Why Is Spy Family So Popular? Review & Analysis

Spy × Family has been making waves in the manga and anime community. There’s something about Spy x Family that is drawing everyone in, but what exactly is it? The characters? The plot? The art? Something in between? Let’s take a look.

Spy x Family is so popular because it appeals to mainstream audiences due to its inoffensive style and comedy. Spy x Family has a setting many people are familiar with (James Bond-esque / Cold War era Germany). Spy x Family’s plots and characters are all very unique, quirky, and entertaining for many.

Simply put, Spy x Family is so popular because it’s accessible to literally everyone. It has comedy (in bunches), it has romance, there are intense love triangles and drama, there’s school hijinx, and of course, there’s espionage and sweet spy scenarios. It’s no secret that people love James Bond and spies, and Spy x Family is a fantastic anime take on the genre that doesn’t go too hard with the classic shonen tropes that can turn non-anime fans off.

Before I go into a ton of detail about all of the reasons I just mentioned, you should know that I’ve actually put together a list of the top 10 best spy manga ever. So if you’re a fan of Spy x Family, or if you want something a little more serious, you can always check my list out and find some more espionage-fueled manga to read.

I’m going to dive a little deeper into all of the reasons that Spy x Family is popular:

Family-friendly

The main selling point of Spy x Family is the dynamic between Loid, Yor, and Anya. Sure, they all have their own little secret, but this doesn’t stop Spy x Family from having a ton of wholesome family moments. Not to mention the budding romance between Loid and Yor.

Families can sit down and watch Spy Family and everyone will have someone to relate to. This is what makes it so special, awesome, and popular. Kids will relate to Anya, while parents and young adults will relate to Loid and Yor.

Many mangas and anime utilize “fan service” which alienates many people, especially families from checking them out. Spy x Family doesn’t do anything like this. Everything in it is very palpable for mainstream audiences, which is why it’s gotten so popular so fast.

Characters

The characters in Spy x Family are another huge factor for why the show has gained the popularity it has.

• Loid: Typical cool, highly trained elite spy that can spot someone out of a crowd simply by recognizing how they walk. He plays the straight man in the family and the first plot of the show is him hilariously trying to teach the other two to be high class.
• Yor: Highly trained assassin that can kill anyone she wants. However, she knows much more about being an assassin than about being normal, which leads to some pretty funny thoughts in her brain. She also has an obsession with sharp objects like guillotines and butter knives…
• Anya: Simply adorable. Anya is an orphan who craves a mama and a papa, and does everything in her power to keep her new parents happy. Of course, she also just thinks it’s really cool having a spy and assassin as her mom and dad…

The show does a fantastic job showing off each character’s quirks and background. Like when they’re eating at a restaurant, for example, and Loid is trying to keep everyone looking and acting normal, just for Anya to eat the peanuts off of her food (she likes peanuts) and for Yor to fantasize about using the table knife for (likely) violent purposes. Each character in their own right is hilarious and great, but when you put them together you get magic.

The dynamic between these characters is what makes Spy Family so great. It’s just pure, unadulterated wholesomeness. Watching Loid transition from cold, elite spy to caring loving papa is an absolute treat. I’m not going to spoil the show in this article at all, but you can tell from the first episode alone that the relationship between Anya and Loid is special. As soon as Yor joins the group, it’s over - nothing will beat Spy Family in the wholesomeness department.

Setting

The setting for Spy Family takes place in a cold war setting. Although the cold war in Spy Family is between two fictional nations, the entire setting of the anime and manga is indicative of 1950s or 60s Europe. This gives the show the feeling of simpler times. There’s not a bunch of technology, people aren’t always on their phone, etc. It’s just the family, the house, and the people (and maybe a dog later on…)

Espionage Is Cool

This kind of plays off of the previous point, but there’s a reason that James Bond is so popular. Spies in Cold War-era Europe are extremely beloved in fiction and by the masses. There’s just something so awesome about a spy that knows exactly what he’s doing. When they walk into their house and enemies are waiting to ambush them, just to immediately beat their enemies because they noticed their doormat was ajar. These tropes have always been awesome and have always sparked peoples’ imagination, which is why people keep writing stories like Spy x Family. Although Spy Family is more of a slice of life story than a pure spy crime thriller, there are still little parts in the manga / anime that play with the classic tropes.

