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Book Review: Spy x Family, Vol 12 by Tatsuya Endo

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Spy x Family, Vol 12       

Version 1.0.0

Author: Aya Yajima

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: August 6, 2024

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Comedy manga/208 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Anya is on top of the world! Having finally achieved the receipt of a Stella Star, she refers to herself as Starlight Anya! As Loid drives her to school, Anya thinks about Sy-on Boy and his family, but he mistakes her comments as criticism of his parenting and worries that the mission will be jeopardized because of him. Anya determines to be even nicer to Sy-on Boy, but once she gets to school and receives the accolades of her peers, her intentions go horribly awry.

Thomas Austin, the tutor-in-residence, has had nightmares ever since the school bus hijacking, so the headmaster suggests a good psychiatrist – none other than Loid Forger! Will Loid be able to help him, or will he discover that the root cause of the man’s troubles isn’t what he thinks it is?

Sylvia Sherwood is Loid’s handler, but she isn’t exactly the most tidy of persons or the most organized. Dried pasta on her clothes and files left at home are only the tip of the iceberg.  She’s been living alone for so long that she has really stopped caring. When she goes to meet Twilight for a scheduled briefing, she is dismayed to find Anya there, as well as their dog Bond. Loid apologizes but it couldn’t be helped. Will Anya’s presence be a hindrance to the business at hand?

Yor finds herself drawing closer to her co-workers and actually having conversations with them. But she starts to worry that she isn’t presenting her marriage as a typical marriage, according to what they say to her. So she decides to fabricate details in order to fit in. But will that plan backfire on her? Could it affect her relationship with Loid?

The next day, Yor wonders if she was… inappropriate… with Loid, but she can’t remember. Anya is off to the zoo with Becky but before Yor can say anything to Loid, her brother Yuri pops in and immediately thinks Loid is doing something hurtful to his sister. Loid becomes paranoid, wondering if Yuri knows about his secret identity, while Yor is determined to convince her brother that she and Loid are a normal married couple, complete with arguments!

It was inevitable that a situation might arise in which Loid would find himself pitted against his brother-in-law Yuri, who is a member of the SSS. Will Yuri learn that Loid is the mysterious Twilight he has been so desperately seeking? What if Loid finds himself in a position where he has to kill Yuri? That might make things awkward in the Forger household!

Another great volume of Spy x Family. I love how the author incorporates more than just the main characters, fleshing them all out as well as he does the Forgers. While I want to see Operation Strix succeed, I am hopeful the story will continue afterward. I think the Forgers will become an actual family. I believe Loid and Yor already have feelings for one another. Think of the possibilities of the family as a team! This volume has come cute bonus stories as well.

Book Review: Spy x Family, Vol 7 by Tatsuya Endo

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Spy x Family, Vol 7   

Author: Tatsuya Endo

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: April 5, 2022

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Action & Adventure/200 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Twilight engineers a meeting with Donovan Desmond under the guise of apologizing for Anya’s violent behavior, but the father does not seem upset about it, and brushes off Loid’s suggestions he bring a gift to the manor. Even so, it’s a beginning, and Loid has gained some insights regarding his target.

Damian Desmond may be a spoiled brat, but the truth is what he really craves is his father’s attention, affection, and especially his approval. Hearing him praise his son for his good grade has become an impetus to do even better. Having been late to morning muster, Damian must help the dorm mother with chores. His friends have no wish to leave him to this fate, so they contrive to be punished as well. The headmaster decides to give all three boys a new punishment – they must accompany Mister Green on a field research trip!

The precognitive dog Bond has a vision of darkness that he doesn’t know how to interpret! Every scenario he envisions is worse than the one before!  Afraid that Yor is trying to poison him, he seeks out Loid, who is on a mission. This could either be a huge mistake or a blessing in disguise for the spy.

Yor’s brother Yuri is a member of the secret police. He receives a new assignment which involves books that have been appearing in Ostania recently denouncing the East. His job is to follow the alleged author and find out who is publishing this trash!

At Eden Academy, students whisper about the fabled pastry of knowledge. It has been rumored that those who partake of this pastry go on to become Imperial scholars. So of course every student wants to have one. But no one knows when the mysterious patissier will show up to make these delicacies. And the competition to get them is fierce, as there are only so many to go around when he does show up. The news flies through that the school that the pastry is there and this time it’s macarons. Everyone races to get one. Anya and Desmond are neck and neck. But George is the last person to receive the prized pastry. They persuade him to gamble for the macarons in a game of Old Maid!

