Why We Love Spy x Family

[@Flyzo1993]

What makes Anya such a well written child character is that the author seems to understand that children arent dumb for being dumb, they're just living, judging and acting very intelligently but based on their extremely limited experience of life.

[@wildandbrey]

Children are very logical... They're just acting on their own special brand of logic :)

[@MugiwaranoTonyDStark]

That's so legitimately true.

[@princessthyemis]

yeah!

[@princessthyemis]

This is SUCH good advice for writing children characters!

[@tiffanyh629]

Absolutely! I work with kids on the daily and kids are absolutely brilliant in their dumb little ways. (And I mean that in the most endearing way). Adults are just bigger kids with way more life exp and dumb moments. I always compare it to a game, kids are the newcomers who will level up rapidly for the first few years then steadily gain more refined exp over the years.

[@CHEFPKR]

We have a Waifu. We have a Husbando. We have the most adorable character ever created.

[@warrirornunluv801]

It is balanced

[@ZaberZlayer7]

As all things should be.

[@hailmendoza6106]

And we havent even introduced the best dog ever

[@ZaberZlayer7]

Wait? THERE’S A DOG?!! This all of a sudden became awesome.

[@Doodlesthegreat]

@@ZaberZlayer7 It comes in around chapter 20 of the manga, so with a bit of luck we'll get to see puppers in the second course of the series this year.

[@unknownvariable9239]

Unironically I think it is a perfect anime for it’s genre. It’s so refreshing to have an anime with adult characters in a non school setting that doesn’t follow the typical boring anime tropes.

[@flockinify]

Half of it is set in a school though, the entire plot is to get with Batman's son.

[@danishsyed1068]

@@flockinify True but it's their kid in school not them and that is what is important

[@zekiel2533]

Agreed. The last series i remember like this in shounen is gintama.

[@slycooper2bandofthieves116]

@@zekiel2533 One piece

[@Exel3nce]

Thats true, but they also kinda feel like non adults if i am honest, due to the silly factor of the whole premise

[@envysart797]

I love how Anya basically contrives the family to get together *because* her telepathy let her know that Yor is an assassin, and she thought having an assassin for a mother would be really cool.

[@TheAngryMarshmallow]

"oooOHHHH how hard it is to live without a mama!"

[@JackgarPrime]

And she was right!

[@timothymclean]

@@JackgarPrime There are many topics that Anya knows absolutely nothing about. Coolness is not one of them. (Okay, she thought secret _police_ would be cooler than normal secrets, but I never said she was a coolness guru.)

[@christopherfleetwood5252]

To be fair… She’s ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!

[@Howardtheone]

"She's strong, but fails at everything else."

[@TacComControl]

The museum "boobies" scene is PERFECT. Seriously. Someone who wrote that scene had kids. Just the perfect beat count between "No yelling" "Okay" and "DADDY I CAN SEE HER BOOBIES" is... First off, perfect comedy, and second off, ANYONE with kids has experienced that EXACT complete lack of candor at least once in their child's lives. Whether it be a child saying "DADDY LOOK A PIRATE" when they see someone missing a leg, or "DADDY I CAN SEE HER PANTIES" about a woman in the grocery aisle in front of you with a short skirt, , or being at a zoo and somehow, the kid is the first person in the crowd to both notice and loudly announce that one of the animals in the exhibit is doing something inappropriate, or like.... a hundred other things. Seriously, everyone here with kids, chime in, you KNOW your kid's done some shit like this.

[@MattH88S]

I don't have kids of my own, but I volunteer and mentor children in... troubled homes situations. Kids really do just say some shit sometimes, lol. Just whatever pops into their little heads, no filter. As soon as they are comfortable around you, they hoist the sails and go into full-on pillage mode for every noticeable detail around them, and it's absolutely hilarious. Honestly one of the funniest things a kid has ever said to me was also an accidental savage burn on me, but it was so funny I couldn't even be mad. Basically came over to my house cause he wanted to play xbox after we were done throwing a baseball around, and I'm a bit more well off than his family so he was blown away by my home being bigger than his mom's apartment. The first words out of his mouth though were, "you live in this place all by yourself?" And I'm like, "yeah, I do," as I am single. Kid just replies, "that's so sad...," and in my head I'm just like damn kid, rippin' me apart over here, lol. But yeah, it was pretty funny so just started laughing and he didn't quite get why. Good kid. He also randomly tried to hook me up with gal that passed by us walking her dog while we were playing basketball by taking his shirt off and trying to pass to me for a dunk, which was also hilarious. Kid has no chill, it's great.

[@abdiabdi3225]

I don't have kids myself but I remember the completely stupid things I have said or done but I also seen so much from my little brother to my cousins you can see that exact same level of self awarness or control and sometimes its just funny enough to help me forget my issues for just a short blissfull time.

[@jeremygrandison1040]

Genius

[@JeffreyPiatt]

Megan Shipman delivered that line perfectly.

[@yaoibabe]

That's what I'm saying 😂

[@rowanatkinson3594]

Just throwing out that Yor's attraction to Loid also makes sense because, how couldn't you: look at him, he's perfect. Just to cover all the bases.

[@USSAnimeNCC-]

He a chad form what I know I only seen 2 episode

[@Nehfarius]

@@USSAnimeNCC- He's a massive chad with a kind heart and James Bond's job.

[@RaspberryMalina190817]

They honestly make one of the most attractive anime couples out there

[@D_Jilla]

@@Nehfarius honestly the word chad kind of insults how great he is.

[@hibiscuspetals02]

Loid also chugs his respect women juice every day and there's nothing more sexy than him defending sex workers right before proposing with a grenade pin like???? I'm a lesbian but mf you show me a man like that I'd flip so fast

[@geminielemental8800]

I'm just happy that Anya's favorite toy is a chimera. A lovely little these three things shouldn't be together but here their are. A wonderful metaphor of the current family dynamic.

[@kiramccain6310]

This is such an awesome point I love Chimera even more now

[@cjkorra23-k4s]

wow I never really thought of that. Good point! 😮

[@CatroiOz]

Oh shit

[@HaydrogenBomb]

No no. He's got a point

[@1ia802]

i dont get it

[@Emancy3]

One thing i love the most about this story is that Anya, even tho she's a child, she's not just some plot device to use to bring the main character and his love interest together. She's a full fledged character herself who's decisions do effect the storyline. She's not just a damsel in distress that needs protection. She's adorable but still actually thought out character who just so happens to be a child.

[@alchemistgamer2100]

You're whyte your opinion don't matter

[@justinalicea1590]

I disagree with that last point. Anya is a well thought out child character, not a well thought out character who happens to be a child. If she was the latter, she would be the genius that she tries to make herself out to be using her mind reading powers. But instead she is definitely a child who acts like one and commits great acts of stupidity because of it, which is a positive because she is in fact a child.

[@swans184]

Yeahhhh she’s so much better than like every other kid character in anime lol

[@GarethOfByzantium]

YES!

[@iKONCB]

agree... she is not like other esper kid that described as smart and always act like adult. she is still a child with a child mind that make her character more interesting.

[@Noroh____0]

Another angle I would be interested in hearing about is how Anya's telepathy is a metaphor for the sensitivity of young children to their environment. Anya has intense abandonment issues and an abusive past that would have left scars without telepathy, would have had her constantly looking for any hint that the rug would be pulled out from under her, and desperate to please lest she lose yet another home. Anya reminds me of the way children of abuse are hyper sensitive to other people, even if they misinterpret what they notice. In that way Spy x Family is an exploration in how those who grew up with abuse or trauma try to raise the next generation without exposing them to that trauma, and how that very act can create unease in relationships.

[@ChasquiSoy]

Exactly!! And that's just on Anya's side. Because Loid and Yoru explore the idea of the unrecognized hero. I'm so excited to see how the author will develop this

[@joakkar]

to be fair her telepathy is also a convenient plot device to not have one of the main characters be a confused orphan surrounded by people constantly lying to her. The fact she knows both her parents are murderers who are only together for convenience and is still somehow excited about it helps make the whole premise less cruel and lets you enjoy the comedy without the constant thought of Anya not deserving any of this on the back of your mind.

[@Noroh____0]

@@joakkar 100% true, not trying to deny that aspect, just thought there was a little more to tease out.

