TurtleMe issued a public statement after The Beginning After the End received backlash over the poor animation quality of the TV anime adaptation. Many have referred to the show as The Slideshow After the End due to most of the fights looking like PNGs with speed lines overlaid atop of them.
A petition was even created to have the anime canceled and redone because fans felt that the source’s story was too good to be treated this way.
As a response to the backlash, TurtleMe issued the following statement:
With the anime adaptation of The Beginning After the End (TBATE) having reached its 3rd week and Sakura-Con approaching, I felt it necessary for me to speak up in hopes to quell any misunderstandings making their rounds.
I want to start off by thanking all of you. Things have gotten… loud, for lack of a better word, and I sincerely was touched by the heartfelt messages I’ve received. It means a lot to me that throughout the near decade of writing TBATE, the story has amassed such a passionate fanbase.
Coming from a time where I was sitting in the corner of a cafe, writing the novel by myself, for myself, it’s obvious just how large TBATE has gotten. I’m no longer just responsible for myself but for my team members, the partners associated with my work, as well as my readers.
And with each iteration of TBATE, where more and more people are involved, comes its own unique set of challenges and intricacies. The anime adaptation has been a huge learning experience collaborating in an industry with so many different people across Tapas, Studio A-Cat, and Crunchyroll, who all bring their own unique vision of what TBATE the anime could be. At the end of the day, there will always be creative differences in the room, but I really do believe that everyone is coming at it with their best effort and intentions.
I learned in the anime industry, it’s very rare for the creator to have a say in deciding the ins and outs when it comes to the inception of an anime. This was a growing point for me since I was so used to having control over everything regarding The Beginning After the End. After all, for the novel I am the one writing it. For the comic, I oversee every single round. When TBATE was optioned for an anime, I realized there were millions of moving parts before production could even begin. Oftentimes the best products are an amalgamation of passion, hard work, and luck from a strong and dedicated team.
But as with anything you love–whether it’s your pet, your story, or even your child–when faced with challenges, you don’t wish for it to be gone and have a do-over. You support it through difficult times and push it up so that it can become something that you can cherish because of all of the trials and tribulations you’ve overcome together.
When we first adapted TBATE into a webcomic, it was just me and Fuyuki23 along with our editors. At the time, because of the limited resources, we were only able to put out episodes that were roughly 30-50 panels long, which was considered well below the “industry standard.” Complaints came about this but in the end, the support that it ultimately garnered allowed our team to grow and to be able to improve despite the obstacles that came our way.
As the author of TBATE–one who has spent 10 years writing almost 2 million words of this story–I hope you’ll believe me when I say that I want nothing but the best for this story. Whatever feelings you have for the anime, I am thankful for all of the people behind the scenes who have given me this opportunity, and I’m thankful for all of you for helping make this happen in the first place. You’ve stuck through TBATE at its highs and lows, and so I ask for your support now. Please continue being the rock that gave TBATE the time and chance to be where it is today. I’m not asking you to like something you don’t, but please be respectful and set an example in the vast ocean that is the internet. Many creators think of their fanbase as a double-edged sword, but as the one who is fortunate to be wielding this “sword”, I know that it all starts with acknowledging and respecting both blades. Every decision I make regarding TBATE, I make with the intention of respecting myself and all of the time and tears I spent writing it, respecting those supporting me in an unfamiliar industry, and respecting you all in the hopes that whatever is made could be something you like. I’m only human and not every one of my decisions may play out perfectly but believe me when I say that I respect you, my fans, for your dedication and support for TBATE.
I’m still very much going to Sakura-Con and I can’t wait to meet those who can make it so I can share a small special announcement with you all!
The webcomic for The Beginning After the End is currently being compiled and released in a physical format by Yen Press.
Source: Reddit
