Stella(r) episodes like the previous couple do have one unintended side effect. To wit (pun intended) they remind us that a fair portion of Spy x Family is pretty trifling stuff. As indeed this episode was, compared to the prior two. The saving grace is that SxF’s cruise control mode is almost never worse than pleasant. It’s amusing even when it isn’t hilarious, and it generally manages to avoid the excesses that trip up so many series centered around cute little girls. Anya certainly works best as a foil for other characters, but she’s reliably entertaining most of the time anyway.
Anya is no phony, which helps. She’s a dunderheaded five-year old (or whatever year-old she actually is). She’s not good at much of anything, she’s not especially bright, and has no obvious talents apart from her ESP. That makes her more tolerable as a character but it presents a real problem for Loid, who’s desperate to get the wheels in motion on his mission. That Anya can’t be coached up to Imperial Scholar seems pretty obvious – she’d never make the honor roll on merits. She has what’s probably the best actual plan – figure out which tyke is good at which subject and cheat off their thoughts. But reading Loid’s thoughts scares her off that notion.
With academics, athletics, and the arts off the table, Loid turns to volunteer work as a potential stella shortcut. A logical progression, but as it turns out Anya can even screw that up. She’s very believable in that sense – no patience, almost no attention span apart from her spy cartoon, an aversion to chores of any kind. But just as believable is her desire to please Loid. She wants to save the world, but more than anything she’s terrified Loid will lose interest in her if she can’t help him. For an urchin like her that’s totally understandable.
My only issue with the whole swimming pool thing is that Loid is so easily distracted from the fact that Anya very clearly demonstrated some kind of mysterious power. It’s easy for us, we know – no normal person would be on the lookout for esper powers in their step-daughter. But she keeps dropping clues like anvils, and this was by far the biggest. How could Loid possibly write off Anya knowing Ken-kun was drowning to any conventional explanation? He should at least be vexed over it, but there’s no sign he is. Endou-sensei kind of hits Loid with a stupid stick when the plot requires it, which TBH isn’t the strongest element in his writing here.
Be that as it may (I also have serious issues with the physical therapist allowing that to happen), it does get Anya her first stella. And she insists on Becky calling her “Starlight Anya” (which Becky plays along with surprisingly affably). Unfortunately the sort of attention being the first to get a stella draws from her classmates is the sort that a kid would rather avoid. Once more it’s Damian who comes to her defense, angrily dismissing the idea that she somehow cheated to get her star. Damian is a first-class tsundere complete with complementary champagne and a fold-down bed, but he has integrity. And lo and behold, Anya is definitely starting to see his not inconsiderable good side.
Anya’s fantasy sequences of triumphant connections with Damian are the funniest part of the episode to be sure. But clearly, that’s going to take considerable time. Meanwhile Becky (one would be forgiven for wondering just what sort of business her family is involved in) plants the idea in Anya’s head to ask for a present as a reward for her stella. Everyone in the Forger household has some interesting notions of what dog ownership is like, but as with anything else Loid is quick to imagine how that can be worked to the benefit of the mission. Stay tuned for more on this score – though not until the fall, it seems…
Mr Braun
June 19, 2022 at 4:49 pmThe Starlight Anya schtick and Becky’s quiet acceptance of it made me chuckle throughout the episode lol
Marty
June 19, 2022 at 7:19 pmAnya’s Overwhelmingly childish worldview was pretty funny, though I personally would’ve laughed harder if Loid’s and Desmond’s VA’s (if Daddy Desmond even has one yet) had said such childish lines, but that’s just me.
I do like the fact that unlike 90% of Kids in anime, Anya is allowed to be more than just a cutesy means by which ti sell the series. Don’t get me wrong, she’s DEFINATELY the mascot of the show, but the writer allows her to be more than just a cute face.
If I remember correctly, Becky’s dad is the CEO of a weapons manufacturer, so Anya’s impression is lowkey on the money, at least considering the Military-Industrial Complex, which she’s admittedly too young to know about.
Todd Clawson
June 19, 2022 at 11:50 pmI do agree that Loid should be wondering a bit more about Anya. There are plenty of hints that something is off such as her being adopted and returned multiple times, being strangely intuitive at times on things she shouldn’t really understand, and now this. He shouldn’t come to the correct answer, but I think he should be asking a few more questions. However, it really isn’t a deal-breaker for me and it is easy for me to wave it off as Loid just being so out of his depth with kids and the entire mission that he is really off his game.
Haraga
June 20, 2022 at 2:34 amThe bit about Loid failing to notice Anya’s superpower — as well as Yor’s true nature — just highlights how inconsistent the writing is when it switches to its serious tone. As a comedy, it is hilarious and on point, but as a drama, it often pretends to be smarter than it actually is. Some of Loid’s internal monologues are downright cringeworthy, to be honest, the writer fails to present that Loid is as smart as he is supposed to be. For me it’s probably the biggest failing in otherwise very entertaining show, as the actual story structure and themes, the way character personalities are designed to contrast and compliment each other, its comedy chops are all top-notch.
nina
June 21, 2022 at 7:34 amAnya didn’t actually tell him that someone was drowning. It was very clear that she thought about it in her mind.
Guardian Enzo
June 21, 2022 at 6:46 pmYou may be right, though that’s now how it played to me at the time I watched it.
Mr Braun
June 21, 2022 at 10:42 pmOh, I thought you didn’t think Loid would buy Anya’s excuse: “Dad, I’m not good at community work so I will go swimming in the pool to win a stella” and “I saw bubbles”
Yeah, she didn’t say to Loid that Ken was drowning. That was a hypothetical situation.
Guardian Enzo
June 22, 2022 at 6:50 amIf that’s the case it’s better, as it explains why Loid didn’t take any issue with what happened.
Marty
June 22, 2022 at 12:51 pmI don’t go and read the corresponding chapters and the Manga did make it a lot more clear that Anya thought about telling Twilight about the drowning boy but didn’t.
Yann
June 23, 2022 at 12:19 amShe straight up says: “Someone’s drowning in the pool!” in the anime…
Marty
June 23, 2022 at 6:11 amYes, and then it Showed that it was in her head. It did a strange way, but it did.
Yann
June 23, 2022 at 10:18 amWhoops… Totally missed that. Thanks for spelling it out! I was slow on that one…