‘From PowerPoint to CGI:’ The Worst Anime of 2025 is Back

The Beginning After the End (TBATE) has become a very popular online novel, gaining a dedicated following. So, when an anime version was announced, it seemed like the series was poised to finally receive widespread recognition and reach its highest level of popularity.

Despite a lot of pre-release hype calling it the next big thing like Solo Leveling, the anime’s first season didn’t live up to expectations. Still, a second season is coming! So, what changed, and can fans of TBATE still look forward to something good?

TBATE Anime Should Have Been Great

I remember the excitement building last year before Tower of God Season 1 came out. The webnovel and webtoon were already hugely popular, and a lot of people were predicting the anime could become as big as Solo Leveling. It seemed likely, especially since the fanbases often share members – particularly in the US.

When the first trailers were released, many fans worried the show wouldn’t live up to expectations. Another concern was the animation studio, A-Cat. They didn’t have a lot of experience with TV anime, and their past original series, like Highspeed Etoile, were often made with limited budgets and heavily featured CGI.

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A-Cat has been around since 1996, but they primarily focus on 3D animation for commercials and video games. While they’re capable animators, fans worried this project was a departure for the studio. Many would have preferred a more established anime studio like Madhouse, Ufotable, MAPPA, or Bones to take on the series, as those studios are better known to anime audiences.

Season 1 Was Worse than Most Expected

Fans were optimistic about the anime adaptation, especially since the original webnovel author, TurtleMe, was involved in its production. They hoped the show would be good, even with a limited budget. However, after the first episode aired, it became obvious that TBATE didn’t meet the quality standards of most anime series that season.

Anime often has its best animation in the first few episodes. This is because the production team has more time to polish things before the show starts airing, and less pressure from weekly deadlines. They also want to make a strong first impression to attract and keep viewers.

Even people who weren’t expecting amazing animation were let down by the adaptation. It wasn’t just a few changes here and there – the series felt rushed, and the action scenes looked awkward and unnatural. The animation was so poor that even viewers who usually don’t mind lower quality were disappointed.

The public reacted strongly, so TurtleMe responded to the criticism, explaining he’d gained valuable experience and thought everyone involved had been trying their best, even if they didn’t always agree on the creative direction.

If It’s So Bad, Why Was Season 2 Greenlit?

As the first season of TBATE was ending, a second season was announced, which surprised many viewers. The initial season received negative reviews and criticism online, so the decision to continue seemed unexpected. It’s probable that the original agreement for the anime included a set number of episodes, which were simply planned to be released in two parts.

Working in the anime world, I discovered that creators usually don’t have much control over how an anime is made, which was a big change for me. I’m used to being completely in charge of The Beginning After the End – I write the novel and oversee every step of the comic. When the anime adaptation was greenlit, I quickly realized just how many people and processes are involved before production even starts. Ultimately, the best anime, like any creative project, comes down to a talented team’s dedication, hard work, and a little bit of luck.

— TurtleMe

So, the show wasn’t officially renewed after it aired; a second season was already in the works, and the team is simply sticking to their original plan. It’s now common for anime to be produced in batches of 26 episodes, split into two parts. Because of this lead time, some fans were hoping the new season would address a few problems with the first. While a major quality leap wasn’t expected, there was potential to refine certain aspects of the show.

Are Fans Enjoying the New Season?

Despite not expecting much, many fans are still let down by the series. Some are even making fun of it, saying it’s gone from looking like a simple presentation to basic computer animation.

The TBATE subreddit is full of sarcastic comments that jokingly praise weak scenes as if they were surprisingly good.

Although viewers generally aren’t pleased with the show, they seem to be finding some enjoyment in sharing their disappointment and connecting with others who feel the same way. Sadly, it doesn’t look like the series will be renewed for another season, but maybe a future remake could be more successful.

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2026-04-10 18:35