Your next binge-worthy anime series

Only a handful of episodes in and Spy x Family has already proven to be an engrossing, hilarious and heartwarming experience, where clean, beautiful art combines with clever dialogue and storytelling to create a show that has, so far, been a joy to watch from start to finish. .

If you’re looking for a new anime that’s not afraid to get funny, even amid political intrigue and deadly street fights, you’ve come to the right place. Based on the manga of the same name by Tatsuya Endo, Spy x Family follows the story of a spy, Loid, codenamed Twilight (Takuya Eguchi, Alex Organ), as he embarks on a mission to gather information on his next target. To do this, he must create his own fake family and infiltrate the private school that his target’s child attends. Already a hard job, considering he only has a week to do it in order to make time for school registration. Things get complicated when the child he ends up adopting, Anya (Atsumi Tanezaki, Megan Shipman), turns out to be a mind-reading telepath and the woman he marries, Yor (Saori Hayami, Nathalie Van Sixtine), turns out to be the professional assassin, Thorn Princess – unbeknownst to Twilight, of course. As each member of this new family tries to keep their identities a secret, with Anya alone knowing the true nature of her new parents, their eccentric lifestyles and growing affections for each other help balance the more dramatic and serious sequences of the series, acting as the backbone of the entire show.

From the start of the first episode, Spy x Family takes itself seriously when it comes to its art and animation and is not shy about showing off. Remarkable facial expressions and a kind of snapshot sequencing style, which is used for lighter flashback scenes, fit well into the more “slice-of-life” parts of the series, enhancing Loid’s deadpan deliveries, Yor’s clumsy nature and Anya’s childish misadventures. Plus, while the show certainly has a plethora of comedic moments, it also understands that its more dramatic, action-based scenes are just as important (it’s a show about spies and assassins, after all). and the care and work that goes into these sequences is evident in the final product.

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Produced by With studio and CloverWorkswho you may also know from their other projects, such as The attack of the Titans, Ranking of kings, and the last season of Fairy tale, Spy x Family features a clean, polished art style in its quieter moments that then becomes looser in more action-heavy scenes, leading to more fluid and dynamic animation that pairs well with some of the craziest stunts the characters show . Whether it’s shooting down thugs with their runs or throwing hand grenades down alleys, the characters in Spy x Family likes to remind audiences that the “step family” facade is just that – a mask they all wear while hiding their true identities and true intentions.

Admittedly, it’s sometimes easy to overlook this during the lighter moments of the show. Although the characters are constantly reminded of their real lives and professions outside of their fake identities, it’s hard not to fall in love with the small family unit they create together. If you’re someone who loves “found family” stories, then Spy x Family is the anime for you, even if it’s less of a story about a “found family” than a story about an “imaginary family that maybe gets a little too real.”

Between Twilight/Loid’s earnest demeanor, Yor’s caring but goofy nature, and Anya’s enthusiasm for her new parents’ professions, the three are a perfect recipe for heartwarming comedy. Anya, overall, steals the show with her combination of knowledge through her powers and childlike wonder over the whole situation; his facial expressions, in particular, never fail to brighten the scene. However, it is above all Anya’s fear of abandonment and her determination to stay with her new family that are at the heart of this show. As a spectator, we can only sympathize with Anya and hope, by her side, that this family will continue. As Loid and Yor also navigate the new lives they’ve created for themselves, their own past is reflected in Anya’s, and the stories of the three main characters slowly begin to bring them together, whether they realize it or not. .

Throughout all the crazy comedies, plots and spy antics, the writing of Spy x Family also shines brightly. Besides dialogue that feels natural despite the characters’ constant lies and slip-ups, the most notable aspect of the show’s storyline is the characters’ inner dialogue. Anime fans will be very familiar with the age-old trope of having characters spell out the story in their heads, instead of giving the audience a chance to figure it out for themselves. Spy x Family, however, gets away with it thanks to Anya’s use of telepathy, and does so with flying colors. Rather than the characters’ interior monologues feeling forced or unnecessary, they instead become a source of comedy when paired with Anya’s mind-reading abilities and intense desire to please. His constant shifting of moods and actions based on his parents’ thoughts takes away any sort of over-saying that any other anime would suffer from, and the over-thinking on Loid and Yor’s part seems appropriate, given their professions. respectively of spy and assassin.

Globally, Spy x Family is the perfect balance of a light and touching family comedy combined with an action-packed spy drama. As much as you want these characters to succeed in their missions, especially when their motivations include things like “to make the world a better place for children,” you also can’t help but hope things go wrong, if only if this little family can stay together a little longer.

New episodes of Spy x Family airs every Saturday on Hulu and is also available to stream on Crunchyroll.

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