The Beginning After the End Anime
Added 2025-04-02 22:24:36 +0000 UTCIt’s been a long journey. This October, it will be ten years since I started writing The Beginning After the End. A lot has happened along the way, from the story being adapted into a webcomic to me getting married, adopting two dogs, and even facing a near-death experience. Now, TBATE has officially become an anime.
With any new medium comes uncertainty, and the journey here wasn’t easy to navigate. There were no resources or other examples I could learn from directly; however, through these challenges, I gained invaluable experience and met so many amazing people. The Beginning After the End broke a lot of barriers by becoming an anime, and despite the challenges we faced, we did it.
Ten years ago, I was writing at Starbucks after work and uploading chapters for the few hundred of you waiting on Royal Road. To those who have stuck with me since the beginning, I wouldn’t be here without you. And to everyone else, whether you came to know TBATE through the comic or novel, thank you sincerely.
Now that the anime is out, I hope you can support it just as you have with the novel and webcomic, giving it a chance to grow and evolve. There may be an influx of new TBATE fans coming from the anime–I hope you’ll welcome them with open arms.
A heartfelt thank you to my wife for making this milestone even more special with a surprise cake and flowers. And to everyone at Crunchyroll and Studio A-Cat, thank you for your hard work.
You can watch Ep. 1 now on Crunchyroll!
Comments
I've been reading the novel on the web since the early days, I love this story and have introduced it to many friends. I can't pretend that I think the anime is done well, but I also want to acknowledge all the hard work and effort Turtleme, and many others, have put into this story. I don't believe for a second that Turtleme had anything but the best intentions for the story or the fans, and I think it is incredible that an anime adaption was made in the first place. I join the many voices hoping that some good comes from this, and that future series can be made made which better honour the source material, and all things that make it great.
Sebastian Troy
2025-07-01 06:51:39 +0000 UTCI appreciate the world crafted in the manga and light novels. The fact that there is a debate about the anime being on par with the original content points out that the anime didnt capture the essence of the story we love. It's not the first time though, other stories suffered in their transition to a show like Wheel of Time series from Robert Jordan or the Shannara books from Terry Brooks. To me, TBATE falls in this category where I can continue to love the source material but lament the transition to a wider audience via a show. My hope is that it is eventually revisited with a better anime studio / director to properly showcase the depth of the story. When I found Solo Leveling as a Light Novel / Manga, everyone kept telling me how TBATE was a deeper story... they are right. IT IS! I just wish that came across in the anime but will continue to support the author's works and chalk this up to industry not fully supporting the content appropriately.
Jeff Sicard
2025-05-28 03:26:38 +0000 UTCThese are people who have been following him for years… they have every right to be disappointed in that “slideshow” they’re calling Tbate. TurtleMe definitely destroyed a huge chunk of his fan base for not doing his research on a shitty ass slideshow. Biggest disappointment in 2025
Isaiah
2025-04-19 18:54:12 +0000 UTCAbsolutely agree with your take — it’s refreshing to see someone lay out the broader industry context with this much clarity. While I don't have the tenure or deep history that many longtime fans like yourself do, I wanted to share a slightly different perspective. I was introduced to TBATE just recently, after watching the first two episodes of the anime. Like many others, I felt something was “off,” but rather than jumping on the criticism bandwagon, it sparked my curiosity. That curiosity led me to the source material — and I ended up buying and reading all 11 eBooks on Amazon in a matter of days. That experience gave me a much deeper appreciation not only for the story itself but for the fanbase that has been supporting this series for years. So yes, while the adaptation may not match up to everyone's hopes, Klairvoyage is absolutely right — the fact that a Western indie story like TBATE broke into the traditional anime world is a milestone worth celebrating. It's a huge leap, and hopefully, it opens the door for even better production support in future seasons or remakes. Here’s to hoping the adaptation continues to draw attention to the original work — and that the next chapter of TBATE’s journey does the story justice.
jayson Beasley
2025-04-19 02:13:02 +0000 UTCKeep it up, boss -- don't listen to the criticism. The fact you've reached this point is such a milestone of success that it's unreal. Even if fans are disappointed by the anime, the fact that you've written such an exemplary story to get it animated in the first place is something to be celebrated. Cheers!
