I am particularly observant and in the know when it comes to the anime community, that’s why I think that the first episode of Spy x Family was received fairly well. That’s just the impression that I got, don’t quote me on it.
So will episode 2 live up to the standard set by the premier? I mean it was a particularly tough episode to follow. And traditionally, episode 1 is where you put all the stuff that will make the audience want to stick around, then in episode 2, you start doing the setup and such. Important but less exciting.
Oh, before we start, did we have an OP last week? I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure I would have remembered it because it was a great OP. I really liked it!
Ok, so we start episode 2 of Spy x Family and we say hello to mama. Obviously, Yor is a known quantity for me. But it was still surprising to see her in action. And boy was this story made for action. Yor is one of the archetypes I tend to really like. The jarring contradiction of sweet innocence, even kindness, and ruthless skills and professionalism. The killer with a heart of gold trope. But Yor also has this over-the-top naiveté which makes her particularly endearing to me. Especially when contrasted with Anya that knows everything through telepathy while Yor is in the dark and more than happy to believe the flimsiest cover story. It sort of subverts the traditional capable hitman trope.
I’m actually getting ahead of myself. My favourite scene in this episode, and it was hard to choose as I enjoyed a lot of them, was the meet-cute. In the dress shop, we started by seeing how much Anya and Loid’s relationship has progressed. She’s yelling about getting sold into slavery and he jokes that she won’t if she behaves. It’s not that different from before but you can tell they are much more at ease with each other. Anya doesn’t keep trying to escape and Loid isn’t freaking out about saying the wrong thing. And they seem happy to be shopping together. Awwwww.
In walks Yor. Pretty, innocent Yor. If you read my blog regularly, you’ve probably heard me say at some point, that I like dorks. I really do, I just can’t help it. I want to hug them. And in Spy x Family, Yor is the biggest dork. She’s weirdly earnest, socially clumsy and most of the time just really wants to make everyone happy. And she always has such simple solutions to every little problem. Loid lucked out when he was randomly choosing a fake wife. Ok, maybe her career ambitions could wear a bit on a normal relationship but these two crazy kids could make it work.
I think what I’m disliking the most about Spy x Family at this point, is the fact that I have to wait a week between episodes. I really wanted to just keep watching. The party was great, Yor got to have her pretty woman moment. The chase was fun and Loid’s completely unbelievable excuses were amusing. And that proposal, well what more could anyone hope for.
I think it’s pretty clear to anyone watching the show, and Anya of course, that these two are meant for each other. Now they just have to figure it out.
Coming up is the all-important family interview with the school. I really like all the scenes at Anya’s school. How will the family take in a new member all of the sudden? Anya and Loid have fallen into a rhythm but will Anya take to her new mom? Will Yor enjoy suddenly becoming a mom? And how is she going to explain all this to her brother? I can’t wait until next week, I think I’m not alone in that.
The absurdity of the episode made the comedy work imo
How Yor just accepts every silly explanation and how Forger didn’t have a ring so used a grenade ring instead
IMO has good promise so far to be a good comedic slice-of-life silly show
At the start already the toupee stealing and all that… The show was meant to be taken comedically and I think it will do just that just fine
I really like the ending scene when Loid proposed to Yor…
It very amazing the bomb scene.. So romantic😍💕
They deserve praise👏👏👏
It was a very fun scene!
I was wondering, too, if I missed that opening last week. I don’t think we had one. And it’s such a fun opening.
Yor’s a fun character, too. The moment when she wondered whether they all should die… I was actually unsure whether she’d go through with it. And when Loid just blurted out her backstory, I thought surely she has to wonder how he knows… but she got swept up in the emotion of the moment. I don’t have a good grasp on her at all. I’m not sure how naive she really is. It’s entirely possible we get a she-knew-all-along moment – she’s just so disconnected that she has her own way dealing with it. And it’s entirely possible that what we see is what we get.
So the dynamic appears to be that only Anya knows all their secrets, and nobody knows Anya’s – and I’m not sure whether we’ll get a comedy of errors all the way through or not. I’m having lots of fun with this show. That school outing should be… interesting. Neither of them have any experience in such a situation it seems; they all stumbled into a life of secrecy from an early age (I think?). Not sure any of the grown ups went to a regular school themselves.
Definitely show of the season. (For once I seem to be with the majority.)
There is so much potential and so many ways the story can go. As long as they keep up tis great pacing and sense of fun, I’m here for it
This is definitely one I’ll be watching all season. It will be a fun ride.
It sure is a fun start!
This episode makes me wish I could binge the whole show at once but at the same time I’d be sad once it was over… I don’t like to get caught up in the ‘seasonal anime/what’s super popular’ crowd, but sometimes its hard to avoid. How are you doing, Irina, it’s been a while?
Hi Matt! Great to hear from you. I’m doing well and I’m enjoying the anime version of Spy x Family. How are you?
I’m good, just living life as always I suppose, recently recovered from a minor bit of covid but other than that nothing much else is new.
Oh my. Good thing that wasn’t more serious