[@devforfun5618]

@@joakkar when i first heard about that anime "a spy adopt a child" i didn't get why people were so excited, then i watched the first episode and instantly loved it, because it fliped the script to "a telepathic kid manipulates a spy and an assassin into a false marriage for fun" it is like the parent trap, it is funny because of the naivete of the child, but also emotional because the child just wants a complete family

[@cesnaanida9235]

that my friend is an excellent point, from an adopted daughter that grew up in an abusive family

[@minotaur44]

Just a small note: Anya isn't six, she's "Six". As in "I'm totally six because that's the age of child you were thinking about needing when I checked with my telepathy" with lots of follow up details that mark this as totally being a lie.

[@wildandbrey]

Yeah I find it odd that people say she's actually six haha. Much more appropriate that the first word she ever says to Loid is a bald-faced lie lol

[@ruga-ventoj]

Yup, probably closer to the 4-5 Twilight orginally thinks she is, malnourished or not. The Orphan owner was also pretty sure she wasn't 6 but didn't care to double check. Which means she is has to school above her grade without a strong educational foundation.

[@chookie1703]

@@ruga-ventoj Despite her age maybe a lie, she did well enough to adapt and fool everyone who's technically older than her

[@CrazyAbdul1000]

I think she actually said in the anime that she is four didn't she? At least I think so. Could be wrong tho Edit: Not to Loid of course, but like, to herself or smth

[@Silver-gu8zd]

Yeah. Anya is heavily implied to be a 4 year old pretending to be a 6 year old because that’s the age Loid needed her to be if he was going to give her a home. She’s not dumb. She’s very smart for a 4 year old. Her brain literally isn’t as developed as the other children “her age” yet and she’s never had an education before. Which is a very believable reason for why she’s bad at schoolwork. She’s operating at a level beyond her age and beyond her experience AND it’s the most difficult school in the country.

[@Shadowreaper5]

Instead of saying Anya is addicted to Inspector Gadget I'd say she's instead addicted to James Bond The Anime, and the fact that we don't already have a James Bond anime is proof that we're in a dark timeline

[@edudmodnar4661]

I think we have a Young James Bond cartoon show...

[@noukan42]

Golgo 13? You had it for literal decades.

[@Shadowreaper5]

@@noukan42 Golgo 13 is about an assassin not a spy

[@noukan42]

@@Shadowreaper5 i never actually read it, but they often describe it as the japanese James Bond so i guess it still is the closest thing to it.

[@User-md3ul]

nononono it's not going to cross from tashtaste to here

[@ChengTeoh]

Anya's reaction faces always brings a smile to my face.

[@TheKeksmuzh]

Anyaface is so fucking wholesome it makes my teeth hurt

[@Yuki_Ika7]

except when she cries, then we all want to hurt whoever made her sad

[@ImaginaryAlchemist]

Same. It's why one of them is my current profile pic

[@flixytip4571]

I do wish she had a brother or sister with her for double the fun but it works

[@kyrohowe3156]

She's an icon, ngl ✨️

[@anenemystand5582]

Spyxfamily keeps triggering my paternal instincts but I've already bought to much milk and I am out of children to abandon.

[@christopherfleetwood5252]

Have you considered taking up smoking or lotto scratchers?

[@Emily-bp6qz]

thank you i needed a laugh today

[@rickchakraborty2087]

Don't tell me you are my dad-

[@EvilTomba42]

To forge something can mean to fake something, but it also means to create something. Coincidence? Maybe. But it makes their name perfect.

[@yurikuki]

I think a lot of writers struggle to make children likeable or bearable but Tatsuya Endo does a great job of making Anya such an awesome character. She's childish yet she's never annoying. She can also be smart for her age at times but it makes sense with her character story and she doesn't sound like those anime 10 year olds who can somehow solve murder cases and are mature af.

[@christopherfleetwood5252]

TBF the murder solving 10 year old was a de-aged young adult, if you mean Case Closed.

[@RGC_animation]

I think most writers nailed the childish part but really struggle on the "not annoying" part. (Ahem, Minions, ahem)

[@slevinchannel7589]

Anya, Loid, Yor, all very russian-sounding Names. You know, that means they'd maybe beaten-up in the USA, right? R-cism is on the Rise, so 3 Years after Asians were beaten-up to bravely battle Covid, we now have Putin being owned by People mobbing all with Russian-sounding Names,which in the greatest f-cking Irony does include foremost Ukrainians.

[@idontneedaname318]

She's annoying to her parents but not to the audience

[@goawaylaziness1157]

Little correction: Anya very likely lied about her age and she's actually 4 or 5 at best, so she's actually very bright for her age

[@bendavis9569]

Yeah I think the fact that the no formal education 4 or 5 year old can keep from failing out of school is very impressive.

[@sofistar-yt5dh]

@@bendavis9569 but they did make her study a lot at the facility, that's why she doesn't like to study

[@bendavis9569]

@@sofistar-yt5dh true. I can’t remember though was it actual school work they made her do? Or was it stuff to test and train her powers?

[@getheidea]

yeah i’m not sure about how it is in the anime but if i remember right in the manga, the group home guy says she’s 4, but anya hears in loid’s thoughts that he needs a 6 year old so she lies about her age

[@kerenaho1031]

@@getheidea sorry if this is rude but small correction: the guy at the orphanage doesn't say anything about her age, but twilight/loid guesses that she's 4 or 5 based on her looks. you're right about anya saying she's 6 because of her telepathy though

[@anthonylarocque7975]

Grenade proposal might be my moment of the year. Not just anime, it's such a perfect mix of comedy, action, and romance. Really, it encapsulates Spy x Family in one joke.

[@GreySeashell-j3m]

Oh gods your right.

[@USSAnimeNCC-]

Yeah it show how their compatible for each other lmao Edit: in order for a relationship to work you must have similar goals, interest and value and that doesn't mean your partner have to be alike to you it mean you gotta have something in common even when your opposite to each other

[@semanticman]

Dude, it’s sooo good, tbh I think it stands comfortably next to classic best moments like Luke and Leia swinging over the pit while being chased by stormtroopers.

[@Setsunako6587]

Facts. My gf and I were clutching each other on the sofa squealing, crying, AND laughing uncontrollably!

[@o76923]

I also love that it's a payoff to a red herring from earlier in the episode and that even if you spoil it by showing that scene, there's still a surprise twist about it that the viewer won't know about until watching it.

[@cheetonips6399]

As a design and furniture nerd, this show is amazing! its set in “definitely not Germany” in a period similar to the one of the Bauhaus that operated in the 20’s and 30’s (literally in between wars just as in the show) creating modern design as we know it today! The couch Anya is seating on is a George Nelson Marshmallow couch, the family’s living room is made up of le Corbusier LC chairs, Barcelona chairs and an Arco floor lamp. The backgrounds are beautiful to look at and those are details and references that could’ve been completely left out, but they make sense, a man as tasteful or trying to appear as such like Twilight’s Loid Forger persona would definitely furnish his home in the latest design and aesthetic. Anyway, check out the design pieces they’re all pretty interesting in their own right!

[@irfan8702]

Do an essay on it please

[@gloriac.266]

YES I was so impressed by the covers and even more impressed by the dedication the background artists put into the art deco wallpapers and lattice flooring. which makes sense that internal home structures would hold over from the 20s-30s art deco movement while the furnitures are updated to 60s Mid century (the Forgers even have a picture of Eames chairs LOL) Love when a series has fully realized art direction

[@IONATVS]

I’d actually describe it more specifically as “definitely not Cold-War-Era Vienna”. Vienna was famously known as the “City of Spies” in the period because it was the capitol of a neutral country with dozens of important embassies, and, most importantly Austria’s anti-espionage laws ONLY applied to spying on AUSTRIA, so even if you were caught red-handed, your enemies’ only options were to escalate to assassination (not generally a smart move in geopolitics with other powerful nations) or just put the spy on a watchlist and move on.

[@hibiscuspetals02]

I honestly wish I had enough historical and architectural knowledge to point these kinds of things out by myself, but imma need someone to do a full essay or video on it with comparison pictures and whatnot because I do love interior design

[@andrewkful]

Geoff makes a perfect point. Somehow the aesthetic of the manga and anime are at once firmly 1960's but also modern times, they're pretty timeless designs.

