Trese delves into the life of Alexandra Trese, a crime investigator who specializes in supernatural activity. Not only is she fighting paranormal entities, but also fighting to maintain the legacy left to her by her father. With just those two points, it’s clear we’re in for a wild ride with a badass female protag.
Though the anime is Singaporean-based, the show is based on the Trese komiks from Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo. Fans of shows like Lucifer, or anime-like Seis Manos and Psycho Pass, will find the series intriguing as it incorporates the paranormal into a crime-fighting narrative.
The trailer highlights some of the creatures the anime has adapted from the komik, notably Nuno sa Manhole who is called on by Trese. But this isn’t just a random character – nunos are common dwarf-like nature spirits in Filipino folklore. Not only is the anime adapting the komik narrative, but also bringing Filipino folklore to the forefront of western anime consumption. You can never, ever learn too much about a culture’s folklore, and it’s fantastic that a dark anime medium is being used to showcase those characters and concepts.
If you’re still not convinced about the show, consider its star-studded English dub cast: Shay Mitchell stars as the English voice of Trese and is joined by actors such as Nicole Scherzinger, Darren Criss, Dante Basco, and Manny Jacinto – all of whom are of Filipino descent. Make no mistake, this anime adaptation is here for representation regardless of the dubbed language.
Trese releases on June 10 on Netflix.
Digging the trailer? Reach out to me on Twitter and let me know what you think as we go on Trese’s adventure this June!
