Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of SpyXFamily. I have a treat for you this week. Remember episode 5, and how like… 80% of it was anime original? Turning a single chapter into this whole event? Well it’s happened again. And once again, it’s pretty good. So lets dive into it.
Just like with episode 5, I think this week is another example of what a good adaptation looks like. Because just like episode 5, this week SpyXFamily took a single chapter and expanded on it. The core idea of the dodgeball game? Some small training with Yor, Bill existing? That was all there originally. But the extended sequence in the park? Bill’s little segment with his father? The combo attacks and references? Not to mention all of the little animation upgrades to really enhance the jokes? That’s all new! It feels so much like the staff were allowed to have fun while creating this episode. Like people were just pitching ideas, “How can we fill this time in a fun way”, and then they went and did them. Don’t believe me? Well lets talk about a few of those fun ideas.
The most obvious ones should be the references. Whether it be Damian deflecting Freeza’s energy blasts on Namek like DBZ, catching Bill’s throw like Hisoka from HunterXHunter, or him and his cronies striking the Ginyu force poses, it’s all fun. Even stuff like Bill’s dad being M Bison. It doesn’t stop there though! SpyXFamily also introduced a bunch of fun metaphors, like turning Damian and his minion’s playtime training sessions at recess into death-defying acts. Whether it be turning a jungle gym into climbing a mountain or that Freeza energy ball from a tire swing. It’s all just… good fun. And all of it is anime original to my memory.
It doesn’t stop there though, because the narrative was also added to! The big one in my mind being Bill’s dad. I don’t believe we meet him in the manga. Yet here we see him, get some more backstory and training with Bill, and then get this really cute scene where Bill yells out “Daddy”. Showing that for all of his size, this is still a 6 year old. It’s the juxtaposition of what the visuals lead us to think vs what is actually the case. The kind of subversive comedy that I’ve come to really enjoy from SpyXFamily.
And as for our leads? Well this week we learn a bit more about Damian, getting a bit more of his home situation. How his father didn’t show up for his first day. Or how his elder brother is this monolith, the only child his father seems to care about. All leading in to just how important the Stella Stars, and by extension this dodgeball game, is to him. It’s not about being better than everyone else. It’s about Damian getting his dad to notice him. And it’s kind of sad. On top of that, it also throws a wrench into Loid’s plans. Even if Anya becomes Damian’s friend, if he’s the unfavored son then will Loid even get to meet the man? I don’t really think so myself.
Meanwhile on Anya’s end it was a bit of heartfelt growth, almost learning that Damian is a decent kid, and jokes about Yor’s training methods. It was really sweet how Anya “heard” how much this game meant to Damian and took it seriously. Or how Damian stepped in to protect Anya, despite his previous attitude towards her. And then for all of that to fall away to bickering at the end, costing them both an actual Stella? I don’t know about you, but that’s one of the best “maintain the status quo” jokes I’ve seen in an anime in awhile.
So yeah, all in all I think this was another successful episode of SpyXFamily. It didn’t “wow” me as much as episode 5, since that was a much more extensive addition, but it was certainly more enjoyable than the last two episodes. It actually makes me wonder just how much of SpyXFamily’s success is tied to Anya. Are the episodes without her just automatically going to feel lesser? Or perhaps do other people feel the same way about other characters, like say Frankie or Loid. I’d be interesting to know who YOU, dear readers, think is the most important character to the series success, either its comedy or narrative. As for me, I already gave me answer.
P.S. I will be out of town until Friday next week. It’s possible I’ll still be able to get all the posts up on time, but don’t be surprised if they are late as I catch up on stuff.