[@UGNAvalon]

It just occurred to me how meta this video essay is. “Gag manga allow their writers to sneak in explorations of serious themes & dramatic moments Without losing their audience along the way! And counterintuitively, those moments end up Hitting Harder!” _Proceeds to make a video analysis about writing tricks & historical manga trends under the guise of a comedic anime review._

[@SSDexter99]

You could even apply that to Marvel's quipiness. It is easier to cry with someone after you have laughed with them.

[@RGC_animation]

The first half was better, yeah.

[@capnandy462]

The Loid/Yor romantic comedy aspect is big too, I think. They’re simultaneously running a will-they-or-won’t-they, a meet-cute courtship, and a Mr. and Mrs. Smith married-couple-as-cover-story-but-we-ended-up-with-real-feelings.

[@RGC_animation]

Why-do-you-add-hyphens-between-every-word?

[@belladee591]

i think it’s also notable that apart from being great love-interests for each other, they’re great and supportive friends which adds to their chemistry

[@agentundercover]

Fake relationships r one of my favourite romantic tropes, so yes its definitely keeping me invested lol

[@Turtlewax63]

The manga also really sobers up whenever war is seriously discussed. The recent flashback to Twilight's childhood was brutal, even without showing anything directly. Serious moments like that hit so much more when all the humor is suddenly gone.

[@ChaosSepher]

Because of Recent Events a liveblogger I follow covering the manga considered putting on hold for a bit. Was pointed out to em that this series talks about war in ways that *should* be talked about, especially because of Recent Events.

[@andmos1001]

War is hell, and recent events just amplify how true this statement is

[@katiewright3309]

@@ChaosSepher who is the live blogger?

[@wildandbrey]

The part with Sylvia talking to those college kids... Absolutely fuckin brutal

[@abdiabdi3225]

@@wildandbrey that goose bumps all the talk of no more war before that felt like a cheesy james bond style story but that moment cut through the bullshit in a way I didn't think the manga ever would.

[@dark_fusion1288]

If you want a reason to read the manga; there is a chapter where Yor gets *really* drunk and *really* tries to prove she is Loids wife...

[@KiraNightV]

You are a menace to society. Thank you.

[@Turtle_time47]

isn't that the chapter where she socks him in the chin?

[@michaelavrel6710]

Is that the chapter with her brother,?

[@dark_fusion1288]

Chapter 12/13 for anyone who's wondering!!

[@kyallon1213]

Please tell me drunk yor is a recurring bit

[@MrGksarathy]

My favorite part about Spy x Family, aside from the Twilight x Yor shenanigans, is the little kids and how realistically they act. They are more like real six year olds and not the typical anime precocious children.

[@GreySeashell-j3m]

I LOVE THE SCHOOL SHENANIGANS 😆

[@hibiscuspetals02]

This!! As someone with a six year old at home, it's impressive how much of him I see in Anya occasionally. We're both neurodivergent and Anya had that adhd familiarity to her (despite her case being, y'know, reading other ppls minds while also being Six) and I was genuinely impressed by how much she acts like an actual child, because in anime you'd usually expect a Small Adult that the author wants to convince us is a kid

[@Пинагод]

@@hibiscuspetals02 The other children as well. Each of them were forced to become more mature than they should be yet Anya, being raised and doesn't want to be forced into learning or maturing, truly brings out the genuine childish aspects of these children. Without her, I don't think these children wouldn't have as much fun as they would've had in that school - Especially Damien. I'm no manga-reader but it's clear that Damien has a lot of pressure on him that his father wouldn't even show up to his parent-student conference, so having a crush on Anya made the most sense to me. Anya is unpredictable, unsophisticated, immature, and most importantly, childish, all aspects he never got to experience in life. Anya simply being Anya, a person who obviously isn't meant to belong in his structured yet suffocating life, naturally leaves a big impact on him. God I love that ship so much, it also perfectly shows how annoying it is to have a crush. Your crush could literally just be existing and you could still lose your breath over it. It's bringing out some painful memories. Also the other children are amazing as well. Becky, while wants to be friends only to improve her intelligence, still in the end cares about Anya and doesn't mind making herself mature if Anya doesn't seem to be - and to her credit, it's mature. And the other two kids that are always with Damien are great themselves, the dodgeball episode truly shined on their childishness and overall personality outside of being the 'bossman's friends'. Even if at times that they're secondary characters, when the show's focused on them, they truly shine.

[@allisonsnyder2998]

When they say Yor's name in Japanese is Yoru which means night. I kind of wish they would have kept it as that so we get Twilight and Night.

[@timothymclean]

There's a fine line between "maintaining the spirit of the text" and "changing the text," and I'm not surprised what side the localizers decided on. Also, "Night" doesn't sound like a real name and doesn't match the lip flaps.

[@Umekopyon]

​@@timothymclean There's also the fact that the in-universe language is English (or, eh... sometimes leaning towards Japanglish) and her name is literally spelled "YOR" in the Japanese version of the very first chapter she appears in, before the localizers ever had a chance to lay their hands on the title. Authorial intent trumps all.

[@floatytrouty]

Yor's og name supposed to be Yolanda Briar/Forger but it's quite hard to spell and pronounce in Japanese so Tatsuya Endo shorten it into Yor/Yoru Briar/Forger and btw her name is written in Katakana so her name is definitely not mainly meant as night in Japanese but the shorten version of Yolanda.

[@Vschozo]

Whoever edited Anya at @6:05, please give them a raise, I nearly choked on my laughter

[@Fitzgeralduh]

😂😂😂

[@galaxymeowgirl7740]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 Heh🤣🤣🤣 Love that scene

[@senpaik_]

RIP to all those people saying it’s “overhyped” and “mid” just for attention and think they’re cool. People are drawn to this anime for a reason. No amount of bad shit you spit to this anime will stop it from becoming people’s favorite anime.

[@praigeki]

I bet when Yuri is introduced they will bark like crazy about incest or whatnot just to look relevant.

[@whyyoumadbro2370]

There's an entire channel that talked trash about this lol. The comment section is filled with people calling it "cliche overhyped garbage like aot and one piece" these people were literally complaining that their fav mangas which almost no one heard of aren't getting an anime adaption and that these "inferior" anime shouldn't be getting an adaption in the first place. I honestly thought it was satire until I realized everyone seemed super serious lmao.

[@GreySeashell-j3m]

@@whyyoumadbro2370 wow. Better steer clear of that community.

[@GreySeashell-j3m]

@@praigeki I already see people complaining about it in the manga websites. And I'm honestly surprised they don't realize Yuri being a siscon is exactly the satirical joke of the trope (they overdid it for a reason). The manga doesn't take itself seriously with it, so they shouldn't too.

[@branastasia8013]

@@GreySeashell-j3m Oh yes, especially considering Anya’s reaction to the whole ordeal. Definitely an over exaggeration

[@ah-hyunsuh5026]

For what you said on 3:54-4:06, I will add that in one of Manga volumes (Volume 6 if I remember correctly), Tatsuya Endo added an author's note: "I draw this manga with the idea that it's set in the sixties or seventies, but it ends up as a mishmash of the present and past. This happens because I frequently have to ask myself if something existed during that time period, and if I can't find the answer, I just shrug it off and think, "Well, this is a fictional country...".

[@E.h.a.n]

That's actually a really food thought process..

[@clarencejohnson8964]

So cool! ワクワクw

[@Пинагод]

That's such a great thought process for someone writing fantasy. Holy crap.

[@TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

Dare I say it might be my favorite anime this season, the first 3 episodes got me to read ahead in the manga simply from the first impression it made on me.

[@mothersbasement]

Who's your favorite character in the manga so far?

[@gavinlahousse860]

Well, besides Yor (because Yor), Fiona cracks me up big-time. The scene where Anya reads her mind and just gets (TWILIGHT I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU) made me laugh out loud. The poor girl has no idea how outclassed she is.

[@timothymclean]

@@mothersbasement Not my absolute favorite (that's Anya), but I look forward to the day Twilight encounters Daybreak again.

[@bobshnitzel2608]

@@timothymclean Nightfall x Daybreak crack shipper here

[@TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

@@mothersbasement I really like Yor a lot, so I’m gonna have to stay loyal to her

[@BingBangPoe]

I like to think that Spy X Family has a similar appeal to Pixar's The Incredibles: both feature a family of not-your-average-human-beings who are trying to live a normal life while balancing their secret lives as spies/assassins/super-heroes. It just works. And I'm really happy to see Spy X Family being so successful; I hope it inspires animation studios to go after more creative stories instead of sticking to the typical formula of shonens and shojos you see out there (not to mention the wave of ecchi isekai). Also, huge thumbs up for your analysis and deconstruction of shonen VS gag. Amazingly well done.