Casual Friendly

Last but definitely not least - Spy x Family is easy to watch / read. Anyone can pick it up and just enjoy themselves. There are people out there who may want something with more depth or suspense, but I promise you there is no one out there that hates Spy Family. It’d be very hard to hate something so wholesome. One huge upside to having a series that is this casual, is that there's no telling when it will end. Spy x Family could pump out 20+ Volumes and still go strong.

I’ve read the manga and have watched the anime, and both radiate the same amount of wholesomeness. You could start with either and still get a healthy dose of the Spy x Family formula. If you're debating, then you can read about all of the differences between the manga and anime here.

Spy Family is one of the anime that you can just throw on while you work or game and leave it on in the background. Of course, I recommend giving it your full attention the first watch through (or reading the manga first!), but after that it’s the perfect show for background noise. It’s funny, charming, and has something in there for everyone - whether you're into romance, comedy, espionage, or action.

Spy x Family is not overrated. Most fans of the show do not consider it to be a masterpiece, they just enjoy watching it for its comedy and wholesome nature. While it isn’t the best series of the decade, Spy x Family is also not overrated and there are many reasons why it has become so popular so fast.

I’ve already covered why Spy x Family is so popular above, so I’ll save you the details, but I would heavily disagree with anyone that calls the show overrated. The show isn’t trying to make waves and create convoluted, intense plots that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It’s just trying to get you invested in Loid, Anya, and Yor’s relationship and keep you entertained. I think Spy x Family excels at its main mission with flying colors, which is why I do not believe that it is overrated.

The anime is loaded with awesome episodes that will make you laugh out loud, cry, and do everything in between. There's something so special about watching the no-nonsense super spy Loid slowly become a family man and get used to civilian life (despite his best efforts to remain cold and calculating.)

Spy x Family is worth watching. It has very unique characters and a plot that is easy to follow while still having complex and serious themes in it. The voice acting and music are both very well executed and the story has many elements (action, espionage, comedy, romance,etc) so everyone can enjoy it.

Spy x Family is 1,000% worth the watch. If you’re an anime fan, you’ll love it for the solid voice acting, the music choice, and of course the art style. If you’re not an anime fan, you’ll love the wholesome family vibe mixed with the super spy storylines. The show does a great job of incorporating many different elements into one show which truly makes it great for everyone.

What I love the most about Spy Family is that it avoids many things that usually put people off of watching anime. I’m a huge fan of the anime Dr. Stone, for example. Unfortunately Dr. Stone has a tone of “fan service'' sprinkled in, which makes it uncomfortable to watch on occasion. It’s not something I’d want to watch with my niece, for example. Spy x Family, on the other hand, I could watch with anyone and be proud of it! It’s truly one of the best anime of the decade just for its accessibility.

Reasons To Watch Spy Family

Some of the mains reasons to watch the Spy x Family anime are:

• One of the most wholesome animes ever
• Captures the 1950 - 1980s cold war aesthetic and vibe
• Great music choice
• Voice actors are fantastic in the Sub and the Dub
• Plenty of action / fighting scenes to keep things fun
• It can be both silly and intense at different times
• Plenty of super spy plots as well as family plots and even school plots

I could probably keep going with this list, but the main reasons to watch are for the characters. Watching how Loid, Yor, and Anya interact with each other is golden. Anya reading the minds of her super spy papa and her assassin mama is always hilarious and adorable. The show can be so silly and ridiculous and then switch right back to being a high-stakes spy drama at the drop of a hat.

Does Spy Family Follow The Manga

The Spy x Family anime follows the manga perfectly. The anime does not skip anything in the manga at all, so if you watch the anime you will get the exact same story that the manga tells. The anime does add scenes here and there to help with the flow of the show, but it does not change anything in the story.

