Double Decker! Doug & Kirill

“The Budget Tiger and Bunny”

Fall 2018, a season where Isekai was taken to new heights thanks to our beloved slime, ‘Golden Wind’ was giving birth to memes all over the internet, ‘Fairy Tail’ was making that grand return, and Studio Pierrot was making sure it killed ‘Tokyo Ghoul’ once and for all. But amidst all that, another show didn't seem to make any impact despite having similarities with the beloved series from 2011, ‘Tiger and Bunny.’

Those of you uncultured fans would have no idea what I mean if I had mentioned this show in 2018, as it is the epitome of the expression "old but gold."

But now that the sequel is out, most of the anime community knows how special of a universe ‘Tiger and Bunny’ really is. In case you overlooked it, 'Double Decker! shares the same character designer, Masakazu Katsura, which excites you because anything related to Tiger and Bunny is something we will take any day of the week, right?

But after watching ‘Double Decker! Doug & Kirill’ one can see why it's still hidden despite having such a popular creator and studio backing it up. Today, we’ll look back at what ‘Double Decker! Doug & Kirill’ was all about—how Tiger and Bunny's return made it invisible for the better! With that being said, let’s dive right in!

The drug's at it again

Regarding drugs, anime, and 2018, something that stands out is “Banana Fish.” But Double Decker! Doug & Kirill features something new, something by the name of 'Anthem.' Anthem is a drug that allows the user to mutate into this beast that has inhuman powers and abilities at their disposal, making them uncontrollable and unstoppable.

As we all know, regular cops don't have a place in any anime series since they either need to have some modifications installed or futuristic gadgets handed to them to become relevant. The same is true in this universe, where the special crime investigation unit SEVEN-O must rescue everyone and save the day. But to even the odds and further pump up their chances of victory, the 'double-decker' system is employed, where the cops team up and take down some of the worst that this universe has to offer.

This is where our protagonist, Kirill Vrubel, comes into the picture. Ever since he was a young child, he has fantasized about being a hero. Now an average police officer, Kirill Vrubel finds himself in the middle of this hostage situation thanks to his landlady. But it's thanks to this predicament that he came face-to-face with Douglas Bilingam, or Doug. After this, the story of the ‘buddy cops’ starts, something that would show us what true teamwork looks like, or at least try to.

Awesome character designs, weak personas

Now that you've got one hell of a character designer, you know you're not going to be lacking in the character department. That holds true in the case of ‘Double Decker! Doug & Kirill’ since every other character is unique and a total breath of fresh air, making it nearly impossible to pick favorites.

The show also has a lot of faces in its arsenal, and getting to see new characters every other episode ends up becoming something you look forward to throughout the series. But one thing that disappointed me was that no connection or bonding develops, even between our ‘team protagonist,’ especially since that's the whole point of the show, if you ask me. That narrator is as annoying as it gets, which doesn't help to make things any better.

Throughout the series, you don't see their bond getting anywhere, making Tiger and Bunny fans feel like the show could have delivered better. Also, the anime tries to go down the 'unpredictable plot twist’ road while twisting around itself for the most part. The comedy is excellent, and even some of the cliche gag humor is delivered so that it hits us in the stomach and makes us roll on the floor with laughter. Without a doubt, the comedy is one of the most vital points of the show!

Animation reaching new lows

Now, when you tune into this show, you're blown away. I'm sure many of you would agree when I say the series has one of the best-looking ‘first episodes’ we've seen from a 2018 anime. But you only see the quality going downhill when you dive deeper and let a few episodes go by.

Especially in the last few episodes, the whole fusion and blend with the CG make it impossible to compare it with the former style of animation, making it feel like the first half of the show was a different show altogether. That's a shame, given how the show starts setting itself apart from many of these other titles from the seasonal lineup but, later on, ends up falling flat and totally disappointing everyone who had high expectations from the title.

Plus, something that most of us would expect from a ‘cop, detective’ setting that's overdosed on a forbidden drug are great adrenaline-pumped fights. But the action is lacking and gets even worse later in the series.

Because of this, some claim that comedy and music are Doug & Kirill's main attractions, and you would agree with me that this is not a bad thing. The show systematically strips an anime of its essential elements, one by one, and the technology and gadgets are not particularly noteworthy either.

Phenomenal score

Okay, we'll give the anime credit where it's due since the music is something else. I was already hooked on the opening and ending themes, given that they're so catchy and ideally in sync with the animation sequences. But almost every other episode features great soundtracks that draw you all in.

This is even better during the first half of the series since when that crisp animation is blended in with the beautiful soundtrack, you can't help but keep binge-watching the episodes without care. I don't know what studio Sunrise did, but they made the soundtrack remind fans of the ‘Code Geass’ days when ‘Colors by Flow’ took the world by storm repeatedly!

Looking back at the Fall 2018 lineup, it was already tough to stand out. That season had great shows making their debuts while some of the previous ones were still entering their second half, giving the new titles little room to breathe. For a new title, and an original one at that, you had to turn the world upside down to make an impact.

But Double Decker! doesn’t seem to follow the recipe that makes a great show, and because of that, it ends up going down in history as something that the anime industry doesn’t remember in 2023. The show initially had great characters, a beautiful score, and great animation. Still, all that was ruined because of the weak character developments, poor action sequences, and meaningless character interactions that summed up Double Decker! Doug & Kirill as a show. It became a show that was permanently lost, always looking for its own direction.

In 2018, the news that something related to Tiger and Bunny was about to debut was all over the place, and that only made expectations from this show reach sky-high instantly. But fans were met with nothing but disappointment, and even looking back at it now, it was totally understandable.

If I were to rate the show, I’d give it a 5/10. The score adds a lot to the rating for me, and even today, listening to the show’s music makes me remember all the things that the series ended up getting right, if that makes sense. If you are a fan of the Tiger and Bunny universe and want something new, something like a different side story, then this show might be something you want to check out.

Other than that, I wouldn’t recommend this show to anyone. If they decide to come up with season 2 and work on everything that the prequel missed, it’s a totally different story. But as of now, this show might not be something most of you would like!

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