‘Spy x Family’ 1×04 Review: “The Prestigious School’s Interview”

Spy x Family continues to dominate our hearts and the viewing charts. This anime is now the most popular anime in Japan as it outdoes Attack on Titan in popularity ratings. That’s saying something considering Attack on Titan has consistently received high ratings for the last 10 years, even beating out American shows like Game of Thrones. For only four episodes so far, that means that Spy x Family is on its way to becoming a new anime classic. Give us more of the Forgers and we’ll all be set for life.

This week in Spy x Family 1×04, the Forgers finally arrived at their long-awaited interview at Eden College. Manga readers already know if Anya gets to attend the school, but the rest of us get to experience the anxiety-inducing tests in real-time. If my pulse rate was any indication of how things went, it was pretty much Squid Game levels of stress. So, without further ado, here’s the recap of Spy x Family 1×04.

A MISSION BEFORE THE MISSION

Spy x Family 1x04 — Spy x Family (Property of WIT Studio/CloverWorks & Tatsuya Endo)

Agent Twilight’s mission is to infiltrate Eden College and get close to a diplomat who is the key to maintaining world peace. He’s put all the pieces together, created a fake family, and got his “daughter” to pass her exams. But can he get the Forger family to pass the family interview? The true test begins once the Forgers enter the gates of this prestigious school in Spy x Family 1×04.

According to Housemaster Henry Henderson, the families at Eden College must be the epitome of elegance. So they need to show good manners, a proper way of speaking and yes, decide if they want to pull a boy who “tripped” into the gutter out of its murky waters. All of which the Forgers pass with flying colors, thanks to Loid’s preparation with several costume changes, each look more elegant than the last. When a stampede of farm animals enters the school, the Forgers have to decide how to elegantly handle the situation.

The best part was seeing the three of them use their special skills to get them out of strange situations. The tension and conflict of Spy x Family 1×04 come from the Forgers hiding their skills from each other. However, the Forgers appear more like a family when they lean on each other’s hidden talents to solve everyday problems. Yor’s method of stopping the stampede scares the lead cow but Anya, reading the cow’s mind, calms it and convinces the animals to leave. It’s fun to see how the Forgers complement each other even if they just met a few days ago. Housemaster Henderson never questions their methods of handling the situation, but he loves them just like the rest of us.

HOUSEMASTER RULES – LOID FORGER CRACKS

Unfortunately, my adoration for the Forgers isn’t how Anya gets to Eden College. Instead, the Forgers must convince a panel of three Housemasters that they are a loving and elegant family. If a test like this makes a world-renown spy nervous, that means it’s a big deal. He’s prepared Yor and Anya for every question the Housemasters could throw at them and they do well… though he doesn’t know that Anya is reading his mind for answers she can’t remember.

What The Forgers are not prepared for is Housemaster Swan’s marital baggage to be laid out in front of them. He pressures Yor and Anya to answer questions about Loid’s previous wife. Does Yor feel inadequate compared to the other wife? Does Anya prefer her other mother? The Forgers try their best to hide their frustration, but when Anya cries, that’s when her parents snap. It’s clear that both Yor and Loid have become attached to the idea of their family, even if it was to be temporary. If Yor’s knuckle cracks and Loid’s bloody fist mean anything, it’s that they are definitely going to be Anya’s parents for life. Their adoration for Anya has to be the one thing that’s keeping everyone glued to the Spy x Family anime.

Somehow they manage to not inflict pain on Housemaster Swan (even though he deserved it.) Loid tells the Housemasters if they are willing to “make light of a child’s feelings,” then Eden is not for them. That line alone just proved that Agent Twilight is Loid Forger and that it’s no longer a mask. He is willing to give up on the school just because a Housemaster was ridiculing Anya. Does this mean that Loid is willing to give up on the mission?

DO THE FORGERS PASS THE TEST?

If Agent Twilight’s mission fails, what happens to Yor and Anya? This is the question that left me with extreme amounts of stress. While Loid and Yor clearly care about Anya, what happens to Anya once the mission is complete? Anya tries her best to convince Loid that she still wants to try to get into Eden. Selfishly, she knows it’s the only way she won’t go back to the orphanage. Please don’t send Anya to another family, not when her current family is already fitting together like perfect puzzle pieces. This week’s episode left us with an ambiguous ending.

Next week’s episode looks even more confusing with Loid wearing what looks like Hamburglar cosplay. Is it Anya’s birthday party? I could cheat and read the manga, but there’s no way I’m cheating on the anime so I’ll stay tuned for next week’s episode of Spy x Family!

OVERALL THOUGHTS

The high stakes at this school make me thankful for my public school education.
How the hell did Loid manage to fit three different outfits for each of them in one little suitcase?

The look on Anya’s face when she reads Loid’s mind for the principal’s name has to be my favorite – BRB going to go get it tattooed.
Housemaster Swan is the ultimate a-hole and a misogynist. Swan’s refusal to cook for his wife has to be the reason she left him.
I really need to know why Yor is trying to fight Loid since she seems to only act on impulse, please don’t tell me he says something stupid!!