Series synopsis
HELL MODE: The Hardcore Gamer Dominates in Another World with Garbage Balancing, also known as ヘルモード ～やり込み好きのゲーマーは廃設定の異世界で無双する～ はじまりの召喚士 is a Japanese animation action & adventure sci-fi & fantasy television series that premiered on Tokyo MX on January 10, 2026. It stars Mutsumi Tamura, Mayu Iizuka, Tasuku Hatanaka and Sayaka Senbongi.
Kenichi Yamada, a single, 35-year-old businessman, has spent the majority of his adult life playing every MMORPG to hit the market. Tired of the constant cycle of repetitive, newbie-centric gameplay, he is immediately drawn in by the promise of a new game that, on top of being never-ending, offers up a "Hell Mode"—a difficulty level that makes it nigh impossible to level up but also promises uncapped growth potential. Upon selecting the newly released Summoner class, Kenichi finds himself reborn ...
Premise
Kenichi Yamada, a single, 35-year-old businessman, has spent the majority of his adult life playing every MMORPG to hit the market. Tired of the constant cycle of repetitive, newbie-centric gameplay, he is immediately drawn in by the promise of a new game that, on top of being never-ending, offers up a "Hell Mode"—a difficulty level that makes it nigh impossible to level up but also promises uncapped growth potential. Upon selecting the newly released Summoner class, Kenichi finds himself reborn as Allen, an infant in a serf family, with nothing but his wits and old memories to guide him.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Mutsumi Tamura as Allen (voice)
- Mayu Iizuka as Krena (voice)
- Tasuku Hatanaka as Dogora (voice)
- Sayaka Senbongi as Cecil Granvelle (voice)
- Hideo Ishikawa as Rodin (voice)
- Sayaka Ohara as Theresia (voice)
- Makoto Koichi as Matthew (voice)
- Tomokazu Sugita as Butler Von Granvelle (voice)
Supporting cast
- Shoya Chiba as Mikhail Granvelle (voice)
- Marie Miyake as Thomas Granvelle (voice)
- Akio Otsuka as Zenoff (voice)
- Takahiro Miyamoto as Carnell (voice)
- Mizuki Ooyagi as Nina (voice)
Episodes
This series spans 2 seasons with 24 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 12 | January 10, 2026 | March 28, 2026 |
| Season 2 | 12 | July 4, 2026 | September 19, 2026 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
BORN AGAIN AT BOTTOM-TIER A hardcore gamer is reborn when he chooses to play on Hell Mode difficulty. Now he needs to figure out how his summoning skills work. While still a baby. |
January 10, 2026 |
| 2 |
THE APPRAISAL CEREMONY Little does Allen know that the Appraisal Ceremony will expose the brutal reality of playing on Hell Mode. |
January 17, 2026 |
| 3 |
TROUBLE Allen experiments with his Summoner abilities, unaware that a coming crisis will remind him that the world he treats as a game is a harsh reality for others. |
January 24, 2026 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
OFF TO ACADEMY CITY! Allen’s new life in Academy City begins, but an appraisal ceremony unexpectedly puts him on Helmios the Hero’s radar. |
July 4, 2026 |
| 2 |
A NEW FRIEND The No-Life Gamers are off to a good start, but they face a few setbacks: their healer can't join full-time and Krena doesn't know how to use skills. |
July 11, 2026 |
| 3 |
CONQUER THE DUNGEON Keel officially joins the No-Life Gamers as they tackle a B-rank dungeon. But as they grow stronger, Allen uncovers a concerning issue regarding his new friend. |
July 18, 2026 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | Tokyo MX |
|---|---|
| First aired | January 10, 2026 |
| Last aired | July 4, 2026 |
| Status | continue |
| Schedule | Friday at 01:00:00 |