“Buddy Daddies” (January 2023, P.A. Works) is a very misleading name, despite what it sounds like, the show is actually very wholesome. 

This show follows two assassins Kazuki Kurusu (voiced by Toshiyuki Toyonaga) and Rei Suwa (Koki Uchiyama) finding a young girl on one of their missions from their handler, Kyutaro Kugi (Toshiyuki Morikawa). The girl, named Miri Unasaka (Hina Kino), not remembering where she lives, is taken in by the two assassins turned fathers. They have to juggle their work lives and home life to ensure they aren’t discovered as assassins and keep Miri hidden from Kyutaro.

The music of the show is very laid back whenever the two assassins are in “father mode” but when the plot gets stressful or impactful, the music follows suit, reflecting the emotions of the characters – be it sorrowful, remorseful, fearful, or rigid. It’s a soundtrack that won’t disappoint, especially for those avid watchers of anime.

Despite the show already having a rather depressing start, it doesn’t let up, hurling the emotional gut punches when bringing up Kazuki’s history and Rei’s family ties.

Character designs are essential for any show as it’s a good way of visually telling the audience about the character. 

Like with Rei, he looks cold and rigid, almost as if he was made that way, whereas his partner in crime, Kazuki looks and acts bubbly and outgoing, so the pair of them contrast really well against in an odd-man/straight-man routine. Kyutaro is the calm and collected one of the bunch, although he may not appear on screen all that often, his role in the story is vital due to his influence on the main cast.

The animation may not be the best out there, but it’s not anything to scoff at either. Action shots with Kazuki flying towards the enemy on the battlefield are riveting with Rei providing covering fire. 

When not in combat however, Kazuki is still the first to action, helping Miri out with projects for her daycare or just driving around, it looks fluid and natural, not rigid and like it was snapped into place like so many recent anime.

Although there could be several more paragraphs describing how great this show is, the negative qualities also have to be discussed.

According to some watchers of “Buddy Daddies” the last 3 episodes of the show feels rushed and like they could have been shown over several episodes. Another problem considering the show as a whole is that there is no source material for viewers wanting more.

This show is anime only, there are no light novels or manga, this is a standalone show with no upcoming seasons in the future, as of writing.

Besides those very minute gripes, the show is entirely worth the watch if a viewer enjoys wholesome anime, with an edge of action.