‘Spy x Family’ 1×01 Review: “Operation Strix”

Spy x Family has to be one of the most anticipated animes of the Spring 2022 release season. Since the manga’s debut in 2019, it’s been a hit with readers. Polygon named it one of the best comics of 2019 and considering it came out in September of that year, that’s saying a lot. Viz Media has been making this Shonen Jump treasure public for all English readers. If you didn’t catch it while it was being released, you might know manga readers who flocked to bookstores and picked up the eight volumes already penned by Tatsuya Endo. So, when it was announced that the series would be animated, the internet went wild. However, there are some of us who like to enjoy our anime by going in blind and I fully intend to enjoy this anime knowing nothing about the story.

At first glance, this might be my next favorite anime. That’s saying a lot considering Attack on Titan holds a big place in my heart as a well-written anime. But Spy x Family is great not just because it might have given all of us our next 2D boyfriend, but because it’s got an insane premise. Let’s dive in and show you what we mean as we discuss Spy x Family 1×01 “Operation Strix.”

TWILIGHT: THE SPY (NOT THE VAMPIRES)

Spy x Family (Property of WIT Studio/CloverWorks & Tatsuya Endo)

Spy x Family 1×01 “Operation Strix” starts off how you’d expect any good spy movie to start, with a successful assassination attempt! Every secret agency knows this assassination is just the next step towards starting a massive war between Westalis and Ostania. So they recruit him. Yes, the kind of him you think about when you hear the word “spy.” Codename: Twilight, he’s the man who will outsmart anyone just to complete the mission. They call him “the man with many faces,” right as he rips off the mask and shows us his real face.

When they say this is going to be everyone’s new favorite anime man, they mean it. Twilight is smooth, well dressed, and is daddy – sorry – about to be a dad… for his next mission. In order to get close to an anxious political leader who only appears for social gatherings at his son’s elite private school, Twilight must find a child and a wife within seven days to complete his mission, so he dons his next mask as Loid Forger.

Could the world’s greatest spy learn how to become a dad in just seven days?

LOID AND ANYA “FORGER” A FAMILY

As a father, Loid needs a place to stay and a wonderful child to call his own. Ideally, he needs someone who is six years old, can read and write, and is smart enough to pass the entrance exam for the elite school. Enter Anya, the internet’s new favorite child, with pink hair and big green eyes that look right through you, because she can – as a telepath. The orphanage owner wants to get rid of her, but she’s got too much main character energy to stay with those other kids. So Anya uses her strengths to get Loid’s attention by completing the daily crossword in seconds. Little does he know, Anya can hear all of Loid’s thoughts, and once she hears “spy mission,” she’s all for it. Sounds like Anya would love to watch Spy x Family along with the rest of us.

The best part about Anya and Loid’s dynamic is that she can easily outsmart him at every turn. He’s meant to be the most skilled spy in the world, yet he has so much trouble just keeping her at home when he needs to go out. He doesn’t know that the spy equipment he thought was safe isn’t because Anya heard him think the code to the lock he put on the door.

She’s a child, the one thing Loid doesn’t know how to handle. He can handle international espionage but when it comes to a kid, he’s useless. Every time she outsmarts him, he gets even more frustrated, but it’s just Anya wanting to have a bit of fun. Finally, we get to poke holes in an already “perfect” person. For being the world’s greatest spy, you would think he was flawless, but Anya turns that around. Not only is she the conflict of Loid’s mission, but also the conflict of this episode. Anya’s mischief makes things worse when she sends a message to the enemy using Loid’s morse code transmitter.

“Catch me if you can,” she says and so they do.

SPYING AND READING MINDS – FOR WORLD PEACE

Spy x Family 1x01 Loid Forger Anya Forger — Spy x Family (Property of WIT Studio/CloverWorks & Tatsuya Endo)

Anya said that her powers must be used for “world peace.” What could a six-year-old mind reader do to create world peace? For her, that means staying with the man that adopted her. She trusts him and wants to see him be the cool, ass-kicking spy that she sees in her favorite show.

In a way, they need each other, not just to complete the mission but because they understand each other. Anya loves it when Loid lies because she knows he’s doing it out of the goodness of his heart. He spares her from explaining it was him in the mask, but she knows. She can always be one step ahead of him if she wants to. Loid starts to understand that Anya just needs a home. She’s been adopted three times before and wants to feel wanted. So, it’s only best that they stay together, but move homes just to be set.

Even though Loid and Anya decided to stay with each other, the mission isn’t over. Anya passes the entrance exam and gets into the prestigious private school they need her for. However, this school turns its nose up at single parents and requests both parents be present for the family interview. Could Loid find someone to marry him in time for the interview?

Stay tuned for the next episode of Spy x Family!

OVERALL THOUGHTS

This is the spy man that the world has been waiting for. Move over James Bond, you’ve got nothing on Twilight!
The hide and seek game they play is too funny, he should’ve known she would outdo him in every way.
You can call her whatever you want, but she’s Anya “Best Girl” Forger in my book
The fact that Anya’s eyes light up when she realizes it’s Loid in disguise has to be my favorite moment of the episode
Okay, I lied, Anya getting comfy under Loid’s arm while she’s sleeping is the best moment
Yes please, find a castle for Anya just because she asked, it has to be on the market
I’m already starting to google “read Spy x Family manga,” don’t tempt me!