While the artistic mediums of anime and manga are known to frequently launch many of its most well-received stories into a worldwide cultural zeitgeist — recent examples include Chainsaw Man, 86, and Beastars — Tatsuya Endo's manga webcomic Spy x Family may be one of the most surprising. An anime adaptation was sure to follow the success of the series, and now, CloverWorks and Wit Studios have released the first trailer of what is sure to be the next big anime hit.
Spy x Family follows Loid, Yor, and Anya Forger — a seemingly inconspicuous husband, wife, and daughter, respectively — who harbor secrets about their past lives and occupations. Loid is an expert spy named Twilight, Yor is an assassin named Thorn Princess, and Anya is a test subject capable of reading minds. Furthermore, none of them know each other's true identity and must keep the truth of their own identities secret from one another. After years of espionage and secret activity, all three must face their toughest mission yet: living together as a 'family.'
Spy x Family's anime adaptation was announced recently, with the trailer releasing soon after, a sure sign of confidence in the project. The trailer shows off the onscreen character designs of Loid, Yor, and Anya, as well as the imaginative cityscapes of its setting. The trailer revealed that the series will air on Japanese television in 2022, though the trailer did not specify when in the 2022 anime season the series would premiere. However, it is worth noting that the recent trailer for Adult Swim's Shenmue: The Animation did not reveal its premiering season either.
CloverWorks and Wit Studios are two of the most prolific anime studios in Japan, and both studios are creating some of the most notable anime series of the current moment. CloverWorks is responsible for seasons one and two of Shonen mystery/thriller The Promised Neverland as well as series like Darling in the Franxx, Horimiya, and Shadows House. Meanwhile, Wit Studio is responsible for the global phenomenon Attack on Titan as well as series like Vinland Saga, Great Pretender, and Vivy: Flourite Eye's Song. In addition, the Spy x Family series is directed by industry veteran Kazukiro Furuhashi, who is known for directing the Rurouni Kenshin anime adaptation and many other series such as the 1999 Hunter x Hunter show and Dororo.
Since the Spy x Family manga began releasing chapters biweekly on Shonen Jump+ in 2019, the series has managed to break out among manga and anime audiences. This is all despite its experimental platform release and its status as a comedy series.
Spy x Family isn't the most obvious candidate for a breakout among the manga and anime fanbases, but the success it does have is surely a statement of its strong execution and its memorable characters. The anime is sure to delight old fans and bring in many new ones.
Spy x Family will premiere in 2022.
Source: YouTube | AnimeUS