[@SleepySTEIN-103]

He was actually using the theme of Incredibles right at the end if u listen

[@absurdturk]

I feel that's a loose comparison, but I kinda agree. Yeah, I wish there were more anime that come out that had at least SOME passion put into it. Like, Re: Zero is an anime I think is terrible, personally speaking. But like...I respect Re: Zero for TRYING to be good, for trying to have passion. I'd rather there be 10 anime every season that have the care put into it like Re: Zero, even if they suck, then another damn bland isekai that doesn't even TRY to be good. A lot of anime that come out are so obviously bad or bland that I can tell if an anime has some passion put behind it based on how generic the MC looks at this point. I'm not kidding. I don't have a problem with the mere existence of ecchi/harems. My problem is how those anime are typically done terribly.

[@almalayuwiyyah2512]

@@absurdturk we have to blame Sao. Root of all problem. Because of them. Isekai become a cheap way to make money in the 2010s. We have move away from sci-fi Mecha to Isekai fantasy. We have to have another revolution to takedown Isekai fantasy. I think the current trend is toward horror revolution with jjk, chainsaw man,demon slayer. You loon at shonen jump. It gear toward horror nowadays.

[@Nehfarius]

@@almalayuwiyyah2512 That doesn't absolve the crappy authors from being crappy authors and making such crappy works.

[@ExtremeMadnessX]

@@absurdturk Executioner and her way of live is great isekai where they totally take entire concept and totally change every typical trope.

[@jerseyfrill]

My partner and I were talking about what it was that we loved about spy x family and we realized that each of the characters are essentially dealing with the normal problems that people in their familial role would deal with just in a funny extreme way. Yor (mother) is balancing the the expectations and perceptions of the people around her with what she wants out of life. She’s soft and caring but also fiercely protective. Loid (father) is literally balancing work and family. He has high expectations for himself and the people around him and has to be careful not to be overbearing or cold. Anya (child) is more intelligent and perceptive than the adults in her life give her credit for but ultimately doesn’t have the skills and experience to communicate what she knows. Even Yuri is like the archetypical in-law waiting for Loid to slip up. It reminded us a lot of how Mob Psycho uses these extreme powers to essentially tell normal coming of age experiences.

[@kevinkijowski5980]

I really like how loid and yor sincerely encourage/support each other when it comes to parenting and other things. Yor has low self-esteem when it comes to being a good mother and wife but loid reassures her with what he actually thinks. Yor does the same for loid and whether he knows it or not, he is sincerely appreciative of it. I won't say anything else for story reasons but that's the way it seems to me from being caught up with the manga.

[@andreay9935]

Yes, I agree both hold each other words with so much value.

[@chookie1703]

The way I see it, Loid helps Yor by looking through his own experiences with his colleagues and especially his mother.. because that's the only emotional attachment he ever had. On the other hand, Yor will look through her experience with raising her brother alone.. because that's the only family she once had. Loid talks about self development and motivation while Yor talks about affection and parenting. This kind of dynamic just fit so well for both of them

[@carbodude5414]

I'm really liking how media nowadays no longer hold any kind of stigma against adopted families Gone are the days where being adopted is something to be ashamed about

[@HarmonyEdge]

Sad though that a few in twitter still like to sexualize any form of fatherly affection...

[@jacquesdaniels2435]

@@HarmonyEdge and TikTok.... ughh I really hate them..like seriously it's so wholesome why people needs to taint it..

[@nousername191]

Thank the heavens. I hate that stigma.

[@absurdturk]

Being adopted was considered a shame?

[@tonywebb1403]

@@absurdturk I have never heard that either maybe he thinks that because it can be traumatic when a adopted Child finds out later in life

[@Timbeon]

The tangent about gag manga reminds me that Squirrel Girl is canonically the single most powerful being in the entire Marvel universe

[@HazeEmry]

I don't intend to read Marvel's mountains of comics to look for Squirrel Girl info so is there any chance you could share a list as to why that is? Last I heard is that Spiderman was supposed to be the best hero

[@BroadwayBrittany]

@@HazeEmry Squirrel Girl is the gag character of the Marvel universe. She plays by Roger Rabbit/Bugs Bunny rules. Doesn’t matter who she’s up against, she’ll come out on top. Why? Because it’s funnier.

[@Swiminatub]

@@HazeEmry she’s beat a various amount of characters like Thanos, Galactus, Dr Doom… basically all the big baddies that normally need a full team she’s done it on her own with her squirrels

[@miscalotastuff733]

Two marvel characters I still read is deadpool and squirrel girl. Spidernan when he isnt in clone ir weird territory.

[@28kingofkings]

Anya's actually smart for her "real" age. even though Anya barely passes her classes given the intensity of Eden Academy's curriculum, the fact that Anya is getting passing grades show how smart Anya really is. also, Endo-sensei made sure that Anya's powers do not help her in her classes, Anya's grades are the fruits of her own hard work

[@RGC_animation]

Maybe I've missed that part but how exactly does Endo-Sensei prevent Anya from telepathically getting the answer from other peoples mind?

[@28kingofkings]

@@RGC_animation Endo-sensei has a variety of ways of preventing Anya from using her powers during the entrance exam, Anya tries to read the other kids minds to cheat but all the kids are panicking, she ends up using what Twilight taught her to pass the exam the one time Anya did read one of her classmates minds, she read the wrong one, and failed the exam, she was planning on doing it again but upon reading Twilight thoughts about a sudden 0 to 100 improvement in her grades in a very short time might make her classmates resent her the biggest power nerf is during a new moon or an eclipse. its not shown in the Anime yet, Anya has exams coming up, (Midterms I believe) which happens to be during a new moon. Anya loses her powers during that time, and can't read her classmates minds and copy their answers TLDR: its either Anya reads the mind of the wrong classmate, or the mind is out of focus and panicking, or the exam happens during a new moon or an eclipse

[@ButterflyScarlet]

@@28kingofkings It also makes sense because she's very young. An actual teenager might be more likely to calm down and cheat effectively because their frontal lobe is better developed. Anya whines about peanuts, unironically believes in Bondman, and genuinely believes that befriending Damien = world peace.

[@thatoneundertalefanatic]

@@RGC_animation another detail. When in a crowd,the amount of people can overwhelm her.

[@socriabbas454]

Not only that, remember when she actually tried to cheat her way in her entrance exam? turns out the rest of the students are actually dumb. The fact that she barely passed that where a real 6 year old failed should tell you something about Anya's intelligence

[@Tanksoldier4]

Judging Anya intelligence so harshly is unfair, she isn't actually six, she told a lie so Loid would take her. Also she had no real education beyond what she got from the lab, so her social intelligence is currently overly specialized. Everything else is on point.

[@Пинагод]

I don't think he was being unfair - He was being truthful and only exaggerates for the sake of comedic intervals. Of course she's stupid - She's a child who hasn't experienced much, and we're stating stupid in a perspective of an adult. He still highlights what makes Anya conventionally intelligent for a child once actually being serious with introducing her character.

[@RGC_animation]

@@Пинагод The fact that she passed the exam which was intended for children 2 years older than her without cheating shows how intelligent she is.

[@1ia802]

shes smart but doesnt take school seriously whatsoever, but overtime she will become extremely intelligent i must say

[@Sootielove]

It's just so comforting to me. There's violent and dark aspects to the series but the core of the story is finding familial love. It's so cute and well written

[@binky011]

Well, the most obvious means is that Loid and/or Yor are exposed (to the other, possibly to everyone else) as what they really are. That, or Loid's mission succeeds despite all the odds, and he's faced with having to say good-bye to these people he's spent so much time with and grown close to.

[@a.b.390]

@Awawawa CM wow this is spot on. Favourite comment I’ve read from on this video

[@ShadeSlayer1911]

@@binky011 "Twilight, we need you to eliminate the assassin known as Thorn Princess." "Thorn Princess, your next target is the spy known as Twilight."

[@rimurutempest4945]

Honestly, if they had just copied the manga page by page, then I’d be happy. But man, they went even further beyond that and gave it their all. Especially the fight scenes, god, they really went all in.

