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InThe Beginning After the Endanime adaptation, Sylvia’s character design divides fans due to its deviation from the source material. While some are impressed with her new appearance, others feel disappointed, missing her original design. Changing a character’s design isn’tuncommon in anime adaptations, but in Sylvia’s case, the differences are so major that she becomes nearly unrecognizable.
Sylvia is a core characterinThe Beginning After the End. She saves Arthur’s life when he accidentally falls from a cliff trying to protect her mother. She spends four months with Arthur in a cave resting in the narrow zone between the Beast Glades and the Elshire Forest. It doesn’t take long for the two to form a strong bond as they find comfort in each other’s presence.
Sylvia’s Character Design in the Anime, Webcomic, and Novel
A Visual Comparison
Sylvia looks almost unrecognizable in the anime adaptation ofThe Beginning After the Endowing to the drastic changes in her character design. At first glance, she resembles an ancient diviner, radiating a mysterious, sorcerous energy. In fact, she could easily pass asAinz Ooal Gown’s bodydouble fromOverlordwith her priest-like silhouette and exaggerated shoulder structure, minus the skeletal head, of course.
Meanwhile, in the webcomic, Sylvia appears as a horned humanoid monster with glowing red eyes and two massive horns jutting from her head. Her design is much simpler, for she’s striking but not nearly as horrendous or unnerving as her anime counterpart. Compared to the anime version, which looks like something pulled straightfrom a dueling card game, the webcomic’s take feels more grounded and less over-the-top.
“Sylvia was the living embodiment of the phrase, Don’t judge a book by its cover."—Arthur Leywin
On the flip side, the novel describes Sylvia’s design as a towering monster over 10 meters tall with glowing red eyes and two massive horns, much like her webcomic counterpart. Additional details include a mouth with two fangs peeking out from her lips, adding to her beastly form. Arthur also describes her sleek black armor, glowing like a treasure even without any decorations or embellishments.
Aesthetic Differences
Sylvia’s anime appearance is far more dramatic and ominous than her webcomic design. She looks incredibly formidable with sharp features that accentuate her dragon-like head, giving her a more fearsome look. Noticeably, a long, flowing black cloak enhances her silhouette, adding more dominance to her already imposing aura. Her draconic traits are even more emphasized in the anime, with a thick tail extending behind her that pronounced her beastly nature. Arthur’s shocking reaction upon seeing Sylvia for the first time is completely understandable, given how monstrous and overwhelming her design is in the adaptation.
On the contrary, in the webcomic, Sylvia’s appearance is more toned down, looking more grounded and distinctly demonic. Due to her body armor, she resembles a tyrant or a knight from the afterlife, carrying an air of dignified but silent authority. There’s a haunting quality to her appearance, almost as if she’s a cursed existence waiting to be released from a long, sorrowful fate. While Sylvia’s anime design exudes an ancient, overwhelming power, fans sometimes find the webcomic design cute and endearing, especially when she’s justsitting next to Arthur.
“She reminded me of my mother in that she was gentle and kind."—Arthur Leywin
When it comes to Sylvia’s dragon form, the anime pales in comparison to her webcomic version. While Sylvia looks regal and mystical in the webcomic, her anime form feels flat and underwhelming, especially when placed next to Arthur. Disappointingly, she doesn’t resemble a dragon at all in the anime because her design leans more toward that of a pegasus, a comparison many fans have pointed out and largely agree with.
Color Palette
Despite the aesthetic differences, both the anime and webcomic versions share a similar color palette, dominated by shades of black and gray with a cool, dark tone. The most eye-catching details in both designs might just be Sylvia’s glowing red eyes and mouth, which exude a malevolent and otherworldly aura, fitting for an ancient but powerful being lurking in the dark.
Why Did the Anime Change Sylvia’s Design?
Which Is Better?
There’s no exact reason why the anime adaptation ofThe Beginning After the Endchanged Sylvia’s character design. Most likely, the creators wanted to make Sylvia appear more menacing and impactful in her black armor form, opting for a design that emphasizes strength and intimidation rather than staying true to her original look. To be fair, Sylvia does look ten times tougher in the anime than in the webcomic. However, with the underwhelminganimation quality ofThe Beginning After the Endso far, Sylvia’s new character design hasn’t been given the movement or fluidity it deserves.
“Letting your heart cloud with hatred and vengeance will only cause harm to yourself”—Sylvia to Arthur Leywin
When it comes to Sylvia’s black armor form, most fans find the anime design far more horrifying than the webcomic. Her towering height and draconic traits certainly add to the intimidation factor, making her appear even more terrifying to little Arthur. But when it comes to Sylvia’s dragon form, the anime designfalls short in comparison to the webcomic. The golden runes, wings, and overall majestic form of the webcomic version are disappointing in the anime, leaving her dragon form feeling flat. Still, many viewers remain hopeful that the anime will be able to redeem itself as more episodes are released.
