This article will be split into two parts: an overview without spoilers for those who want to learn about the show and a more in-depth review of the show containing spoilers.
Overview
Spy x Family (pronounced “Spy Family”) has become a wildly popular anime since its release in 2022. The story follows a skilled spy, Twilight, as his newest mission requires him to make a family to prevent a looming war.
He first finds and adopts a daughter, Anya. Unbeknownst to Twilight, Anya is telepathic and is aware of his spy mission. Anya is the comic relief of the show as she struggles to adapt to the high expectations of her father and “save the world.”
Twilight then makes an agreement with Yor Briar. Yor is an average civilian by day, assassin by night. They quickly get married and co-parent Anya as they both live out their secret lives.
Despite the drama behind the characters, their actions feel motivated and down-to-earth. Each character is well-rounded and complex. Their interactions with each other are genuine as they try to figure out this new style of living. They have their reasons for sticking together and develop new feelings for each other along the way.
“This show is easy to fall in love with and a joy to watch.”
This show is easy to fall in love with and a joy to watch. The soundtrack alone is one of the best I’ve heard on a television show ever. The genre is diverse enough for everyone to find something they like within this show. I think that if you’re interested in anime, this is a must-watch.
This show is available with English subtitles or English dubbing. The first season contains 25 episodes and is currently free to watch on Crunchyroll. Season 2 is speculated to release later this year.
In-depth Review
Contains Spoilers
As stated above, I love this show and could sing it’s praises over and over. To start, I was happy to see that when Anya got accepted into Eden College, the show kept a fair balance between her life at school and her life at home. One did not feel overpowering to the other.
A problem (shock!) I had with the show is that I wanted to see more of Yor’s work as an assassin. We are constantly checking in with Twilight and his mission, but we only see Yor in action a handful of times. This is disappointing because her assassination outfit is so stunning.
I also had a hard time keeping track with the fictional countries in the show. This tends to happen a lot in media that has fictional countries waging fictional wars against each other. It’s difficult to remember which country has the “good guys” and which country has the “bad guys.”
Let’s talk about love.
The introduction of Nightfall was an excellent choice on the writers’ behalf. Nightfall was the perfect motivator for Yor to realize her growing feelings for Loid. I’m a lover of love triangles and was happy to see one on this show. The competition to win Loid/Twilight’s love was simply hilarious.
There is another competition, this time for Yor’s affection. Twilight has to face Yor’s obsessive brother, Yuri. I did not like the way this was portrayed. Yuri’s adoration for Yor did not feel like the love a brother has for a sister, but more like a crush. Yuri’s love for Yor felt more creepy than comedic.
Yor is a lovely character. I really like that she is trying her best as a mother despite the temporary circumstances. She tries her best to impress Loid, even going out of her way to learn how to cook.
I would be lying if I said that I didn’t want Yor and Loid’s relationship to work out. I like their interactions and that their fondness for each other doesn’t feel forced. The more they spend time together, the more they enjoy their little family. It’s quite sweet.
