Spy x Family ’s debutant leap to the big screen takes its adorable, oddball crew from your living room to the theatre with the tell-tale charm of the original series. However, much like Loid Forger’s slapdash cover stories, it doesn’t quite hold up under close scrutiny. While the film’s greatest asset remains the inimitable Anya Forger — a mischievous pint-sized telepath with pink hair and a penchant for death-defying trouble — at the centre of the chaos, this spinoff adventure ultimately feels like a pleasant yet ephemeral diversion for all but the most ardent fans.
From its inception in 2022, the Spy x Family (The ‘X’ is silent for the unaccustomed) series has firmly cemented its characters in the hearts of otakus around the world. The series’ motley crew — Loid, the über-competent spy; Yor, the unsuspecting assassin wife; Anya, the mind-reading adoptee; along with Bond the clairvoyant dog — form a faux family that juggles espionage, domestic life, and comedy with aplomb. Its strengths have always been in its ability to blend these disparate elements seamlessly, creating a wholesome yet goofy comedy where anything goes.
And now, this delightful dysfunction finds itself in the wintry climes of Frigis, ostensibly to whip up some local delectables, but, predictably, nothing is as it seems. On the surface, their mission is to master a local dessert for Anya’s cooking competition. In reality, it’s another layer of Loid’s spycraft, aimed at advancing.