If you’ve seen the Spy x Family anime, then you have a very good grasp of the manga. There are some very minor things that the anime may have skipped, but in all honesty I have not noticed them and the consensus among fans is that the anime follows the manga to a T.

The anime adds some things into the show, though, that did not appear in the manga. It doesn’t add anything crazy, don’t worry. There are no extra storylines or plot hooks that don’t appear in the manga. On occasion, the anime will just add little bits of character building or scenes showing some more of the characters’ lives. These scenes don’t change anything, though, as far as the story goes and I personally love them.

The Spy x Family manga is worth reading. If you have not seen the anime or read the manga, then Spy x Family is worth the read. The story is well-written, wholesome, silly, and intense at times. The characters are all very unique and quirky, and most manga fans are going to love seeing how they interact.

Read this manga! If you don’t want to read the manga then watch the anime! I don’t care how you consume this material, just get to consuming, trust me. Spy x Family is a true gem and there’s a reason it’s gotten as popular as it has. The manga is an easy read and has something in there for everyone.

Do you want goofy situations with an adorable little mind reader? Check. Want to see an elite spy use his skills to navigate intense situations? Check. Want a plot that focuses on how difficult family and school life can be while also being a very high-stakes drama between two nations in the midst of a Cold War? Check!

Reasons To Read Spy Family

There are many reasons to read the Spy x Family manga. A few of the main reasons to read the manga are:

• The cover arts look great and unique, so they fit well in any manga collection
• The artwork itself is charming and well executed
• The plot can be silly and intense / dramatic at different times
• The main family is very wholesome and makes you feel good reading about them
• There are plenty of super spy scenarios with espionage and sneaking
• There’s a decent amount of action and fighting
• Loads of comedy and romance

All of these points are here to say that the Spy x Family manga has something for everyone. Trust me, you’re going to enjoy this manga. Some people say the manga is overrated for what it is, but no one says that it is a bad manga. There’s a reason it’s gotten so popular and that’s because it’s easy to read and the characters and story are both just so likable.

So, if you were here to figure out why Spy x Family is popular, I hope I’ve convinced you to check it out! I’m going to provide the best options for reading the Spy x Family manga and watching the anime

Best Place To Buy The Spy X Family Manga

If you have a local bookstore, I suggest checking there first! If the bookstore is a big chain like Books-A-Million or Barnes & Noble then they’ll almost certainly have Spy x Family.

The problem with bookstores, though, is that they’re more likely to have only a few volumes. This means if you want to fill in the missing pieces, you’ll have to get them from an online site.

In my experience, Amazon is a great place to order manga, and they even have a nice eight-volume collection available to start your collection off right!

Where To Watch Spy X Family Online

If you want to watch the anime, then you’ll have to head over to Hulu which has both the Dub and Sub versions of the show.

Right now Hulu is pretty much the only place to watch the dubbed version of Spy x Family. However, if you prefer subs, you can also check out the anime on Crunchyroll.

The Spy x Family anime is not on Netflix. Spy x Family is only available on Hulu (subbed and dubbed) and Crunchyroll (subbed only). Netflix had the Spy x Family anime at one point, but it has since been removed from its library. However, both Hulu and Crunchyroll are completely up to date on the anime.

It stinks, but Netflix has taken Spy x Family off of their streaming service, so you’ll need a Hulu or Crunchyroll account to watch it. Unfortunately, there’s really nowhere to (legally) watch the anime for free, but overall I find the subscription to Crunchyroll is well worth it if you love anime and don’t mind subtitles. If you prefer the dub (like me, sorry), then Hulu also has a ton of other great anime alongside Spy x Family.

Alright, I hope that after all of that you feel much more well-acquainted with Spy x Family and understand how it became so popular across the world. To summarize, it’s just an easy watch / read with lovable characters and full of wholesome family situations as well as intense super spy drama.

I know that Spy x Family can be a bit too silly for some, so if you want to check out some more intense / serious Spy manga, then make sure to check out my list of the top 10 best Spy manga ever! I included a nice mix of drama, suspense, and comedy, so I’m sure you’ll find something to scratch that espionage itch.