The Forger family is back in SPY X FAMILY Code: White. They are bringing their lovable antics and special abilities to the big screen and it's a win for fans and newcomers alike.
Spy x Family Code White Review
For the uninitiated, Spy x Family revolves around a sweet family consisting of a father, mother, adoptive daughter, and their lovable dog. They are like every other family out there except they aren't. Loid Forger, the alias of Westalis super spy Twilight, married Yor, a civil servant, and together they adopted Anya. Loid does all of this in order to get close to an Ostanian official via Anya who attends his son’s private school. What Loid doesn't know is that Yor is actually an assassin and Anya is a telepath. Yor also doesn't know Loid's real job and neither know that Anya is a telepath who happens to know both their secrets. And if that wasn't enough, their dog Bond can tell the future.
Like most anime films, Code: White has been made for both fans of the series as well as newbies. Directed by Takashi Katagiri and featuring an original script from by Ichiro Okouchi (not mangaka Tatsuya Endo), it opens with some thrilling action sequences that bring everyone up to speed on the Forger family. From the moment it debuted, the show has been an entertaining blend of spy thriller and domestic comedy. It was also an instant hit. That blueprint carries over into the highly anticipated theatrical debut of Spy x Family. In the film, Loid's handlers are frustrated by his slow progress on Operation Strix– cozying up to the Ostanian official. They feel he should be reassigned to a different case. Loid is not happy about that so he devises a plan to help Anya win a cooking competition that would give him better access to said official. In order to win, the Forgers take a family trip to Frejis to obtain the recipe for her principal's favorite dish. Everything should go smoothly, but when Anya accidentally eats a bonbon containing microfilm at the center of a military coup, things get a little hairy.
Anyone expecting a massive shift in the typical story beats of Spy x Family won't find anything too left field here. At times anime films will use the production budget to show-off something radically different than what is seen in the show, like how One Piece Film: Red is an epic musical concert. A cooking story, while rare to see, actually fits this series. It's a sweet plot that unravels into something chaotic thanks to Anya which allows her parents (and the team behind the film) to show-off. And it does, right from the beginning. Each action sequence that follows feels electrifying and kindred to anything seen in a Mission Impossible/James Bond type film. The curtain opens with Loid attending an opulent party, on a mission to obtain something important. Meanwhile Yor is equally busy in another part of town, dealing with international operatives. After each completes their mission, Code: White settles down to favor the more character-centric story the series is known for, however that does not mean there aren't more kinetic action sequences to enjoy. Those are dutifully placed throughout the film, while allowing each member of the Forger family their own time to shine, even Bond gets a moment. But Anya is naturally the scene stealer. There is one scene dedicated to her resisting the urge to poop and I won't spoil the rest but the animation here is insane (in all the best ways).
The film is full of all the ingredients that make Spy x Family such a hit– cute, heartwarming family moments, crazy incidents, comical mix-ups, and of course amazing fights. Anya is the epitome of a well-meaning young child who can read minds. She wants to help her parents but often misconstrues what they are actually thinking. Yor balances her double life deftly, albeit hilariously as she realizes she cares for Loid beyond their contractual marriage obligations. While Loid continues to lie to himself that he has in fact come to love his family and that he will do anything to keep them together even if it means forsaking a mission. Amongst all the zany incidents, at its heart this film reiterates the message that communication is vital to any relationship. It's better to talk out your feelings than allow them to drive you off an emotional cliff.
Where Spy x Family Code: White shines is in the action scenes. Although each standouts in some way, Yor has a particularly epic and well-choreographed set-piece thanks to Studio Wit who is clearly channeling their Attack on Titan skills. She is essentially battling the main weapon (a cyborg basically) of the villain. It is exceptionally staged, animated, and is exhilarating to watch. That battle alone is worth seeing this film on the big screen. Colonel Snidel, the villain of the story, is forgettable. He is a high-ranking Military Intelligence officer who is itching to start a civil war, which sounds pretty basic and it is. He's nothing to write home about but at least he created the big bad cyborg who is definitely more interesting to watch.
SPY x FAMILY Code: White is entertaining, heartwarming, and a whole lot of fun. It highlights how and why this anime has become a huge hit. The Forger family is as delightful as ever, and though it plays it safe in terms of boundaries, there are a lot of zany moments that we have come to expect from this series. If you love Spy x Family like me then you'll be happy with what they put together. And if you have been itching to introduce a friend to this anime, this film is a perfect starting point. I guarantee it will get them hooked.
SPY x FAMILY Code: White is playing in select theaters, both subbed and dubbed.
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