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Hell Mode

Hell Mode: The Hardcore Gamer Dominates in Another World with Garbage Balancing (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～) is a Japanese light novel series written by Hamuo and illustrated by Mo. It began serialization online in November 2019 on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō. It was later acquired by Earth Star Entertainment, who have published thirteen volumes since July 2020 under their Earth Star Novel imprint. A manga adaptation with art by Enji Tetta has been serialized online via Earth Star Entertainment's Comic Earth Star website since October 2020 and has been collected in thirteen volumes. An anime television series adaptation produced by Yokohama Animation Laboratory aired from January to March 2026. A second season is set to premiere in July 2026.

Plot

Kenichi Yamada, a 35-year-old office worker and veteran MMORPG player, becomes disillusioned with modern games that cater to casual play. When he encounters a mysterious new game that promises endless progression and an extreme difficulty setting called "Hell Mode", he selects it without hesitation. Upon doing so, Kenichi is reincarnated into another world as a newborn boy named Allen, born into a family of serfs, with no status or wealth.

Living under the harsh rules of Hell Mode, Allen chooses the Summoner class, which offers vast potential, but requires significant effort to grow stronger. With only his previous memories and wits to guide him, he painstakingly experiments to understand his abilities while training from early childhood. As he steadily develops his power, Allen works toward improving his family's circumstances and escaping serfdom.

Characters

  • Allen (アレン)
  • Krena (クレナ)
  • Dogora (ドゴラ)
  • Cecil Granvelle (セシル・グランヴェル)
  • Rodin (ロダン)
  • Theresia (テレシア)
  • Matthew (マッシュ)
  • Butler Von Granvelle (バトラー＝フォン＝グランヴェル)
  • Mikhail Granvelle (ミハイ＝グランヴェル)
  • Thomas Granvelle (トマス＝グランヴェル)
  • Zenoff (ゼノフ)
  • Carnell (カルネル)
  • Helmios

Media

Light novels

Written by Hamuo, Hell Mode: The Hardcore Gamer Dominates in Another World with Garbage Balancing began serialization on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō on November 17, 2019.[4] It was later acquired by Earth Star Entertainment who began releasing it with illustrations by Mo under their Earth Star Novel light novel imprint on July 15, 2020. Thirteen volumes have been released as of January 15, 2026.

During their panel at Anime Expo Lite 2021, J-Novel Club announced that they had licensed the series for English publication.[5] During their panel at Anime NYC 2022, J-Novel Club announced that print releases of the series would be handled by Yen Press.[6]

Manga

A manga adaptation illustrated by Enji Tetta began serialization on Earth Star Entertainment's Comic Earth Star manga service on October 15, 2020.[41] The manga's chapters have been compiled into thirteen volumes as of January 2026.

During their panel at Anime Expo 2023, J-Novel Club announced that they had also licensed the manga adaptation for English publication.[42]

Anime

An anime television series adaptation was announced on December 5, 2024.[65][66] It is produced by Yokohama Animation Laboratory and directed by Masato Tamagawa, with Daishiro Tanimura handling series composition, Kei Tsushima designing the characters, and Misaki Tsuchida, Moyu Kanazaki, Junko Nakajima, Kanada Sakuma, Reiko Abe, Kaho Sawada, BeauDamian, and Tsugumi Tanaka composing the music. The series premiered on January 10, 2026, on Tokyo MX and other networks.[67][68] The opening theme song is "Haku", performed by Atarayo, while the ending theme song is "Sanctuary", performed by Kaya.[69] Sentai Filmworks licensed the series in North America for streaming on Hidive.[70]

Following the airing of the final episode, a second season was announced, which is set to premiere in July 2026.[71]

Episodes

Episodes

Reception

The series won the grand prize at the 2nd Earth Star Novel Award in 2020.[75]

By December 2024, the series had over 1.6 million copies in circulation.[76]

See also

External links

  • at Shōsetsuka ni Narō
  • at Earth Star Novel

References

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  2. HIDIVE Reveals The HELL MODE: The Hardcore Gamer Dominates in Another World with Garbage Balancing English Cast List! Hidive, March 11, 2026, retrieved March 13, 2026^
  3. Crystalyn Hodgkins. Hell Mode Reveals 3 New Cast Members Anime News Network, November 6, 2025, retrieved November 6, 2025^
  4. https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3669fw/ Shōsetsuka ni Narō, retrieved December 5, 2024^
  5. Crystalyn Hodgkins. J-Novel Club Adds 11 New Light Novels, Manga Anime News Network, July 3, 2021, retrieved December 5, 2024^
  6. Crystalyn Hodgkins. J-Novel Club Announces Print Publishing Partnership with Yen Press Anime News Network, November 19, 2022, retrieved December 5, 2024^
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