The Beginning After the End (TBATE) Episode 3 was once again outsourced to another studio, just like the last two episodes. They rushed through the whole Sylvia meet-up part and made a bunch of changes to fit it all in. TBATE anime is based on the manhwa and webnovel of the same name, and it was already not doing well on Crunchyroll and other streaming sites because of the animation and art style.
Sadly, TBATE Episode 3 did not fix that either. If you compare it to the first two episodes, there is a slight improvement, but it is still nowhere close to what the original story deserves.
Even though the studio behind it is Studio A-Cat, the episodes being outsourced show that they just don’t have the skill to handle a story like this, especially one that needs good action scenes, timing, and proper impact shots. TBATE needs way better visuals to match the hype and the kind of story it is.
The author also shared a message recently, saying he did not have much control over how the anime was made. He thanked the fans and asked everyone to keep supporting the story, even if the anime is not perfect. He said he knows people are upset, but also said the team is doing their best.
TBATE was supposed to be one of the biggest anime of Spring, and some manhwa fans even called it the “Solo Leveling Killer” but right now it is not even close. It probably won’t beat any average anime either, just because of how weak the animation is. The story itself is still good and has that hook, but if the animation stays like this, a lot of fans might stop watching or just keep watching it without really enjoying it.
TBATE Episode 1 got a 6.6/10 rating on IMDB, and Episode 2 dropped to 5.8/10. Episode 3’s rating is not out yet, but it will probably be in the same range too.
Arthur Survived The Fall in TBATE Episode 3
After the events of Episode 2, Arthur fell off a cliff trying to protect his mother, Alice. He was still processing all these new emotions, like love and care, something he had never really felt in his past life since he was a cold king. His past world was all about strength and power, and kings were more like war machines. But in this life, he is learning what it means to have a family, and now he is even going to be a big brother since Alice is pregnant.
Now, if we compare this part to the manhwa, the story was very different. In the webcomic, Arthur did not just fall and get saved by Sylvia right away. It actually took him two chapters (Chapters 11 and 12) to even find her. He struggled on his own, recovering from the fall with a voice guiding him, until he finally found a tunnel that led him to Sylvia. In the anime, though, they skipped all of that. He just fell, and Sylvia shows up right away and saves him.
In the manhwa, it was also clear he stayed with Sylvia for around four months, and she helped him heal and train. She even helped him change mentally. Arthur wanted to take revenge for what happened to his family, but Sylvia told him to take a different path, one where he protects the ones he loves instead of going after people in anger.
Sylvia, A Dragon Introduced
TBATE Episode 3 opens with Arthur waking up in front of Sylvia. She is this huge, dark, armored beast, and obviously, Arthur gets scared and charges at her. That moment was supposed to be full of movement and high-quality action, but again, it looked like a PowerPoint transition. There was no sense of weight, speed, or proper animation flow. The action had no impact. It is clear by now that Studio A-Cat is either not experienced or just does not have the right people to handle fight scenes that need strong choreography and impact frames.
He could not hurt her at all, so he backed off and finally listened. Sylvia then gave him some fruits. Her wound was shown in the anime, but again, in the manhwa, it had more meaning. Her injury kept getting worse because she was creating a portal just for Arthur. That detail was not explained well in the anime.
She asked Arthur what he would do with real power, and he replied with “revenge,” but after talking with her and learning new mana techniques, his thinking started to shift.
The Big Reveal & A Weak Delivery
Then another threat shows up, this guy looked like a male version of Sylvia. He clearly wanted her power. Sylvia was already injured, so she hid Arthur and came out in her true form, a dragon, not the usual type. She looked more like a horned beast with a long neck, kinda like a horse-shaped dragon.
She shot a powerful beam at the enemy and created a portal to send Arthur away. Before he left, she marked his arm with runes and gave him an egg, both of which were left unexplained in the anime.
Arthur did not want to leave her behind, but she forced him to go. After entering the portal, Sylvia attacked the enemy again so Arthur could escape.
At the end, Arthur understood what she did and why. It was emotional, sure, but the way it was shown did not hit hard. Not because the story was weak, but because of the animation.
TBATE Episode 3 had way more dialogue than action, and that would have been fine if the dialogue hit and the scenes were done well. But here, even the emotional bits did not land the way they should’ve,
It is clear the studio is sticking with the same quality going forward. The designs are okay, the music is fine, but the animation just keeps dragging it all down. You can literally feel where the story is supposed to shine, but the animation destroys it every time.
What do you think about The Beginning After the End (TBATE) Episode 3 and Studio A-Cat? Do you think it will get better?
TBATE Episode 3 Review
Summary
TBATE Episode 3 introduces Sylvia and dives into Arthur’s emotional shift, but rushed pacing and weak animation ruin key story moments. Studio A-Cat again fails to deliver the impact this adaptation needs.
