The highly anticipated “Hell Mode” TV anime, an adaptation of Hamuo and Mo’s light novel series Hell Mode: The Hardcore Gamer Dominates in Another World with Garbage Balancing, has officially revealed its main cast and a compelling teaser visual. The series is slated to premiere in January 2026. These details were announced at the “Earth Star Novels 10th Anniversary Summer Festival” event on Saturday.
Key Cast Members Revealed
The announcement included the crucial revelation of the voice actors bringing the main characters of “Hell Mode” to life. Mutsumi Tamura will voice Allen, Mayu Iizuka is cast as Krena, Tasuku Hatanaka takes on the role of Dogora, and Sayaka Senbongi will voice Cecil.
A Glimpse into the World: Teaser Visual Released
Accompanying the cast announcement was the unveiling of a teaser visual for the “Hell Mode” anime. The visual depicts Allen alongside various summoned beasts, offering a first look at the series’ aesthetic and world. This visual provides fans with an exciting preview of the animation style and character designs.
January 2026 Premiere Confirmed
While an anime adaptation was initially announced for a 2025 release, the latest update firmly sets the premiere for January 2026. Fans of the original light novel and manga will only have to wait a little longer to see the hardcore gamer’s journey unfold on screen.
The Story of “Hell Mode”
The “Hell Mode” series follows Yamada Kenichi, a hardcore gamer frustrated by the easy mode nature of most modern games. He stumbles upon an untitled game offering an “unprecedented challenge” and “uncapped growth potential” via its “Hell Mode” difficulty. Upon selecting this mode and the Summoner class, he finds himself reincarnated in another world as a serf named Allen. Without walkthroughs or online forums, Allen must navigate this harsh new reality and master his mystery-laden Summoner class to rise to the top.
From Web Novel to Anime
The Hell Mode series originated as a web novel on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website in November 2019. Earth Star Entertainment later acquired and began publishing it as a light novel series with illustrations by Mo in July 2020, with eleven volumes released as of March 2025. A manga adaptation by Enji Tetta has also been serialized online since October 2020. J-Novel Club publishes both the light novels and manga in English.
