The anime adaptation "Sentenced to Be a Hero: The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004" (jap. Yūsha-kei ni Shosu: Chōbatsu Yūsha 9004-tai Keimu Kiroku) will not be released as originally planned but has been postponed to January 2026. The premiere episode of the dark fantasy series will be produced as a 60-minute special. The production committee officially justified the schedule change by stating their aim to further enhance the quality of the series and present the story in its optimal form.

The anime series is based on the light novel of the same name by Rocket Shokai and is set in a grim world where convicted criminals are forced to act as "heroes" against demonic threats. The focus is on Xylo Forbartz, a fallen paladin and infamous "Goddess Killer," who is sentenced to the so-called "hero punishment": an eternal combat mission against plague outbreaks that devastate entire regions and transform living beings into undead. After an encounter with the foam goddess Teoritta, Xylo begins to search for a deeper meaning beyond mere survival. The series' concept deliberately explores moral ambivalence, as the "heroes" compelled to fight serve as humanity's last line of defense despite their crimes.

The series is produced by Studio Kai ("Cells at Work! CODE BLACK") under the direction of Hiroyuki Takashima ("If It's for My Daughter, I'd Even Defeat a Demon Lord"), with the screenplay written by Kenta Ihara ("Saga of Tanya the Evil"). The original work was published as a web novel on Kakuyomu and has been serialized as a light novel by ASCII Media Works with illustrations by Mephisto since 2020. The source material ranked third in the Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! 2023 category.

The main cast includes Yōhei Azakami as Xylo Forbartz, Mayu Iizuka as the sword goddess Teoritta, Shizuka Ishigami as Patouche Kivia, Shun Horie as the technician Dotta Ruzras, and Shun’ichi Toki as the strategic leader Benetim Leopoule.

A first key visual shows Xylo in a grim prison setting with Teoritta's glowing sword hovering above him, symbolizing the fateful connection between the characters. An official banner conveys the dark atmosphere of the work and presents the entire team of Penal Unit 9004.