The highly anticipated debut of The Beginning After the End anime aired on April 2, 2025, generating significant buzz among fans. Expectations ran high, particularly given comparisons to the popular adaptation of Solo Leveling. However, the adaptation from Studio A-Cat, a relatively lesser-known studio compared to A-1 Pictures, fell short of the audience’s hopes, leading to widespread disappointment.
Disappointing Premiere: An Unfortunate Comparison
The inaugural episode introduced viewers to Arthur Leywin, the reincarnation of the formidable King Grey, as he navigated his new existence. While the narrative offered a glimpse into his awakening magic abilities and the discovery of familial love, the episode’s execution was met with criticism. Viewers pointed out significant flaws in the animation quality, particularly during motion sequences; one glaring instance featured the awkward motion of Arthur’s father’s leg. Furthermore, many felt that the adaptation bore a striking resemblance to another popular series, Mushoku Tensei, leading to accusations of imitation against Studio A-Cat.
Despite both series sharing similar themes and beginnings, the level of resemblance prompted many fans to label the adaptation as a disservice to the source material. Notably, the anticipated excitement for Studio A-Cat’s project quickly turned into frustration as it failed to meet the standards set by adaptations like Solo Leveling.
Fan Reactions: A Mixed Bag of Opinions
The response from the anime community was overwhelmingly negative, particularly regarding the choice of Studio A-Cat as the animation studio. Many expressed that the manhwa would have benefited from seeking a partnership with a more established studio. Fans were vocal, alerting others to what they perceived as a betrayal of the original material, with some even calling for the adaptation to be discontinued.
Conversely, a few viewers attempted to find silver linings in the adaptation. They highlighted Arthur’s character development and his journey toward understanding the importance of family. Nevertheless, the overall consensus remained that the animation quality did not meet expectations, with numerous fans voicing their disappointment in comparison to greater works like Solo Leveling.
‘This is what happens when they chose A-Cat as the anime studio. Should have waited for a better studio to offer to animate their series.’ a fan remarked.
‘Bro….. they are killing this manhwa’ another lamented.
In summary, while some viewers expressed appreciation for the emotional resonance of character arcs, the prevailing critique focused heavily on the lackluster animation quality. One fan noted, ‘I liked some things, like how they focused on Arthur realizing what parental love is, and also the parts about his life as Grey, but overall the animation felt kinda amateurish to me, unfortunately.’
‘It’s not that Solo Leveling or any manhwa anime adaptation set the standard, but this is straight-up bad’ another echoed.
Final Thoughts: The Road Ahead
Looking toward the future, the upcoming episode 2 of The Beginning After the End may showcase CGI animation and potentially introduce new characters, such as the ‘smiling monster.’ However, given the current backlash, it remains to be seen whether these changes can redeem the series. For now, fans are left hoping that subsequent episodes improve both in animation quality and narrative delivery.