The Rebirth of the King

This first episode does nothing to showcase what the LN or the manhwa are, as a genuine fan I was heart broken. It was completely lacking in emotion and effort, cutting out the small things that make you appreciate the journey. I feel genuinely lied to when I hear that the director was a huge fan of the series, I don't think he read it. This anime will have the opposite effect the author wanted and might ruin this true masterpiece. The characters were butchered, they failed to replicate what Art was in the Manhwa and LN. Honestly, they did a complete one 180 on what his character actually is, I'm convinced the title change might have been necessary. Because this is not the beginning after the end at all.

Most of the reviews I believe will focus mainly on the poor animation of the series which is clear and I do not debate that. However, this is only based off of one episode and if you haven't read the full story then I can understand anything negative about this story. Including the similarities with Mushoku Tensei (Jobless reincarnation), which is literally only episode 1. As someone who has read the majority of the story and based off of how closely the first episode followed the first 4 chapters (mostly of the novel), if they continue to follow the storyline then I can only imagine success for those who can appreciate the story for what it is. This is a diamond that is being displayed at a corner jewelry store, taking away from its true value. Don't give up on this story, follow it, support and pray it gets a better studio to pick it up for season 2. Truly, this can be one of the greats if it only gets the love it deserves.

The first episode was a complete letdown. As a longtime fan of the light novel and manhwa, I was heartbroken. It didn't just miss the mark-it felt like it wasn't even trying. The emotion, the little details that make the journey feel meaningful, were all stripped away. Instead of bringing the story to life, the episode felt rushed and soulless, like they were just going through the motions.

Honestly, I don't believe for a second that the director is a true fan. If he really loved the source material, how could he allow this to happen? It feels like he never even read it. This adaptation isn't going to introduce new fans to the masterpiece we know-it's going to push them away. The characters, especially Art, were completely butchered. In the manhwa and LN, he had depth, presence, and a certain charisma. Here? He's barely a shadow of what he should be.

This anime should have been something special, something that truly captured the magic of the original story. Instead, it feels hollow. If this is how they're handling it, I'm honestly scared to see what's coming next.

I love the TBATE manhwa, it was the first manhwa that got me into reading anything outside of watching anime. I started appreciating the writing creators made, which is why I know, the story is fantastic, but the other half of an anime is the animation. The art style is there, I can definitely see that it is a TBATE adaptation, but the animations really dull the feeling of watching the anime. Because the animations are so poor, it even translates to the story less alive than it should be. I was on the belief that any animation can be more alive than still photos of a manhwa panel, but boy was i wrong. I cannot with an honest heart give it more than a 5, if the animations improve over the next episodes or seasons, this adaptation can easily bring itself back up to a 10.

The TBATE anime Episode 1 completely butchered the heart of the story. The family interactions-which should be warm and layered-feel hollow and rushed. Where's the emotional weight? The subtle bonding moments? The characters move and speak like lifeless puppets, with zero depth compared to the light novel's rich inner monologues and nuanced relationships.

And the character designs... my god. Bland, uninspired, and utterly failing to convey the expressiveness that made the novel's drama so compelling. Not a single glance or gesture carries the emotion it should. Even the voice acting can't salvage this mess when the direction is this flat.

This isn't just a bad adaptation-it's an insult to the source material. If you're going to strip away everything that made TBATE special (the family dynamics, the slow-burn tension, the emotional payoff), why even bother? I'd rather reread the novels than suffer through another episode of this soulless slideshow.