Originally starting as a hit web novel in North America before taking the manga world by storm, the anime adaptation of "The Beginning After the End" finally hit screens in April 2025. Now, the hype continues with Season 2, which has been airing since April 2026 to rave reviews from fans worldwide.
The story follows King Grey (CV: Makoto Furukawa), a cold and isolated ruler who finds himself reincarnated into a new world as a helpless infant. Born into a loving family with an Adventurer father and a mage mother, Grey—now Arthur—vows to use the knowledge of his past life to protect his new loved ones.
Season 2 dives deep into his journey as he forms a party with Jasmine (CV: Chiaki Omigawa), a former companion of his parents, and navigates his deepening bond with his elven childhood friend, Tessia (CV: Kana Ichinose). It’s a classic high-fantasy tale, but with a grounded, emotional core.
To celebrate the ongoing broadcast of Season 2, we sat down for an exclusive interview with the voices behind the journey: Natsumi Fujiwara (Arthur Leywin) and Chiaki Omigawa (Jasmine Flamesworth).
Natsumi Fujiwara (Arthur): Witnessing Arthur’s Evolution Beyond Season 1
──Looking back at Season 1, where did you feel Arthur grew or changed the most?
Fujiwara: In the beginning, I had the impression that Arthur wasn't very emotionally expressive. But as he traveled and built relationships—first with his family, then the "Twin Horns" party, and Tessia the Elf—he started showing a much more human side to himself.
Early on, his mindset was very much "Death to those I cannot forgive!" However, through his encounter with Sylvia (the dragon he met in the cave), he learned that true strength isn't for destruction. Seeing his motivation shift toward wanting to become stronger specifically to protect the people he loves felt like a massive turning point for his character growth (Episode 3).
──Arthur grows up quite fast. How did you approach portraying that progression?
Fujiwara: Well, I’ve been playing him since he was a literal baby! (Laughs). In the first episode, he was mostly just making "goo-goo ga-ga" noises, but even then, I tried to infuse those sounds with actual intent while gradually aging his voice up.
During Season 1, specifically in scenes with Tessia, Director Keitaro Motonaga told me, "Arthur is trying his best to learn how to be a 'child' from Tessia." So, I acted with the mindset of Arthur observing her and absorbing what it means to be a kid.
──Physically he’s a child, but inside, he’s still King Grey.
Fujiwara: Exactly. Balancing Grey’s maturity with Arthur’s youth was incredibly difficult. However, in Season 2, Arthur has grown significantly, and I feel his psyche is finally starting to sync up with Grey’s. Even though he’s only around 10 years old and still technically a child, the way he overlaps with Grey feels much more natural now compared to his earlier years.
──In Season 2, you share a lot of screen time with Chiaki Omigawa-san, who plays Jasmine. What was it like working with her?
Fujiwara: Working with Jasmine brought a huge sense of security. During recording, if I changed my delivery slightly between the test and the final take, she would catch those subtle emotional nuances and adjust her performance perfectly to match.
It provided constant stimulation for me. I’d think, "Oh! She responded in a whole new way! I love this!" It felt like a genuine conversation. Especially in scenes where Arthur and Jasmine have a nice atmosphere, she was always so attentive to my cues. Jasmine has a kindness hidden beneath her aloof exterior, and I think Omigawa-san shares that trait. She radiates a natural warmth that allowed me to perform with total confidence, both as Arthur and as Natsumi.
Chiaki Omigawa (Jasmine): Guarded Hearts and Changing Perspectives
──What did you keep in mind while portraying Jasmine?
Omigawa: I feel that before Jasmine met Arthur, she was the type of person who suppressed her feelings and just endured everything. But by witnessing Arthur’s strength—not just his physical power, but the strength of his heart—she found the courage to face her own past. I tried to capture that internal emotional growth as I played her.
──What kind of feelings does Jasmine harbor for Arthur?
Omigawa: Honestly, she liked him from the very start... In my interpretation, it might have even been love at first sight. But back then, Arthur was so small and cute that he was just someone she needed to look after. By Season 2, though, there’s this shift where she’s like, "Wait... could this be something more?" I tried to play that transition step-by-step.
──To be fair, Arthur probably thought she just looked up to Grey (Episode 2).
Omigawa: Right! She takes a liking to him very quickly without much explanation, and she even opens up about her past to him early on. When I was figuring out how to justify that as an actor, I decided that she was subconsciously drawn to him and deeply curious. She was too young to realize it was romantic at the time, but in Season 2, she’s starting to become self-conscious about it, and it’s making her feel a bit more "juggled" by him (Laughs).
In fact, during recording, I kept complaining about Arthur! He’s such a natural charmer, so I’d say, "Arthur, you really are that kind of guy!" Then Natsumi-chan would apologize profusely like, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" (Laughs). Between Tessia and Lilia, I feel like we’re all victims of his charm. I’m the president of the "Arthur Victims' Club," and I have a feeling our membership is only going to grow from here.
──Arthur certainly is popular! What were your impressions of Fujiwara-san’s acting?
Omigawa: Natsumi-chan is so incredibly earnest! She comes perfectly prepared and always has her questions for the director ready to go. I tend to rely more on instinct and play it by ear, so I’m always in awe of her. Her ability to prepare and then precisely control her best performance is amazing. Above all, she’s just always so cool!
About This Series
Synopsis
Now a registered adventurer, Arthur takes on quest after quest alongside Jasmine, honing both his swordsmanship and his magical prowess.
One day, they receive an unexpected invitation from a double-A rank adventurer named Brald to join a specific quest. Though puzzled as to why they were recruited, Arthur decides to accept it as his final mission before enrolling in the Academy. However, an unimaginable tragedy lies in wait—
Cast
Arthur Leywin: Natsumi Fujiwara
King Grey: Makoto Furukawa
Jasmine Flamesworth: Chiaki Omigawa
Tessia Eralith: Kana Ichinose
Sylvie: Shiori Izawa
Elijah Knight: Gen Sato
Lucas Wykes: Shoya Chiba
Brald: Ryota Osaka
Samantha: Yumiri Hanamori
(C) "The Beginning After the End" Production Committee
© Animate Times
*Some parts of this text have been translated using machine translation
