Unless a series is really elite tier (like Golden Kamuy or Mob Psycho 100), it tends to be better when it sticks to its lane. Spy x Family is not without versatility, but it does dramatically improve when it sticks to what it’s best at. And I’m rapidly coming to believe that’s Eden College, because Endou-sensei has an innate ability to capture the goofiness of young kids that’s very appealing. When Anya is in the adult world she defaults to moeblobbing. When she’s surrounded by her own kind, she’s far more appealing (and funnier).
Once again the whole A-part (thankfully the longer “half” once more) was a complete winner start to finish. This time around it’s the chronicle of Class 3’s George Glooman (Horie Shun, an underrated seiyuu by the way). His dad is the CEO of Glooman Pharmaceuticals (whose HQ is one of the anachronistic-looking modern buildings in SxF). George overhears his father talking in rather dramatic terms about what’s about to happen to his company thanks to the Desmond Group, and – in a six year-old’s fashion – gets it totally wrong and wildly overreacts.
Last week in the comments I remarked about Daybreak, “Makes you wonder if whoever hired him is as dumb as he is”. Nice work bringing this home, Endou-sensei, because he was hired by a first grader (well, his butler). That master stroke having failed, George takes it upon himself to get Damian expelled another way. This starts out with a halfway-clever ploy of planting a cigarette butt in Damian’s dustpan and then trying to make out that Damian punched him. Fortunately Anya – who’s already seen into George’s plans – steps up and refutes George’s story. Since the teachers apart from Henderson are apparently still terrified of Anya, this is very effective.
Becky getting into her head that Anya likes Damian is funny given that the reverse is actually true, but Anya does understand him. When she says he’d never do something like she means it, because he wouldn’t. Damian is a good boy, a bit pompous certainly but honest to a fault and essentially kind-hearted. And when George laments that Damian got his Stella because of his family his henchmen are completely correct – he did totally earn it. Damian is a great character because Endou elevates him above the cliche minimums for his role in the story. He’s nice, sort of noble, and his followers actually like him (and vice-versa).
George’s evolution here is another display of Endou’s deftness with this sort of material. I can totally believe when he slips into “pity me” mode, using his heartbreak (which he sells out to the max with that slavery schtick) to guilt as much sympathy (and material gain) out of his classmates as possible. Damian buys him a juice (he volunteered that) and a caviar bowl (yuck), and loans him his Stella, he gets freebies from the entire class, and – hilariously – Anya gives him “a leaf she found by the side of the road” (a leaf which made cameos through the entire scene). The other hilarious bit is Damian dancing during the chorus scene – a great against type but very kid moment that endears him to me all the more.
Obviously, all that totally worked for me. Anya was hilarious, and seeing Damian act like a silly little kid (“Rolling sweeeep!”) is a nice change of pace. I also loved all this collapsing around George’s shoulders – turned out Desmond actually bailed his father out when he was failing (which makes you wonder if Donovan is as bad a guy as Loid has been told). George having to walk that gauntlet the next day – that was a combination of empathy for him and chuckling over the absurdity of it. Again, very authentic portrayal by Endou here – that feeling of walking into school in an embarrassing situation is one you can never forget if you’ve ever been there.
The B-part is once more kind of a throwaway, albeit again perfectly pleasant. If one wants to be a stickler Yor’s character is kind of going nowhere – this is basically her only real role in the story at this point. But the last couple of episodes have been so winning thanks to the Eden bits that it’s hard not to feel positive about the series as a whole. This is why I say Spy x Family is more deserving of its kaiju status that its three most recent predecessors, because I don’t think anything in Kimetsu, JJK, or Tokyo Revengers displays writing of this level.
Marty
November 13, 2022 at 6:05 pmSomething I noticed about this episode is that Damien’s little Dance is probably the least antagonistic he’s ever been in the series, and its kind of heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.
On the one hand, its nice that he’s able to let loose and be a kid, he doesn’t feel the need to uphold his family’s “dignity,” he doesn’t even feel embarrassed nor was he even cohersed to it (he could’ve just joined in the singing, bur he took it the extra mile).
On the other hand, its kind of sad that Damien might feel like he has to bottle up THIS side of himself. Or at least Consider his family’s standing before doing anything childish.
