Most non-isekai anime have some ties to the real world, either they are fictionalized versions of real history or they are simply placed within a context that is entirely relatable. Spy x Family is no exception, and its ties to the real world are arguably more clear and more prevalent than even the average show. The cold war and the berlin wall were real dividing factors in Europe in the mid-1900s and the thinly veiled names for various aspects of this society demonstrate that that conflict is exactly what the creators were hoping to evoke. By referring to a real-world event the creators don’t have to work as hard in world-building and can instead focus that airtime on developing the characters and storylines more fully.
Spy x Family follows the story of agent Twilight as he attempts to create a family and infiltrate Ostania’s National Unity Party. Unfortunately for him, his adopted daughter turns out to be a telepath, and his selected wife an assassin. The three of them all work covertly to maintain the facade of a happy family, while also protecting their own secrets and working towards their own goals.
The Geography
Simply looking at the basic geographic structure of the Spy x Family world draws obvious parallels. Two opposing countries named Westalia and Ostania vie for control of the other. Making the connection even more obvious the capital city of Ostania is named Berlint, and this is where the majority of the show takes place. \
Historically the city of Berlin was conquered at the end of the war and divided into four quarters that loosely became two halves, the east, ruled by the SSSR, and the west ruled by England, France, and America. The Berlin wall was constructed, further cementing the divide and the two halves of the city played out a mock battle mimicking the power struggles of their respective allegiances.
The Society
Twilight’s wife Yor has a younger brother who works for the State Security Service, or the SSS, they function as a somewhat shadowy force that tortures potential spies and generally terrorizes the population in the name of national security. The obvious parallel to this aspect of society would be the Staatssicherheit or Stasi for short which was the cold war era secret police in East Berlin. They were notorious for invasive surveillance, and strict enforcement tactics.
Twilight for his part works for the Westalia Intelligence Services’ Eastern-Focused Division or WISE for short. He goes on nearly daily escapades to infiltrate various organizations, steal intelligence, and of course blend seamlessly into any society. This could be an effort to reference either MI6 or CIA agents as both realistically served the same role. He clearly represents the idealized version of how the West viewed their spies, though it is highly improbable that anyone of his fantastic skill truly existed in the real world. He can take on any face and any identity at a moment's notice. He can learn any information in a heartbeat so long as it is relevant to his mission, as evidenced by the penguins. Even the fact that he creates a very James Bond-esque figure, is itself parodied within the Spy Wars show that his daughter so loves to watch.
Why, and What, are the Implications?
By creating a world with so many direct ties to the real world the creators are able to avoid complicated world-building. Educated viewers are able to immediately conjure up images of McCarthyism and propaganda slander battles. Stark nationalism, extreme mistrust, and harsh xenophobia were trademarks of this era, so when Twilight worries about being caught they are able to understand exactly what drives those fears.
Instead of spending time developing a complex plot building up a believable student rebellion just for one episode, the creators were able to simply indicate that there was a student union and demonstrate through one conflict with WISE that they were functionally the German student rebellions that happened in the real world.
By aligning Twilight with the semblance of the West, Spy x Family also sets up the immediate feeling that Twilight is one of the good guys, and implies that eventually Westalia will win the conflict. Of course within war and history concepts like good and evil are a matter of perspective, it is widely accepted that in the conflict over Berlin the West was more just in its treatment of the citizens than the East.
This final resolution is unlikely to happen within the scope of the show of course, but it will likely be the direction that the finale points. In the real world eventually, the Berlin wall fell and the two halves of the city were reunited, under the West’s policies. Of course, this didn’t result in the world peace that Anya hopes will come of their mission, but it did bring a semblance of peace to the city after some time.