Will Buddy Daddies takeover Spy x Family's viewership? Explored

Anya and Miri. (Image via Sportskeeda)
Anya and Miri. (Image via Sportskeeda)

Buddy Daddies is an anime whose popularity skyrocketed suddenly. After being an underdog for a while following its launch, the series is now all over the internet for good reasons. Fans are also indulging in detailed discussions about the future possibilities of events in the anime.

Due to Buddy Daddies' striking similarities to Spy X Family, another well-known name on the list of new-generation anime, the former was initially met with harsh criticism and a very mixed reaction. However, with time, it has proved its worth and established its place among some of the most popular animes of the year so far.

While there are many characterizations and plot-related similarities between the two series, they also each have their own distinctive qualities. The fact that Spy X Family's season 1 ended in December 2022 and Buddy Daddies debuted in January 2023 gave the latter a great opportunity to overtake the former in terms of viewership, which is exactly what is happening now.

Disclaimer: This article purely reflects the writer's opinion, which may be subjective in nature.


Buddy Daddies is gradually taking the place of the Spy X Family in terms of popularity

Buddy-Daddies and Spy X Family. (Image via Sportskeeda)
Buddy-Daddies and Spy X Family. (Image via Sportskeeda)

Spy X Family shot to fame right after its launch. The cuteness of Anya won millions of hearts, and with its hilarious moments, emphasis on family bonding, and great projection of action, the series became one of the most-watched anime of 2022 with 500 million total views on Bilibili and a positive rating of 8.5 on IMDb.

With the conclusion of Spy X Family's season 1 on December 24, 2022, fans all over the world were left devastated and it was absolute that they were going to miss the series. This was when Buddy Daddies, who had a similar kind of plotline, made its debut.

Although it received strong criticism right after it premiered and got called a copy of Spy X Family, the clouds soon cleared and led the way for viewers to accept it, gradually turning it into a sensation. The series definitely has its own individuality and also projects a well-balanced storyline.

After airing eight episodes, the anime is now as popular as Spy X Family since it did justice in projecting each character and progressing the plot fairly. It is a comedy series, but also touches on several sensitive topics such as upbringing, guilt, mental healing, and self-improvement. According to some, it is even arguably a better series than Spy X Family.

The latter was widely accepted by fans for its cute and humorous characters and hilarious moments. Similarly, Buddy Daddies provides the same essence, but it can also be seen entirely for its great storyline, which also has an underlying serious tone to it.

Episode 10 of Buddy Daddies was rated 9.4 out of 10 on IMDb, which is an incredible score for any show. Thus, in the absence of the Spy X Family, it has definitely taken its place and it also performed better than what was expected which is earning it a good amount of viewership.


Is Buddy Daddies better than Spy X Family?

Both the animes in the discussion are comedy series that focus on two individuals parenting a kid. In Spy X Family, the mother is a secret assassin and the father is a spy. Similarly, in the other show, both the guardians are involved with dangerous work. Rei and Kazuki are two assassins who raise Miri. Even Anya and Miri share a lot of parallels.

Despite this, Buddy Daddies has a better chance of being liked because each character in the story has more depth. The show is doing well, and not just Miri but all the characters are receiving recognition; each of them can even have their own spin-offs, thanks to the expert character design.

With its plot, Buddy Daddies can simultaneously attract both young and older audiences. Although both the animes seem similar initially, this one is unquestionably more mature and has greater depth in the plot.

It not only depicts the parenting aspect, but it also shows the parenting aspect from the viewpoint of two newly become fathers. Although it is not a BL anime, it does support two parents of the same gender. This and other minor details elevate it above the Spy X Family.

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