Spy x Family

Jun 2, 2022

Panda_Roll

Mixed Feelings

Preliminary (62/? chp)

There is so much hype surrounding the anime from episode one that, when I didn't get it, I turned to the manga.

62 chapters in and here is my tally.

Number of completed missions = 2 (boat mission, Tennis mission)

Number of character arcs completed = 2 (The dog got an arc, the boy's sidekicks got a character moment)

Number of side missions completed = 1 (Nightfall got some leads)

...

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Nov 1, 2023

ogblynz

Mixed Feelings

Preliminary (87/? chp)

Spy X Family, a review (as of Chapter 87)

Having dedicated a significant amount of time to catch up with "Spy X Family," spanning across its 87 chapters, I can't help but deliver a somewhat subdued verdict on this popular manga series. With a rating of 6/10, it firmly falls into the "okay" category, and here's why.

One of the most glaring issues I encountered while reading "Spy X Family" is the prevalence of filler content and a heavy reliance on pure slice-of-life (sol) comedy. While humor and light-hearted moments are vital to any story, they need to be balanced effectively with plot progression. Unfortunately, this manga ... tends to meander and indulge in comedic diversions that, while enjoyable in the moment, don't contribute significantly to the overarching narrative.

The most egregious shortcoming is the stagnation of the plot. From the very first chapter, where we are introduced to "Operation Strix" that "Agent Twilight" must undertake, one would expect this mission to be a central focus of the story's progression. However, despite 87 chapters, the plot thread seems to have gone nowhere, leaving readers craving the development and resolution they were promised.

Character development, too, leaves much to be desired. The characters in "Spy X Family" often take one step forward only to take another step back, ultimately maintaining the status quo. This reluctance to let the characters evolve or change can be frustrating. Moreover, there is a disconcerting inconsistency in how smart the characters are portrayed. They exhibit remarkable intelligence when the plot demands it, only to act inexplicably clueless when it comes to facilitating plot development, which can feel contrived.

On a more positive note, the manga does manage to deliver entertaining situations and gags throughout its chapters. These comedic elements offer a reprieve from the story's more serious aspects, showcasing the potential for humor and character interaction.

However, these entertaining moments often feel like missed opportunities. They remain largely unexplored, contributing to the overall feeling of untapped potential in "Spy X Family."

In conclusion, my experience with "Spy X Family" has led me to the bittersweet realization that it's a series that falls short of its potential. The abundance of filler, lack of plot progression, and inconsistent character portrayal can be frustrating for readers who expected more. While the humor and gags offer some redemption, they, too, leave a sense of unrealized possibilities. With a sigh and a somewhat sour smile, I must declare that I'm dropping this series with a score of 6/10, hopeful that future chapters will address these issues and provide the growth and narrative development that this manga deserves.

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Oct 5, 2024

Devinitas

Mixed Feelings

Preliminary (84/? chp)

Spy X Family has captured the hearts of Spies and Families all over the world, and it's easy to see why. An intriguing setup with striking characters, a skillful interweaving of spy/action stories and comedy/slice-of-life, with just the right amount of heart - but for me, after following this series for over two years, the series developed into a direction I am not really interested in anymore, and perceived dents to my enjoyment that were more incidental at first ballooned into issues that actually keep me from enjoying myself reading it.

Let's talk about the heart and soul of this series first - the characters! Loid ... is the initiator of the story as is, adopting a little child as a cover story, and then going out to find a mom for said child in order to add to his story. And here, an ingenious decision was made - making said child the very center of the show. She is the only one understanding what's going on with both her parents, she knows about both "worlds" the show it set in, but at the same time acts believably childlike, and not even like a particularly sweet child at that. She's egotistical, silly, not the brightest, but those make her one of the most engaging child characters in recent memory and it's easy to see her charm. She's not interested in saving the world except maybe the vague idea she's doing something good by just having fun (i.e. contributing to world peace by just spending time with her new family). She finds innocent joy in knowing her parents lead these exciting lives, but are also there there for her as her loving guardians. If you, dear reader, remember the mid 2000's Disney Channel Show "The Replacements" - it reminds me of that in the best way possible. A hapless fun dad who does action and stunts, a cool Spy Mom (or in the case of Spy X Family, the reverse) - sounds like the premise a child could come up with and it sparks the imagination. And of course the line between Loid's mission that initially required him to be more cold and practical in regards to the child, blurs almost immediately and the Forgers start to become a real found family - that is, until they sort of stop to develop.

What got me into the manga initially and kept me enjoying in for a while was the premise - basically, a fake family becoming a found family. A Manga that constantly present new obstacles, and has the family grow closer by overcoming them together despite all hiding a major secret about themselves from each other. It was one thing after another - adopting a child, making a home, finding a wife, getting into the school, making sure Anya keeps up and performs well at school, all the while befriending the child of Loid's mission target - it writes itself! However, starting around volume 5 or 6, the series grinds to a halt - or at the very least down to snail's pace. It has a lot of fun with the comedy aspect, and I feel it's more comfortable being a Comedy series with the family acting as an anchor. And the little cynic in me can't help but feel that, for better or for worse, it has to do with this manga's immense popularity. I get the impression that it's going on a lot longer than what was initially expected.

