8 incredible CGI anime like To Be Hero X

To Be Hero X has become one of the most prominent new anime to come out this spring, and has generated a lot of buzz online because of its peculiar animation style, especially when it comes to its use of CGI. This caused different discussions about the world of CGI anime, and the few times it has managed to win over people's favor.

When it comes to anime, most people prefer 2D animation, and CGI is usually frowned upon, especially considering that most of these productions are adaptations from manga series, which are a two-dimensional medium. However, there have been cases, much like To Be Hero X, where this type of animation has managed to pleasantly surprise people, and they deserve a shout because of it.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for all the series mentioned here. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

8 CGI anime like To Be Hero X and the reasons for their success

1) Land of the Lustrous

'Land of the Lustrous,' one prominent anime like 'To Be Hero X' (Image via Orange)

Land of the Lustrous might be one of the best examples of CGI anime when it comes to this discussion, even better than the current buzz surrounding To Be Hero X. That is because Studio Orange aimed to adapt Haruko Ichikawa's manga series through 3D animation from the get-go, mainly because of the difficult to use the hand-drawn approach on translucent gemstones.

The story is set in the far future where the embodiment of gemstones, the Lustrous, are living a happy and immortal life. This anime focuses on the character of Phosphophyllite, most commonly known as Phos, who is trying to find their purpose in this world, which leads to the main plot of the story.

2) Beastars

'Beastars,' another anime like 'To Be Hero X ' (Image via Orange)

The manga series, written and drawn by Paru Itagaki, already had a decent following thanks to its original run on Weekly Shōnen Champion, but it was the anime adaptation by Studio Orange that pushed the franchise's popularity to a whole new level. The CGI anime approach made this series quite unique in the market, which is something that has also worked in recent days with To Be Hero X.

The story takes place in a world where there are anthropomorphic animals, and there is a major divide between the ones who eat flesh and those who don't. There is a lot of focus on the character of Legoshi, the protagonist, whose life slowly begins to change because of multiple events and has to deal with its consequences, which include the complexity of his animal instincts.

3) 86

'86,' an underrated sci-fi anime (Image via A-1 Pictures)

It is worth pointing out that 86's anime adaptation by A-1 Pictures has become a rather underrated cult classic in the medium and people have been asking for a second season since its release back in 2021. However, its use of CGI, much like To Be Hero X, made it stand out when compared to other offerings in the market.

The story takes place in a world where there is a constant war between the people of the Republic of San Magnolia and the Empire of Giad. However, San Magnolia gains the upper hand thanks to their use of mechas, known as the 86. Civilians think they are robots but they are actually human beings, who are the driving force of the plot.

4) Berserk: The Golden Age Arc Trilogy

'Berserk: The Golden Age Arc Trilogy,' an anime trilogy like 'To Be Hero X' (Image via Studio 4°C)

While this is an exception to the rule because it is a movie trilogy, it manages to cover a long arc from the Berserk manga, the Golden Age. In that regard, while it is fair to say that there isn't an anime adaptation that manages to do justice to Kentaro Miura's masterpiece, this one does a decent job conveying this legendary storyline while using CGI like To Be Hero X.

It introduces the character of Guts, a solitary swordsman with a tragic background who ends up joining the Band of the Hawk, a group of mercenaries led by a charismatic and mysterious man named Griffith. As they manage to rise through the ranks of Midland, supernatural forces end up getting involved in their plans, with the protagonist's life taking a vastly darker turn for the worse.

5) Dorohedoro

'Dorohedoro,' another prominent CGI anime like 'To Be Hero X' (Image via MAPPA)

When it comes to anime series like To Be Hero X, Dorohedoro might be one of the most interesting examples. That is because the manga series, originally written and drawn by Q Hayashida, ran from 2000 to 2018— something not many people know— and was adapted into an anime by MAPPA in 2020 for one season, although it was recently announced that it would return.

The story takes place in a setting where there are three worlds and a man named Caiman is searching for the sorcerer who erased his memories to enact revenge and get said memories back. This ends up getting the character involved in a larger conflict, which also becomes the main focus of the story.

6) Trigun Stampede

'Trigun Stampede,' another one of those anime like 'To Be Hero X' (Image via Orange)

The original Trigun anime adaptation by Madhouse has become a cult classic of the medium, but in 2023, Studio Orange released its own interpretation of the legendary manga written and drawn by Yasuhiro Nightow. Much like To Be Hero X, it received a lot of divided opinions because of the extensive use of CGI and how it differed from the 90s adaptation.

The story follows an outlaw in space in the distant future named Vash the Stampede, who got a bounty for committing multiple murders. However, the man himself turns out to be never willing to take the lives of anyone, thus presenting the mystery of who is going after him and the different adventures of this outlaw.

7) Kengan Ashura

'Kengan Ashura,' a prominent combat anime (Image via Larx Entertainment)

Kengan Ashura has perhaps become the flagship series when it comes to CGI anime because, much like To Be Hero X, it manages to do something different in the way that is executed. Furthermore, the dynamic action sequences and straightforward premise make it quite accessible to a wider audience, which is another key to its success.

The protagonist is Tokita "Ashura" Ohma, who is hired to participate in a legendary underground tournament, which has been taking place since the days of the Edo period in Japan. This leads to multiple deadly and bloody combats, which become the basis of the series, while Ohma's past also ends up playing a role in the story.

8) Ajin: Demi-Human

'Ajin: Demi-Human,' an underrated CGI anime (Image via Polygon Pictures)

This is one of the most underrated anime in this format, especially because it offers a peculiar approach to the use of CGI. It is difficult to predict what is going to happen with To Be Hero X, but Ajin is a good example of what happens when a story attempts to do something different with a horror-based story.

Student Kei Nagai goes through an accident and is revealed that he is an Ajin, which is a being with unique abilities. He is eventually captured by the government that wants to experiment on him, but he strikes a deal to fight these creatures and an individual named Satou for his own freedom, engaging him in a grander conflict.

Final thoughts

There are many more CGI anime like To Be Hero X in the market, but these are some of the most prominent, and many of them are considered masterpieces in their own right. These are also good examples that CGI can be used quite well in this format and push the medium forward in terms of providing more variety.

About the author

Kevin is an expert anime writer at Sportskeeda who endeavors to keep readers apprised with the latest news and trends in the genre via his content. The groundbreaking Dragon Ball series captured a young Kevin's imagination, introducing him to the entrancing world of Japanese animation. Since then, he has been a staunch follower of the works of many artists, including Berserk's creator, Kentaro Miura, who he admires greatly for his unparalleled work quality.

With a BA in Public Accounting, Kevin’s dip into the world of content began 7 years ago when he took up writing. Since then, he has written for numerous websites, including Nerdgenic, Stretty News, MusikHolics, and BookNerdection.

He maintains very high ethical standards in his content by placing a strong emphasis on transparency, and obtaining comprehensive information off the web to fully capture nuances.

Kevin has has had the privilege of interviewing several musicians, including metal band Stryper’s Michael Sweet, Bobby Blitz of Overkill, and Saxon’s Biff Byford.

When not immersed in the anime world, Kevin writes comic book scripts and books for his own projects. He also enjoys reading and watching football.

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Edited by Ahana Mukhopadhyay