OPINION: Spy x Family’s rise to the top explained
By Thea Kapteyn ‘23
Spy x Family. Image courtesy of playcentral.com
With its first season being released in April of 2022, Spy x Family, a critically acclaimed action-comedy anime, has stolen the hearts of millions. Spy x Family, written and illustrated by Tatsuya Endo, quickly rose to the top of the charts, earning its rightful title of 3rd highest rated anime series of all time.
Spy x Family follows the life of a sought out spy who operates under the alias Loid Forger. Loid’s focal goal throughout the series is to maintain peace between the East and the West of the fictional country, Ostania.
In order to do so, he must eliminate the main antagonist of the series, Donovan Desmond. Due to Donovan’s recognition as the Chairman of the National Unity Party of Ostania, he constantly maintains a high level of security which prolongs Loid’s mission.
In order to gain access to Donovan, Loid is tasked with fabricating a family, which he begins by adopting his telepathic daughter, Anya. In the hopes that Anya will befriend Donovan’s son, Damien Desmond, Loid enrolls her in an elite private school which Damien attends. The plot thickens as things take a turn for the worse, and Loid is subsequently forced to make new additions to the Forger household.
If an overview of Spy x Family was not enough to compel you to sit down and watch this entertaining series, here are three reasons why I fell in love with the show.
1. Multiple well rounded characters
The series focuses on three main characters: Loid, Anya, and Yor. Although Loid is the primary protagonist of the series, Anya and Yor, the deuteragonist and tritagonist, respectively, receive a relatively equal amount of screen time and attention to detail.
Due to the secretive nature of his occupation, Loid has a sector of his life he keeps private from his daughter Anya, and his wife Yor. However, he shares this in common with the two of them who both have hidden backgrounds of their own.
On the outside, Yor is a seemingly normal lady who works as a clerk at the Berlint City Hall, but behind closed doors, her true occupation is that of a cold blooded assassin. Yor’s secret identity playfully peeks through when she displays signs of superhuman strength when hugging her family, or when elements of her sadistic tendencies leak into her interactions with the public.
The third protagonist, and my personal favorite, Anya Forger, is an adorable pink-haired telepath who we follow as she navigates first grade at a rigorous private school. Due to her abilities, Anya is the only character aware of both Loid and Yor’s secret identities, and she often takes advantage of this information in an entertaining manner throughout the show.
Anya is far from academically inclined, which has led to many relatable study scenes that any current or past student is bound to get a kick out of. In addition to her troubles with academics, Anya is the cause of many mishaps in Loid’s mission, most notably when she manages to make an enemy of Damien Desmond. No matter the environment, there is never a dull moment in Anya’s story.
Anya Forger. Image courtesy of anidb.net. Yor Forger. Image courtesy of miraheze.org.
2. The lack of overtly sexualized female characters
Anyone who has watched anime can say that there is an unnecessary amount of women in skimpy clothing, which can be frustrating and uncomfortable. Unlike the large majority of anime, Spy x Family has refrained from the hypersexualization of female characters. Unfortunately, this type of appropriate characterization is quite rare in anime, but Spy x Family’s tasteful portrayal of women has caused me to develop a great respect for the series.
I’ve always been bothered by the multitude of female characters with extreme proportions or impractical clothing, so when I first saw the character designs for Spy x Family, it was refreshing. All female characters have multidimensional personalities and are represented wearing modest attire, which is seemingly a challenge for many well-recognized anime. The positive female representation in Spy x Family not only creates a sense of respect, but also ensures that the series remains viewer appropriate for all ages.
3. Excellent soundtrack
There’s nothing like a series with a bop worthy soundtrack, and Spy x Family has possibly one of the most soothing yet dynamic outros. After every episode, I find myself humming along while watching the end credits. I have to admit, I’m particular in terms of music, but after listening to Spy x Family’s outro, Comedy, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t add the song to my playlist.
Comedy, Kigeki in Japanese, was written and performed by a Japanese singer-songwriter, Gen Hoshino. Comedy is one of many singles that Hoshino has released. However, unlike Hoshino’s previous music, Comedy was specially written to be included in the end credits of Spy x Family.
With over 65 million streams on Spotify, Comedy is easily Hoshino’s most popular song. Comedy’s popularity exists for a reason, and it’s due to its mix of mellow lofi beats and exceptional lyricism. I’m not huge of lofi, but after watching the first episode of Spy x Family, I was immediately captivated by Comedy. Not only was the song tuneful, but the beat fit the animations during the ending credits flawlessly, creating a strong outro you can’t help but stick around for.
Spy x Family. Image courtesy of deviant.art, Nandha602.
Spy x Family’s multitude of well rounded characters, lack of hypersexualization, and excellent soundtrack are all what make this series distinct. As a seasoned anime fan, I can confidently say that whether you’re an expert or new to anime, Spy x Family is a must watch.
Available to stream on Hulu and Crunchyroll.com