Spy X Family continues to be wholesome and exciting as always! Hello, readers, and thank you for dropping by Anime Rants with Mono (7Mononoke). Though I’m slightly behind, I’m trying to catch up on Fall 2023 shows. Belowaere are my episode reviews for Spy X Family season 2: Episodes 32 to 34 by Crunchyroll’s cumulative count.

Note: These reviews will not contain detailed episode recaps, but only my thoughts on and responses to selected scenes.

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Episode 7 (32): Who Is This Mission For?

Episode 7 started off with high levels of action as Yor battled with the enemy assassin. It was a very cool fight. Interestingly, Yor was having difficulty knowing how to finish the fight and dealing with hesitant feelings rooted in anxiety. She got her head in the game again and won the fight because she noticed that the enemy was becoming a danger to the bystanders. Since the bystanders included Anya, their presence gave Yor the motivation she needed.

Fear was the reason Yor felt so unusual during the fight. She feared being discovered by her “fake” family and being cast out. Yor clearly cares about Loid and Anya, but is experiencing cognitive dissonance since she this family was only supposed to serve as “camouflage.” This is the first time I remember seeing Yor’s psychology explored to this level in Spy x Family. Since I love good character psychology, I am quite pleased.

Yor also feels purposeless. She used to be an assassin to protect her brother and make money for him to live. But now, Yuri is all grown up and quite capable. So who is this mission for? With all these complex emotions and troubling thoughts, it’s getting difficult for Yor to stay focused and alert. She needs to figure out what she really wants to do with her life – but not right now. Right now, she needs to finish the job and protect whoever needs protecting.

Loid is also having difficulties, though perhaps not to the same level (his life isn’t currently in danger). The issue is that Loid can’t fathom how to make Anya consistently happy. He doesn’t understand her moods and reactions, which are often so fickle. Loid contemplates the fact that humanity fears the unknown, but as a secret spy, he is one of the people who needs to face his fears and explore the unknown. I liked hearing his thoughts as he watched the sunrise on the cruise ship.

It was wonderful and funny to see Anya having such a good time. Sometimes I forget she was in the foster system and probably didn’t have many opportunities to enjoy herself like a normal kid. This is why Spy x Family is so wholesome. That’s all for episode 7.

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Episode 8 (33): The Symphony Upon the Ship

This episode is definitely my favorite of the second season so far. The character psychology, amount of action, and the visuals were all top-notch. Those fireworks were stunningly beautiful. Additionally, this episode featured some very well-animated and exciting fight scenes. Even the violence was weirdly beautiful because Yor is so graceful and impressive in everything she does.

I loved the scene where a symphony played in the background as the fireworks were going off. While the normal vacationers on the cruise enjoyed themselves, Yor was fighting and killing savagely. The contrast between these two things was extremely well-executed. I love short montages that show stark contrast. Spy x Family really impressed me with this move.

Yor has been wondering what her purpose is for this mission and for assassin work in general. The answer at which she arrived was interesting. She will most likely continue her assassin work for the purpose of “cleansing the world” to make it a better place for her family. I thought she was going to quit being an assassin and become a bodyguard or something. That would be the more standard action for the “good guy” female lead to take. But I’m actually glad the narrative isn’t forcing Yor into this heroic role. It’s more original and subverted my expectations.

One thing about this does feel uncomfortable, though. Yor’s organization, Garden, works to eliminate enemies of the Ostanian government. Westalis and Ostania are almost certainly supposed to represent West and East Germany (respectively). If we assume this world is similar to ours, then Yor is on the wrong side of history. She’s aligned with the country that experimented with dictatorship and failed its people miserably, leading to widespread misery and poverty.

My first instinct is to not let this bother me and appreciate the fact that Spy X Family is highlighting the nuances of history. I agree that things are not always black and white, and that vision is 20/20 in hindsight. However, I am also worried that the narrative is trying to downplay the facts of the political evils of East Germany. For now, I will reserve judgment on this issue, and appreciate the anime for its action, cuteness, and humor. Eventually, I’ll form a more solid opinion.

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Episode 9 (34): The Hand that Connects to the Future

Episode 9 was fairly suspenseful as Yor continued her fight with the last assassin, and Loid worked on disarming the bombs inside the ship. Though the episode kept my attention very well, I can’t think of a lot to comment on. As always, Yor and Loid were brave and sexy, and Anya was a devil – a very cute and helpful little devil. I’m also glad the old man, “the Director,” was alright. He seems cool in his own way. This is random, but I really liked the character design for the bomber guy.

Anya had many funny and adorable moments throughout this installment. I loved the part where she threw Yor’s weapon back on the upper deck, and how it was actually useful in helping Yor. The way Anya alerted the security officer about the clock was also most humorous. Although Anya’s adventures are always entertaining, I sometimes worry that she’s going through way too much stress for a small child. But for now, at least, she seems to cope well.

I thought it was too convenient that the bomb Loid thew just happened to kill off the last two assassins/terrorists. The levels of luck and ridiculous coincidences in Spy x Family is a bit absurd. Fortunately, absurdity is quite humorous to me in most cases. So what if the last two bad-guys were finished in a goofy and impossible way? It was funny. I’m not watching Spy x Family to be a critic.

The moment when Yor held the baby was heartwarming. I liked Olka’s words to Yor. The assassin woman was flustered, saying she shouldn’t hold a baby when she was dirty and her hands were sticky with blood. Olka said, “Yours are the hands that connected him to the future.” In other words, if not for Yor, that baby boy would never have lived to have a chance to grow up. So, Yor reluctantly holds the baby, who is very happy in her arms. What a sweet scene!

Thanks for reading~

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PATREON