Everyone knows that parenting is one of the most difficult jobs on the planet — but Spy x Family by Tatsuya Endo takes it to a whole other level. Imagine you’re someone who has no experience with children – or normal, healthy human relationships for that matter. Then, imagine being forced to adopt a six-year-old child you’ve never met before and put on the façade that you have a real family. Oh, and the child happens to have psychic powers.
This is exactly what happens to Lloyd Folger (code name: Twilight), a spy helping to maintain world peace. He’s detached, indifferent, and doesn’t usually look out for anyone but himself. However, his spy agency orders him to adopt a kid, so the child can infiltrate an elite school. That’s where Anya comes along, a cute little girl with pink hair. Twilight adopts Anya because she seems intelligent, but unbeknownst to him, she can read minds.
This is where the hilarity starts. From the very beginning, Anya knows Twilight is a spy and frequently reads his thoughts, which causes many misunderstandings and problems – a.k.a. funny stuff. Honestly I think the mindreading aspect is one of the reasons this manga works so well. And to make things even better, Anya is adorable. Not only does she say or do bizarre (and funny) things, she adds a layer of cuteness to the manga. Between her shenanigans to precious “familial” moments, she has you going “Awww” constantly. But she’s isn’t just a moe blob. There is depth to her character – at least for a six-year-old.
Despite Anya’s knack for trouble, Twilight keeps her by his side. He says he feels no attachment and that he’ll eventually return her to an orphanage… but we all know that probably isn’t true. It’s great seeing how Twilight changes and opens up over the course of the story so far. Whose heart wouldn’t be melted by Anya?
But wait, there’s more. As part of his mission, Twilight also needs to get a wife. And though a strange coincidence, he ends up taking Yoru to be his pretend bride. Yoru was a single woman before meeting Twilight. Her younger brother urged her to be get married, so when Twilight asked her to pretend to be his wife, she went along with it. However, Yoru is anything but normal. She’s secretly a hitwoman. Yep, she kills people for a living, and, yes, her new daughter knows about it.
And although their jobs are somewhat similar, Twilight has no idea that his new wife is an assassin. But Anya does, thanks to her powers. The dramatic irony that ensues is hysterical. Twilight is always running off to some classified mission, Yoru instinctively beats people up, and Anya has to deal with all of this, being utterly confused along the way. It makes for some great laughs.
All of the contradictions help make this manga so comical. For example, Yoru (who looks harmless on the outside) can go from loving mother to an intimidating ass-kicker in the blink of an eye. In these kinds of crazy situations, the characters’ interactions, reactions, and expressions are hilarious. There’s also a layer of satire, especially when Anya starts preparing for school. The academy she needs to get into is an esteemed institution, and the three members of the “family” are anything but that. In other words, it’s making fun of social classes.
As the story progresses, it focuses more on Anya’s school efforts than spy stuff. Even so, it’s still entertaining. The writing in this manga is very strong. There’s a great balance of plot, comedy, and action. The character development is solid as well. We learn about Twilight’s and Yoru’s motivations, and we learn a little more about Anya too. And to top everything off, the manga is pretty political, which makes for a very interesting read.
Spy x Family is great. The characters are memorable, and the story is refreshing. Even though they all have such different personalities (and massive secrets), this fake family works. In their own dysfunctional way, they click. And if I haven’t made it obvious already, Anya is a precious bean. Whether you want some spy action, ridiculous comedy, or just some heartwarming family moments, you should read this manga. It’s so well-rounded that I think pretty much anyone will enjoy it. No wonder it’s become one of the most popular MANGA Plus series in such a short amount of time.