[@timothymclean]

I'd have been disappointed. Komi-san isn't a _terrible_ adaptation, but a frustrating fraction of the anime feels like it sticks too close to a literal adaptation of the manga for its own good. Good manga panels don't always make good anime shots (especially ones which involve motion or text boxes). It sometimes feels like the Komi anime is coasting on production values and source material, which is disappointing. I've never felt that way about Spy×Family, though! I reread the entire series after watching the first episode, so I noticed lots of little changes to environments and dialogue and such that work a little better in animation, and plenty of details that _couldn't_ exist in manga and add a bit of extra _oomph_ to scenes that could be kinda dull in a temporally-locked medium.

[@rimurutempest4945]

@@timothymclean Yeah, they really took advantage of the medium and even expanded upon chapters we have already read. This is definitely not one of those adaptations where the manga is unanimously better, because the anime also offers a different and new experience compared to reading the manga, so they’re both great experiences.

[@bobbenson6825]

Anya showing the apartment to Yor was a great anime-only treat.

[@StrikeNoir105E]

@@timothymclean This is also why the My Dress Up Darling adaptation is so great: they don't just religiously stick to the source material, they use the advantages of animation to bring scenes and events up a notch. As an example, that scene where Gojo tells Marin that she's "beautiful", in the manga it was just presented over a white empty background and just using panel cuts for dramatic effect; in the anime however, they used the effect of the train passing underneath a tunnel and plunging it into darkness to allow for a seamless transition into a flashback that occurred the night before, and the subsequent return to light that perfectly accompanies the.. enlightenment that Marin has at that moment.

[@toddclawson3619]

@@timothymclean I do agree with this. The anime-original scenes such as Anya claiming to help clean or cook only for Loid to flat-out refute her were hilarious and felt very in-character. It gives people that already know the manga new content to be excited for while telling a story they love through a new medium.

[@TheUlf]

One of the things I love about Spy x Family is how very clear its thesis is and how very well it understands it. It's spelled out on the first pages of the manga (and the intro to episode 3, for those who're only watching the adaptation). Or rather, the first part of the it is spelled out there, and the rest is shown to us over the whole course of the series. That is: everyone has inner lives and secrets that no one else will ever know or maybe even ever be able to understand, *but that doesn't we can't still from meaningful connections and build real trusting and loving relationships.*

[@EclipseDoesArt]

Another thing about Yor’s characterization that’s absolutely awesome is that, for me as an autistic person, it’s deeply relatable in a way that I’m not always able to verbalize or explain to my allistic family. Her moments of “I know they’re making fun of me but I don’t know why, I thought I did everything right”, especially in episode two, both make me feel incredibly seen and give me something I can show my parents and say “that’s how I feel, that’s my experience”.

[@cadethumann8605]

Finally, someone who likes Yor for reasons other than "waifu".

[@EclipseDoesArt]

@@cadethumann8605 don’t get me wrong, I’m also super gay so there’s that too XDD there’s just a lot of reasons to love her!

[@cadethumann8605]

@@EclipseDoesArt Tell me about it. Most people just gush about her attractiveness without exploring other human aspects. I'm tired of this soullessness in anime communities.

[@EclipseDoesArt]

@@cadethumann8605 I think it comes down to curating your space… most of what I see is people gushing about how badass she is and how funny her character moments are. Also, to fully clarify the “super gay” thing: I am a lesbian. I am attracted to her in addition to loving her as a character. (Sorry if it seems like I’m repeating the obvious here, I just hit really nervous about that statement being misinterpreted 😅)

[@cadethumann8605]

@@EclipseDoesArt It's okay miss. Autism can be tricky to deal with. I am diagnosed with it as well (well, my parents say it is only slight but I tend to think differently from the crowd). I understand that you're also attracted to her. One thing I can say about her appearance is that she at least looks dignified and cool (many female characters wear outfits that look ridiculous and awkward). I just wish that people look past the outer shell. After all, we all age and no longer look springy. It's the inner being that makes the person. Maybe you're right that Yor is also enjoyed for her funny or cool moments. But I wonder about more significant elements that involve the human condition, like hopes, fears, hobbies, and other things. One thing I just hope is that she gets many moments to shine down the road. I am aware she gets an arc but I hope there's more (according to someone, chapter 42 to 56 is rather disappointing because it builds up to a dire threat only for it to anticlimactically end with "humor"). I want this character to reach full potential.

[@BOS_C.O.]

Also helps that Spy x Family exists at the perfect zone in both genre and plot where you could honestly recommend it to anyone of all ages

[@gydorack]

Fruit's Basket is a good example of the gag manga supremacy theory. A silly show about cute boys that turn into even cuter animals when a girl trips and accidentally hugs them should not have made me weep, but it did multiple times.

[@rootbourne4454]

I feel like Saiki K is a really good example for it as well. It’s a really funny show and it’s few genuine emotional moments really hit me like a truck.

[@lishark843]

How is that everytime i discover something about Fruits Basket it just gets more confusing

[@ashleylorenzo9935]

THIS

[@GreySeashell-j3m]

@@lishark843 fr

[@zennvirus7980]

So are the mangas Binbougami Ga! (Good Luck Girl, in English) and Twin Star Exorcists by Yoshiaki Sukeno. The first is predominantly comedy with a few well-placed darker moments to ground it up, while making the cast endearing despite their... (in-story) flaws; and the second is its near perfect mirror: a dark and cruel plot sporting choice moments of enjoyable comedy to take the edge of some of the messed up things the cast has to deal with, past present and future. AND both are Jump products, so Jeff's point is proven again.

[@MPerMinute]

This manga started right after I found out I was having a baby girl. Reading a manga about family hijinks really hit at the perfect time in my life. Love SpyxFamily

[@bobbenson6825]

baby girls are the best.

[@Turtle_time47]

@@bobbenson6825 they truly are

[@hiroipip]

congratz

[@synaesthesia888]

I hope you named her Anya

[@ajaythecreeper9513]

@@bobbenson6825 📸🤨

[@JorgeLRojas-95]

I've never found a way to describe how much I love Geoff's way of narrating - not just his voice, but especially how he writes. I want to read a book from you Geoff; but not the typical KZbinr niche-centric normie guide. I want a novel series written with this amount of nuance and attention to detail

[@mothersbasement]

That's one of my big life goals, actually! Just gotta make time to write it...

[@JorgeLRojas-95]

@@mothersbasement excited to see what the future holds for you. You deserve so much

[@therussianprincess7036]

I second the notion! You always provide a great narrative with great comedic elements and compelling points. I love your video essays and I agree with the above comment that your style would lend itself nicely to writing.

[@wastedinspiration]

@@mothersbasement saw the comment, and saw that you replied and clicked hoping I'd see you say "turns out I secretly finished my novel!" (What, I can dream, can't I?) I'm disappointed you didn't pull a Sanderson on us, but if you do write a novel in the future, I'll buy it! (I'll buy the audio version, too, if you narrate!)

[@avataraarow]

@@mothersbasement that’d be awesome man! I’ve been in the same boat, have some novel ideas floating around but haven’t gotten around to much outside of world building yet. You should totally start writing and then make me feel guilty for not doing the same!

[@ajdynon]

The whole gag manga tangent makes me think of Joel Schumacher’s quote, “They’re called comic books, not tragic books.”

[@1mol831]

I guess gag mangas lose against old school Disney. What they once were. Remember Mickey Mouse? It has turned into something beyond story.

[@GamerBoss-zz6xp]

My favorite episode of the anime so far is the one where Loid, Yor, and Franky decide to celebrate Anya's acceptance into Eden Academy, and I love that episode because it takes a moment in the manga that was like two pages long into an entire episode that is so entertaining to watch! The idea of the family faking an entire episode long rescue mission just for the sake of Anya is so sweet, and the fact that they get like 20 agents on board with it, while the agents are thinking that they are contributing to something very serious is so hilarious. If there's any manga only's out there for this series, at least watch the episode where they celebrate Anya's acceptance, since it adds so much to an otherwise forgettable moment. I think it's episode 6 but I could be wrong

[@joshhale9355]

I don’t watch a lot of heavily hyped anime, but Spy x Family didn’t look like a typical extremely hyped show. I watched it, and I’m hooked. Sometimes hype can make me feel underwhelmed by a show, but this was deserved. It’s cute, it’s funny, Anya’s faces are made for reaction memes for the next decade, and then you get some amazing action because dad’s a spy and mom’s an assassin so duh. And that 3rd episode, my jaw dropped at the end of the meeting. This probably won’t be topped for show the year.

