It’s been quite a while since Netflix first announced it’d be making an anime-inspired adaptation of the action-horror comic Trese at its See What’s Next Asia event in 2018. Honestly, it’s weird that it took the series, created by writer Budjette Tan and artist Kajo Baldisimo, that long to make a development deal given how popular and how many awards Trese has racked up since it began in 2005. However, thanks to this first trailer for the animated series, it looks like that time has been well spent.
It would be easy to call Trese a sort of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as Alexandra Trese is also a young woman hunting down demons to keep her city safe. However, Trese is deeply informed by its origin, as the hero specifically protects Manila from creatures inspired by the mythologies of the Philippines. Plus, Trese herself is more of a Professional Vampire Slayer, as the police captain Guerrero calls her for help, Batman-and-Commissioner Gordon-style, whenever supernatural crimes are committed. Which, as the trailer shows, seems to be quite a lot:
This show looks rather bleak—in a good way—what with its bloody train cars, kids in cages, zombies attacking in the middle of the day. Also, I’m not entirely sure what the deal is with the sewer goblin, but he seems like he’d be a pretty chill hang. Netflix has also announced the voice cast, which includes Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell as Trese, the Spider-Man: Miles Morales game’s Griffin Puatu as Trese’s bodyguards the Kambal, The Good Place’s Manny Jacinto as Maliksi, Lou Diamond Philips as the mayor, and the voice of Avatar’s Prince Zuko himself, Dante Basco, as Bagyon Kulimlim. Filipino actor Liza Soberano will voice Trese in the Filipino language version of the series.
Trese will premiere on Netflix in the U.S. on June 11.
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DISCUSSION
This looks goddamn WILD. Between Trece and the new Godzilla I’m tempted to sign back up.