Buddy Daddies

Episode 12

This finale write-up is way overdue, but work has been absolutely insane as of late. I love writing reviews, but the realities of my job make it really difficult to squeeze the time in. Fortunately, come next season, we have a more robust editorial staff, so I won't be juggling quite so many plates!

This was a perfect send-off to Kazuki, Rei, and Miri's story. I'm not thrilled with every decision leading up to this, like icing her mom, but the final showdown with Rei's dad perfectly punctuated the emotional journey of this family. Rei and Kazuki infiltrate the organization's compound on the pretense of "just wanting to talk" to Rei's dad. In fairness, that's true. Rei does just talk to his father with all the familiarity a son can have towards a man that made him kill dogs and refer to him only as "Boss." The discussion is less about winning his father over and more about a battle of resolve.

Rei is unwilling to concede to his father's authority on what makes a family. He has routinely touted that Rei's blood dictates his fate and binds him to be a killer, but whereas Rei has swallowed his disagreement in previous episodes, he doesn't back down this time. He's leaving, dedicating himself to his family, and all the wonderful moments he experienced outside his father's domineering gaze have brought him out of the shadows. He ends the discussion by willingly maiming himself, permanently taking him out of the running as heir to a family of assassins.

I also can't help but wonder if Rei's father has lied to himself all these years as a manner of necessity or if he truly regrets 'playing family' instead of embracing it. That might be why he lets Rei leave. Or, he could simply feel like he lost the argument, and Rei's resolve is stronger. They make it back for Miri's Christmas performance, and all's well for the little family. The flashforward was especially cute, as we see Rei, Kazuki, and Miri have settled in a seaside town and opened a diner where Rei only makes french toast, and Kazuki has a questionable goatee. They throw in a completely unnecessary "btw Kazuki dates women tho," but I can't even be mad at it. I'm just glad they all made it out together.

The action sequences were stellar, and it reminds me that I still wish there had been a little more of this throughout the season. The confrontation with Ogino was especially intense, but seeing his little notebook burn up to smithereens was satisfying. It was also a nice twist to have him unable to have any last words himself (what with the whole knife to the throat) after his monologue about how only words live on after death. Ogino will die a heavy and be forgotten.

I really enjoyed my time with this series. It wasn't exactly what I expected, but its emotional core was genuine. The SpyxFamily comparisons were inevitable, but Buddy Daddies defines itself as a worthwhile story about found family, grief, and discovering what makes life worth living.

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Buddy Daddies is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.