‘To Be Hero X’ Episode 4 review: “The Commoner”

To Be Hero X Episode 4 makes one thing abundantly clear: there’s no predicting this series, huh?

One of the thrills of watching the gargantuan ambition of To Be Hero X, a Chinese-Japanese original Donghua series and the third season of the To Be Hero anthology franchise, is how many twists and turns it takes within singular scenes. Its unpredictability is its magic. Even since the real Nice leaped off the tower to his death in Episode 1, the series from creator Li Haolin (Link Click) has acted in defiance of our expectations.

To Be Hero X Episode 4 continues this trend with an explosive, near-exhausting depiction of what it means to fall from public opinion only to be born again. That, and the limitations of said currency and how idolization only bears humanity when there’s something to sacrifice for it.

Since the beginning, Ling (Natsuki Hanae) hasn’t been very good about keeping his identity secret. He told Moon in Episode 2 and tried telling Firm-Man in Episode 3. The latter’s advice to ‘just be himself’ is the theme that “The Commoner” builds itself off of. Despite folding himself neatly into the routine, heroics, and debilitating OCD of Nice’s life, Ling’s personality and desire to prove himself independently preservers. He won’t merely be a puppet for Miss J and the higherups. So when he sees Moon in danger, helped by the recently powered up God Eye, he leaps to action.

Ling proves himself a worthwhile hero.

Throughout the short tenure of the series thus far we’ve seen the cost of being a hero in this world. Sure, they’re gifted with bountiful powers and popularity, but it’s all mandated by the will of the fans. Their trust allows heroes to fly while tethering them to their own desires. The fans loved Moon and Nice as a couple so Moon’s powers only allowed her to teleport closer to him. Firm-Man’s claim to fame was standing tall and his humanity was stripped away and replaced by an unwavering fixture. The heroes become cookie-cutter idols with not so much as a blemish.

In Ling/Nice’s case, it means that he can’t easily run to rescues Moon because the fans are hoping that he doesn’t bend to God Eye’s ploy. They don’t want him to take the bait. And that’s where the divide in Ling and Nice is most apparent. Ling shakes himself of Nice’s identity, forgoing his perfect appearance, superpowers, and approval ratings to fight God Eye. It’s a cathartic moment and the utilization of the mixed-media animation along with the score give the moment, grounded in humanity, it’s epic scale. Here’s a real hero who would rather succumb to his own physical weakness as long as it meant he could protect someone else.

The fight between Ling and God Eye doesn’t capture the same magnitude of the first episodes peak but it does a mighty job in showcasing the messy brutality. Ling doesn’t end the fight standing tall. Bruised and bloody and realizing that the Moon he saved was a fake, he comes out a wounded figure. But the brawl captures the weight and exhaustion of such a showdown, one that grows increasingly scrappy the longer it continues. The irony of the outcome is that it turns Ling into a hero, now dubbed ‘The Commoner.’ It will be interesting to see how he develops now that he’s owning his identity and how the series will grapple with Nice’s suicide – if they circle back to it all.

To Be Hero X Episode 4 ends with bloodshed.

For the most part, To Be Hero X Episode 4 is standard stuff. It almost acts as the closing of a prelude before launching into the next, official chapter of Ling’s story. But then the ending happens.

There’s already something bleak about Moon ending up on a deserted island rather than her desired paradise. So when Ling comes to join her/rescue her, it feels like an earned end to an otherwise cruel punchline. But then she’s shot dead but an offscreen assailant, leaving her in the image of how Ling first found her in bed in Episode 1. There’s some sort of time shenanigans taking place and her death knocks the wind out of us, catching viewers completely by surprise. The series is fearless in it’s pursuit to keep us on our toes.

It’s a shame that Moon (like Pop Step in another Spring anime standout) has been used mainly bait or killed off so far in the series. But here’s hoping that as the story continues and the world of these heroes expands we’ll get greater female representation. Moon is a delightful character and it will be a shame if this is the last we see of her.

To Be Hero X Episode 4 acts as a beautiful character ascension story before brutally ripping it all away. The artistry continues to impress and Ling remains a likable, easy to root for character. But it’s how the story destroys any semblance of stability that truly makes it worthwhile and keeps us coming back.

To Be Hero X Episode 4 is out now on Crunchyroll. 

Allyson Johnson

Based in New England, Allyson is co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of InBetweenDrafts. Former Editor-in-Chief at TheYoungFolks, she is a member of the Boston Society of Film Critics and the Boston Online Film Critics Association. Her writing has also appeared at CambridgeDay, ThePlaylist, Pajiba, VagueVisages, RogerEbert, TheBostonGlobe, Inverse, Bustle, her Substack, and every scrap of paper within her reach.