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Spy × Family (TV + movie) (w/ index).


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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2023 11:01 pm Reply with quote
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Episode 09: Show Off How in Love You Are
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2023 11:03 pm Reply with quote
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Episode 10: The Great Dodgeball Plan
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2023 11:05 pm Reply with quote
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Episode 11: Stella
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2023 11:07 pm Reply with quote
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Episode 12: Penguin Park
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 10:54 am Reply with quote
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Episode 13: Project Apple
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Summary:

While purchasing a dog for Anya, Loid is called away on an urgent mission to stop a terrorist group of Ostanian students, led by Keith Kepler, who plans to use dogs as bomb carriers to assassinate Westalian Foreign Minister Brantz. Meanwhile at an animal adoption fair, Anya reads into the mind of a white dog and receives a vision of her family. Intrigued, she follows the dog and ends up in the terrorists' hideout. The dog helps her escape, and Anya realizes that he can predict the future. Keith corners them, but Yor intervenes, believing him to be a child trafficker.
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Comments:

There’s a little more of the zany family content of the first half. But, the start of this second half seems to be ramping up the spy content quite a bit. Of course, the family wouldn’t be complete without a pet. Dad’s a master of disguise, Mom’s a trained killer, Daughter can read minds, and hey, Dog can see the future! Not a single member of this particular family can be normal. Nope! Normal not allowed!

I’ve actually been looking forward to when the series would get a little more actiony. The first half did a great job building the world, then developing the family and their quirks. And now that we, somewhat, understand their goals and motivations, it’s time to see how that chemistry pans out in some equally wacky spy adventures.

I love how Dog is super-aware of his surroundings and that he almost thinks like a person. Most fictional dogs you see, outside of the ones that talk in various Disney movies, tend to run solely on instinct and command. But here, Dog feels like a very defined mix of performing animal instinct actions with human thinking. I would and wouldn’t be surprised, at the same time, if he eventually ends up having the ability to communicate telepathically with Anya using small chunks of words. At this rate, though, I like him just having the visions, as is, to keep some of the mystery going.
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Last edited by Tony K. on Tue Sep 05, 2023 7:19 pm; edited 1 time in total
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 10:57 am Reply with quote
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Episode 14: Disarm the Time Bomb

Summary:

Keith is forced to flee, and as WISE arrests the other students, he takes the last bomb dog and rigs his hideout's door with a bomb trap. Anya learns through the white dog's future vision that Loid will die from it. Running away from Yor, they arrive at the bomb location and prevent his death by writing a warning outside. Afterwards, Loid disguises himself as Minister Brantz, cutting loose from the Secret Police by car and tricking Keith into following him toward the river. During the chase, Keith releases the bomb dog after Loid, beginning their confrontation.
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Comments:

Hey, more serious plot continuation! With the way things were going, I thought the series was gonna’ be more about family life and less about being spies. But color me surprised! There’s some great tension building up with some pretty high stakes.

My favorite aspects in many a spy thriller (at least, the more over-the-top ones) are the chases, traps, and/or heists. I feel the quirks of the family are unique in themselves, already, and there’s a decent amount of heart to the overall tone of the series. But when you start topping that off with good thriller elements that also feature great production value, then you’ve got the makings of grade-A entertainment.

Every part of the family has a clearly defined role. And you’d think Anya, with her telepathic powers, is what keeps them together. However, if it wasn’t for Loid and his powers of deduction, none of them would’ve met, in the first place. He puts the Spy and the Family in the show. I’m sure he’ll survive his showdown with Keith and the bomb dog. But I’m really glad the show is getting so thriller-y and suspenseful, now.

Probably gonna’ need more of their silly shenanigans to calm down the seemingly high spike of suspense, once this chase ends, which I’m very much looking forward to. If this increased slope of action is any indicator, then the coinciding down time should be equally hilarious.
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Last edited by Tony K. on Tue Sep 05, 2023 7:21 pm; edited 1 time in total
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 10:59 am Reply with quote
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Episode 15: A New Family Member
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Summary:

After the terrorism incident is resolved, the family decides to adopt the white dog with Sylvia's approval. The next day at school, Anya fails to impress Damian with her new dog. Noticing the similarities in appearances and actions between the dog and her favorite fictional hero Bondman, Anya decides to name the new Forger family member "Bond”.
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Comments:

I initially thought the episode would draw out the terrorist plot a lot longer, but am glad it ended pretty quickly, then focused on the family downtime. I’ve always liked dogs. They’re cool, friendly, and can listen in weird ways. And this was easily the most heart-warming episode of the series.

