Even if you've never seen an episode of Spy x Family before, chances are you've seen it pop up somewhere, either on your social media feed or in a litany of memes and viral clips. The show has been a resounding success, premiering in April and skyrocketing to the top of every best anime of 2022 list you can find. Whether it's the simple premise of a family living under mistaken identities, the comedic antics of fan-favorite character Anya (Atsumi Tanezaki), or the engaging action sequences, fans and casual viewers alike just can't get enough of this slice-of-life espionage series. As a result, fans can look forward to not just a second season coming next year, but a full-fledged film as well.
The announcement comes as a surprise to just about everyone. The anime has only been out for less than a year at this point, but to get both a feature film and a second season, on top of a first season that's double the length of most seasonal anime shows, is certainly a rarity. Nonetheless, there's plenty of excitement around the upcoming Spy x Family film.
SPY x FAMILY: The Plot
Spy x Family follows the story of spy agent Twilight, who takes on the persona of Loid Forger (Takuya Eguchi) on an undercover mission to gather intelligence on Donovan Desmond (Natsumi Fujiwara). Desmond is a man who may jeopardize the peace between two separate nations, potentially sparking a war between them. To gather this intelligence, Forger must somehow infiltrate the school that Desmond's son goes to. How can this be done? It's simple: he must create a "family." Forger adopts a daughter, Anya, and marries Yor Briar (Saori Hayami) to complete the ruse. However, each family member is more than meets the eye, and their combined abilities thrust them into more than a handful of spy-thriller shenanigans.
As for the film, there is currently no official plot synopsis available. A report by Comicbook has confirmed that the original creator of the series, Tatsuya Endo, will be involved with the film's production, writing the film's story as well as contributing new character designs. With his direct involvement, we can be certain that the film will at least match the quality of writing the anime series has become known for if not surpass it.
The series has been praised for its genuinely entertaining humor counter-balanced with stunning animation and death-defying scenarios. An interesting thing to note about Spy x Family is that it tends to lean more towards comedy than action, a reversal of what a typical shounen anime focuses on. Having a larger budget and possibly higher stakes in the plot for the film, however, could alter this balance.
SPY x FAMILY: The Cast & Crew
Suffice it to say, given the current success of the anime series, along with the order for a second season, we can safely assume that the main cast of the series will be reprising their roles for the film. This means that Takuya Eguchi should return as Loid Forger, Atsumi Tanezaki should reprise her role as Anya Forger, and Saori Hayami should return as Yor Forger. Should an English dub utilize the same cast as the anime series, we should also see Alex Organ, Megan Shipman, and Natalie Van Sistine return for their respective roles.
Across both the Japanese and English dub, there's a variety of prominent talent on board. Between them, the combined cast has had significant roles in shows like My Hero Academia, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Black Clover, Mieurko-chan, Darling in the Franxx, and other popular shows.
Animating the show, and possibly the movie, are the combined efforts of Wit Studio and CloverWorks. The former initially gained popularity for their work on the Attack on Titan series, gaining more prominence on shows like Ranking of Kings and The Ancient Magus' Bride. The latter received acclaim for their work on 2022's Bocchi the Rock! anime as well as The Promised Neverland, Darling in the Franxx, and Shadows House.
Release Date
Coinciding with the release of Spy x Family's second season, the Spy x Family movie is set to release sometime in 2023.
SPY x FAMILY: Everything Else
Seeing as how the film will be a wholly original story, and the corresponding manga is still currently running, it's hard to tell whether the film will be a self-contained adventure that doesn't connect to the rest of the series, or if it will introduce specific concepts that'll be used later in the anime's run. Either way, Tatsuya Endo's involvement is a good sign that the film will stay true to what made Spy x Family such a hit to begin with.
Beyond the movie and the second season of the anime, Spy x Family is also receiving a dedicated musical in 2023, according to a piece by Ungeek. Details for the musical remain under wraps, but it's unlikely that the stage play will have a considerable effect on either the show or the film.