[@tdmc6428]

Maybe it’s the areas I hung around, but I basically didn’t see any hype for Spy x Family. I heard it was something to look out for but not much else. On the other hand, the shikimori anime was unbelievably overhyped anime, I saw it everywhere

[@iKONCB]

me too , i also have this spesific genre that i like in anime and i don't usually watch trending and hyped series. but, i l'm glad i watch spy x family

[@MyLittleGreenHairdedMermaid]

I dont watch hyped anime cause im too good for all of you and have to to make it known 🤣

[@UnbakedParrot]

2 things: 1. Having watched you for....forever....I appreciate the increase in One Piece references ever since you finally started that series. 2. That GFuel ad was nightmare inducing. And I LOVED it.

[@justintiamson8973]

To emphasize just how popular this anime is, there were a crazy amount of Yor and Anya cosplayers at the local cosplay events here in the Philippines and the anime has only been airing for a month. It definitely hit something with the people to be this popular.

[@dominiccenteno1233]

Saan yan boss?

[@justintiamson8973]

@@dominiccenteno1233 SM MOA

[@whyyoumadbro2370]

Woah, must be in Manila I'm guessing? Don't see much people really doing that here in Iloilo hehe

[@theotherohlourdespadua1131]

@Tin Watchman They work fast. Know a cosplayer in Cagayan De Oro that can make a kimono in under a week...

[@theotherohlourdespadua1131]

@Tin Watchman They work fast. Know a cosplayer in Cagayan De Oro that can make a kimono in under a week...

[@mysticdragonwolf89]

“Yor is as innocent as a cinnamon roll tasting blood” That…is one way to describe her

[@justsomeguy2825]

Loid has plenty of experience "Romancing" women as part of his Job. Being a committed Husband and Father are concepts foreign to him, as his Job as a spy forbid any meaningful connection with anyone. And given that Yor and Anya are unlike any women or child he's encountered, it makes his building a relationship with them all the more interesting. Especially given that Yor and Anya both are trying to come off as normal when they obviously aren't.

[@darby2314]

Your Gag Manga rant, specifically the parts about using Humour to pull in people for honest emotional moments, reminds me so much about what made Bojack Horseman so enjoyable and powerful. Much like the Gag Anime it is full of ridiculous humour, face palming gags, and animation, but it uses the attachments built from entertainment to get you exploring the dysfunctions within the human condition.

[@MrRilarios]

I agree fully with yout statement... The part about bringing John Carpenter to direct the "real life" abortion ducumentary had me in stitches for days

[@Humanshield11]

I appreciate the editing on the tea scene to highlight how often Anya was grabbing sweets. I LOVED that scene so much because there’s a talk going on but out of the corner of your eye you see this child just go ham for the cookies.

[@midnights2631]

As someone who loves sweets, I do the same thing

[@fanaticfrancis4163]

It's refreshing to explore the professional world where for once in a while we don't need progression through the medium of power/magic systems, etc. But to experience the tension and struggle of adulthood, secrecy, and even the inspiringly believable struggle, tough, and tiring to-do-lists of professionalism in Loid Forger's eyes. Or rather the progression of rooting for having the characters' side of themselves soon to be revealed to each other in the long run which made me root into the manga after watching 2 eps. Plus the setting is inspired from 50's post WW2 political tensions, first years of the Cold War and Ian Fleming just recently published his James Bond novels kickstarting the spy genre of the century.

[@thegrim418]

The show is well crafted. It has the intrigue and espionage that makes old spy movies like Bond fun. Replacing the wanton sex with a surprisingly wholesome family dynamic between the main spy, what would normally be the femme fatale in a classic spy movie, and their adopted child. It gives the action viewers the fast paced, well coreographed fights they want, the subtle game of wits the fans of mystery would enjoy, and the feel good family action that slice of lifers want. The ability of the author and then animators to convey all of these extremes without one element overpowering the others is impressive. Once the show ends I'll be buying the manga to read. I hope it stays this good for the entire run.

[@Nehaa18]

The manga is amazing!! It updates rather slowly though (twice a month, I believe) and is only at chapter 67 currently. It might take a few years before it is completed 🎉

[@toddclawson3619]

I really like what we have seen of Yuri's character so far. His animosity towards Loid actually feels justified given that anyone would be freaking out that their sister has been married for over a year and didn't tell them (really says something about Yor that when he heard that she "forgot" to tell him, his reaction was yeah, that makes sense) and his job naturally puts him in an antagonist role with him being clearly willing to do some pretty shady stuff for his homeland (so are Yor and Loid so that's not really a mark against him in this show), but he does actually do his job right in making sure the suspects are actually traitors rather than just making stuff up and even uses his influence to apply for financial assistance to help the father of one guy he just arrested once it became clear how bad their financial situation was.

[@RGC_animation]

Also romantic feelings for his own sister! Exactly what we wanted! Hooray!

[@toddclawson3619]

@@RGC_animation While Yuri is obsessed with Yor, I haven't seen anything pointing at his obsession being romantic. He idolizes the sister that sacrificed everything to give him a chance in life so he wants her to be happy and safe as an adult more than anything.

[@RGC_animation]

@@toddclawson3619 There is one scene where Yuri is jealous that Loid is about to kiss Yor, and then it flashbacks to when they were little and Yuri said he was gonna marry Yor.

[@toddclawson3619]

@@RGC_animation A young child wanting to get married to a much older sibling or parent is a pretty common trope in anime. It even happens occasionally in real life when children don't really understand the implications of marriage just yet. It usually represents their childish affection and a stab to the gut to the older person that they are no longer needed as much anymore when the child is older. Spy X Family just twisted the trope a bit in that it was the young child having a hard time letting go even as an adult. There were no romantic implications in that scene.

[@cadethumann8605]

@@toddclawson3619 An interesting assessment, sir/miss. I would also add that it does not help for Yor and Yuri that they did not have parents or guardians to socialize them properly. BTW, just for the fun of it, part of me wishes that Yuri's ENG voice was PS4 Spider-Man/Sasuke. (Get it?)

[@BaoHadir]

I like how Yor doesn't really understand her bitchy coworkers. Like, they say stuff that anyone with a modicum of social awareness would recognize as cruel and would get angry about. She just...doesn't. She doesn't understand that they're being bitchy for the sake of it. This is made clear at the party Loid was supposed to be her fake boyfriend at, when her coworker starts going off about how she's going to report Yor as a suspicious person, and Yor can't understand at all why she would do that. But I laughed until I cried when Loid put that 'ring' on her finger.

[@yez9475]

Spoilers They get development later, the blonde girl (camillia) even helped her how to be a better cook

[@NezeruGaming]

The "gags elevate serious moments" does ring true when you remember a good chunk of Clannad's early arcs was full of comedy.

[@thepinapple8829]

Gintama too

[@zennvirus7980]

Heck, man, at this point, all Key's anime follow a more or less similar approach, where the first half is comedic, and the second half does a fatality on your heart. Angel Beats, Charlotte, The Day I Become a God, Little Busters, Rewrite... and it NEVER fails.

[@keyboardmaverick1100]

@@zennvirus7980 Don't forget Kanon!

[@zennvirus7980]

@@keyboardmaverick1100 You are right. How could I forget?

[@nighttyger3397]

There’s an adage in the dnd dm community that if you try to force your group to be ultra serious and gritty, you will end up with nothing but comedy shenanigans, and if you let your players tell jokes, you’ll get tearjerker character arcs and plot beats. It’s the same mechanism as the whole gag manga to hit series pipeline you mention, I think. As you say in the video, investment in a piece of media is an unspoken contract of sorts. Investment is the act of allowing something to affect you, and it’s hard to get invested in something that’s explicitly out to hurt you. A comedy isn’t out to hurt you (or it shouldn’t be, at least.) Many of my favorite manga, the ones that have made me full on sob - things like Faraway Paladin and Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun - grab their audience on the promise of a funny premise. Kid raised by undead. Girl summons a ghost for a boyfriend. They get to the genuine emotional connection by showing their audience they know how to write a pleasing joke, and then a good story - and then a genuine gut-punch. Hook, line, sinker, and then you’re coming back for more despite knowing you’re signing up for more pain because it was done well. And often because the jokes offset the pain enough to make you forget a little. XD I can think of many, many more manga that pull this off, even ones that are otherwise pure gag manga. They’re often my favorites. Really, that’s what this whole video ended up being about - how gag comedy forms the bedrock upon which great, emotional dense things can be built.

