The Beginning After the End is a well-known web novel and webtoon isekai (a story about being reborn in another world) outside Japan, written by TurtleMe (Brandon Lee's pen name) and illustrated by Fuyuki23. Its lead is Grey, a powerful but ruthless king who dies and is reborn as Arthur Leywin, the child of two retired adventurers in the magical world of Dicathen. He carries the memories of a whole life as king and wants to live more decently this time. The anime was made by Studio A-Cat, in two seasons of 12 episodes each.
The biggest difference from the source is not the story but the visuals. The webtoon was praised for the psychological journey of an old soul in a child's body and for its gripping fights, while the anime is criticized by fans as static and short on movement, to the point that a remake petition passed 40,000 signatures. On the other hand, Arthur's inner story survives intact and is worth watching. Still, if you watch anime mainly for dazzling action, you may well be disappointed.
The Beginning After the End quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Studio | Studio A-Cat |
| Director | Keitaro Motonaga (series composition: Takamitsu Kōno; character design: Masami Sueoka; music: Keiji Inai) |
| Source material | Web novel by TurtleMe (Brandon Lee) on Tapas (from January 2017); webtoon illustrated by Fuyuki23 (from July 2018); Yen Press print edition, 11 volumes by August 2026 |
| Episodes / seasons | 2 seasons, 12 episodes each |
| Aired | Season 1: April 2 to June 18, 2025; season 2: April 1 to June 24, 2026; on Fuji TV's +Ultra block and AT-X |
| Where to watch | Crunchyroll (Japanese and English dub) |
| Community score | MyAnimeList about 6.2/10 (season 1) and 6.5/10 (season 2) |
| Critic scores | Not yet published |
| Fan reaction | More than 40,000 signatures (ComicBook later reports over 52,000) on a petition asking for the animation to be remade |
Review scope: what is OtaHub's judgement based on?
This review covers both anime seasons: season 1 (April 2 to June 18, 2025) and season 2 (April 1 to June 24, 2026), 12 episodes each, in the Japanese and English-dubbed versions on Crunchyroll. OtaHub draws on producer information, Wikipedia, premiere reviews for both seasons, fan reaction, the remake petition and community scores on MyAnimeList, checked up to October 8, 2026. It does not record personal viewing, so the score is an editorial judgement from those sources.
Story: what makes a reborn king worth following?
The MyAnimeList synopsis puts it briefly: King Grey is reborn as the infant Arthur Leywin, hones his magic as he grows, is separated from his family in an ambush and is helped by a mysterious being named Sylvia while trying to find his way back to his family. Along the way he also meets Tessia Eralith, a young elf from the royal house of the kingdom of Elenoir.
The story's strongest hook is the contrast: a man used to giving orders now has to live as a child, watching his parents Reynolds and Alice love him without knowing how to answer. It is a slow, inward isekai more than a power-ladder one, and it survives even when the adaptation tells it briefly. One MyAnimeList viewer felt the show covers long stretches of time yet little seems to happen, and that the lead is often rescued, so there is little risk. On the available evidence, that seems fair for season 1, where introductions get rushed.
Characters and voice acting: why two voices for one Arthur?
Young Arthur is voiced by Natsumi Fujiwara and King Grey in his previous life by Makoto Furukawa; Tessia Eralith has Kana Ichinose and Sylvia has Shiori Izawa. The English dub has Amber May (young Arthur), Christopher Wehkamp (King Grey), Abigail Blythe (Tessia), Emi Lo (Kathyln) and Kayla Temshiv (Sylvie).
Casting two actors for Arthur's two life stages suits a character with an adult mind in a child's body, because it separates the voice of someone who has lived a life from the voice of someone growing up. In OtaHub's view this is one of the few places where the anime does well, partly making up for the visual gap. The supporting cast, however, has little time to leave its own mark.
Animation and visuals: why do fans want a remake?
This is the biggest weakness and the reason animation is the lowest of the six criteria. The fight scenes, the most exciting part of the source thanks to power and magic, are seen as static in the anime, and many compare it to a "PowerPoint presentation". A Change.org petition passed 42,000 signatures per ComicBook, with a later report recording more than 52,000.
In season 2, Anime News Network's preview called the premiere barely animated and heavy on obvious CGI, while an English-dub review saw slight gains in pacing and occasional movement but still found it inconsistent. According to news coverage of season 2, the trailer showed some visual improvement, but OtaHub has no source confirming it across all 12 episodes, so the score is not raised.
Music: can the score rescue weak scenes?
Keiji Inai composed the anime's music. Season 1 opens with "Kingsblood" by Kala and ends with "Mahiru no Tsuki" by Seiza; season 2 opens with "Sayonara Janai Hō ga Ii" by Six Lounge and ends with "Futatsu no Michi" by 22/7. The score is the least controversial part of this show, since OtaHub found no major source critiquing the audio on its own.
In OtaHub's view, the music gives Arthur's quieter scenes some atmosphere but cannot make up for thin movement when a fight needs punch. That is why the music scores as decent and no higher.
Direction, pacing and adaptation: which part of the source suits the slow pace?
Keitaro Motonaga directs both seasons, with Takamitsu Kōno on series composition and Masami Sueoka on character design. MyAnimeList viewers describe the adaptation's pace as both rushed and sluggish, with many key events cut and filled in by narration. Arthur's inner story survives that, while the combat lacks punch. The author TurtleMe himself once asked fans to be patient with the anime and admitted he had little control over how it turned out.
Community scores show that gap. MyAnimeList lists about 6.2/10 for season 1 and 6.5/10 for season 2. OtaHub scores above that level because story and script carry 25% of the score and that is what the anime keeps. If you want to try it, start from season 1 and accept the visual limits up front.
