“There are monsters among us, and some of them are human,”
If you haven’t seen the Netflix Pinoy animated series, Trese, why? Just kidding. Over the last two weeks, Pinoys have found a new reason to glue their eyes on TV. Thanks to the release of the much-awaited animated series, Trese, there is now another reason for us to be proud.
From catchy marketing stunts to excellent publicity materials, thanks to the ad agency behind the famous RC Cola commercial, Trese made some noise even before it was released. One can only imagine the paperwork and hours of deliberation for them to turn the ABS-CBN ELJ building’s logo to ABC-ZNN, the series’ featured TV network.
Trese revolves around the quests of Alexandra Trese, a crime-buster, supernatural investigator. She inherited the role passed down by her family as the Lakan ng Sangkatauhan or the protector of humans against crimes of supernatural origin. Trese did not run out of entities from Filipino folklore and mythology. From the modern twist of ChocNut-loving Nuno inside the manhole to ripped Tikbalangs that will make you want to hit the gym – talk about #Fitspiration.
Filipino references overflowing
Filipinos didn’t run out of ways to make fun of the animated series, too! One of the most notable scenes in the series is when the main character offered a huge ChocNut bar to Nuno – causing netizens to ask where on Earth she got it. I’d say, if you have links to the underworld, there will be no short of surprisingly huge things.
Since the internet has a wide range of viewers, there are some points highlighted by a few that would make you say, “oo nga, ano!” From the animated version of a real-life news anchor up to the depiction of the public outlook about state forces. Trese covered almost all aspects related to current events. Some lines, people, places, and events in the series just seem too relatable and realistic– one won’t miss seeing the references used. I mean, MRT malfunctioning the day after the pilot episode? Marketing ploy or a coincidence, it’s still pretty apt, I must say.
One thing to be proud of about the series is how it manages to break the ceiling of international standards. Trese may not be the first Filipino animated series featured on the streaming platform Netflix; it is, however, undoubtedly the most successful of them all.
With the Filipino talent highlighted in the international scene, one can only hope that this isn’t the last. May this be the start of more incredible things to come for Filipino creators and everything #GawangPinoy.
