To Be Hero X Explained: Fan Trust System & Season 2

There’s a reason people keep returning to the idea of heroes powered by public opinion — it cuts closer to reality than any super-soldier serum. To Be Hero X, the third entry in the Chinese donghua anthology, turns that concept into a full-blown tournament where fan trust determines everything, from rankings to raw power.

Series type: Chinese donghua (3D animation) co-produced with Aniplex ·
Release date: April 2025 ·
Number of seasons: 1 (24 episodes as of 2025) ·
Genre: Superhero action, tournament battle royale ·
Franchise: Third installment in the To Be Hero anthology

Eight key facts, one pattern: this is a co-production that blurs the line between Chinese and Japanese production, with a power system unlike anything in mainstream battle anime.

What is To Be Hero X actually about?

At its simplest, To Be Hero X is set in a world where heroes gain power through fan trust — and lose everything when that trust disappears. The trust value is collected, quantified, and projected as a number over each hero’s wrist (Animation Magazine). Every two years, the top competitors enter a tournament to determine who holds the title of X, the most popular hero.

Setting and premise

• The series takes place in a contemporary world where superheroes exist openly.
• Heroes’ abilities are directly tied to the volume of trust they accumulate from the public.
• The X tournament happens every two years, resetting trust values and rankings (Wikipedia).

Fan trust system explained

• Trust is gathered from fans and displayed as a visible number on the hero’s wrist (Crunchyroll YouTube).
• Rankings shift in real time as trust values change.
• The system is mechanical and transparent — heroes and audiences can see the data.

The X tournament

• The best heroes compete every two years for the title of X (Wikipedia).
• Winning the tournament raises a hero’s trust value to the top.
• The narrative follows multiple candidates, with protagonist Lin Ling as a central figure.

The implication: To Be Hero X’s power system is a transparent popularity meter, unlike the hidden stats or inherited abilities of most battle anime. It makes the audience complicit — every fan’s attention is canonically fuel for a character they like.

Is To Be Hero X a Chinese anime?

The short answer: no. It’s a Chinese donghua — a term used for Chinese animation, often 3D — co-produced by Aniplex, the Japanese company behind series like Demon Slayer and Sword Art Online. The distinction matters because donghua production pipelines, release strategies, and target audiences differ from Japanese anime, even when both end up on the same streaming platforms.

Production details: Chinese donghua vs Japanese anime

• Directed by Li Haolin, a Chinese director.
• Animation style is 3D CGI, common in Chinese donghua but less frequent in Japanese TV anime.
• Announced by bilibili and Aniplex in 2022 as a third season project (Wikipedia).

Aniplex co-production role

• Aniplex handles international distribution outside Asia.
• Crunchyroll, which is co-owned by Aniplex parent company Sony, streams the series.
• The Japanese TV broadcast aired on Fuji TV from April 6, 2025 (Wikipedia).

Language and cultural context

• Original language: Chinese (Mandarin).
• Crunchyroll offered same-day English dub from the premiere (Animation Magazine).
• Viewers in India could stream weekly from April 13, 2025, at 6:00 AM IST (Times of India).

The pattern: calling To Be Hero X “Chinese anime” isn’t technically wrong — it’s a Chinese production distributed through the same channels — but it erases a distinction that matters for understanding its production style, target audience, and cultural references.

Who is the no. 1 hero in To Be Hero X?

The title of X — the number one hero — is awarded to the winner of the tournament that resets every two years. There is no permanent no. 1; the ranking is fluid, driven entirely by fan trust data. Protagonist Lin Ling is positioned as a key candidate, but as of the current season, the title remains in play (Wikipedia).

Current top hero identity

• No single hero holds the title permanently.
• The identity of X changes with each tournament cycle.
• Lin Ling’s arc centers on his bid to earn the public’s trust and claim the spot.

How hero ranking is determined by fan votes

• Trust value is displayed as a number on the hero’s wrist (Crunchyroll YouTube).
• Higher trust values equal higher rankings.
• The biennial tournament resets trust distributions and reorders the hierarchy.

Lin Ling’s role

• Lin Ling is the series’ protagonist and a primary contender for the X title.
• His powers emerge from a chance encounter at the start of the series.
• His ranking fluctuates as trust data changes with each episode.