A king wakes up in a child's body
Covers only the premise of episode 1, nothing after it.
The first episode sets up the whole story: King Grey dies and is reborn as Arthur, carrying every memory of a life of rule. From then on, every scene of Arthur with his parents has two layers, a child's and that of someone used to power.
OtaHub picks this moment not for its visuals but because it shows the source's real pull: the idea of an adult learning how to be a son again. Even when the animation is plain, that idea is enough to keep you for the next episode.
For viewers in Vietnam
- Where to watch
- Crunchyroll streams both the Japanese version and the English dub. OtaHub has not confirmed a legal platform or Vietnamese subtitles in Vietnam, so check your regional catalog.
- Read the source
- The webtoon is available on Tapas, and Yen Press publishes an English print edition (11 volumes by August 2026). A Vietnamese edition is unconfirmed.
- Watch order
- Season 1 first, then season 2. Season 2 continues from season 1, so do not jump in midway.
- Device
- Nothing special is needed.
What critics say, and where OtaHub differs
Critical and fan reaction splits cleanly in two, with praise for the content and the character's journey and strong criticism of the animation. Anime News Network, in its season 2 preview, called the premiere amateurish, with little movement and openly used CGI, and said the show gives viewers no reason to choose it over similar series. For season 1, two ANN writers, stating plainly that these were personal views, also likened the fights to slideshows, although one found episode 2 better than episode 1. On the other side, Common Sense Media called it a mild, enjoyable watch with likable characters, while Espinof gave it 2/5, and those are the only two reviews on the season 1 Rotten Tomatoes page.
OtaHub agrees that animation is the weak point, but does not want it to pull the whole review down. Story and script carry 25% of the score and are what the anime keeps, so OtaHub scores above the general viewer score. Animation is still the lowest of the six criteria. A remake petition past 40,000 signatures is a signal of how let down original fans feel, and OtaHub does not wave that away.
Who should watch The Beginning After the End?
Watch it if you are a fan of the original webtoon who wants the adaptation despite its limited animation, or if you put story ahead of visuals. Arthur's two-stage voice casting and his inner story are the best reasons to try it.
Think twice if you watch anime mainly for dazzling action, because you may well be disappointed. If you are still curious, read the webtoon first and treat the anime as a companion.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
- A deep psychological journey for Arthur, kept from the source
- The world of Dicathen is built with depth
- Casting two actors for Arthur's two life stages is a sound choice
- A hugely popular webtoon source with a large fanbase
Weaknesses
- Static animation and unimpressive fight scenes
- More than 40,000 fans signed a petition asking for a remake
- Unclear whether season 2 improves the animation across all 12 episodes
- Official Vietnamese subtitles are unconfirmed
OtaHub score
The total is the weighted average of the six anime criteria; editors may adjust it by up to ±0.2. See our review standards.
- Story & Script · 8.5A king reborn to live again is the part of the source the anime keeps most intact, enough to make you want to follow even with weak visuals.
- Characters & Voice Acting · 7.6Casting two actors for Arthur's two life stages is a sound choice, but that is a casting decision, not evidence of the quality of the performances. OtaHub has no first-hand listening notes, so this score is provisional. The anime also still gives the supporting cast little room to stand out.
- Animation & Visuals · 6.0Fight scenes, the most exciting part of the source, come across as static and unimpressive, and this is the lowest of the six criteria.
- Music & Sound · 7.2The score gives Arthur's quiet scenes some atmosphere, but cannot make up for thin movement when a fight needs punch.
- Direction, Pacing & Adaptation · 7.3The pace is both rushed and slow, with many events cut and replaced by narration. Season 2 may improve, but so far there is only a preview of episode 1 and one review, and no source confirms it across all 12 episodes.
- Impact & Rewatch Value · 6.9Webtoon fans will find it worth seeing the characters again, while those watching for visuals have few reasons to rewatch. Season 2 so far has only a preview of episode 1 and one review, with no source confirming all 12 episodes, so this score is cautious.
OtaHub recommendation: Watch if it suits you
FAQ
How many anime seasons does The Beginning After the End have?
Two, with 12 episodes each: season 1 aired April 2 to June 18, 2025 and season 2 aired April 1 to June 24, 2026. Both were made by Studio A-Cat.
Why is there a petition to remake The Beginning After the End?
Fans say the animation is too static, especially in the fights. A Change.org petition passed 42,000 signatures per ComicBook, and a later report from the same outlet cites more than 52,000.
What is The Beginning After the End based on?
A web novel by TurtleMe (Brandon Lee) on Tapas from January 2017, and a webtoon illustrated by Fuyuki23 from July 2018. Yen Press had published 11 English print volumes by August 2026.
Where can I watch The Beginning After the End anime?
Crunchyroll streams both the Japanese version and the English dub. OtaHub has not confirmed a legal platform or Vietnamese subtitles in Vietnam.
Did season 2 improve the animation?
Not clearly. The Anime News Network preview still called the season 2 opener barely animated, while an English-dub review saw slight but uneven improvement. The trailer showed some improvements, but OtaHub has no source confirming them across all 12 episodes.
Sources: Wikipedia (source work, staff, voice cast, schedule), MyAnimeList (synopsis, community scores), Anime News Network (season 2 preview), Bubbleblabber (season 2 English-dub review), ANN This Week in Anime (the author's appeal), Rotten Tomatoes and ComicBook (remake petition), checked through October 8, 2026. The score is OtaHub's editorial judgement under OtaHub's review standards.