The series exploded in popularity very quickly, and you basically can't visit an anime convention anymore without seeing merchandise, cosplayers and everything. And granted, the perceived oversaturation isn't the manga's fault. It's popular for good reason, a lot of people enjoy it plentiful, people watch it together and as a person who has a cultural connection to the vaguely divided-Germany inpired setting, with Trabis driving around and more - the details are there. I love seeing it. It's a great Manga. It's just that for me, it has less and less of what makes it great to ME. There are little moments later in the series that still bring home the spirit I initially liked: Anya acting for the sake of someone else to do the right thing, Yor befriending an important person to the central conflict, a glimpse at Loid's past that gives more weight to his initial badass introductory "for a world where no child has to cry", seeing Anya's schoolmate and what impact his father's circumstances have on him, Anya actually getting into a dangerous situation and for once getting to be more than an aloof silly sassy goofball again - these are all moments I enjoyed! But they're far and in between, and they're bogged down so much by chapter upon chapter than I don't enjoy, with annoying characters just becoming worse the more I have to see them.

- Every chapter involving Yor's brother Yuri is about his obsession with his sister and his suspicion of Loid. Yuri is always annoying and I don't get the feeling the deep bond between the siblings is really there. He is a joke.
- Every chapter involving Anya's classmate Becky involves Becky fawning over Anya's father (including imagining Yor out of the picture) or acting like a somewhat overbearing older sister-type to Anya. Becky is a good foil to Anya, but eventually she just says and does the same stuff again and again
- every chapter involving Loid's fellow spy Nightfall is about how much she wants to be Loid's wife "for the mission only, unless..." and wanting Yor out of the picture. Nightfall is really annoying. Her rage being hidden behind her deadpan demeanor is maybe funny for a little but... she is basically just a jealous coworker and only fun when she gets to partake in action together with Loid.
- regrettably, every chapter focussing on Yor is her being unsure if she's doing a good job as a wife and/or trying (and failing) to do better. I like Yor, but she really suffers from not being involved in the Spy stuff. She mostly just flanders around, and I can't help but feel the author himself is as unsure about what to do with her as she is about her role as a wife.
- Bond is pretty much just there after his admittedly pretty nice introduction. That's okay, he is a dog. It's just not always clear how much he really understands the human world above the basic understanding a dog has.
- Franky feels like a plot device more than anything, and I'm sorry, he is never funny, not even once!

And every so often, a chapter or even a bunch of subsequent chapters tell of another Spy Mission - and to be frank, I am never under the impression they will have any impact on the overall story, so I just don't really care about them.

The manga has gotten comfortable in its status quo, and instead of futhering the story, it's content coming up with more stories involving side characters, giving the reader some spy action, Anya being a meme. And you know what? Fair enough! Plenty of people enjoy the manga, the Anya shenanigans, the Action and the dynamic drawings. But I still feel the joy of my initial discovering the manga, and devouring those early chapters, when I read one of the chapters I was eluding to earlier - that give me the feeling of progress, deepening the characters and their motivations, setting up connections that, in the future, may pay off. I like these characters. I want to learn more about them and see them grow..! But in the past 2, 3 volumes, I've cooled on the series more and more, and the idea that I may continue buying these volumes for another 10, 20 volumes or even more, fills me with mild annoyance rather than joy, and that's the point where I just have to accept that this Manga isn't for me anymore. Will I still keep an eye on how certain developments pay off, or would I be willing to come back if there's a major status quo shift just a few chapters down the line? Yes. Spy X Family is happy being a slice of life comedy now more so than a Spy Story about a fake family. I want more "Drama" in a sense out of this Slice of Life Comedy. And that's entirely on me.

In that sense, if you, esteemed reader (thank you for reading my ramblings!) like Spy Action, precocious little kids that actually act like real children, or just fish-out-of-water comedy - this manga is for you. Plenty of readers all over the world find joy in the comforting status quo this series establishes. But if you like me, enjoy the initial chapters so much that every other chapter that doesn't appear to further anything elicits a sigh, you may be better off prioritizing other manga for the time being.

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Mar 1, 2023

TheBoogieBoi

Mixed Feelings

Preliminary (75/? chp)

Spy x Family is a series that most people have probably already experienced in some shape or form due to its overwhelming popularity, but if you haven’t read or watched it, I’d caution you before you dive into it.

It isn’t a long read and isn’t bad compared to what is out there, but it is an ultimately flawed series. You can definitely do better with similar series that are out.

The story in the series is like a Drake album; it’s a safe ride with some extremely good bits and pieces, but altogether it just feels meh. The strongest moments are with the introduction (which is ...

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Feb 22, 2025

_Bubassotto_

Mixed Feelings

Preliminary (108/? chp)

Good but tiring...

Spy X Family has a great beginning to the story with a very clear depth and plot. Twilight has to prevent a possible war between one nation and another, but for me it became a boring work to read over time due to the lack of progress in its main plot. They focus too much on trivial things and forget to advance this main story. It feels like I'm reading a slice of life sometimes....

Overall, the story is good and has an interesting premise with good character development. However, the work gets lost in itself, leading to lousy plots and no progress. For ...

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Aug 16, 2023

turbo2x

Mixed Feelings

Preliminary (86/? chp)

Spy x Family starts off well with its core concept and strong cast of characters, but over time becomes bogged down in fluff and side stories that offer little substance. The main plot barely progresses and none of the main characters are ever in any serious danger, which deflates any suspense. It's a low-stakes series that most people can turn their brains off and enjoy, but the resolutions for any conflict become obvious once you become accustomed to the narrative decisions. The action is drawn and paneled well and the dialogue flows smoothly, but for a bi-weekly series the illustration isn't anything special and the ...

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