This week’s Spy x Family is the perfect blend of comedic and wholesome, once again nailing the heartfelt and hilarious tone that this series is coming to be known for. This episode was also a great follow-up to the events of last week’s episode, where Anya punched her rude classmate Damian, jeopardizing Loid’s major spy mission.
After a brief recap and the snazzy usual opening theme, we see that Anya is still feeling guilty about the punch. Loid reassures her as she goes to school with the intent to apologize, after reading Loid’s mind and realizing that world peace depends on their friendship. That’s a lot of pressure on a kid, and I like that this episode shows how that begins to affect her.
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At the same time, seeing Loid in various disguises as he tries to convince Anya to apologize in increasingly silly ways made for some very fun moments, especially since Anya’s telepathy made it so she could tell Loid was there and stressing out, no matter how well he hid. I especially liked Loid reflecting a horoscope about apologizing onto the ground, making Anya think God was asking her to apologize.
After numerous failed attempts, Anya finally apologizes to Damian but is weeping as she does so because of the mean thoughts she hears his friends say. In a delightfully silly twist, this makes Damian realize he has a huge crush on Anya, leading to him dramatically rejecting the apology out of a need to hide his feelings. The idea of this child falling for Anya when she has made no attempt to make him like her is good for a laugh and will likely lead to further great moments later in the series.
As the episode starts to wind down at the Forger home, the more heartfelt side of the episode comes into effect. After Loid pressures Anya to study hard as a backup plan, Anya panics and hides in her room. This leads to a strong moment between Loid and Yor, where Yor gently suggests to Loid that he thinks about how Anya is feeling and how hard she’s working. This makes Loid realize he needs to be a better father, even as part of the mission, which is excellent character development for him. When he finds that Anya has been trying her best in her room to study, he decides to record her favorite show for her, showing his growing kindness, which is fitting for the constantly-evolving Forger family. A highlight of this series is watching these secretive strangers grow close to and care for one another, and this episode is especially strong in that regard.
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Finally, we get a little teaser at the end, showing Yor’s brother finding out that not only is she dating someone, but she’s even gotten married. Given what we learned about her brother in this episode, seeing the siblings reconnect (assumedly) next episode should be a fun time. As always, I can’t wait to see it, as the series continues to please all-around.
SCORE: 9/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 9 equates to “Excellent.” Entertainment that reaches this level is at the top of its type. The gold standard that every creator aims to reach.
Disclosure: The critic watched the episode on Crunchyroll for ComingSoon’s Spy x Family Season 1 Episode 7 – The Target’s Second Son review.
