REVIEW: ‘Buddy Daddies,’ Episode 8.5 – “Cherry-Pick”

Buddy Daddies is a hit from PA Works that just keeps getting better with each episode. But this week, Buddy Daddies Episode 8.5, “Cherry-Pick,” is an intermission. The last episode ended ominously with Rei’s father trying to get information on Kazuki and Miri. It brought gravitas and danger to the series that has taken time to build up a wholesome slice-of-life story. It was a stark change, not because there was violence (we’ve seen a little every episode) but because of the context of the violence and real danger that Rei’s new family is in.

With the stakes upped substantially and the little hitman family closer than ever, I was excited for Buddy Daddies Episode 8.5. But, this intermission serves as an intro episode, condensing all of the events from the past eight into one 24-minute episode. The only thing Buddy Daddies Episode 8.5 does differently is offering humorous and heartfelt narration from Kazuki and Rei equally for the moments that mean a lot to them. With comments like “Guys like us don’t get a chance at happiness,” a little more emotion is added to the episodes. That said, for those who have been watching the season regularly, this episode doesn’t matter much, but at the same time, if you’ve been waiting to usher your friends into the world of this fantastic anime, this episode is for you.

While intermission and filler are normal for anime, it’s hard not to wish we didn’t get this in such a short series. PA Works has a hit on its hands, but I worry about the momentum loss from this episode. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad episode. Instead, it plays the highlights of what makes the series great, and in that way, it can pull in new viewers if marketed right by Crunchyroll and fans.

That said, Buddy Daddies Episode 8.5 is a weird one in that any newcomer can just dive right in, thanks to being a recap. That said, for those who have been watching from the start, Buddy Daddies Episode 8.5 is the first real stumble the series has had this season, thanks to Episode 8’s ominous ending. While I’m all for bringing in new fans, when you only have a 12-episode order, this makes it lose valuable pacing and time to tell a list story. With the last episode’s revelations, this episode took the winds out of my sails. That said, it still has a use for viewers, just not for me.

Buddy Daddies Episode 8.5 is streaming now on Crunchyroll, with new episodes every Friday.