Spoiler alert: This article contains minor spoilers for the first few episodes of Spy x Family.
While the anime is already doing an amazing job at introducing new fans to the world of Spy x Family, there are those longtime fans of the original manga who have been anticipating its adaptation to the screen for a long time.
With the new Spy x Family anime series now well underway and impressing viewers everywhere, what do the original fans of the story think about the adaptation? Devoted fans of the original manga took to Reddit to share their thoughts on the new anime series.
Readers Of The Spy x Family Manga Have Waited 3 Years For The Anime
The Spy x Family manga debuted in March 2019, so its readers have had a long and patient three-year wait for the anime adaptation to make it onto their screens. When the announcement came from the official press release back in November 2021, fans were understandably ecstatic.
Since the release of the show, many fans have been sharing their excitement online. One Redditor, mrnicegy26, shared, "I am so happy to see this series get animated after following it for 3 years. Both Loid and Anya were exactly as I imagined them to be. Also Anya and Loid taking a nap together like a real father and daughter will always be one of the most iconic and defining visuals of this series."
Spy x Family Is A Rare Show That Ticks All The Boxes
Almost miraculously, the Spy x Family anime has already stood out among the impressive collection of pre-existing material. After the release of the fourth episode, Spy x Family cemented itself as Japan's most popular current anime series, taking over all other anime series television ratings.
Reddit Godzilla-The-King commented, "There is a lot of incredible manga out there, and there is just as many incredible anime. It's rare however to have something that ticks so, so many boxes and has such amazing wide appeal." They added, "It has such an ability to inject the Japanese humour and charm of anime/manga into a story that is so easily digestible to people more familiar with Western media.".
The Spy x Family Anime's Energy Isn't The Same As The Manga's
While most manga readers were very happy with the outcome of the anime, some still couldn't help to point out the differences between the two. One of the main issues that original fans seemed to have was that the tone and energy of the manga hadn't quite carried over into the anime.
Reddit Cyndrifst explained, "The energy isn't exactly the same. I think part of that is the fact that the anime doesnt seem to be going for a very zany visual style and some jokes that only work because they're irreverent and fast paced with hard cuts back to normalcy, which would become weird with the new tone if played exactly like the manga." However, they did follow this up saying, "Honestly though im so happy with the anime lol. The op and ed make me tear up with how cute they are, and seeing the story colored and in motion is awesome, so its more than worth."
Spy x Family Has A Vintage 1960s Feel
One Reddit went on to describe the feel of the manga as having a '60s/'70s feel to it. This will hardly come as a surprise to fans who've picked up on the numerous references to James Bond and other properties littered throughout the anime.
Discussing the anime opening in particular, Reddit CendarVolht shared, "I was skeptical about the opening before since I didn't think the song really fitted the 60/70's feeling of the manga but after seeing it in action with the animation, I've more than warmed up to it. It's the right touch of old school vintage and state of the art action anime." Following this, they added, "So far, it's an absolute win for me in general as an adaptation. Glad to see the budget and the care is here for a manga as fantastic as this one."
The Spy x Family Anime Tones Down The Manga
Another common complaint among the manga readers was that the anime seemed to be leaning toward a more family-friendly angle than the original manga. While not overly violent, the fans reported that the manga shied away from violence a lot less than the anime seems to be so far.
For this reason, some fans had complaints about the fight scenes in the anime. Reddit RiverRusher posted, "That proposal felt a bit too quick for me too and the fight scene prior also seemed more toned down and less intense than I expected. That said, I'm still loving this adaptation so far."
Spy x Family's Animation Brings The Characters To Life
While manga is of course an incredible art form in its own right, there is certainly added benefits that only an anime to bring to life about a story. One simple thing that manga readers relished in was the ability to now see their much-loved characters move and come to life.
Reddit archlon commented, "Probably the best part of animation is that you get to see the bits where characters move between their best faces in a way static drawings can't show. Anya is basically made of excellent faces but they did a great job of showing her sudden transitions between her various arsenal of reactions."
The Spy x Family Anime Is A Natural Extension Of The Manga
What many anime series end up being criticised for is often the amount of filler that pauses the main plot of the story that fans are invested in. While it's still very early days for this anime series, fans have been pointed out while the anime fleshes out certain scenes, it doesn't detract and instead adds to the main story.
Reddit asilvertintedrose wrote, "This episode is exactly what anime adaptations ought to be...it's small adjustments and scenes like this episode that allows the anime to present the story in its medium without the limitations manga has. And the best part is that the new scenes fit so well as a natural extension of the manga instead of dragged out garbage to fill the episode runtime."
The Spy x Family Anime Needs More Comedy And Action
Spy x Family is the perfect example of an anime that blends genres, from comedy to action to slice of life and spy thriller. However, some fans believe that the balance of these genres doesn't quite reflect as well as it did in the manga.
Redditor DasHokeyPokey posted, "I am liking the anime so far BUT I am really, really going to need the comedy and action to get more focus going forward. The slice of life wholesome parts is fine, but a big draw to the manga is how ridiculous it is in juxtaposing the comedy, family drama, and action all at once."
Some Spy x Family Scenes Are Better In The Anime
While the age-old debate of original source material vs adaptation rages ever onwards, with some fans split between the manga and the anime, most seem to be in agreement that the anime manages to nail some of the major scenes from the original manga, much to the relief of the fans.
Reddit Redtutel commented, "I love how they portrayed Anya's fake crying over a lack of a mom! It was even better when what I had in my head when I read it in the manga. I love how Saori Hayami portrayed both Yor's shyness and her deadliness." They further wrote, "The big highlight is of course the proposal. There's less of a focus on the action explosion, but the combination of music and the boom, and the wind and the aftershock was amazing."
The Spy x Family Anime Exceeds Manga Fans' Expectations
After waiting for so long for the manga to be adapted to an anime series, fans each had their own expectations for what the show would be like, and thankfully it seems that most were not disappointed.
Expressing their thoughts, Reddit Hallowedtalon wrote, "THIS IS THE MOMENT THAT IVE BEEN WAITING FOR TO BE ANIMATED AND THEY DELIVER! really love that propose scene. Opening, Ending, Music, SFX, Animation Direction. Everything exceed my expectation as a manga reader.I know someone will complain about lack of detailing when compared to Manga. but hey, it's not just about the detailing, everything works really well together."