Spy x Family is an anime by Wit Studio (Ranking of the Kings, Vinland Saga) and CloverWorks |(|Fairy Tail, The Promised Neverland), which I watched on Crunchyroll and is written and illustrated by Tatsuya Endo
Come Friday, Spy x Family: Code White is the feature length animation coming to cinema screens, including some IMAX.
I really enjoyed the series. Suspend disbelief as I whisk you through the synopsis because the Forger family is a sham.
Loid Forger is a secret agent who needs to get close to an important figure in the dangerously tense international cold war through the means of a posh school the target is associated with. To do this, he found a woman prepared to pretend to be his wife and ‘rescue’ a young girl from the orphanage to be his fake daughter. Together, the Forger family aspire to get the fake daughter into the elitist school.
Yor Forger is the fake wife. She does not know Loid is actually the secret agent known as Twilight. Loid Forger, our secret agent, does not know Yor is actually an extraordinarily deadly assassin. This knowledge gap is Twilight’s biggest failure but also hinge the whole series rests on.
Anya Forger is the orphan. Guess what? Anya also has a secret, and it is even more remarkable as she’s a psychic on the run. As a young girl and psychic, Anya knows Yor and Loid’s secrets and thinks they’re both cool but does not always fully understand.
The success of the anime series is how well all this works. It’s not a fluke, as the manga was successful first, and the anime is based on that. Even Yor, often splattered by blood on her secret assassinations, is adorably dorky. The family is charismatic and the threat level real and wholesome at the same time.
What happens in Spy x Family Code: White
A spoiler-free summary follows.
We’re used to unlikely situations with Spy x Family, and as Code White kicks off Loid, Agent Twilight is about to be pulled from the secret mission. He’s now rather fond of Yor and Anya and unhappy about being moved off.
Equally, Anya needs help with a cooking competition at that elitist brute of a cool.
Somehow (just stick with it) there’s a way for Agent Twilight to remain as Loid Forger if Anya wins the cooking challenge. So, do we have intense cooking scenes? No. The Forgers decide to travel, to go on holiday, and to the land of origin for Anya’s chosen dish.
Somehow (again, just stick with me), things escalate until the fate of the world is involved.
Is Spy x Family: Code White as charismatically successful?
It helps if you already know and love the characters, but I do not think you need to know either the manga or the anime series to enjoy Code White.
If you know the characters, they’re their usual pleasing and charismatic selves. I suspect if you don’t know the Forgers then Code White has its work cut out to bring you onboard. You’ve just read how unlikely and important the Forger lie is and without being on board with it then much of Code White’s charm might be lost on you.
I don’t think Code White is as fun as the series, but it’s good against that high bar and worth your time. Fans should go see it.
What works in Code White? The Forgers family holiday is the ideal setting for secret hijinks. The family remains true to their personalities, Anya is never annoying, and there’s plenty of spy comic book action.
What does not work so well? There’s a whole poop chase which was both a little long and toilet humour rarely lands well with me.
The villains, as every James Bond-esq action comedy needs villains, are are a score draw. There are appropriately competently cruel and capable baddies for Loid to deal with as Agent Twilight and appropriately bungling and amicable fools for Anya to thwart. Yor, of course, doesn’t care and if provoked (only then) would cut her way through all types.
Overall
I’m glad I watched Spy x Family Code: White, and I like it. However, it’s not as lovely as the series.
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