Philippe Yahia
2025-04-13 18:16:05 +0000 UTCY'all I understand your frustrations with the TBATE anime adaptation's quality, but I think there are some important industry realities to consider here (that we fans sometimes overlook, when we are passionate about a series we love). The fact that TBATE got an anime adaptation at all is quite remarkable. It is literally THE FIRST Western comic to receive a typical Japanese-studio anime adaptation. That alone is groundbreaking, considering the industry's traditional focus on established Japanese manga or Korean manhwa with major publisher backing. In the corporate anime world, TurtleMe is in a uniquely vulnerable position. Unlike Korean webtoon authors, who have the backing of big big publishers (like Kakao, Naver or Munpia), TBATE is published on Tapas – a relatively small American platform, which funnily enough was acquired by Kakao, though it still mostly operates as it did before and DOES NOT hand out the kinda deals that give an Indie author a noteworthy level of backing or leverage. Those Korean publishing giants literally wholly fund the webtoon (& anime) adaptations for Korean novel authors, while afaik TurtleMe (at the very least in its infancy) was mostly funding the webtoon's artists – the small Indonesian team – out of his own pockets. When the webtoon got a physical release 2 years ago, it was already a big thing, let alone him being able to negotiate a deal with Crunchyroll to begin with. It is quite literally a miracle, even if it may not seem like that for y'all, just because you see a great story and in turn expect a great adaptation quality-wise. Hell, the novel doesn't even have physical release yet. The harsh reality is that online popularity rarely translates to executive decisions in anime production. Physical sales and established corporate relationships drive these choices. Studios like A-1 or MAPPA were nowhere near the realms of possibilities for a Western indie author's first adaptation... those expectations don't align with how the industry typically operates. As for TurtleMe making public statements criticizing the adaptation during its fucking release window (???), that would straight up jeopardize any future opportunities. There are almost certainly contractual obligations & business relationships that limit what he can say publicly. Speaking out against production partners during an active release is generally considered business suicide. The adaptation, despite its many flaws, has brought TBATE to a wider audience. As we are speaking, many new people are discovering the source material because of it, which is ultimately the primary purpose of adaptations. Even this "bad PR" is bringing attention to the original work, potentially more effectively than a run-of-the-mill 7.5/10 adaptation would have – considering how similar its story beats are to other isekai in the early beginnings. So please, if y'all truly care for TurtleMe like you say you do, then it is time for y'all to start having some compassion & understanding... and not demand some empty statement, just so you can feel better. At the end of the day, TurtleMe signed off on this adaptation, not because he hates his fans, but because it is likely the best he could get in the near or immediate future. Cheers.
klairvoyage
2025-04-12 10:07:17 +0000 UTCOkay, maybe I’ll get in trouble for saying this here, but if no one else is going to speak up, let me do it. First, I hope this message reaches Turtle himself, because what I’m about to say is what every TBATE fan is thinking. So, I sincerely wish that the admin of the page, or whoever is responsible, passes it to him. I, in the name of the entire TBATE fandom, ask this from the bottom of my heart. This message is from a big fan of this amazing story. I’ve given compliments and discussed this novel for years. I even decided to become a writer myself because of the influence this novel had on me. So this is not a hater talking shit on the internet—this is someone who really likes the author's writing and wishes him the best possible. I’ve complimented you for years, but now is the time to say that you are being dishonest with your fans with this lack of sensibility when it comes to talking about the poor quality of the anime adaptations we’re receiving. Turtle, Mister Tae Ha Lee, I want you to know that I totally understand that you, as the author, have limitations over the decisions involving the studios, the story, and the business aspects of the adaptation. I really want to hear your side of the situation. However, what’s happening is not acceptable in any case. It’s you who is deciding that it’s not necessary to answer or position yourself regarding the complaints about the anime’s bad quality. We, as your readers, are saying this because we’ve been reading this story for years (I’ve been reading TBATE since my junior year of high school—now I’m in college…), and we wanted to see an adaptation that was proper and adequate to the writing quality of your story. But what we received was this—sorry for the word choice, but I need to be very clear—this fucking SHIT quality. It only took two episodes—just two—for the fandom to give up on the animation. Episode 2 of the anime is an offense against the history of TBATE. It’s an offense against the quality of the story. It’s an offense to your readers and fans. And personally, it’s an offense to you, Turtle! Bro, this is your first work. I know you care about it because I can see the respect and the love you have for your characters and your story. I’ve heard a lot of times people saying you’re only interested in money or that you don’t like TBATE anymore. But I, as a writer and TBATE fan, feel your true passion for your work. I’ve read TBATE many times, and I saw the level of detail and quality you put into your story. So it’s hard for me to keep defending you after these actions, sir. Seriously—what the fuck is going on? I know the animation is already paid for, and the anime is planned to have two seasons. I understand there’s a bureaucratic part with Crunchyroll and Tapas. But come on, Turtle—you’re not blind. You have a Discord. You have a team