Crunchyroll’s ‘The Beginning After the End’ is a Streaming Success With Season 2 After the First Season Flopped

by

A previously much-criticized anime series is returning for a second season on Crunchyroll. Anime fans are known for being vocal about shows they dislike – even popular ones have their detractors. Back in 2025, one series, The Beginning After the End, sparked such strong negative reactions that fans even started a petition to remake it. However, the show is making a surprising return in 2026, and many are hopeful it will be an improvement.

Inspired by the popular webtoon of the same name by TurtleMe, The Beginning After the End is a unique fantasy anime. It tells the story of Arthur Leywin, who isn’t just transported to a new world – he’s reborn into one. Arthur was once a king in a technologically advanced world torn apart by war. Now, as a child in a traditional fantasy setting, he remembers his past life and aims to protect his loved ones, become a strong fighter, and make amends for his actions as a former ruler. The original webtoon has a massive following with millions of readers, but the anime adaptation has been criticized for feeling like a narrated slideshow rather than a fully realized series, falling short of the quality of similar shows like Mushoku Tensei.

Season 2 of The Beginning After the End is currently streaming on Crunchyroll, and viewers are cautiously revisiting Arthur Leywin’s story to see if the show has improved. It’s returning during a season with a lot of popular anime. As of this week, The Beginning After the End is the fifth most-watched anime on Crunchyroll, behind Jujutsu Kaisen, which remains number one even after finishing the first part of its third season. Other shows in the top ten include new seasons of Dr. Stone, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Daemons of the Shadow Realm, and the highly-rated fantasy series, Witch Hat Atelier.

Has ‘The Beginning After the End’ Finally Been Fixed?

The first season of The Beginning After the End was a major disappointment for many anime fans. Studio A-CAT struggled with the action sequences and lacked the resources to fully realize the fantasy setting. As a result, the season received negative reviews, with ratings of 6.18 on MyAnimeList and 5.9 on IMDb.

The second season of the show has improved things, but the core problem persists: the action scenes just aren’t visually impressive. Compared to popular anime like Demon Slayer, Solo Leveling, and Jujutsu Kaisen, which consistently deliver high-quality action, The Beginning After the End feels surprisingly basic and unpolished.

Is ‘The Beginning After the End’ Finally Worth Watching?

Whether you’ll enjoy this show really depends on what you’re looking for. If you want exciting, action-packed battles with magical creatures, you might be disappointed. But if you can accept the animation isn’t perfect, The Beginning After the End offers a compelling story, memorable characters, and a richly developed world.

Read More

2026-04-20 15:32