(Very minor spoilers ahead)
If you’ve watched the first cour of the first season, you’ll probably enjoy this. Maybe a little less so, but enjoy it nonetheless.
(Note: This review is primarily building on my previous review for the first cour of season one. Much of the show has stayed pretty consistent from this first cour, and so frankly there is not a ton of detail to discuss. I have also updated that previous review with a few extra thoughts, so feel free to check it out for more detailed context.)
Story: 8/10
The second cour of Spy x Family reiterates its primary conceit of a slice of life comedy with some spy action to boot, and it does it well. It’s essentially more of the same, and although this still means extremely solid material, too much of a good thing can get old—and the second cour does feel like it falls into this trap. Compared to the first cour, the second loses a bit of the magic, often content with mostly staying where it is. Even though there are several key plot developments in this second cour, and a handful of episodes really re-capture the pristine blend of goofiness and seriousness that makes Spy x Family great, overall it feels as if it has lost some of its luster. Perhaps there is almost too much slice of life, or episode plots seem to somewhat rehash previous situations. All that being said, don’t get me wrong—the show is still very funny, just perhaps not quite as magical as when it first hit. ~~(So in that sense I guess it’s kind of like drugs.)~~
Characters: 6/10
Once again, Anya plays the biggest role in the show, so once again the show hinges heavily on her. Loid also continues to be a great bedrock character. A few new recurring characters are also introduced in this cour, and they do their job. The dog is particularly funny.
My primary complaint about the characters in the second cour, however, which pretty strongly contributes to my feeling of sameness when compared to the first cour, is the continued lack of material with Yor. I went into the second cour wondering if Yor would get some more time in the show, but aside from a plotline between Loid and Yor that resulted in some comedic and one genuinely heartfelt moment, she didn’t get much, which is a little disappointing. Had this second cour given Yor’s character more attention, I believe it would have definitely helped distinguish the second half of Spy x Family from the first.
Visuals: 9/10
The second cour is basically the same as the first: top-notch visual comedy, fun action choreography, and solid animation. Some standout scenes were hilariously fantastic.
Audio: 10/10
For the second cour, although I didn’t pay nearly as close attention as I did for the first—no music breakdown this time, unfortunately—I was still able to pick up on much of the same colorful variety that I loved about Spy x Family’s music when I first watched it. Another brilliant job by the music team.
On the voice acting side, I wanted to highlight the amusing casting of Sakura Ayane in the gap moe character: hearing her deep voice range, reading ridiculous lines in mostly serious monotone, was honestly a little jarring but also extremely funny. Overall, the audio department is still stellar and definitely deserves recognition.
Enjoyment: 8/10
With the second cour, I got more of what I enjoyed in the first, and I’m happy with that. And even though I keep repeating it, and every time it sounds like it’s a negative, the fact that this second cour isn’t quite as captivating as Spy x Family’s initial presentation and hook really doesn’t mean it’s not worth watching. Perhaps it gets a little lower on the scale, but going from excellent to great is still plenty above the median, especially considering the second cour also did get overshadowed in the Fall 2022 season by several juggernauts. Just like when I got to know Spy x Family initially, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the show this time around as well.
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