspired a manga adaptation by Nakashima723 in 2018, which has been published digitally in English on Manga Planet.
Manga Planet describes the main premise of the manga as:
In an alternate 21st century, rich mafia members can turn into “Demon Kings” through increasingly popular ether-enhancement surgery, and the bounty hunters called “Braves” are the ones called upon to take them down. Yashiro only wants the simple pleasures in life – pizza, beer, and card games. When three young Braves offer him a majestic sum to be their private tutor, he agrees solely for the money – but is it worth what he’s getting himself into?
Meanwhile, Sentenced to Be a Hero will premiere in Japan on January 3, 2026 with a 1-hour special episode.
Hiroyuki Takashima (Symphogear XV co-action director, The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls U149 assistant director) is directing the anime adaptation, with Yoshiki Nakaoji (Symphogear XV co-action director) as assistant director and creature designer, Kenta Ihara (Ishura) as series composer and scriptwriter, Takeshi Noda (DAN DA DAN sub-character designer on Episode 1, 5, 6 et al.) as character designer, Nobutaka Ike (Belle background art director) as setting designer, and TRYTONELABO’s Shunsuke Takizawa (Studio Apartment, Good Lighting, Angel Included) as music composer. Studio KAI is in charge of the animation production.
The anime’s main voice cast includes:
- • Yohei Azakami as Xylo Forbartz
- • Mayu Izuka as Teoritta
- • Shizuka Ishigami as Patausche Kivia
- • Shun Horie as Dotta Luzulas
- • Shunichi Toki as Venetim Leopool
The dark fantasy light novels are written by Rocket Shokai and illustrated by Mephisto. It first began as a web novel on Kadokawa’s Kakuyomu website on October 28, 2020. Kadokawa then published the light novels on September 17, 2021 and has released seven volumes as of January 2025. An eighth volume is expected to be published in Japan on January 17, 2026. Yen Press licensed the light novels for English release under its Yen On imprint.
A manga adaptation by Natsumi Inoue was launched on Dengeki Comic Regulus on March 25, 2022. Two tankobon volumes have been released as of April 2024. The manga is published digitally in English by Kadokawa’s BookWalker website and will be released in English print by Yen Press in June 2026.
©2024 ロケット商会/KADOKAWA/勇者刑に処す製作委員会
Crunchyroll will stream Sentenced to Be a Hero in select countries and territories worldwide, and describes the main synopsis as:
In a world where heroism is a punishment, Xylo Forbartz, a condemned goddess killer, battles endless hordes of monstrous abominations as part of Penal Hero Unit 9004. Death is no escape, only a cycle of resurrection and relentless combat. But when Xylo encounters a mysterious new goddess, their unlikely alliance sparks a rebellion that could shatter the chains of eternal punishment.
Sources: Sentenced to Be a Hero Official Twitter (2), Crunchyroll News
