The Beginning After the End Ep 4 Review

Despite the heavy criticism it has received in its native West, The Beginning After the End is being well-received overseas. Various pieces of data indicate it’s been fairly popular in Japan, while the series itself has a high number of five-star ratings on Crunchyroll.

TBATE Anime is a success in Japan 🇯🇵

Even if occidental public is hating the anime, TBATE is in every important top 10 in Japan, including: Netflix, Hulu, U-Next, D-Anime Store, TVer and others… #TBATE pic.twitter.com/rlv9akDscY

— Gabo 🦑 TBATE (@Gaboo_GP) April 21, 2025

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While it might have gotten off to a rough start, TBATE has started to show some slow improvement in the last episode as Arthur met, befriended, and was trained by a mysterious dragon named Sylvia. However, their time together got cut short for reasons that likely won’t be made clear in this season, leaving him on his own once more. However, his quest to reunite with his family leads him to make an unexpected detour, as well as make his first real friend in his second life.

Arthur Goes Assassin’s Creed

As seems to be the case, there was a moment from the manwha that was left out of the anime at the start of the episode. Arthur cries in frustration as the realization that Sylvia’s dead hits him, only to be snapped out of it by a pre-recorded message from her. In it, she explains that she imparted part of her “will” to him, but he can’t use it until he grows stronger. This will become an important plot point going forward, but the immediate ramifications are that Arthur’s mana core will soon start to flare up in pain.

Beyond that, though, what happens next with Arthur and the slave traders is nowhere near as bad as it gets in the web comic. The slavers actually bind and gag the poor girl they captured, and the fact that they don’t do that doesn’t make much sense here. The whole point to that is to ensure the captive can’t escape, making the slavers feel like amateurs. Regardless, the way Arthur kills them is just as ruthless as it is in the comics.

After that, though, Arthur manages to make a new friend. And she’s an elf girl.

The King Makes his First Friend

Tessia 🤍🤍#TBATE #thebeginningaftertheend pic.twitter.com/Vo5woFY47y

— Daily Ais Wallenstein 🗡️👸🏻 (@dailyais3684) April 23, 2025

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This is Tessia, and given how TBATE takes pages from Mushoku Tensei, it should come as no surprise that she takes inspiration from several girls in that series. Her physical appearance, status as an elf, and initial timid personality all scream Sylphie. However, once she starts to open up to Arthur, she starts to display some of Eris’ more fiery and confrontational nature. Thankfully, she’s not violent like Eris is, only going so far as get snippy with Arthur when he’s making fun of her.

The two of them make for a rather odd pairing, especially given how Arthur is mentally an adult. Still, it feels nice to see Arthur being able to have a friend his own age, something that the anime all but states he never really had by the time he died. The anime does leave out a few of the more comedic aspects of their journey together, but the overall bonding and sentiment remain present right up to when they make it to the outskirts of Tess’ home.

Don’t Worry: Arthur Will be Fine

Full disclosure: that post-credits scene was not present in the web comic. It appears that the series might be going in a more serious direction to amp up the drama, or at least leave viewers in suspense about what comes next. Those who read the web comic should also be surprised by what happened, and now have something to look forward to next episode. It feels like TBATE might be on the mend, and hopefully, if we stick around long enough, something good might come out of it.

I Give “Saved by the King” a 3/5