The first episode of an anime series is hugely important, even when there's a significant fan community awaiting its release. The exciting thing is, that thousands of newcomers are going to drop in on Spy x Family and find their new favorite series from the first episode alone.
Spy x Family comes from the mind of Tatsuya Endo, previously best known for Gekka Bijin, and the manga has become a huge success. The anime is directed by Kazuhiro Furuhasi, who previously worked on the 1999 Hunter x Hunter series and the vastly underrated Mobile SuitGundam Unicorn. The characters have undergone an anime redesign, courtesy of Kazuaki Shimada, of The Promised Neverland fame.
Spy x Family is the tale of a staggeringly talented super-spy codenamed Twilight. The series is set in a world in which a pair of fictional nations are in a consistent state of cold war, leading to some 60s-style information warfare between the competing nations. Twilight is tasked with investigating the behavior of a reclusive diplomat and given a strategy to do so. The stoic and typically taciturn spy must put together a convincing fake family, get his newfound child into a high-tier school, and make his way into a social gathering, all within one week. To pull this off, he takes on the name Loid Forger and swiftly adopts the smartest kid at the local orphanage. Little does he know, his precocious new daughter Anya is a powerful mind-reader. The spy and the psychic are a fantastic duo from their first moments, and the show has established a beautiful status quo.
Spy x Family has comfortably snuck its way into a few genres with excellent results. It's a spy thriller first, an odd-couple family comedy second, and a heart-wrenching drama third. The story sets to work establishing themes right away, it's remarkably well-paced. The first episode has a masterful efficiency to it. The clever spy antics establish Twilight as a master in a handful of seconds, without ever making him feel immortal.
There's a slightly frustrating trend in modern anime of turning every protagonist into a god, but Loid is very soundly in the peak-human territory. Anya is absolutely adorable, always a moment or two ahead of where everyone thinks she is, but still very clearly a child. Her powers ensure that she's constantly underestimated, but her excitable nature keeps her grounded. Both characters come equipped with tragic backstories, but none of it feels played. Nothing is wasted, it's a near-perfect pilot for a show that's already picked up.
The show does have a straight action element, and while it takes a while to arrive, it is delivered with the fast-paced impact of a John Wick scene. The brief encounters are balletic, featuring some of the best-grounded combat in modern anime. Twilight moves with the grace of a more serious-minded Spike Spiegel, fighting isn't his first choice, but he does it with style. Fans who only tune in for the fight scenes will be happy, but they'll also be missing out on some of the most moving character interactions in the medium.
Spy x Family has built its beginning around the interplay of two deceptively simple characters. Both Twilight and Anya are destined to become beloved fan favorites in the upcoming anime season, and manga fans know that some more heavy hitters are on their way. The voice cast so far is stellar. Takuya Eguchi, probably best known as Soei in That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, portrays Loid with cold solemnity. When the time comes for him to raise his voice or react more heavily, Eguchi sells it well, and his more threatening tone is chilling. Anya is portrayed by Atsumi Tanezaki, who previously portrayed Vivy in Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song and Chise in The Ancient Magus' Bride, and she is stellar. She's been in the industry for around a decade, and she keeps racking up outstanding performances.
Spy x Family is one of the smartest anime premiering today, and it only takes one episode to see what all the hype is about. It's funny, intelligent, heart-wrenching, action-packed, and extremely well animated. The show looks beautiful, but it's got much more going for it than good looks. Anime fans of all stripes will fall in love with the Forger family. It's destined to be one of the high points of this season. Anime needs brilliantly executed new ideas to keep things fresh, and this is an absolute standout.
The Spy x Family manga is 61 missions in at this point, so once fans get hooked after episode one, there is a ton of great stuff on its way. As beginnings go, Spy x Family has established itself as one of the best anime spy stories and family comedies in just under twenty-five minutes.
Spy x Family Episode 1 is available to stream on Crunchyroll.