[@sethraelthebard5459]

Okay, I am going to call this right now. Spy X Family will be this generation's Cowboy Bebop. A gateway series to the genre for those who don't watch anime yet, and a delightful mix between slapstick comedy, jazzy, colorful action, and heart-wrenching drama. I can't wait for how this story plays out!

[@RGC_animation]

And then Netflix will make a shitty live action remake of it! Hooray!

[@SingeScorcher]

I could see it. I personally have recommended it to people who don't watch animated shows because thr premise itself is so good.

[@cadethumann8605]

It would suck if the group splinters and ends tragically.

[@mycatisasupermodel4932]

@@RGC_animation Bet, they'll totally make a adult play anya

[@CherryHotSauce]

Yes it is, I showed this to my mom who never watches any animated content whatsoever.

[@mrrd4444]

I definitely got genuine tears in my eyes in that bit in the ending theme where they get home and dance together. That was purely wholesome and yet made me cry actual tears because of it. I love this anime already.

[@AWildRaito]

As a manga reader trust me the wholesomeness is only getting started.

[@safurahh.8093]

Yes yes! The adorable family shenanigans have only just begun!

[@bamu9889]

I think that what really got me drawn to Spyxfamily is that it made me appreciate my family more, not because all the main characters are orphans, but because they created this new found family dynamic and through it shows the little beautiful everyday moments of family moments that I too had with my parents, like when Yor did her cooking right the first time, it reminded of when my mom was a beginner at baking and she failed so many times but the first successful cake she made, she made us tried it and the absolute joy in her face when she sees us enjoying was just priceless

[@chookie1703]

Gosh that's such a heartwarming moment 🥺

[@wibo3272]

Those type of memories are the ones you will cherish forever

[@eastbluecrew8969]

Another reason I love spy x family is because how much Loid reminds me of my own dad. A serious guy with a cool demeanor who’s really just a kind, supportive family man at heart. His character resonates with me in a nostalgic way for as a result of that. Also it doesn’t help the fact that my dad is also blonde, has blue eyes and is over 6ft tall lmao. Sometimes I think the author created an anime version of my dad because he even shares the same hairstyle, similar deep voice and love of suits as Loid. 😂

[@DavidRichardson153]

Did you ever learn if he was a foreign spy? If he was, then we must find out if you are also Anya.

[@seanholley1025]

Is yo(u)r mom a tall black haired woman who's amazingly sweet but can't cook, and have you ever been a telepath?

[@Turtle_time47]

lol, he remind me of my dad as well. That part where Anya tucks herself under him arm made me so happy because I used to do that with my dad.

[@eastbluecrew8969]

@@seanholley1025 My mom is actually a tall, amazingly sweet, black haired woman lmao. Only difference is that she actually CAN cook, just ask my dad lol. Probably one of the reasons why my parents are still married to this day, the man can’t get enough of her home cooked meals, and that goes for my older sister, our older brother and I too🤣. As for the telepath question, I wish bro. 💀

[@whyyoumadbro2370]

You must be irl Anya

[@j.p.1492]

The one thing that got me hooked was that the manga had an actual, full fleshed out, authentic child. Not some nagging, babbling crybaby, not a teenager packed in a tiny body, but an actual child. Sometimes too smart, frustratingly slow to catch on at other times, easily distracted, but picks up on things at the most inconvenient times, overreacting at times but unfazed at other times.... I could go on and on, but Anya has all that. She's not just some plot device, but an actual character.

[@bemusedbandersnatch2069]

Also it's just really refreshing to see an anime about a family at all. Half the time the protagonist is conveniently an orphan or at least has parents that appear so rarely they may as well be. It's tough to find actual families much less stories *about* families.

[@thisisnotausernameXD]

Technically, our main characters are all orphans and it provides the foil for their character growth. But that is what makes way for the found family trope to hit us in the feels. Found families however are somewhat common in media in general. You are right in that rarely do we see actual families though, with mostly competent parents raising a child in a kind and loving environment, even if the whole thing is supposed to be a sham in this case. It's a different kind of wholesome.

[@-_-0.0-_-]

I'm reminded of who framed roger rabbit's "only when it's funny" rule of when Roger could escape being handcuffed. Gag manga/anime have rules it has to follow, just like a serious drama. Without any rules a series devolves into nonsensical story beats and lose reader interest. Gag manga following it's own rules allows it to break other, more conventional tropes which leads to interesting storytelling that feels unique to viewers of more conventional straight laced drama, while still maintaining an internal consistency that keeps it engaging.

[@toddclawson3619]

That is true. Way too many comedy shows seem to have a habit of just throwing everything at the wall and hoping something sticks with insane amounts of pop-culture references (often outdated by the time the show actually references it) or other dumb jokes without actually properly setting things up or using it in a way that is funny and makes sense.

[@xedalpha1]

An anime has never made me feel such joy at the idea of a secret agent almost killing a teacher for making a little girl cry.

[@chilliicecream5456]

I love how this anime can flip flop between: the paranoia and threat of nuclear war, and the effects that these can have on our ability to form meaningful connections… and wholesome fluff, dogs with precognition and gut busting reaction faces from a small telepathic gremlin

[@toddclawson3619]

Yeah. The transition between Anya running around with her dog in hilarious manner to Twilight's handler explaining the horrors of war (using the death of her family as an example) to show how stupid the college students are for trying to start one was really well done.

[@apoptosisduellinks109]

Did you just spoil something about the dog? Please don't confirm or deny

[@Lorkynn]

The time period they chose to have it set place in helps so much with believablity. It's just the perfect era to put a story like this in.

[@torikilgore5568]

THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!!! There are so few people I can discuss this wonderful show with; listening to you praise it for 20 minutes was wonderful. 😭 Another thing I, personally, love about Spy x Family is its relatability. As a mom in my 30s, the number of anime series I can relate to is really dwindling. I think parenting is portrayed pretty well (considering it isn't really the focus of the show), and it just kinda warms my heart to watch.

[@Doodlesthegreat]

25:10 - I'd say we got an even better example of that in the most recently aired episode (4, if anyone's somehow reading this long after the show airs) when Swann's cruel questioning of Anya got the entire audience wishing Twilight had let that punch connect. Or the end of the episode when Anya expresses her fears that their family, however fake it started out as, may suddenly be torn apart. Not sure about you, but it those damned ninja onion cutters were working overtime around these parts.

[@HarmonyEdge]

Swann's antics got me triggered a bit, recalling a scene in another anime "If it's for my Daughter, I'd even Defeat a Demon Lord", where a teacher attacked Latina(ep04).

[@boxtank5288]

@@HarmonyEdge Yeah I was about ready to strangle that son of a bitch Swan. YOU NEVER ASK THAT OF ANYONE! ESPECIALLY NOT A FUCKING (supposedly) 6 YEAR OLD GIRL WHO LOST HER ACTUAL MOTHER AT FAR TOO SOON AN AGE! Calm, calm, just gonna...breathe.

[@Пинагод]

@@HarmonyEdge The line of questioning was incredibly cruel in such a clever way as well, which just adds into the cruelty of it. Just the structure of how it was built upon didn't feel like the typical bad guy line of questioning - It was horrible in its own right. We were clearly given the idea that this man isn't at all a good person and it's been shown in such a realistic way. His cruelty is so subtle that when we get to a straightforward approach it impacts more - And that's how horrible people are in real life.

[@terrencenoran3233]

And we cannot forget about Bond. The goodest fucking boy in the series. He's perfect and floofy.

[@maxxcreese9911]

The goodest boi!

[@forrest6374]

Why this anime works? It’s a great premise that hasn’t been done well yet, and is expertly animated. In episode 2 they took one panel of Twilight fighting the smugglers and made it a lengthy continuous shot.

