This is probably one of those breakthrough mangas or anime in 2022 that certainly took the audience by storm. No wonder people love it because of its wild set of characters and a story that combines comedy, action, mystery, and cuteness.
Seriously, who doesn't like spy anime that mixes comedy and mystery very well?
The first part consists of 12 episodes, but I think the first eleven sum up the plot for the first part of the series. The last episode is like a filler, maybe to cut the first season properly.
The Premise
We are introduced to the little world of Spy x Family. Two rival nations, Westalis and Ostania, conflict. To maintain the peace, a Westalian agent is tasked to spy on Donovan Desmond, the National Unity Party leader in Ostania. To get close to Desmond, he suggests enrolling a child in a private school where his sons are.
To fulfill his goal, Twilight disguised himself as Loid Forger and adopted a young orphan girl named Anya, who can read people's minds. He soon marries Yor Briar, a city hall clerk who sidelines as an assassin. The two don't know each other's jobs, and Anya thinks of everything like her favorite TV show. When she enters the school where Donovan's child Damian was in, Loid struggles between his spy job and being a parent and husband without revealing his real identity.
The Characters
Loid Forger - an expert spy, an acting father for Anya, and wife of Yor. He is a pretty interesting character who knows many things, from hand-to-hand combat to house chores. He disguises himself as a psychiatrist to fool his family.
Yor Briar - a city hall clerk that works as a professional assassin. Despite her beautiful appearance and skill in assassinating, she fails at essential things like cooking. At first, she is a very timid character who gets bullied by her colleagues because she is single. She has a brother named Yuri, who works in the secret police. She is also an interesting character, but we don't see much of her side job except for maybe 1 or 2 instances.
Anya - an adopted child who can read people's minds. Although she knows that her father is a spy and her mother is an assassin, she thinks of it as an exciting TV show. She makes friends with Becky and soon Damian. She does not perform well in school; that's why Loid and Yor make up for it for her to have the best grades. She is a very wacky character but brave when saving her friends or standing up for what's right.
Damian Desmond - the son of Donovan Desmond and the classmate of Anya. At first, he despises Anya but soon develops feelings for her.
Becky Blackbell - a wealthy classmate and friend of Anya. She has quite an arrogant attitude but cares for Anya very much. She loves romantic dramas and has a secret crush on Loid.
Review
Spy-themed anime is not uncommon. Series like Darker than Black, Ghost In The Shell, and Eden of the East have already well-established the genre. It's probably one of the most accessible types of anime to appreciate. However, most are either too serious or graphic, making them unwatchable by everyone. Spy x Family delivers the right amount of comedy, cuteness, and fun, along with mystery and a lot of spy action.
I think the format of the story is told from an anthology-like perspective, even though there is a central plot where the characters revolve. Each episode stands on its own and won't take away much of the actual story. The first few introduce us to the characters, what are their jobs, personalities, and how they handle their day-to-day activities. But I think the first part belongs to Anya's introduction to her school life and being intertwined between Yor's assassination activities and Loid's spy task.
I adore the characters. Anya always steals the show for me. Maybe some viewers only want to see her because she brings life to the story. Loid and Yor remind me of that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie movie, Mr. And Mrs. Smith. I won't deny if the creator somehow based their characters on that.
Spy x Family has already established its legacy in the cosplayer world. If you plan to go to an anime convention, be prepared to see a lot of Yors and Anyas. You can already see people in events dressed as Yor or Anya. I see no issue with that, especially if the anime is truly well-loved by the viewers.
I am looking forward to Part 2, where we get to be introduced to another family member of the Forgers.
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