By Deanna Nguyen
Buddy cop genre? Check. Good-looking detectives? Check. Snazzy visuals and riveting action? Check and check. To say that The Millionaire Detective – Balance: UNLIMITED is one of the hottest shows this summer would be an understatement.
For one, Daisuke Kambe trended on Twitter when the first episode premiered in April—and every Thursday since the show has returned to simulcast on Funimation. That’s quite the feat for a brand-new anime.
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Daisuke included, there are several reasons as to why CloverWorks’ The Millionaire Detective – Balance: UNLIMITED is a standout and absolutely needs to make your watch list. Let’s jump in!
An addictive OP and ED.
Opening and ending themes do more than just serve us catchy songs—they either tease what’s to come or introduce the show in creative ways that differ from the show’s art style.
The Millionaire Detective – Balance: UNLIMITED already leaves a strong impression both musically and visually with its opening and ending themes. The opening theme, “Navigator,” is performed by J-Pop idol group SixTONES (pronounced “six stones”), and the ending theme, “Welcome My Friend,” is performed by rock band OKAMOTO’S which you can listen to below!
The lead voice actors are just like Daisuke and Haru!
Haru Kato and Daisuke Kambe are voiced by Mamoru Miyano and Yusuke Onuki, respectively. The key difference between the two voice actors is that Miyano has an extensive profile, having lent his voice to characters such as Ling Yao from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Light Yagami from Death Note, while Onuki is newer to the scene, with Daisuke as his very first role.
During Aniplex Online Fest, Miyano and Onuki dressed up and looked like spitting images of their characters! In hilarious variety segments, Onuki revealed that he meticulously prepared for his role as Daisuke by drinking wine in the bathtub. Whether it was a joke or not, it’s clear that both Miyano and Onuki have fully embraced their roles! Plus we’re living for their witty banter.
This isn’t your average buddy cop series.
Haru and Daisuke are forced to work together to solve crimes, and they frequently clash due to conflicting personalities. Yeah, that sounds about right for the buddy cop genre. The catch? Daisuke’s money, of course.
There’s a bit of mystery to Daisuke’s backstory, as we haven’t learned much besides the fact that he has an AI butler whom he calls upon whenever he needs to pay for property damages or bring an idol group to perform for elderly women.
Aside from a hidden past, what makes The Millionaire Detective – Balance: Unlimited even more exciting is the supporting characters’ participation. Whether serious or comedic, seeing characters react to whatever chaos is happening makes the world feel more alive. It helps that Haru is full of expression in these moments too.
It’s from the director of Sword Art Online.
Anime directors can sometimes become just as, if not more popular than, the projects they work on! The director of The Millionaire Detective – Balance: UNLIMITED is none other than Tomohiko Ito, known for directing the first two seasons of Sword Art Online and the much-celebrated ERASED.
Ito’s portfolio encompasses a broad range of shows with no preference to one specific genre. He also worked on several anime films such as Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. Couple that genius with a rich detective and his lawful good friend? Well, you’ve got something good right there.
The soundtrack is composed by Yugo Kanno.
In the same vein, anime soundtrack composers deserve just as much praise for how they bring shows to life! You may have heard of Yugo Kanno’s work before, from stellar series like PSYCHO-PASS, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Record of Grancrest War.
Fun fact: Kanno also composed the soundtrack for the video game Nioh. If you’re a fan of Kanno’s music, then you don’t want to miss his work in The Millionaire Detective – Balance: UNLIMITED!
The character designer worked on ERASED.
If you’re wondering why the characters in The Millionaire Detective – Balance: UNLIMITED look a little familiar by design, that’s because character designer Keigo Sasaki also worked on the characters for ERASED.
Sasaki preserved a realistic approach in terms of hair and clothes, but he certainly knew what he was doing when designing Daisuke. The nuanced character expressions make for compelling and dynamic interactions, and help everything from small interactions to grand set pieces feel that much more alive!
Daisuke Kambe.
We can’t go on about this show without mentioning the spotlight stealer, Daisuke.
He’s like Bruce Wayne meets Tony Stark, complete with an AI butler and the monetary means to invent weapons and drive fancy cars. Any inconvenience thrown his way? He’ll throw money right back at it.
We’re starting to see glimpses of Daisuke’s internal conflict as someone who has much to learn from his senpai, Haru, though the two differ in how they solve cases.
And while the two have essentially polar opposite personalities, it’s refreshing to see Daisuke, a man with money and power, look to Haru for guidance as a moral compass. Also, we just love a man in a suit with slicked-back hair and a swoooooooon-worthy smirk.
See for yourself! Watch The Millionaire Detective – Balance: UNLIMITED on Funimation!
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