responsible for marketing. Are none of them talking with you about this? If that’s the case—fire them immediately. If not, then why are you not giving any kind of position? Are you planning to say nothing for the entire anime adaptation? Because if that’s what’s going to happen, I’m very disappointed in you. And I will take the responsibility of saying this on your Patreon, which I paid for with all the true passion I have for this story. I literally only subscribed because of your novel, and this is my first-time ever paying for an author's Patreon. So I’ll say it, in the name of all your readers: Turtle, if you are planning to stay silent about this problem, if you’re not going to say something, then you’re failing your fandom. You’re failing your fans. We’ve literally been waiting for this for years. For some people, less time. But for others—one year, two, maybe even five. For me—six years. I’ve been reading your chapters weekly. Every weekend, I spend hours reading TBATE and talking about how amazing Arthur’s story is, how interesting the culture involved in the development of the series is, how many times I cried during the big events like the War Arc, the Relictombs Arc, and Victoriad. I could even bet with you that I know some curiosities about your writing that are very random and meticulous. But I say all this because I truly, deep inside my heart, Turtle, believe that you helped me become a better person. And I can say that not only for me, but for every reader you have. You made an amazing story. You wrote a fucking masterpiece of a novel. In Brazil, the country I’m from, your work is the first novel for a big part of our national community. For a lot of Brazilians readers, you are the first author in their reading journey in webnovels—you’re their first, and probably the most important for a long time. In a country with millions of illiterate people, you’re helping teenagers and children become better readers. You’re changing things in ways you probably don’t even know. That’s just something I think you need to hear. I’m saying all this because you need to understand how outstanding your writing is—and how unfair it is, what we’re receiving now. This isn’t about offending the work of A-Cat or Tapas. It’s about requesting—demanding—that this story we love be truly respected. And right now, we, the long-time fans of TBATE, are not happy. I know the reality isn’t a fairy tale that can be changed so easily with words. I know the anime won’t be canceled just because of our complaints or because of this message. Unfortunately, the business world doesn’t change with words or fandom opinion alone. But I had to say this. I had to express the feelings of millions of your fans—for you, Turtle. Not for Tapas. Not for Crunchyroll. For you. Say something. Respect your fandom. At least acknowledge our complaints. If you think that this quality of animation is okay or appropriate for TBATE, then you're being unreal about your own writing—or worse, you know the quality is shit, and maybe the haters who say you only care about money are actually telling the truth. I don't even know anymore... I really wish for a position coming from you. If that’s not going to happen, then your silence will be an answer as well. Best wishes, Victor.
Kakuja
2025-04-12 02:16:48 +0000 UTCHe probably has contractual obligations. He's not going to risk getting sued just to put out a statement of his own disappointment with the anime (if he feels this way).
Jorge A. Diaz Barreto
2025-04-11 19:45:23 +0000 UTCI'm just posting here because I hope Turtle Me reads this... The animated series is the worst trash, the worst fan betrayal in the history of fandom. I have read this novel, chapter by chapter, week by week - for more than 7 years. I am a genuine, genuine lover of TBATE in every way possible. Stop production Turtle Me. Don't allow Episode 3, or any other episode to be streamed. It's worse than a disaster. It's a betrayal of your own creative genius and hard work. We just watched a slideshow of still frames, when we should have been watching a crucial battle between the twin horns and the bandits when Arthur went over the edge of the cliff. It honestly had FAR MORE ACTION when I read the novel version. Not even the webcomic. The web-novel was more exciting and had better details of what happened in the fight. I saw far more in my imagination, thanks to your writing. Whoever promised you Turtle Me to do right by you and the fans, either lied or has zero understanding of art and storytelling. You've fired comic animators before for doing a bad job. You made us wait, sometimes for months. And we did. Because we are loyal and we believe in your story. I'm happy to wait 3+ years to get a proper TBATE animated series. This isn't it. It's a PowerPoint. It's worse than terrible anime from 35 years ago. Kill it and kill it now. Before we see Sylvia and it's ruined even more. Don't let those precious moments be twisted by terrible animators (or average animators with a terrible budget) whose work on this series isn't worth even a nickle. Just end it. Do it right. All my respect
Mathew Alec Costin
2025-04-11 13:00:45 +0000 UTCAfter seeing clips of episode 2 and dropping the anime after the shitshow episode 1 was, all i have to say is that i feel disrespected as a long time fan with how bad the adapation is. Whats even more disrespectful towards all those who are dissatisfied with the adaptation is the lack of response or a statement by TM himself. Atleast a patreon statement for all those who supported TBATE through all these years would be the least i expect.
Preier
2025-04-11 09:03:03 +0000 UTCI’m hoping this is an April fools joke and that they are recreating/polishing the anime
Tony
2025-04-11 00:24:13 +0000 UTCGive up, there will be no growth. This seed was planted among weeds and withered under dry soil
William Lima Santos
2025-04-10 18:44:16 +0000 UTCon a more serious note,the anime is not doing the novel and comic justice, like there's is no emotion when watching the anime as compared to reading the novel and comic . I hope turtleme will try see into this thing
Sly
2025-04-10 12:35:57 +0000 UTC
