Saikyou no Ousama, Nidome no Jinsei wa Nani wo Suru?

animation:
---------
first off, the elephant in the room. yes, the animation is not even close to being close to being state of the art for 2025. it's limited motion, so it relies a lot on viewer's imagination to fill in the gaps in animation. limited motion has been used in amine since forever, it's in dragon ball, one piece, naruto, bleach, and if you don't specifically look for areas where they could have inserted awesome sakuga, you won't notice. also there are a couple moments of sakuga here and there that made me say "yooo, that's cool". and there's no jarring CGI, thankfully, as of yet ... anyway

art style:
-------
also I've seen may people say "the artstyle of the manhwa is much better", so I put them side by side and it's not. the anime just looks better overall. we also have kinda cool light effects for mana usage (though I still have mixed feelings on those), but the artstyle is good.

storytelling:
----------
the story is just perfect, probably one of the best works of fiction ever created, with awesome characters. good cliffhangers are a nice extra touch. it has similarities to Mushoku Tensei, but I'd say it is refined in many areas, and the best magic system I've seen so far. the pacing of the anime is good too, some skipped content here and there, like in any other anime, it is a faithful telling of the story.


bottom line, if you don't specifically look for ways to lose immersion based on art & animation it is worth it, especially for people who like isekai anime

As someone who loves the TBATE manhwa, it honestly hurts to write this. Only two episodes in, and I already hate this anime adaptation as much as I love the original.

The anime somehow manages to strip away everything that made the manhwa special. What we get instead is a bland, cookie-cutter isekai that feels completely disconnected from the emotional depth and intensity of the source material. The OSTs? Absolutely awful. TBATE deserves so much more than this generic, uninspired soundtrack—they feel like a total mismatch with the story’s tone.

The genre even feels different. It’s like they tried to cram TBATE into a mold it was ... never meant for, and in doing so, lost all its soul. And don’t even get me started on the CG version of Sylvia—it was painful to watch.

TBATE is really close to my heart, which makes this all the more disappointing. This could’ve been something incredible with the right vision and care. Unfortunately, it’s the right anime with the wrong studio.

The current state of Isekai as a subcategory of fantasy has been watered down to a lucrative vehicle–exploited by the industry to rake in easy money and provide a platform for mediocrity. Much of the modern products of this category lacks creativity, effort, and care in producing even passable titles. Only several titles emerged to challenge the status quo of derivative and uninspired storytelling produced by that of the Isekai genre–among them, early pioneering works, satirical interpretations, and occasional well-crafted narratives such as Re:Zero, The Eminence in Shadow, and Jobless Reincarnation. These exceptions distinguished themselves through coherent, character-driven storytelling (or clever satire) over indulgent power ... fantasy and superficial fanservice commonly associated with the genre, offering a more meaningful and rewarding experience for the audience.

It is for that reason that makes me wonder why one of the most well loved light novels–boasting the genre’s finest worldbuilding, magic system, character development, and narrative depth was met with such a poor adaptation. This adaptation was terrible not only because of an underqualified studio, low budget, and poor production; but because of the utter lack of care from those incharge of translating the story into a compelling animated form.

Three episodes in, a rushed nature for introduction became painfully clear–overloaded with exposition and character introduction compressed into a brief 60-minute runtime. Instead of taking the time to introduce the characters, magic system, and world coherently, each episode resembled that of a disjointed slideshow. Compared to the novel’s thoughtful pacing, which allowed the audience to discover the new world alongside Arthur, the anime’s fragmented vignettes gave the impression of a disorganized production, each scene feeling like it was completely separate from the other despite following the correct timeline.

In the world of The Beginning After the End, one of the most intriguing elements of its narrative is the complex magic system beautifully crafted by TurtleMe. However, this complexity is ultimately dumbed down by a poor introduction, where the concepts of augmenters and conjurers are undermined by weak explanations and visual aids that rival those of elementary school presentations.

The animation and voice acting fall significantly short, even when compared to lower-budget Isekai adaptations. Studio A-CAT’s execution lacks the emotional nuance necessary to convey key character traits—Alice’s vulnerability, Reynold’s immaturity yet caring warmth, Sylvia’s selfish yet motherly nature, and Arthur’s curiosity and growth are all diminished. The flat voice direction is compounded by uninspired dialogue and internal monologues that fail to reflect the emotional depth of Arthur’s journey. Rather than capturing the awe and vulnerability of someone discovering magic and family for the first time, the adaptation portrays an overly detached tone that undermines the story’s emotional core. While Grey’s past life justifies some restraint, the light novel never stripped Arthur of his humanity or youthful curiosity—an essential element missing in this project.

Reincarnation stories often feature deadbeat shut-ins or overworked office workers given a second chance at life. While these narratives aim to show growth, many—such as Mushoku Tensei—fall into the trap of instantly redeeming their protagonists, seamlessly raising their intellect by 50 IQ scores and absolving their most damning flaws exhibited in their previous life. In contrast, titles like The Eminence in Shadow embrace their protagonist’s strength from the start, Log Horizon keeps its tactician grounded in strategy as that is his inherent strength, and Re:Zero maintains Subaru’s physical weakness while emphasizing emotional resilience.

The Beginning After the End takes a similarly thoughtful approach. Its protagonist, Grey, was already a prodigy: a trained strategist, duelist, and king with mastery over the Ki system—an energy force akin to mana. This foundation makes Arthur’s progression as an augmenter not only believable but earned. Even subtle details, such as his mismatch between fighting skill and physical maturity, reinforce the story’s commitment to meaningful character development.

The story also offers a subdued, almost apathetic glimpse into Arthur’s past life as King Grey, painting a picture of a man who, despite his unmatched strength and status, lived a life devoid of warmth, connection, and purpose. This emotionally distant portrayal isn’t just background filler—it lays the groundwork for the personal journey Arthur is set to undergo. By showing how hollow Grey’s achievements ultimately were, the narrative gives weight to Arthur’s second chance. It makes his growth feel intentional and necessary, not just in terms of power, but in learning how to live meaningfully. It’s a quiet yet effective setup that underscores the emotional and philosophical core of the story. My praises end here.

Yes, I’m a fan of the original novel; and much of my criticism reflects my opinion of the source material. However, my opinions regarding the first few episodes of this anime still stand with or without bias. Even with low expectations following the studio and production announcements, the early episodes of The Beginning After the End still managed to disappoint. Despite being handed a compelling and well-structured source material, the adaptation fails to deliver even a passable execution. Unless the project receives a significant boost in budget or is entrusted to a more capable studio, this anime risks serving as little more than a promotional tool for the light novel rather than a meaningful adaptation in its own right.

As the adaptation currently stands, there is no indication that this would step toe-to-toe alongside the few isekai anime that truly rises as a cut above the rest despite its potential. If anything, the lack of dedication into producing this project only gives me the impression as a promotional piece to direct new fans to the more delicately crafted manhwa and light novel. And honestly, that’s a direction I wholly encourage–whether you’re enjoying the anime so far or not.