Twilight picks up some pictures from Franky that he needs for his mission. When he asks for more, Franky says he will, but in exchange, he needs Twilight’s help – to find a missing cat! The cat belongs to a server at his favorite café and she has been sad ever since her feline went missing. Franky is determined to see her smile again.  But Twilight seems less than interested, so Franky has to do it himself!  When he runs into Yor and explains the situation, she offers her assistance.

Yor receives a phone call pertaining to her alter ego as Thorn Princess and receives an assignment – to protect a woman and her young child after her husband and sons were killed in an internal dispute. She is seeking asylum in a foreign country and is sailing there. Yor is to accompany her. How to explain her absence to her family?

A bonus story is about Twilight’s handler, Sylvia Sherwood, and the things she has to go through in order to meet with him safely!

This volume brings to the fore the characters who normally don’t take center stage in this series and gives us a chance to get to know them better. I’m learning in my manga reading and anime watching not to make assumptions about characters you think you have pegged, because you’ll often find out you’re wrong about them. Each book is generally made up of short stories about the family, and this one is no exception. Except that it does end on a cliffhanger which I presume will be continued in the next book, and a very interesting one it is too!

The anime recently began playing on Crunchyroll. I watched the first episode and loved it! I would recommend it if you enjoy this series.

Another great volume, can’t wait for the next one (although I’ll have to lol)

Book Review: Spy x Family, Vol 2 by Tatsuya Endo

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Spy x Family, Vol 2     

Author: Tatsuya Endo

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: September 1, 2020

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Action & Adventure/200 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

 

 

Operation Strix is master spy Twilight’s covert operation to keep the peace between Westalis and Ostania by spying on the warmongering chairman of Ostania’s  National Unity Party, Donovan Desmond. In order to do this, Twilight has been ordered to have a wife and family, so his “child” can attend the same prestigious school as Desmond’s. Twilight—now going by the name Loid Forger—has actually acquired a wife and child and the three of them have had their interview at the school. Now they are waiting the results of the interview…

… only to find their daughter’s name missing from the list of those who have been accepted! Is the mission doomed already? But one of the housemasters takes the family aside and shows them a second list, a waiting list which has Anya’s name at the top. But Loid knows the chances of someone dropping out is slim to none, so he decides to help things along.

Anya finds herself accepted, time for celebration! Loid’s co-worker, Scruffy, gives Anya the idea that her dad will probably get her anything she wants as a reward for getting in. But what she wants is something she’s seen on her favorite cartoon, Bondman. She wants to be rescued from a castle! Is that even possible?

Anya is fitted for her school uniform, and Loid is covertly given the time of his next briefing, during which phase two is explained. Apparently the school has a program for outstanding students, who are known as Imperial Scholars. Donovan’s son Desmond is among this group. To become an Imperial Scholar, one must earn eight merits, or Stella Stars, through academic excellence or contributions to society. Eight Stella are required to do this. On the other hand, eight demerits, known as Tonitrus, will earn expulsion. Loid wonders if Anya can possibly become an Imperial Scholar.

Anya’s first meeting with Desmond doesn’t go particularly well, even though she tries to become his friend. But he looks down on her because he considers her beneath him. On the plus side, she makes a friend of a little girl named Becky. But when Desmond is mean to Becky, Anya automatically responds. Is the mission doomed from the start? Can Loid improve her academic skills enough for her to earn the required Stella?

Yor’s brother, Yuri, accidentally learns that his sister has gotten married, a fact she forgot to mention to him. But unbeknownst to her, York has his own secrets.

Thanks to a shortage of personnel, Loid is given side jobs to do, which is why the family ends up at the aquarium.

I have to admit I fell in love with this series from the beginning, from the moment I saw the cover of the first volume. Reading that and then the second book has only reinforced my love of Spy x Family. The situations are hilarious, with each member of the family unaware of the secrets of the others (except for Anya, who reads minds). Scruffy is a great comedic foil. Watching the Forger family interact, I just know they will end up as a real family by the end of the series. They are a perfect fit for one another. Anya knows she can read minds and get the answers to anything, but the trick is to read the right mind, and sometimes she doesn’t succeed in that. Yor is a very protective mama, and she is hard-core tough. No damsel in distress here. Loid may appear cold on the outside, and he is very methodical in everything he does, but inside lies a heart of pure gold, as well as a true master of disguise.

I can’t say enough good things about this series. The artwork is awesome, Loid is handsome, it’s filled with fun, action, and humor. What more could you ask for? Looking forward to the next book.