Anime Review – Spy x Family: Code White (2023)

The Forger family has made their way to the big screen. Anime fans have beloved the hit show Spy x Family since its release. The co-production between Wit Studio (Attack on Titan Season 1-3, Vinland Saga Season 1) and Cloverworks (Persona 5 the Animation, The Promised Neverland) is constantly growing in popularity. So, this may come as a surprise, but I’ve never watched a single episode of the show. I know I am itting I’m essentially a fake anime fan, but it was not until recently that I prioritised watching new shows over the must-watch classics. So, I feel I have a unique perspective when it comes to this film.

The film establishes the status quo before it dives head-first into its original story. The main storyline is that as part of Loid’s mission, he wants Anya to win a cooking contest at school. To achieve this goal, he believes they should make the head teacher’s favourite dessert. To make the best version of the dish possible they head on a family vacation. However, this trip could also put world peace in jeopardy.

This is where I feel the biggest positive of the film arises. Spy x Family: Code White is extremely newcomer-friendly. The film does an excellent job of introducing us to our cast. We get accustomed to what makes our family of Loid, Yor, and Anya Forger unique and special and you cannot help but love the dynamic of the main trio. Anya especially is a delight. Her fun and zany antics allow the film to blossom into a joyful experience.

However, what I was not expecting from this film was the impressive action. The final act of this film is one massive rescue mission. We see this from all 3 characters’ perspectives and seeing Loid using his spy abilities to sneak around undetected and Yor being a kick-ass assassin is nothing short of enthralling. The final act is also amplified by how luscious the animation is. While the first 2 acts look great, they feel like they could have aired on TV, the final act on the other hand kicks into overdrive and is just gorgeous. There is even a moment where the art style changes and becomes a more pastel style and it allows the sequence to stand out and be truly effective.

I watched the Subtitled version of this film and I felt the voice cast did an incredible job. The amount of range they bring allows the characters to feel unique and ties into the double life aspect of the story as how they talk when they are a family vs how they talk when being the private self is different.

What I felt held back the film for me was the humour. Not every joke worked for me and there was one joke that I felt was a bit over the top that it felt out of place. However, that issue is only minor in the grand scheme of things as I truly adored this film. It was a great time and when the credits rolled, I wanted to start catching up on the show. So, in a way, Spy x Family Code White was mission-successful in making me a fan.

★★★★

In UK cinemas from 26th April 2024 / Takuya Eguchi, Saori Hayami, Atsumi Tanezaki, Kenichirou Matsuda / Dir: Takashi Katagiri / Anime Limited / 12A