The upcoming anime adaptation of Hamuo and Mo’s popular light novel series, Hell Mode: The Hardcore Gamer Dominates in Another World with Garbage Balancing, has revealed three new cast members, further expanding its roster of characters. The announcement, made on Thursday, November 6, 2025, also highlighted the preview of its ending theme, “Sanctuary,” performed by Kaya, which was featured in a recent promotional video. The highly anticipated isekai series is set to premiere in January 2026.
Key New Additions to the Cast
The latest cast announcement introduces three voice actors joining the adventure, all portraying members of the Granvelle family:
- Tomokazu Sugita as Butler Von Granvelle, the esteemed head of the influential Granvelle family, which governs Allen’s hometown and surrounding regions.
- Shōya Chiba as Mikhail Granvelle, the eldest son of the Granvelle family.
- Marie Miyake as Thomas Granvelle, the second son of the Granvelle family.
These additions join a previously announced main cast, which includes Mutsumi Tamura as Allen, Mayu Iizuka as Krena, Tasuku Hatanaka as Dogora, Sayaka Senbongi as Cecil, Hideo Ishikawa as Rodan, Sayaka Ōhara as Theresia, and Makoto Koichi as Matthew.
Ending Theme Revealed and Previewed
The anime’s emotional ending theme, “Sanctuary,” will be performed by singer Kaya. A preview of this theme was included in the anime’s first major promotional video, which was released around October 2025. The opening theme, “Haku,” will be performed by the band Atarayo.
Anime Production and Release Details
Hell Mode is being produced by Yokohama Animation Laboratory, with Masato Tamagawa (known for directing The Great Cleric and The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt) at the helm. Daishiro Tanimura is handling the series composition, and Kei Tsushima is responsible for character designs. The musical score is a collaborative effort by Misaki Tsuchida, Moyu Kanazaki, Junko Nakajima, Kanade Sakuma, Reiko Abe, Kaho Sawada, BeauDamian, and Tsugumi Tanaka.
The anime is slated to begin streaming on ABEMA and d Anime Store in Japan on January 9, 2026, followed by U-NEXT and Anime Hōdai on January 12. Its television broadcast on Tokyo MX, MBS, and BS NTV will also commence in January 2026. HIDIVE has licensed the series for streaming in North America, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, and will host the North American premiere of the first episode at Anime Frontier 2025.
The Story of “Hell Mode”
The series follows Kenichi Yamada, a hardcore gamer who finds himself disheartened by the closure of his favorite online game. Seeking a truly challenging experience, he stumbles upon an untitled game promising “incomparable challenge with unprecedented potential.” Without hesitation, he selects the “Hell Mode” difficulty. This choice leads to his reincarnation in another world as a serf named Allen, where he must navigate a brutal reality defined by the same “Hell Mode” difficulty. As Allen, he embarks on a journey to uncover the secrets of his mysterious Summoner class and rise to the top of his new, unforgiving world without the aid of typical game guides or online forums.
The original light novel series by Hamuo began serialization online in November 2019 on Shōsetsuka ni Narō and is published in print by Earth Star Entertainment. A manga adaptation, illustrated by Enji Tetta, has also been serialized since October 2020. J-Novel Club and Yen Press publish the light novels and manga in English.
