SPY x FAMILY

SPY x FAMILY (Incomplete)
[Full Review]
Wit Studio & CloverWorks
Objective Score: 10
Personal Score: 9.5
Season 1 (25)
Times Watched: 1
Action, Comedy, Slice of Life, Supernatural
Awards: Seal of Approval
Recent Changes: n/a
Similar to Komi Can’t Communicate, it was a massive deal in the anime and manga community that SPY x FAMILY was adapted into an anime at all. Not only that, but the show was placed into some pretty capable hands with CloverWorks and Wit Studio at the helm; two studios with incredible pedigree. The premise of SPY x FAMILY is absolutely hilarious and brilliantly crafted. A spy on a covert mission needs to gather a fake family to stop a war between two countries, but unknowingly adopts a child with mindreading powers and pretends to marry a woman who is secretly an assassin; and all of them need to keep their secrets from getting out, though that is easier said than done when Anya, the telepathic child, figures out both their secrets within seconds of meeting. SPY x FAMILY is downright hilarious with it’s comedic timing, and it’s only amplified with a premise that wholeheartedly welcomes the comedic misunderstandings that come with the show’s premise. Outside of the comedy, SPY x FAMILY’s storytelling is tight and precise. The characters are interesting and varied, especially the Forger family, and the character writing is second-to-none. The animation is smooth and clean with an amazing pastel color palette. Normal, everyday life for the Forger family is animated quietly while still leaving room for expressive faces and reactions. And when the show wants to let loose, it pops off with slick and smooth action with incredibly fluid animation. The sound design is also brilliant. The 50’s jazz background music is beautifully composed and stands out from the jpop soundtracks of most modern anime. It just perfectly fits the aesthetic of the show. Even outside of the stellar animation, hilarious comedy, and tight storytelling, one of the best aspects of the show is the voice acting. Each character has their own mannerisms and way they speak that helps their characters pop off the screen. Even minor characters are fully realized and are an absolute joy to watch. SPY x FAMILY does a great job sidestepping around stereotypical anime tropes that the immense popularity of the show could accidentally fall into. There is very little SPY x FAMILY offers that I could find problems with. It is a tightly written show with hilarious and realistic characters, fluid action, a hyper realized 50’s aesthetic, and gorgeous music direction. It is an absolutely joyous ride that I believe everyone can and will enjoy.