Guardian Enzo
November 13, 2022 at 7:57 pmYes, I very much see this side to him. Damian is always struggling to be dignified as a nobleman. But dignity is antithetical to a 6 year-old boy’s natural state. It sort of fits the mold in that the main cast are all presenting a public face that’s not who they actually are, but in Damian’s case it’s a little more emotionally impactful (both for him and the audience).
Todd
November 14, 2022 at 12:21 amIt does take a while before an arc that really focuses on Yor’s assassin work shows up unfortunately so she does feel the least developed of the three for a long time. There is also the issue that Yor’s work is probably a more difficult subject to tackle while keeping her in a good light. Loid does get up to some pretty sketchy stuff, but you can at least rationalize it as ok since he is trying to avert another war breaking out. Yor on the other hand, is most likely just killing anyone whom her boss deems a problem with no concrete explanation yet on which people fit that criteria. She started out doing it to support her brother which does provide some sympathy, but she herself has noted that Yuri is doing just fine now so she has no real reason to keep doing her work other than inertia and being good at it. Her arc was pretty good to me though so at least it delivers. I am curious if it will pop up before this season ends or if it will show up in the next season.
One thing I do hope one day is that there is an explanation about Yor being so ridiculously strong. It is often played for laughs, but in a world where people like Anya and Bond developed powers through experimentation, I am curious if she was turned into some sort of super soldier as part of her training.
Simone
November 14, 2022 at 12:48 amWhile I agree with you on Kimetsu and know nothing of Revengers, I have to say for me actually the little moments of clever writing and character insight (together with the general oddball feel of the cast) were one of the strongest things pulling me towards JJK. It’s of course all of a different flavour than we have here in SxF – one of the characters that gets this the most in S1 for example is Nobara, and she’s not an entirely *nice* person. But her “accomplices” monologue is probably one of the best such moments in the show (granted, it’s in the very last episode…).
sonicsenryaku
November 14, 2022 at 1:33 amSee, but those moments of genuine, natural, insightful 3-dimensional character writing are few and far in-between with JJK, at least at that level of quality. I completely understand the series is up there with the juggernauts, and I would even argue that it’s somewhat justified based on the style and energy it brings to modern shounen battle manga; but its character writing quality is not a something I’d give as a reason for why its good, from my point of view anyway.
Nicc
November 19, 2022 at 9:23 amThis was another fun episode at Eden, and this time with a character that I don’t believe we have seen yet, but quickly makes an impression on who he is. And, it turns out that the “spy” was indirectly hired by him. I don’t think that George had that much to pay and espionage/subterfuge seems to be one of those things that “You get what you pay for”.
The plan to get ride of Damian doesn’t quite work out, but the pity-party later on was fun to watch. I probably wouldn’t eat a caviar-don either and it’s another show of how Japanese food seems to make its way into the series. I remember when there was omurice in an earlier episode and I’m pretty sure that wasn’t served in the actual GDR. Where’s the currywurst, though?
My favorite part of this was when the kids broke out in a chorus. Except for Anya, she was having none of that. And, at least George doesn’t have to give back the leaf. I still enjoy that even though Becky personally doesn’t like Damian, she still supports Anya and Damian being a thing.
The B-part was pleasant enough to watch and in the end it wasn’t a complete loss for Yor as she managed to score a lunch date with Loid. Loid still seems to have a blindspot regarding Yor’s seemingly superhuman abilities (The 1st season of this show was in the same season as “Koi wa Sekai Seifuku no Ato de”. I was wondering between Yor and Desumi, who was the stronger woman).
B-Part
Just like the show, I’m going to use the B part of this post for a random thought. From the two OPs, it seems that the Forgers eventually get a car and it’s a convertible. The Forgers going car shopping would make for a good B-part to an episode. It appears that the Trabant does exist in this universe as Loid is shown driving one in the first OP and also a few other appearances. But, the convertible is a better choice. I mean, you don’t have to wait 10 years to get one and that car probably comes with a fuel gauge.
Guardian Enzo
November 19, 2022 at 11:15 amThey eat plenty of caviar in Europe, though. And this looked like actual caviar rather than salmon roe or something common at sushi restaurants.