Spy × Family (TV series)

Produced by Wit Studio and CloverWorks, the first season of Spy × Family was broadcast on TV Tokyo in 25 episodes divided into two parts.[2] The first part, consisting of 12 episodes, aired from April 9 to June 25, 2022,[3] and the second part, the last 13 episodes, aired from October 1 to December 24, 2022.[4] The first season was directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi, with music by (K)now Name, character designs by Kazuaki Shimada, while Kazuaki Shimada and Kyoji Asano are chief animation directors.[5] It was first announced in October 2021.[5][6]

The opening theme for the first part uses the song "Mixed Nuts" (ミックスナッツ, Mikkusu Natsu) by Official Hige Dandism and is directed by Masashi Ishihama; while the ending theme uses the song "Comedy" (喜劇, Kigeki) by Gen Hoshino and is directed by Atsushi Nishigori.[7][8][9][10][11] The opening theme for the second part uses the song "Souvenir" by Bump of Chicken and is directed by Tetsurō Araki; while and the ending theme uses the song "Shikisai" (色彩, lit. "Color") by Yama and is directed by Takayuki Hirao.[12][13][14][15][16]

The series is licensed for streaming by Crunchyroll outside of Asia,[17] while it is distributed by Muse Communication in a selection of countries in South and Southeast Asia.[lower-alpha 1][18]

In December 2022, a second season and a theatrical film were announced at the Jump Festa 2023 event.[19][20][21] Ichirō Ōkouchi is replacing Furuhashi as scriptwriter, with the remaining staff and cast reprising their roles. The second season, consisting of 12 episodes, premiered on October 7, 2023.[22][23][24]

The second season's opening theme uses the song "Kura Kura" (クラクラ, lit. "Dizzy") by Ado and is directed by Masaaki Yuasa. The ending theme uses the song "Todome no Ichigeki" (トドメの一撃, lit. "Finishing Strike") by Vaundy (feat. Cory Wong) and is directed by Eugene Winter.[25][26][27][28][29][30]

The season is licensed for streaming by Crunchyroll outside of Asia,[31] while it is distributed by Muse Communication in a selection of countries in South and Southeast Asia.[lower-alpha 1][32]

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season of Spy × Family holds an approval rating of 100% based on six reviews, with an average rating of 9/10.[36] The reviewers of Anime News Network praised the first episode of the series. Caitlin Moore and James Beckett gave it a perfect score; Moore lauded the show for its "consistent sense of comic timing" which perfectly deliver each joke and calling it a "guaranteed crowd-pleaser and a solid choice for almost everyone," while Beckett wrote that the "breakout star of the show" is Anya though what made him won over the show is its heart. Nicholas Dupree noted that "[the show] operates in a very precarious space between a goofy comedy of coincidences and a serious spy thriller, where the result is a world that mostly runs on cartoon logic." Richard Eisenbeis described Anya as a "fantastic little character" while praising the anime for its characters and worldbuilding. Rebecca Silverman, similar to all of her manga reviews, she called Anya as the "beating heart of the series" while praising the anime for its story and animation.[37]

Rafael Motamayor of IGN praised the show for its comedy, action, animation, characters, and poignant commentary on family and class. He also compare Anya to Baby Sinclair of the 1990s comedy series Dinosaurs, while stating that "Spy × Family manages to strike a great balance between commentary, drama, action, and slice-of-life comedy without undermining any of those respective elements in the process."[38]