Just those few minutes of seeing Bond’s flashbacks from his rough former life, then his transition into the Forger family as he's embraced by Anya’s big hug is one of the best-feeling scenes I’ve witnessed in anime. It was like watching the opening scene of Up (2009), but resulting in tears of joy, instead of sadness.

I’m simply amazed at how this series can switch between so many different tones, and we’ve barely seen any actual spy craft, yet. I’m almost inclined to start reading the manga just to fulfill my curiosity, but I think I’ll hold off. All of the high production value in the art, animation, score, and especially Anya’s seiyuu are a joy to the senses. We’re only 3 episodes into the 2nd half, and I’m ready to rate this a 10/10 Masterpiece. It’s such a wonderful, quirky series that cheers me up every time I watch it.
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Last edited by Tony K. on Tue Sep 05, 2023 7:22 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 11:03 am Reply with quote
Original discussion started here.
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Episode 16: Yor’s Kitchen; The Informant's Great Romance Plan
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Summary:

- After Yor is unsuccessful at cooking, she asks her coworker, Camilla, to help her out. During her training, and with a little help from her brother, Yor re-discovers a favorite dish from their childhood.

- Franky enlists the aid of Loid for.. dating advice.
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Comments:

The first segment is basically Ratatouille (2006). Anyone can cook. And unironically, the result is also a childhood dish in the form a soup. By the way, that movie is my #8 all-time favorite. While there technically isn't an animal sitting atop her head and pulling hairs to control her like a marionette, she's still pretty determined to keep the family together and puts in a good amount of hilarious effort to convert killing into cooking.

The dread of food-tasting from everyone that isn't her brother is a hoot. I wish I could've taken more screencaps of just those faces. I absolutely love the moment of truth when Loid and Anya get to try her improved cooking, though. It is the essence of the tender, love, and care Yor has developed since becoming the Mom of the family. The simplicity seems so insignificant, and yet is the absolute driving force of the whole series.

And then you have Frankie's dating foray. This was the exact opposite of simplicity. You got two guys who are great spies, but one is pretty lousy at socializing. It's easy to over-complicate things when one tries to hard; case in point, poor Frankie. I feel like that segment could've lasted a little longer, maybe even a whole episode, if they threw in some awkward and/or bumbling humor on either guys' part. But Yor definitely gets priority. I also hope we get more Bond in the next downtime segments!
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Last edited by Tony K. on Tue Sep 05, 2023 7:24 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 11:06 am Reply with quote
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Episode 17: Carry Out the Griffin Plan; Fullmetal Lady; Omelet Rice♡
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Summary:

- Anya attempts to gain Damian's attention by helping him in an arts and crafts project.

- A day in the life of Loid's handler.

- Yuri builds toughness through Yor's rough upbringing and even rougher cooking.
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Comments: Man, this show is hilarious. The first segment is Anya playing her own version of spy. But since she pretty much stinks at everything she does or somehow manages to make things awkward, it's basically just more comedic misadventures.

I can't get over the faces she makes when she thinks she's got a really great plan, then it totally backfires. It reminds me of old American cartoons from the '70s and '80s that used a lot of slapstick humor, mainly from the villain side, where they would devise these dastardly plans, but then always mess up. It's especially funny with Anya, though, because of her kid-logic and, sometimes, complete misunderstanding of how social norms work.

The segment also gave decent backstory to Damian's character. He's just a boy who wants his father's approval. But the guy seems like a pro at not caring for his son. I'm sure that'll come back to haunt him.

Segment 2 was okay. We, at least, get to see a tiny bit of Sylvia's perspective and her thought process. It's short, but sweet. I liked how she's so deep in spy craft that Loid's rambling made absolutely no sense to her. You'd think spies would have a pretty vast amount of knowledge for all the things they've seen or experienced. And yet, as cool as Sylvia is, she's just flabbergasted what to think.

Then you have poor Yuri in Segment 3. The food was so bad, they had to censored it, and he just keeps eat and barfing it out of love and support for his sister. Talk about dedication!
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 7:28 pm Reply with quote
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Episode 18: Uncle the Private Tutor; Daybreak
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 7:49 pm Reply with quote
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Episode 19: A Revenge Plot Against Desmond; Mama Becomes the Wind
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 1:43 am Reply with quote
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Episode 20: Investigate the General Hospital; Decipher the Perplexing Code
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 1:45 am Reply with quote
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Episode 21: Nightfall; First Fit of Jealousy
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 1:48 am Reply with quote
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Episode 22: The Underground Tennis Tournament: The Cambelldon
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 1:51 am Reply with quote
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Episode 23: The Unwavering Path
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