Why this matters: the no. 1 hero isn’t a fixed character — it’s a position that any competitor could claim if the audience trusts them enough. This is the show’s central narrative engine: Lin Ling’s failure to build trust is as dangerous as any villain’s attack.

Is To Be Hero X worth watching?

For viewers deciding whether to start a 24-episode commitment, the answer depends heavily on tolerance for metagame mechanics and 3D animation. To Be Hero X isn’t a standard battle royale — it’s a popularity contest dressed as a superhero tournament, and that distinction will either sell the show or break it for most viewers.

Critical reception and audience feedback

• Premiered on Crunchyroll in April 2025 (Radio Times).
• As of mid-2025, audience ratings on MyAnimeList and Anime News Network are still accumulating.
• Crunchyroll launched same-day dub premieres, signaling confidence in English-speaking market appeal (Animation Magazine).

Visual style and animation quality

• 3D CGI animation style typical of Chinese donghua.
• Episodic release on Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. PT / 8:30 p.m. ET on Crunchyroll (Final Weapon).
• Same-day dub ensures accessibility for non-subtitle viewers.

Comparison to other superhero donghua

• Unlike The King’s Avatar or Link Click, which use realistic or stylized 2D, To Be Hero X leans into 3D CGI.
• The trust system is unique among donghua power systems.
• Co-production with Aniplex gives it production polish above typical donghua.

The trade-off: To Be Hero X offers genuinely novel mechanics and a production pedigree uncommon in Chinese donghua, but its 3D animation and meta-commentary style will polarize viewers. If the premise of a popularity-driven superhero tournament sounds compelling, this is one of the few shows that actually follows through on that idea.

Is To Be Hero X having a season 2?

As of mid-2025, there is no official announcement about a second season. Season 1 runs 24 episodes, which is a standard order for a streaming donghua. Whether the series continues past that depends on Crunchyroll’s viewership data, fan demand, and the production schedule at bilibili and Aniplex (Wikipedia).

Official renewal status

• No season 2 announcement from production partners.
• Season 1 is still airing as of September 2025.
• Renewal decisions typically follow completion of the first season’s run.

Expected timeline if renewed

• If a second season follows donghua production cycles, a 2027 release is plausible.
• Pre-production would require at least 12-18 months after season 1 wraps.
• Co-production logistics with Aniplex could add another 6 months to the pipeline.

Source material availability

• No manga or light novel prequel exists for To Be Hero X specifically.
• The series is an original project, not an adaptation.
• This means any future season depends entirely on original production, not on existing source material.

The implication: season 2 isn’t a question of source material running out — it’s a question of audience scale. Original projects without a manga to sustain interest need stronger viewership numbers to justify continuation. For fans, watching on official channels and engaging with Crunchyroll’s metrics is the most direct way to influence that decision.

Timeline

• 2022: Project announced by bilibili and Aniplex as a third season for the To Be Hero franchise (Wikipedia).
• April 5, 2025: Episode 1 releases on Crunchyroll for US/UK audiences (Final Weapon).
• April 6, 2025: Japanese TV premiere on Fuji TV (Wikipedia).
• April 13, 2025: Episode 2 debut (9:30 AM JST, 6:00 AM IST on Crunchyroll) (Times of India).
• ~September 2025: Season 1 conclusion after 24 episodes.
• TBD: Season 2 decision pending data.

The pattern: the timeline shows a rapid global rollout with co-production logistics, but no renewal clarity yet.

Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear

What this means: the confirmed facts provide solid ground for viewers, while the unclear items leave room for future developments.

Key quotes and perspectives

The series is built around a world where heroes gain powers through public trust, and lose abilities when that trust falls.

— Official series description via Animation Magazine

In a world full of brilliant heroes, it’s the trust of fans that turns heroes into superheroes.

— Crunchyroll synopsis for To Be Hero X

This is the third installment in the To Be Hero anthology franchise.

— Wikipedia entry for To Be Hero

For Crunchyroll viewers wondering whether to invest 24 episodes, the choice is clear: if you want a battle royale where public opinion is the only stat that matters, start watching now. If you need traditional power progression and hand-to-hand combat structured like a classic shonen, look elsewhere — at least until the show proves its action choreography can match its clever premise.

For a detailed breakdown of the series’ episodes and characters, check out this comprehensive To Be Hero X guide.

Frequently asked questions