From Webtoon Darling to Crunchyroll’s Most Hated Anime
The Beginning After the End arrived on Crunchyroll carrying huge expectations. TurtleMe’s webtoon, often spoken of as a Mushoku Tensei rival, boasts millions of readers and a devoted fanbase. Instead of a prestige debut, however, the first season quickly became known as one of the platform’s most hated action anime. Viewers likened it to a “PowerPoint presentation with voice-over,” criticizing stiff motion, flat direction, and fight scenes that never matched the series’ epic premise. Studio A-CAT’s limited resources were blamed for visuals that could not sell Arthur Leywin’s reincarnated-king fantasy or its high-stakes battles. Ratings reflected the backlash, with the adaptation hovering around the mid-5 to low-6 range on major databases. A fan petition pushing for a remake underlined how deeply the failed anime adaptation had disappointed readers who knew how dynamic the material could be on the page.
A 2026 Comeback and Hints of Course Correction
Despite its reputation as a failed anime adaptation, The Beginning After the End has staged an unlikely comeback. A second season, now streaming on Crunchyroll, is part of a stacked slate that includes heavy-hitters like Jujutsu Kaisen, Dr. Stone, and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. Yet Arthur Leywin’s story has climbed to become one of the platform’s most-watched titles this week, suggesting curiosity—and maybe cautious hope—are driving an anime comeback in 2026. Season 2 reportedly addresses some of the first season’s problems, tightening character work and leaning into the strong worldbuilding that made the webtoon a phenomenon. Still, the core complaint remains: Studio A-CAT’s fight scenes struggle to compete in an era dominated by the spectacle of Demon Slayer and Solo Leveling. Fans returning for an anime second season fix are getting narrative improvements, but not the visual overhaul many had dreamed of.
Why Action Adaptations Fail: Pacing, CG, and Trust in the Source
The Beginning After the End’s rocky debut spotlights familiar pitfalls for Crunchyroll action anime. Ambitious fantasy premises demand animation that can sell weighty sword swings, intricate magic systems, and large-scale battles; when budget or scheduling falls short, the disconnect is brutal. Static shots, reused cuts, and awkward CG can make even well-written series feel lifeless. Pacing is another chronic issue: compressing long-running webtoons or manga into a single cour often strips away character beats that give fights emotional stakes. Overreliance on narration or internal monologue, as seen in Arthur’s story, can further flatten on-screen energy. Finally, tonal misreads—sandpapering darker edges, softening violence, or reordering arcs—risk alienating core fans who want fidelity to the source. When those problems stack, a show can quickly slide from anticipated blockbuster to most hated anime, regardless of how strong the underlying story actually is.
Redemption Arcs: How Other Anime Turned Failure Into Hype
Anime history shows that a disastrous first impression is not always the end. Some series rebound with reboots, fresh production teams, or simply a more confident second season. While The Beginning After the End has not changed studios, its return alongside polished hits demonstrates that audiences will grant second chances if they sense genuine improvement. Fan discourse around other series that returned after long gaps—such as Yona of the Dawn, which finally confirmed a sequel after its acclaimed fantasy manga concluded—highlights how patience can pay off when creators and studios re-engage with care. In each comeback story, two ingredients matter most: respect for the source material and visible investment in production quality. When those pieces fall into place, shows once written off as failures can become cult favorites, proving that an initial misfire does not have to define a franchise’s legacy.
Can The Beginning After the End Truly Redeem Itself?
Whether The Beginning After the End can shake off its label as Crunchyroll’s most hated action anime will depend on expectations. Viewers demanding Demon Slayer-level animation will likely remain frustrated; by most accounts, season 2 still looks like an upgrade rather than a transformation. However, fans who value layered worldbuilding, a morally complicated lead, and long-form character growth may find enough to justify giving the series another try. The current streaming ecosystem is more forgiving of do-overs, especially as audiences grow accustomed to different studios and versions tackling the same material. If this adaptation can maintain narrative momentum and continue incremental visual improvements, it might evolve from a cautionary tale into a modest redemption arc. For now, its anime second season fix feels partial—yet that may be all it needs to keep Arthur Leywin’s journey alive long enough for a future, more definitive comeback.