Based on the manga of the same name by Tatsuya Endo, the anime Spy x Family has been dominating the top shows on Netflix since its release, always keeping a spot on the Philippines’ top 10 list. Despite only one episode released each week — and only 20 minutes at that! — viewers are eagerly waiting for this slice-of-life comedy anime. If you still haven’t checked it out, here are 8 reasons why you should watch Spy x Family:
Loid Forger, the spy
One of the best reasons that viewers love this anime is because of its colorful cast of characters, and the first we meet is Loid Forger, also known as Twilight. This cool, badass spy usually works alone, and he could come off as a little serious, but he simply has a strong sense of duty. Which is exactly why he always gets the job done. So when he gets a new assignment that forces him to work with other people, he does his utmost to finish the job, even if it means unexpectedly being a dedicated husband and father.
Yor Forger, the assassin
Yor Forger might have a sweet and shy personality on the outside, but she actually is a cold-blooded assassin with awesome stealth and combat talents. It’s amazing how she shifts so quickly from one personality to another, especially when it comes to her daughter. Her transition from that shy yet unforgiving assassin to doting mother is lovely, but not altogether unexpected. Because she also dotes on her younger brother, who is basically the reason why she ends up in a family with Loid and Anya.
Anya Forger, the telepath
No matter who she’s with, Anya Forger is a scenestealer, especially when she’s reading the minds of the people around her. This little telepath can be childish (she is six, after all!) and sweet at the same time, but we love her best when she tries to manipulate her parents into doing what she wants. She’s successful, of course, since she can listen to their thoughts. While her history is still shrouded in mystery, we can’t wait to learn why she has the unique powers she has!
A ridiculous yet charming storyline
So how do these three characters so different from each other come together? It’s all thanks to Loid’s latest mission as a master spy in a world of uneasy peace between rival countries Westalis and Ostania.
Twilight (later Loid Forger) receives a new assignment from Westalis to gather intel on an Ostanian politician. Unfortunately, the only way he could do this is to create a fake family and infiltrate an uber-exclusive school, which is the only place where the said politician makes a public appearance once a year. And so he finds a fake daughter in Anya and a fake wife in Yor. But he doesn’t know that these two are keeping secrets of their own. Neither does his wife Yor. Only Anya really knows the truth of their family, but she won’t talk because she loooooves spy stuff. Cue hilarious hijinks featuring this interesting family and guesses on just how long they can keep up this facade.
Wholesome family dynamics
Still, no matter how comedic and ridiculous the plot sounds, Spy x Family is still categorized as slice of life. And that comes in with the wholesome dynamics among the characters that would just make you go awww.
Both Loid and Yor dote on Anya, trying their best to give her a normal childhood — even if the little telepath is the farthest thing from a normal child. They each have their individual reasons (we won’t go into details to avoid spoilers), but these reasons drive them to protect her in their own ways as a spy and an assassin. It’s #ProtectAnya hours all the time, even if they’re all lying to each other.
Aside from making viewers guess how long the Forger family can keep up the facade they have between one another, that thin line between true and fake brings the slice of life to the forefront. It’s a question of will they or won’t they throughout, even if we’re all expecting fake couple Loid and Yor to fall in love and fake daughter Anya to be fully adopted by the end of the series.
Gorgeous animation
Even if each episode is only 20 or so minutes, each one is so worth it with how beautiful the animation is, in addition to the hilarious and heartwarming scenes. Since the Forger family has to deal with threats from their secret lives and two of the three main characters actually have amazing combat abilities, we’re treated to a lot of amazing action scenes — all thanks to the collaboration between Studio Wit (Attack on Titan) and CloverWorks (Horimiya).
Rich worldbuilding
On top of the beautifully styled animation, the world of Spy x Family is so wonderfully built with a rich history and background. Even if the show focuses on the three characters in particular, their story is set up against a background that looks like the 1940s to 50s but is a completely different world with two unfamiliar countries — Westalis and Ostania — in a cold war.
Anya’s hilarious reactions
Just look at all these Anya faces from this week’s episode of #SPY_FAMILY
Who wouldn’t want to protect Anya.#スパイファミリー pic.twitter.com/LLFWcrJJmz
— Yohane’s Demon Anime Backlog Binging (@WaifuMaster) May 14, 2022
Yes, Anya’s expressions deserve a whole section on their own. Because each one is honestly so meme-able, and there is an Anya meme for every situation.. She’s ridiculously cute, and everyone loves it. Just look at her.
A new episode of Spy x Family drops every Sunday on Netflix. If you can’t wait until the next episode, you can also read the manga of Spy x Family on Viz.
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