A second new trailer and two more cast members have been unveiled for the upcoming Hell Mode: The Hardcore Gamer Dominates in Another World with Garbage Balancing TV anime series. The anime will begin broadcasting in Japan on January 9, 2026.
The new trailer highlights the anime’s main ending theme “Sanctuary” by Kaya.
The two additional cast members include Akio Otsuka as Zenof and Takahiro Miyamoto as Carnel.
They join a previously announced voice cast that stars:
- • Mutsumi Tamura as Allen
- • Mayu Izuka as Krena
- • Tasuku Hatanaka as Dogora
- • Sayaka Senbongi as Cecil
- • Tomokazu Sugita as Butler Von Granvelle
- • Shoya Chiba as Mikhail Granvelle
- • Marie Miyake as Thomas Granvelle
Makoto Tamagawa (The Great Cleric) is directing the anime series at Yokohama Animation Lab, with Daishiro Tanimura (Magical Destroyers) as series composer and Kei Tsushima (Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These films) as character designer.
The original isekai light novel series (also known in Japan as Hell Mode ~Yarikomi Suki no Game wa Masettei no Isekai de Musou suru~) is written by Hamuo and illustrated by Mo. It was first published by Earth Star Entertainment’s Earth Star Novel imprint on July 15, 2020 and has released 12 volumes as of October 2025. J-Novel Club licensed the light novels for digital English release, while Yen Press published the series in English print.
A manga adaptation from the same publisher, illustrated by Enji Tetta, was launched in October 2020 and is also being released digitally in English by J-Novel Club. The series began as a Shosetsuka ni Naro web novel in November 2019.
HIDIVE announced that it will exclusively stream Hell Mode in select countries and territories, as part of its upcoming Winter 2026 simulcast lineup. It describes the main synopsis as:
Thirty-five-year-old Kenichi Yamada has spent his life playing every single MMORPG he can get his hands on. Tired of new games that cater to casual players, he leaps at the chance to try out a never-ending game with an intimidating “Hell Mode” that raises the difficulty (and chances to level up) to impossible heights. But, as soon as he selects the “Summoner,” Kenichi finds himself transported into the world of the game and reborn to a family of serfs as a baby named Allen! With nothing but his memories and wits to guide him, Allen sets off to conquer Hell Mode, unearth the secrets of the Summoner class, and free his newfound family from their fate.
Sources: Hell Mode Official Twitter (2), Anime News Network