Spy x Family 1×06 gave me most of the answers I’ve wanted for a while. Finally, I know why Anya has that silly smirk of hers, who that little boy is and how this story is going to be longer. When I started watching anime, I was told that it takes a least five episodes to get into the story. Even though I’m already in love with the series, the sixth episode of this anime finally gets the core story going.
This episode turned the tension up to 11 again. How will Anya fare as a student at Eden College and how will Loid complete his mission? The answer relies on one little boy.
YOR DEFENDS ANYA – AS A MOTHER SHOULD
Yor is in charge of picking up Anya’s uniform from the dress shop when Loid goes to his next mission briefing. The seamstress knows all the secrets of Eden College. There’s a hierarchy between parents who are Eden alums and who are not, between honors kids and other kids, and as if bullying wasn’t enough, there are kidnappings. For a school that’s the epitome of prestige and elegance, this sounds like gang warfare. No wonder why this anime’s opening is done by the same band who did the Tokyo Revengers opening.
It’s not the kids doing the kidnapping though. There’s a market for Eden uniforms and when Anya parades around showing everyone her new threads, nearby thugs think she’s the perfect bait for some quick cash. What they don’t expect is the maid holding her hand to actually be her mother, a killer one at that. So Yor saves Anya when they attempt to kidnap her, making veggies rain and thugs cry. Yet, all Yor can think about is how she ruined dinner so she’s a bad mom.
Yor doesn’t understand that she the closest thing to a mother that Anya has ever had. She wants to do more for Anya despite only playing pretend for Loid. I like that Spy x Family is showing that there is more than one way to parent. While Yor isn’t Anya’s blood mother, she still feels for the little girl like a mother would. Anya learns a lot from Yor and thinks the best way to protect herself is to fight like Yor. So, Yor lends Anya her strengths and teaches her how to punch.
INTRODUCING DAMIAN DESMOND
Spy x Family is set during a conflict between Eastalis and Westalis Berlint. The Forgers have been placed in real history if it wasn’t obvious already. Stuck in the midst of the Berlin Crisis, Agent Twilight is in charge of helping unite the country. This episode alone shows that world peace relies on the next generation if the kids can just get along. Loid needs Anya to befriend Damian Desmond so he can meet the head of the National Unity Party.
Donovan Desmond only appears at honors student events with his son so Loid needs to get to those meetings first. The country’s fate relies on if Anya can be a smart student with the utmost elegance. We all know that she is neither. In order to be an honors student, Anya needs to be awarded eight Stella Stars for good behavior and grades. If she fails, she will be given Tonitrus Bolts and once she has eight Bolts, she will be expelled. No pressure at all, right? The only thing in her way is Damian, who makes fun of her for not being like him. Based on Yor’s training, Anya needs to just grin and bear it.
Relying on kids to solve tense politics is unconventional but Spy x Family is already an unconventional story. Loid needs Anya to get him in the room with Desmond and would rather not rely on her. How can he ensure that the kids get along? This anime has provided the perfect balance between humor and conflict. I feel Loid’s stress but can’t help but laugh when Anya acts like a kid. It takes the seriousness out of what was such a serious conflict and it makes me want to learn more.
BOLTED FROM THE TOP
Loid thinks it’ll be easy for Anya to make friends with Damian so he can get into Donovan’s house. He thinks Anya is personable and can probably get along with anyone. That is until Damian introduces himself as the spoiled rich brat you would expect him to be. He thinks Anya is into him simply because she looked at him. Please, child, get over yourself. Damian takes a liking to her and in pure schoolboy fashion, he resorts to bullying her. He convinces his friends that she’s less than him because her father isn’t as rich as everyone else’s parents.
Anya gets frustrated and considers using the fighting skills that Yor gave her. Of course, her mother taught her to be the bigger person and smile through it. Anya shows Damian her yet-to-be infamous smirk and he gets frustrated. “I’m going to bully you every day,” he says and gets a well-deserved punch. Go, Anya, throw what your momma gave you!
Loid is gutted to find out that Anya received her first Bolt in less than a day. His hopes of her becoming friends with Damian are also trashed. This is what WISE gets for relying on a little girl for world peace. Kids act on instinct and sometimes that means punching bullies out. I say that, but I agree with Yor that being the bigger person is always the best way to go. I feel Loid’s pain, I want to see Anya succeed but Damian deserved it. We’ll have to see if she’ll redeem herself next week in the Spy x Family anime. There’s no way I’m reading the manga now.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
- Eden College is way shadier than I thought it would be. You can make money off of the uniforms alone??
- Finally, I know what Anya’s infamous smirk is about!
- I also see where the Damian/Anya ship comes from. I hope she continues to drive him crazy.
- Yes, Anya, he fell into your fist, I’m going to use that excuse next time.
- The amount of Harry Potter references I can make based on this episode alone is just too many. Points, houses, a little twerp who bullies? Check, check and check.
- The way it looks like Loid is trying way too hard to get Anya to apologize in the next episode is too funny.
- Don’t mind me, I’m just over here googling “spy x family anime merch,”if I can get an Anya tee, I will
Read all the reviews of the series –
- ‘Spy x Family’ 1×01 Review: “Operation Strix”
- ‘Spy x Family’ 1×02 Review: “Secure a Wife”
- ‘Spy x Family’ 1×03 Review: “Prepare for the Interview”
- ‘Spy x Family’ 1×04 Review: “The Prestigious School’s Interview”
- ‘Spy x Family’ 1×05 Review: “Will They Pass or Fail?”
- ‘Spy x Family’ 1×06 Review: “The Friendship Scheme”
- ‘Spy x Family’ 1×07 Review: “The Target’s Second Son”
