After all the suspense of last episode, we finally catch a break in Spy x Family 1×15 and greet a new member of the Forger family. While Loid faked a massive stomacheache, Anya was on the adventure of a lifetime, using a psychic dog to save her father and maintain world peace. While she was doing that, Yor spent a good amount of time hunting for Anya and taking down some bad guys. The Forger family is the perfect unit to keep peace between the East and West, they just don’t know it. This episode brought back the wholesomeness to this anime that we were all missing.
When they’re not busy saving the world, the Forgers are being as domestic as can be. This week’s episode took us back to their home and into their lives as a family. Only this time, they have to contend with having a new body in their home.
PARENTING AT ITS FINEST
The second cour of this anime started out having the Forgers separated when a major threat comes to town. Now that they are reunited, they seem even more like a family than ever before. Watching Loid scold Anya was perfect. It was easy to forget that they are a fake family, that they only last until the mission is over. But of course, Loid isn’t concerned with that, he needed to make sure that Anya was safe. So while he may look pissed, it’s out of care for Anya. He just wishes she would not drive him insane.
This is where Sylvia Sherwood, aka, the Handler comes in. She often appears just to give Agent Twilight intel on his missions, but in Spy x Family 1×15, she gives him more than that. When Sylvia poses as a police officer who needs to take the dog away, Anya refuses, making things even harder for Loid. Fortunately, Sylvia agrees to let Anya keep the dog and we learn that she had a daughter of her own. We’re led to assume that she lost her daughter prior to becoming a spy. Loid may be frustrated with Anya now, but if anything happened to her, he might not be able to handle it. It was a sweet moment, and had a very cleever way of pointing to the serious consequences of being in the middle of a cold war.
ANYA’S NEW FRIENDSHIP SCHEME
Anya and Bond have been partners in crime since they met, but now we get a look into what it’s like to have him home with the Forgers. In Spy x Family 1×15, he seems to fit right in, making both Anya and Yor happy. Loid is a little pissed that he has to take care of someone else, but it’s all for world peace, so keep the dog. Anya sees an opportunity at school when she realizes her actions the past couple of episodes won’t earn her a Stella Star. She’s got to keep hush or she’ll ruin Loid’s hard work. So, back to square one, The Friendship Scheme.
Anya knows that befriending Damian is top priority to get Loid into Desmond’s home. What other kid wouldn’t want to hang out with Anya’s new dog? Damian, apparently. Anya’s shock at Damian turning her away because she didn’t have a name for her dog was hilarious. She’s often silly, mispronouncing things and getting into crazy situations, but Anya at school is peak Anya. It’s where she can lead the story without her parents interfering, well except for that one time. Of course, no six year old would be able to make smart, mature decisions by themselves – especially not in anime, so her plan goes down the drain. Until next time, Anya, work on getting a name and try again, see what happens.
MISTER DOG FINDS A NAME
Anya’s despair at not finding a name for her dog overshadows her first time at a dog park. Instead of playing with her dog, she goes around to ask everyone what the names of their dogs are. Turns out interacting with other dogs is probably not the best activity to do at the dog park. But fortunately, Mister Dog is there to save the day and he acts almost like Bondman, her favorite anime spy. Therefore, her dog is dubbed Bond. As Anya forms a bond with Bond, Loid thinks about how temporary his family is. He still thinks that once the mission is over he can just walk away. It’s a little surprising given what the family has been through so far. Could he possibly give all that up now?
We have an answer to that just from the opening song alone. Fans have speculated that the scenes and lyrics of the second cour’s opening are from Loid’s point of view. It shows his family in beautiful scenes looking optimistic and having fun. There is a glimpse of his spy life but the focus is on his found family. So, there is no way that Loid will be willing to let them go once the episode is over. Spy x Family 1×15 may have put Anya and Bond at the center of it, but it was really about Loid and his struggle between his real life and his fake life. Does he know which is which anymore? Another thought, since Bond can tell the future, will he predict what happens to the Forger family at the end of Operation Strix? If only the anime would be just as fast at storytelling as the manga.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
- It was about time that Bond got his real name.
- Best reprieve from all the suspense and action from this anime’s last episode.
- No way in hell is Loid going to be able to let his family go after this. Man is going to retire from being a spy, I called it.
- Any and Bond were the partners in crime I didn’t know I needed in my life.
- Finally, another Yor-centric episode is coming up. It was about time we got more into her life.
