Finding an anime series that’s truly family-friendly can be a challenging task. However, thanks to Tatsuya Endo’s manga, Spy x Family, we’ve been treated to an anime adaptation that’s just as fun for adults to watch as it is for younger audiences.
The anime’s second season wrapped up late last year, just before the Japanese release of a spin-off movie. Spy x Family Code: White is out in Australian cinemas today, so if you’ve been wanting to read the manga, watch the anime, or just get a quick refresher on the series before you head to the movie, here’s everything you need to know about the quirky comedy.
Table of contents
What’s Spy x Family about?
Spy x Family follows world-renowned spy, ‘Twilight’, as he goes on dangerous missions to protect the peace between Westalis and Ostania, two countries that are constantly on the brink of war.
But Twilight’s newest mission is one of the hardest he’s ever undertaken. He becomes ‘Loid Forger’, a psychologist with a wife, child, and pet dog, in an attempt to gather intel on a political figure that only appears in public at his son’s school. He enlists the help of the unmarried office worker, Yor Briar, to become his pretend wife, and a six-year-old orphan named Anya to be his child. On the way, they adopt Bond, a big fluffy dog.
While Loid is doing his best to hide his spy identity from his family while completing the long-running mission, he isn’t the only one with a secret. Yor is actually a deadly assassin known as the Thorn Princess, Anya is hiding that she has the ability to read minds, and Bond can see into the future.
Where can you read the Spy x Family manga?
The Spy x Family manga is still being published and if you want to read the manga, you can do so either digitally or physically. At at the time of writing, there are currently 96 chapters available to read online, and 11 physical volumes of the manga available in English.
Here’s where to buy volumes of the Spy x Family manga:
Physical volumes of the manga are available at most bookstores, but you can also order them online.
- Amazon Australia – $14 (down from $17.99)
- Booktopia – $16.75 (down from $17.99)
- Dymocks – $17.99
Here’s where to read the Spy x Family manga online:
If you would rather read it digitally, it’s available on both Viz Media’s Shonen Jump subscription service and the Manga Plus subscription service by Shueisha.
- Manga Plus by Shueisha – membership from $2.99 per month
- Viz Media Shonen Jump – membership from $4.99 per month
Where can you watch the Spy x Family anime?
If you’re more of an anime fan (don’t worry, I’m right there with you), you can find the series on a range of streaming services, as well as on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Here’s where to buy Spy x Family on DVD and Blu-Ray:
Physical media collectors can currently get the DVD and Blu-Ray combos of Season 1, Parts 1 and 2. We’re still eagerly awaiting the physical release of Season 2, which has just finished airing.
- Amazon Australia – $64.30
- Sanity – $69.99
Here’s where to watch Spy x Family online:
If you would prefer to stream the series, you can watch it on Crunchyroll or Netflix.
- Crunchyroll – subscription from $10.99 per month
- Netflix – subscription from $6.99 per month
Where can you watch the Spy x Family movie?
Spy x Family Code: White is the latest animated instalment and a self-contained spin-off from the series. The film follows the Forger family as they go on holiday to find a dessert that Anya wants to make for a cooking competition at school. The action-packed holiday has the Forgers getting into a sticky situation that could see the world fall into chaos… all because Anya eats a chocolate.
The film is non-canon too, meaning that whether you’ve seen the original series or not, you’ll be able to enjoy the family-friendly comedy.
Spy x Family Code: White is out in cinemas already, with screenings of the movie around the country. You’ll need to look up showtimes, but it’s showing at most HOYTS and Event cinemas in both subbed and dubbed.
What will the Spy x Family video game be about?
The family-focused comedy is so popular that it even has a tie-in videogame, which looks like it’s going to be just as wholesome as the series.
In SPYxANYA: Operation Memories, you’ll play as Anya while she creates a photo diary for school. You’ll take pictures of various people and places as you go on outings, and the title will feature 15 mini-games to play. You’ll also be able to customise Anya, Loid, Yor and Bond’s outfits.
It’ll be available to play on PC, Switch, and PlayStation from June 28.
You can check out the trailer for SPYxANYA: Operation Memories below.
Should you watch Spy x Family?
If you haven’t seen Spy x Family, you may be wondering if it’s worth giving the series a shot.
If you want a wholesome anime to watch, Spy x Family is a great pick. The show has a lot of themes surrounding children and childcare, it’s a family-friendly series with lots of comedy and sweet moments. It also explores themes of found family in a way that isn’t too dark or serious, so it’s great for newer anime fans or for people who want something easy to watch in the background.
Image credit: Crunchyroll
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