Having a butt for a face is no hindrance to nabbing bad guys, at least if you're in the world of Assy McGee or Butt Detective. In fact, it comes in handy for both titular characters. For Assy McGee, it means being brash and bold enough to pursue crooks with reckless abandon, while for Butt Detective, it means literally using his cheeks to fight crime.
Yet, in spite of their obvious similarities, these are two very different shows, and opinions are split over which one's better. However, after judging them on their merits, it's easy to make out a clear winner.
Assy McGee stands out among the two for being a raunchy, adult-themed cartoon. Debuting in 2006, he made his mark with his belligerent and nonsensical style of law enforcement, which intrigued audiences for two seasons on Adult Swim. Though he is a pair of legs with a tush sitting atop them, and no torso or head, in the traditional sense, his methods are strangely effective. His buttocks speak and seem to do what little thinking he does. They also belt out operatic tunes and imbibe copious amounts of liquor. This leads to McGee's often slurred speech and unpredictable outbursts of violence. He manages to solve crimes by haphazardly shooting random people who end up being the perps, much to the dismay and wonderment of his colleagues.
Butt Detective, on the other hand, is a Japanese franchise geared toward children, though adults can enjoy it as well. The series includes children's books, products and a feature anime with catchy theme music. The show follows the rump-faced gumshoe, and his assistant Brown, as he solves crimes with deductive reasoning while making ample use of his cleft visage to blow large clouds of flatulence or envelop attacks from adversaries. Taking some clear inspiration from Sherlock Holmes, the Butt Detective happens to be a thorough English gentleman who enjoys tea and cake. The franchise is hugely popular in Japan, where it has been going strong since the first book was published in 2012.
Based on the above descriptions, deciding which one's better may seem like a tough case to crack. After all, Assy McGee is a hilarious parody of 1970s and '80s action stars like Clint Eastwood and Sylvester Stallone that specializes in crass humor, while Butt Detective is a bizarre yet wholesome children's series that is both educational and entertaining. But the different ways in which the characters employ their glutei maximi is what truly divides them.
In Assy McGee, his derriere is mostly a visual and aural gag. Though it makes for his distinct and funny speech pattern, which is a strange mix of incoherent mumbling and flapping sounds, and the emission of random farts, it's of no particular use in his detective work. Butt Detective, however, uses his farts to create clouds and tornadoes that assist him in catching criminals, and his cheeks to pinch attacks from swords and such. Assy McGee also ran its course fairly quickly because its premise of bumbling into solving crimes by impulsively shooting people without justification could not be sustained beyond a couple of seasons.
In contrast, Butt Detective has found a seat in the crowded anime market where it continues to enjoy great success with its fruitful formula. Butt Detective may have taken its inspiration from Assy McGee, which paved the way for heinie-headed sleuths, but it surpassed it in getting a return on its assets.