Spy X Family
Summary
Spy x Family is the internationally beloved Japanese manga-turned-anime story about a spy who must assemble a fake family in order to carry out his mission. In doing so, he adopts a telepathic child and marries an assassin. Only the child, Anya, knows the secrets they all three carry. Spy x Family is a fantastic story that balances the epic action and wholesome family moments expertly on a background of political intrigue. Filled with heartwarming scenes between a super spy father, an assassin mother, and a telepathic daughter, this series presents a message of kindness and, surprisingly, a solid understanding of Biblical family roles, despite being far removed from the Bible.
Assessment
Spy x Family is a wholesome but still deadly anime that promotes traditional gender roles — but, crucially, not stereotypes — and supports the idea of a cohesive, nuclear family. As a spy-themed action-comedy, it also filled with high stakes, delightful antics, and some small but amusing drama here and there. Overall, it is a fairly well-rounded story that most of the family is sure to love in some way or another.
For the manga, the artwork is masterful and easy to understand. The characters are expressive, and they interact with their environments and each other with a fairly natural ease. There is no “same face” syndrome or an overuse of blank or boring backgrounds, it is really a high-quality product that is enjoyable to read. Sometimes it does bog down a bit with blocks of exposition or dialogue, but those are somewhat few and far between.
For the anime, the quality of the animation is top-notch. Beautiful backgrounds, smooth character motion, and great lighting. The action scenes are dynamic and fun without being too chaotic and difficult to track. The voice acting (at least for sub) is spot-on and really brings the characters’ distinct and unique personalities to life.
The one area it somewhat lacks is a clash between what the plot should be and what it is. While the premise of the story is a spy-thriller, it is also very much an action-comedy, meaning that much of the overarching political intrigue would be best to remain in the background. However, the story sometimes bogs down trying to get a bit too far into the weeds of the politics, although that does not last for long.
Light-o-Meter
Artwork: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Writing: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Age-Appropriateness: Appropriate for older kids, teens, and adults. Some violence, blood, and peril, but no nudity or sex.
Theological Message: N/A
Overall: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Talk
Spy x Family seems to be everywhere right now and, in my opinion, with good reason! It is hilarious, heartwarming, delightful, and has a ton of fun explosions, car chases, hostage situations, and all kinds of good, spy-thriller stuff to keep it from being too sugary sweet. It’s also very high-quality in both the manga and the anime.
One of the primary things that I love about this anime is that it promotes traditional gender roles without falling into traditional gender stereotypes. Or, as Christians might see, it promotes Biblical masculine and feminine roles without the underlying pressure of society’s very human expectations. For example, Yor (the wife) is an assassin. She is incredibly strong, fast, and is typically a match for any big, buff evil guy that comes her way. She’s also about as intelligent as a box of rocks. However, none of this negates her femininity and desire to be a good wife for Loid and a good mother for Anya. She can’t cook to save her life (a feminine stereotype), but she still seeks to support her husband and in many ways be submissive to him (a good, Biblical role).
Similarly, Loid tends to be craftier and more intelligent, using strategy over brute strength when dealing with the enemy. He’s also a really great cook, and probably more active in raising Anya than Yor, all of which tends to lead itself to a more stereotypically feminine role. However, he is also intent on not just protecting his family but leading his family properly. He wants to provide for both Anya and Yor for whatever need they might have, and he knows that starts with his own leadership and decision-making skills. Not that he is seeking to bully them into following what he says (a toxic masculine stereotype) but leading them by nurturing them (a good, Biblical role). He does this by serving them and by setting aside his own desires to genuinely care for this fake little family he has created.
That is one of the main things I love about this show is the fact that everybody is trying to serve the others. Loid, Yor, and Anya are all actively seeking to support and help one another in what are actually great, Biblical roles. It is surprisingly nuanced in a lot of ways that some Christian-based family media tends to fail in. It encourages the masculine and the feminine without being bogged down by society’s often exhausting stereotypes. Each character is allowed to fulfill their role how they were created and trained without being forced into narrow little boxes of expectation.
Where to Enjoy
Watch
Crunchyroll: Watch SPY x FAMILY - Crunchyroll
Hulu: Watch SPY x FAMILY Streaming Online | Hulu
Read
Amazon: Amazon.com: Spy x Family, Vol. 1 (1): 9781974715466: Endo, Tatsuya: Books
Barnes & Noble: Spy x Family, Vol. 1 by Tatsuya Endo, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®
Books-A-Million: Spy X Family, Vol. 1 by Tatsuya Endo
VIZ: VIZ | Read Spy x Family Manga Free - Official Shonen Jump From Japan
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