“Spy x Family” is an April 2022 slice-of-life comedy animated series with a hint of action that is available on both Hulu and Crunchyroll. Adapted from Tatsuya Endo’s “SPY X FAMILY” manga and animated by Wit Studio and Cloverworks, “Spy x Family'' takes a wholesome perspective on family life, with a few troublesome abnormalities along the way.
“Spy x Family” takes place in a country named Ostania and follows Loid “Twilight” Forger, a world-class spy working for the neighboring country Westalis. Loid’s mission, Operation Strix, is to guarantee the peace treaty between the two countries and to stop any politicians who intend to restart the war between Ostania and Westalis. To carry out the mission Loid must seem as inconspicuous as possible while creating a fake family to infiltrate the prestigious school, Eden Academy, where corrupt politicians often meet.
In the first few episodes Loid, posing as a psychiatrist, goes to an orphanage to adopt a child to begin his fake family, and encounters the spy-loving orphan named Anya, who happens to be a telepath. After initially ignoring Anya, Loid is subtly convinced by her to proceed with her adoption. While shopping for Anya’s clothes Loid meets a troubled woman named Yolando “Yor” Briar, a civil worker, and starts an idle conversation with her. Yor explains that her coworkers kept making fun of her for not being married or having a boyfriend, and how Ostania’s society looks down upon unmarried women. However, her real reason for wanting a fake marriage is to cover up her actual job as the assassin “Thorn Princess”, and of course the only ones who knows the true identity of Yor is Anya and the viewer, creating multiple comedic exchanges. Seeing an opportunity, Loid offers a fake marriage to Yor, which she gladly accepts, before attempting to enroll Anya in Eden Academy, tasking her with becoming friends with one of his target’s children, and while Anya tries her best to excel and secretly help Loid with Operation Strix, she is a bit clumsy and tends to cause more and more problems for Loid to deal with.
The appeal of “Spy x Family” is the comedic combination of an innocent child who knows way too much about her parents and the misunderstandings the family’s secrets cause. The animation studios did a great job with the portrayal of emotion and expressions, which feel life-like and slightly exaggerated, kind of like how superhero movies or series make masked characters more expressive and explosive in their movements and reactions. Combining these emotions with charming visuals and talented voice actors creates a feeling of realism and welcoming that persists throughout the series.
While “Spy x Family” pulls most aspects of successful media off skillfully, they couldn't completely escape the dreaded “filler episodes” where nothing important really happens in regards to the story. However, while these episodes may not contribute much to the continuation of the plot, they grant plenty of little insights into the various characters’ lives, allowing the audience to relate with and realize the character’s feelings and ambitions, along with all of their inner conflicts. Some of these conflicts include Yor’s struggles with motherhood, Anya’s fear of being abandoned again because of her telepathy, and Loid’s struggle with balancing his spy life and his family life. All of these insights can relate to a lot of people who feel disconnected from their children or those who are scared of being abandoned and left behind by their loved ones.
Overall, while being a comedic, wholesome show focusing on the family life of people who aren’t used to being loved, “Spy x Family” attracts audiences with its characters’ very real problems and unrest that many people suffer from every day. This, paired with the expertly executed visuals and voices, creates a fluffy and memorable experience that brings together audiences from all over the world.
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