You won't understand a good chunk of my review if you haven't seen Buddy Daddies, so go give it a watch!
I'll mostly be jumping from point to point about the series. Final ratings will be based on my overall enjoyment, as that’s what seals the deal for me.
Brief Synopsis
Partners in crime Kazuki Kurusu and Rei Suwa live that assassin life by taking out bad guys for some sweet moola from The Organization. After saving a five-year-old girl from a near-death experience, the two buddies end up becoming daddies, as they take care of the energetic Miri Unasaka. There's just one problem... they don't know the first thing about parenting!
Initial Thoughts
Picture this: it's late December 2022 and I am browsing AniList to find some fresh titles to watch in the upcoming winter season. I then stumble across this gem of a title, and think to myself, "No way... another ambiguously queer anime? In (almost) 2023?? And it has the Boys' Love tag??? This can't be real!" And I'm right because... it's definitely not real. I mean who am I kidding, with a name as obvious as "Buddy Daddies" is, I know they're going to pull the no-homo card, they always do. But will I still have hope? Yes. Because I am that painfully desperate. Yearning aside, I was ready for Buddy Daddies when it got announced. SPY x FAMILY already left me in the dust last season, and none of Anya's adorable faces could save me. So whether or not Buddy Daddies exceeded my expectations when it came to those rainbow implications, I was hyped. And no homophobic internet troll could stop me.
The Meat of the Review
Let's be real... you saw this review coming. In fact, you saw this entire obsession coming. If you've been keeping up with the Mars Cinematic Universe (or the better MCU for short), you looked at Buddy Daddies and thought to yourself, "Yeah. This is definitely some shit Mars would like." And you would be right.
Buddy Daddies isn't groundbreaking by any means, but what it does well is balance. There are a lot of opposing things in this series, opposing personalities, opposing ideals, and opposing narratives, but it is all tied together efficiently, and nothing feels out of place. This show is a master at shape-shifting, it can go from a heartwarming slice of life, to a serious drama, to just as crazy high-speed chases, and that's what makes it such a fun ride. While there are a few issues I have when it comes to pacing, which we'll get into later, there is never anything missing from Buddy Daddies, and I'm glad that's the case. Having well-rounded characters, superb animation, and a solid story and ending, while still being equally as funny and cheesy is what this anime pulls off. And boy howdy, it pulls it off well.
Now, before you go and hit that dislike button because, "Gosh darnit! This review is a love letter!" Lemme hit you with what needed to be fixed. I'll admit this show can be a little on the ridiculous side when it comes to its fight scenes. A couple of character deaths and moments feel a bit too convenient for its plot, mainly the death of Miri's mother. An episode and a half of development for her, and then POOF! She's gone. Now, this didn't destroy my viewing experience, as it sets up the necessary steps for the development of Kazuki and Rei, but it for sure rushes things. And if I'm being real, an extra episode or two would've been better than the quick turn-around we got, but I'm not mad. Because what this show delivers in the end makes up for it.
Let's circle back to our mains. All three of them have lost their biological families. Kazuki is implied to have been an orphan who then lost his wife, Rei's father was never there for him to begin with, and Miri's parents were neglectful. But when they are all together, it's like they've been a family for years, but they just... never knew. And that my friends, is the found family trope at play. Sure, these three don't have any blood relation, but it's their love for each other that is more powerful than anything. Rei, the most cold-blooded looking guy you'll see on the street, who started unenthusiastic about being a parent, grew to hold this time dear. "Miri, Kazuki, and I share a bond stronger than blood. I want to believe in that." This then cements the best thing about Buddy Daddies, it's believable. Not in the fight scene sense, or the fact that Miri could've totally died but didn't sense, but in the sense of heart. The bond that Kazuki, Rei, and Miri all share, the bond that carries them in the years to come, is a simple representation of something very real in this world. A family, and nothing more. And that's pretty darn special if you think about it.
Overall Thoughts
Buddy Daddies, as unbelievably crazy as it is, reminds us of the importance of family and does so in a highly engaging way.