Let’s be real for a second. If you’ve spent any amount of time scrolling through Tapas or deep-diving into the "Big Three" of modern web novels, you know Arthur Leywin. You know the hype. You know the heartbreak. And if you’re like the rest of the massive fanbase, you’ve probably spent the last three years frantically searching for news on the beginning after the end episodes and why, for the love of mana, we aren’t watching them on Crunchyroll yet.
It’s a weird spot to be in.
We live in an era where Solo Leveling got its flowers and Tower of God is pushing through second seasons, yet TurtleMe’s masterpiece—arguably one of the most successful English-language web series in history—has felt stuck in "development hell" rumors for ages. But things shifted recently. We finally have concrete movement.
What’s the Hold Up With the Beginning After the End Episodes?
Honestly, the delay comes down to logistics and rights. Unlike Solo Leveling, which is a South Korean manhwa, The Beginning After the End (TBATE) is technically a Western-born story written in English, even though its art style and structure scream high-tier manhwa. This puts it in a unique legal pocket. Most anime production committees are Japanese-centric.
When fans talk about the beginning after the end episodes, they aren't just talking about a dream anymore. At Anime Expo 2024, the official announcement finally dropped: an anime adaptation is officially in production.
Studio A-1 Pictures isn't the one doing it, which surprised some, but the teaser trailer showed off a style that stays incredibly loyal to Fuyuki23’s early webcomic art. The first season is expected to cover the "King Grey" prologue and Arthur's early years in the Kingdom of Sapin. If the pacing follows the light novel, we’re looking at a standard 12 to 13-episode cour to start, likely ending around the Dire Tombs arc or the reveal of Arthur's quadra-elemental abilities.
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Breaking Down the Expected Content of Season 1
If you haven't read the novels and are just waiting for the show, you're in for a ride that starts like a typical reincarnation trope and then punches you in the gut. Hard.
The first batch of the beginning after the end episodes will have to cover Arthur’s rebirth. We see King Grey—a lonely, powerful ruler—die and wake up as a baby named Arthur. Most shows would breeze past the toddler years. TBATE doesn't. It focuses on his internal monologue as he tries to manipulate mana while still in diapers. It sounds ridiculous, but the "Early Years" arc is crucial for establishing why he’s so much more capable than other mages.
Then there’s Sylvia.
Any adaptation that messes up the encounter with the Will-core dragon, Sylvia, is going to face a riot. This is the emotional anchor of the entire series. The episodes covering his time in the cave and his eventual meeting with the Twin Horns party will set the tone. It’s not just about flashy magic; it’s about the weight of a grown man’s soul living in a child’s body and the alienation that comes with it.
Why the Animation Quality Matters More Here Than in Other Shows
The magic system in TBATE is tiered by "mana core" colors—black, red, orange, yellow, silver, and white. Visually, this is a goldmine for animators. We need to see the physical strain of "Body Flickers" and the elemental complexity of his deviant magic (like blue fire or ice).
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Fans are nervous. We've seen Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer get ruined by bad animation. We've seen Seven Deadly Sins melt into a puddle of bad frames. For the beginning after the end episodes to succeed, the studio needs to capture the kinetic energy of Arthur’s swordplay combined with the raw power of his mana. He isn't just a mage; he’s a fighter who uses magic to augment his physical limits.
The Voice Casting and Adaptation Choices
There’s a lot of chatter about who should voice Arthur. In the English dub—which will likely be a huge priority given the source material’s origins—fans have been clamoring for someone who can balance the sophistication of an old king with the youthful energy of a boy.
Travis Baldree, who narrates the audiobooks, is the "voice" of Arthur for millions of people. While he might not be the choice for a young Arthur in an anime, his performance has set a massive bar for the character's personality. He makes Arthur sound calculated. Slightly arrogant. Deeply protective.
The adaptation will likely trim some of the internal monologues. It has to. In the book, Arthur spends pages analyzing the flow of mana in his veins. In an anime episode, you have 22 minutes. You can't spend ten of them on a lecture about mana veins. The challenge for the writers will be showing, not telling, his genius.
Managing Your Expectations for the Release Date
Look, the "Coming 2025" window is what we’re all staring at. Animation takes time. Pre-production on a series like this involves character design sheets for dozens of side characters, from the Helstea family to the royal families of the three races (Humans, Elves, Dwarves).
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If you see a "leaked" site claiming the beginning after the end episodes are already airing or available on some shady streaming service, it’s a scam. Stick to the official channels like Crunchyroll or the official TBATE Twitter (X) account managed by TurtleMe’s team.
The most realistic timeline? A Spring or Fall 2025 premiere. Production cycles usually ramp up about 18 months after a major announcement. Since the teaser dropped in mid-2024, we’re looking at a mid-to-late 2025 rollout for the first 12 episodes.
Comparing TBATE to Solo Leveling and Mushoku Tensei
It’s impossible not to compare this to Mushoku Tensei. Both involve reincarnation. Both involve a protagonist who is "OP" but emotionally stunted. However, Arthur Leywin isn't Rudeus Greyrat. Arthur is a warrior at heart. His journey is less about overcoming "creepiness" and more about finding a family he didn't have in his previous life, then realizing he has to protect them from a looming global war.
The stakes in the later the beginning after the end episodes will dwarf almost anything we’ve seen in recent fantasy anime. Once the "Lance" system is introduced and the continent of Alacrya enters the picture, the scale shifts from "gifted kid at school" to "continental genocide and god-tier warfare."
Practical Steps for Fans Waiting for the Premiere
If the wait is killing you, don't just sit there hitting refresh on news sites. There are better ways to prep for the debut.
- Read the Webtoon up to the hiatus point: The art shift in the later seasons of the comic is controversial to some, but it provides the most direct visual reference for what the anime will likely look like.
- Dive into the Light Novel (Volume 1-5): The anime’s first season will almost certainly cover the first few volumes. Reading them now will give you the "internal" context the anime might skip.
- Follow TurtleMe on Social Media: The creator is surprisingly active and often clarifies misconceptions about the production process.
- Watch the Official Teaser on Repeat: Seriously, analyze the frames. You can see the character designs for Tessia and the early glimpses of the floating city of Xyrus.
The journey of Arthur Leywin has been a decade in the making. From a simple web novel to a global phenomenon, the arrival of the beginning after the end episodes marks the moment Western-originated "Eastern-style" stories finally break into the mainstream. It’s going to be huge. Just make sure your expectations are set for a slow-burn start that leads into an absolute inferno of an endgame.
Keep an eye on the official Crunchyroll seasonal lineups for the 2025 calendar year, as that is where the first concrete "Episode 1" air date will finally appear. Until then, the webcomic is your best friend.