[@jeffagain7516]

Thanks Geoff, great vid (again) Buddy. As someone that has had the incredible privilege of not just raising a wonderful Daughter, but also the opportunity to assist in the advancements of my Grand-Daughter as well, I find this series wonderfully heartwarming, irrespective of the action sequences. My G-D in fact, is my Anime buddy (Daughter loves Anime too) and so when selecting Blus to send her, I usually ask for an email listing in advance. Happy to say, that Spy x Family is at the top of her list and for more reasons than just Anya (though, imho, Anya is sufficient reason to purchase the Blu regardless). :)

[@imaloony8]

I know that Chainsaw Man has been getting all the love this year, but goddamn, Spy x Family is far and away my favorite anime this year. Not only did it meet my expectations as an adaptation of what has quickly become one of my all time favorite manga, it exceeded them. Gorgeous animation, a stellar OST, a pitch-perfect cast, and best of all, where the anime seeks to add new scenes, they almost always improve things. For instance, the castle scene from the back half of Chapter 6 of the manga was great in its own right, but the anime just cranks that shit to 11 in Episode 5 and gives us a bombastic expanded action scene that quickly became one of the highlights of Season 1 for me. They even extended the Yor v Loid fight scene a bit, which just made me so damn happy. I can't wait to see what Wit and Clover have in store for future seasons.

[@bobbenson6825]

Editor Trey, we appreciate your service. That we have three anime this season with incredible, snappy comic timing (Paripi Koumei, Spy x Family, Kaguya-sama) is amazing. That they also have great OP's is something for which we should be very grateful.

[@bdpickett]

I really want you to do a "What's in an" for both the OP and ED for this series because they are both just...🤯🥰

[@timothymclean]

There are _so_ many OPs and EDs I want to see analyzed every season. Geoff could go back to just analyzing OPs full-time if he didn't have so many other things to talk about (and if the Almighty Algorithm allowed its professionals to spend so much time on such niche topics).

[@AeonKnigh432]

Can we talk about how GREAT the cruise ship arc is going to be? My favorite part of the manga is going to be even better with that level of phenomenal animation. Both the fights and the character moments being animated and voiced? I already know it's gonna make me cry happy tears.

[@safurahh.8093]

Yes! I’m also super excited for Bond to make his debut! He is the best doggo and perfectly completes the family 🐶💕

[@praigeki]

I hope they will use the cruise ship arc for a movie.

[@prismal418]

I hope they make it a movie so they don't hold back. I would hate if they don't animate the blood/ Fireworks part.

[@Solarstormflare]

Im so excited, but i most want to see the scene where loid buys flipflop shoes and all sorts of tourist stuff for anya only for her to discard all of it in favour of helping yor

[@StrawberryChika]

OMG YES

[@SarahJSweetheart]

I'm an anime only, but even I can tell that the scene where Anya gets that doggy (that I'm assuming she's probably always dreamed of) is gonna be a tear jerker

[@AlwaysAfkVEVO]

You're such a damn good script writer, props to you. I love your casual use of alliteration, puns, and whatever else I may have missed while watching. Your content is so well thought out and you make some incredible points about the manga industry as well. Great job.

[@Alex.R.L]

Hey, Anya is pretty smart for a 4-5 year old pretending to be a 6 year old

[@derryn_2316]

She’s most definitely 3-4 considering how small she is. Like if you see her on loids shoulder she looks like a toddler. but he IS like 6 feet tall so maybe she is bigger

[@henz3458]

Maybe it's the thrill of what's gonna happen next knowing a single mistake from a little girl can blew up the family set up she's been trying to make real. Making all the viewers root for her because it triggers what most of people really want, a happy imperfect family. It all comes down to what will those characters gonna sacrifice in order to make it happen. To be a real family considering the dark and complicated backgrounds they're all in and that is what I think pulls the viewers, the anticipation of a hapy ending for Anya.

[@racingmaniacgt1]

Anya's smug "smile" face is the anime expression of the decade

[@GFuelEnergy]

✍️ adding it to the list

[@zn12_7]

silence, brand

[@sasugaainssama1873]

🦀

[@whyology.]

how does the real g fuel only have 55 likes 💀

[@ChristopherM720]

My teen kids said "watch this." I did. I fell In love with series. Anya is the definition of adorable. Yor is perfectly nerd, assassin cool, and Twilight is epitome of manly, fatherly, spy awesomeness. And the whole thing is funny as anything out there. A just watch for anyone who wants to laugh, smile, and also see great action.

[@kirival117]

I was 7 minutes into the Gag rant before I remembered that this was actually about Spy X Family. Sort of. One of your best written videos ever. Please keep em coming and bravo sir.

[@dumon4264]

I think Spy x family just has so much going for it that everyone can enjoy it. Hell even my older sister who's never watched/read anime or manga before still loves this series after I gave her the first few volumes to read one day

[@purpleblah2]

I've been thinking for a long time that the contrast between light-hearted gag humor and serious drama heightens the emotional punch of it. Like in FMA, the levity and jokes from the moments of downtime only bolster the moments of drama and horror by contrast, as opposed to being grimdark all the time. For example. Nina and Alexander playing around and being comedic relief makes the "Ed... ward..." scene that much darker.

[@commedicgarcon]

The attention to detail in this anime is amazing, the writers even cared to pay tribute to the iconic LC2 chair in episode 1 (if im not wrong) which can run u close to $6000. My product design ass was really caught off guard lol.

[@chechema1010]

i wonder what's up with the mangaka's cover art and iconic chairs...

I'm glad the anime was not a let down. It's Anya's world now, we're just living in it. PS: I also started reading the manga after watching your recommendation video as well as Kaiju No. 8

[@ForeverRed3000]

During the beginning of the pandemic I decided to get into manga that didn’t have an anime adaptation and Spy x Family was the first one next to JJK that I read. And let me tell you, this story and characters are so damn remarkable that it has made me a better man and (new)father

[@mantis638]

I know you are probably gonna want to discuss something other that another Rom-Com, but I feel an anime that deserves to be mentioned is Love After World Domination. With how little it is mentioned, I feel it will be unfortunately missed by many.

[@fanaticfrancis4163]

I'm currently watching Love After World Domination as well since I believe it took the idea of us fawning over comic book villains in childhood and transformed it into a premise of the superhero falling in love with a villain sort of oozes an element of relatability or rather an idea that should've been explored a long time ago. Though there are those similar tropes, but in the superhero genre, it's kinda lit.

[@timothymclean]

If I had a nickel for every solid 2022 comedy anime mixing enjoyable character drama with sentai spoof that hardly anyone watched, I'd have two nickels, but it's weird that it happened twice, before the year was half-over. I hope Japan can collectively keep up the streak.

[@Nemo37K]

I remember reading the Manga and just being blow away by the overwhelming "it" factor the story has. The panel work was clean, Anya and Yor were adorabe, and it was a flawless mix of action, comedy, and pathos. I think Tatsuya Endo embodies the golden middle where all the elements are good, but are never so exemplary that they overshadow any other element. I also think the benefit of being a bi-weekly series on Jump Plus with actual breaks so Endo doesn't burn out has contributed tremendously to its continual high quality output. Also, Anya's reactions to everything are great. As is the fact that she acts like an actual 6 year old girl.

[@magentascribe7586]

The best part of Anya is that’s she’s not actually 6 years old. She’s 4 but heard that loud needed a 6 year old so she lied to get adopted. She while everyone thinks she’s small and dumb she’s actually just significantly younger than everyone else in her school

[@FlyntofRWBY]

This video is the first time I've ever actually watch a midroll ad. That editing was just too good and made me laugh so hard! Give that editor a raise!

[@Gewitt]

Easiest click of my life. Grateful to have so many adaptations in the last few years that show love and care to the source material!!! We are lucky as fuck lol.

[@TK-sn3rx]

Literally knew this was going to be adapted and a hit after reading the first couple of chapters. It’s just refreshing in all the best ways.

[@golinvox15]

You dont know this, but during the entirety of this video i was just yelling "BOND!!!" at the screen the whole time

[@SirAbrahamSlaps]

This is one of the few anime that genuinely made me laugh. Hard. I don't watch comedy much (I love shonen anime the most) so I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this show going into it but man is it entertaining (and most of the comedy within shonen doesn't really do it for me so anime isn't something I usually watch for laughs). Anya is so incredibly likable and I think child characters are very hard to write, making it all the more impressive. And the relationship between Loid and Yor is endearing. Love it! The only issue I had was the pacing in some of the early episodes. It felt a bit too fast for me but that's being picky. Great watch. Love the video!

[@yurikuki]

Tatsuya Endo's writing is just so good. I love how he's tackling parenthood.