Spy x Family 1×22 takes us back into Agent Twilight’s world and into a high stakes spy mission. Nightfall and Twilight need to go undercover to win a painting that hold dirty war secrets that could end world peace. To do that, they disguise themselves as a pro tennis couple who will win the coveted prize. But can Nightfall get over her infatuation with Twilight? This anime’s yandere will no anything to make sure that she wins Twilight’s affections.
This anime has been nothing but gold, but Nightfall’s depiction sometimes makes me wish I picked another anime to review weekly. Spy x Family is amazing, but could do better for its female characters – starting with Nightfall.
NIGHTFALL’S YANDERE VIBES
While I relate to Nightfall’s love for Twilight, her yandere personality is going to wear me out pretty fast. She fakes being husband and wife for this mission simply so he’ll see her as his wife. Like if he didn’t choose you in the first place, why keep trying? It would be great if Spy x Family had let Nightfall be someone who wanted to be like Twilight, but not because she was in love with him.
There are plenty of characters out there who admire and look up to another one. Those characters will make it their goal to be influenced by them, but the constant love and obsession with Twilight is unhealthy. It plays into a stereotype and eventually will fall flat. Good on Nightfall for winning the tennis matches, but Spy x Family 1×22 would have been more fun if it was more focused on the matches and less on Nightfall’s love for Twilight. Instead we’ve now got a competitition between Yor and Nightfall and that isn’t even the focus of the anime. Poor Yor is worried that Loid will replace her.
I’d rather Yor be more concerned with not getting caught for her side hustle as an assassin.
TAG TEAM TENNIS
Nightfall and Twilight need to win to get that painting and stop this dossier from getting out to the public. First, in order to do that they must win this underground tennis match. Somehow Nightfall’s yandere motivations are the reason why they continue to win their matches. I guess it takes a lot of motivation to win a tennis match. This episode was very reminiscent of any sports anime and made me want to rewatch bits of Haikyuu just for fun. This tag team killed it on the court and Spy x Family 1×22 showed why they’re a great pairing. If only Nightfall could get past her feelings…
Eventually, there was hope that Nightfall would redeem herself when Twilight reminds her not to push herself too hard for the mission. He has lost too many people that way. While she may view him as a love interest, she does remember that he is her mentor. She makes a point that the admiration she held for him did become feelings of love. But will she be able to see past that? Based on the preview for next episode, it seems that Nightfall will tell Yor something that will motivate her to continue being a good wife.
WHO WILL WIN?
Campbell, a rich aristocrat is the one running the match, he has his children in the match. Those are stakes he can control so he can keep all the antiques he puts out as a prize. Of course, because this tennis match is underground, any rules go. Meaning if you want to mofidy your racket or drug your opponents or dope yourself, it’s all fair game. While I’m excited to see if Twilight and Nightfall win with no advantages but their skills, I am worried that they won’t win.
In this case, Nightfall can’t sabotage their gear, even though she marvelously beat the team who did a muscle enhancing drug. At this point, I will root for her since it seems like she will to anything for Twilight. He is all about doing everything for the “sake of the mission,” so she will understand that. Not that I condone any athelete do anything so they can cheat during the game, but if Nightfall has a strategy up her sleeve, she may redeem herself in my eyes.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
- Twilight and Nightfall’s disguises are perfect and hilarious.
- It was great to see Yor but pretty sad to see her insecurities get the best of her.
- If I have to hear Nightfall say she loves Twilight one more time, I’m going to lose it.
- So are spies just naturally good at everything?
- I hope Yor stands her ground against Nightfall next episode.
Thanks for your review, Julia!
We were loving this show right up to the end of the Bond arc. Since then, it’s been really…lazy, and not very good. This episode in particular, aside from Nightfall’s really annoying crush (it was tiresome with Yor’s brother…why double it?), the two spies being better tennis players than folks training for decades just was silly.
That joke works for One Punch Man–because that IS the joke. But for here, it just means any stakes must necessarily be contrived, because there’s nothing grounding them.
Oh well. I guess we’ll finish out the season and then move on to something better. At least the show kind of gave us some resolution up to the Bond arc.