REVIEW: ‘Buddy Daddies’ Episode 7 — “After Rain Comes Fair Weather”

Buddy Daddies is the anime of the season, and Episode 7 solidifies that by taking the story beyond comedy and into an exploration of grief and belonging. Filled with heart and humor, the series has given the audience a slice-of-life exploration of fatherhood even if that daughter came after killing her biological father in a hit. Despite the way they came together, Rei, Kazuki, and Miri are a family that has grown for each other and because of each other over the last few episodes. Now, in Buddy Daddies Episode 7, the show takes a serious turn, one we haven’t seen since Kazuki confronted Miri’s biological mother who abandoned her in Episode 3.

It’s been clear all season that Kazuki is the most equipped to be a dad. He cooks, he cleans, he takes Miri to school, he picks her up from school, and he does it all with no thanks from his family. Instead, Rei and Miri complain about having to eat vegetables, and Rei embraces his time as a papa by playing games with Miri and that’s it. When Kazuki questions if he’s really happy he leaves Rei and Miri for the day, pushing the former to embrace the fatherhood he’s left on Kazuki’s plate and the latter to appreciate the love and effort he puts in every day. But when Kazuki’s sister-in-law comes around, Kazuki has to process not just his new life, but his old one as well.

Buddy Daddies Episode 7 has rounded out each of the characters in its story. For Rei, while Episode 3 focused on him embracing being called papa by Miri and his new life, he has been on the sidelines. Not in a bad way, as I mentioned in the review for Episode 6, Rei’s role has been a silent one, but the support is there. However, in this episode, we get the chance to see how he handles not just feeding Miri and getting her ready but also taking care of her when she is sick and has no one to turn to. There are moments of uncertainty and fear, but ultimately, it’s all love, even if it’s clumsy.

That said, Kazuki remains the star of the series. Over the show so far, Kazuki has been the dad who does it all, but when he questions whether it’s bringing him true happiness, he tries to reclaim a little bit of his life before Miri. He drinks, gambles, and of course, entertains women. It’s a simple premise that is expected. Make Kazuki realize he doesn’t want his old life but the one that he has now. But Buddy Daddies Episode 7 decides to do something different. Instead of taking the road well-traveled by other series about parenting, this one dives into Kazuki’s past and ultimately reveals that he’s wanted a family all along.

As he moves through his grief, it’s clear that Miri, with all her happiness, also reminds him of how easily he can lose everything. Miri and Rei are his family, his attachments, and in his line of work, they could be ripped away from him at any moment. It’s still true that I wish P.A. Works wouldn’t shy away from the romance between Rei and Kazuki, but if that has been sacrificed for this emotional depth, I can accept it — though come on, Kazuki is a disaster bi, we all know it.

On the surface, Buddy Daddies is trying to capture what made Spy x Family a success, and all of the comparisons being drawn online may seem to confirm that. However, that’s further from the truth. The series offers up a rich and surprisingly emotional look at the choices we make, fatherhood, and how all of it comes together. More importantly, Rei and Kazuki are trying their best to be dads even if they’re clumsy, even if they do it wrong, and even if it leaves them exhausted. But every day they choose to show up for Miri and learn more about themselves in the process.

Buddy Daddies Episode 7 is streaming now on Crunchyroll, with new episodes every Friday.