Anime based on webcomics or webtoons isn’t unheard of, but The Beginning After the End is unique for one specific reason. The web series is written by Korean-American Brandon Lee, who goes by TurtleMe and drawn by Fuyuki23. The original series is made in America, making The Beginning After the End the first American web novel to get an anime adaptation. The webtoon is released by Tapas, a Korean digital website and publisher. Tapas specifically markets the original web series with North America in mind. The animated adaptation of The Beginning After the End shows the global appeal of anime, and how various brands and companies are taking advantage of the medium’s growing popularity.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Despite its American origins, The Beginning After the End has grown a sizable fanbase across the globe. The original web novel has a big following in the East and West, making it an ideal series to sell for all parts of the world. The Beginning After the End popularity is also indicative of how popular webcomics have become, especially in the West. Other series based on web series, like Solo Leveling, have been turned into huge anime shows with big marketing pushes. Beyond manga, manhwa and other webcomics are being thrust into the limelight and could be the next big thing in anime.
RELATED: The Beginning After the End Anime Sets April 2025 Release & New Trailer: Watch
The Beginning After the End, A Western Anime
While The Beginning After the End will be the first American web novel turned into an anime by an Asian studio, American cartoons have often outsourced animation by Asian studios. The Simpsons had relied on animation from the Korean studio AKOM for many years during its peak. Shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender have clear Asian inspirations. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off was a Netflix animated series written by an American staff yet animated in Japan by Science Saru, Inc.
TurtleMe has discussed his influence on The Beginning After the End with Anitrendz, covering why he believes the series was able to find a footing on both sides of the globe. The author details his upbringing with American and Asian media, citing Fullmetal Alchemist, Hunter x Hunter, Eragon, and The Name of the Wind as the biggest influences on his work. He believes that because he wrote something that he wanted to see when growing up, which includes elements from America and Asia, The Beginning After the End appealed to audiences in both East and West. TurtleMe is very much involved with the anime adaptation’s progress and hopes fans of the webcomic can enjoy the new experience the medium can provide.
H/T: Anitrendz
Related Posts
-
Production I.G.
