REVIEW: ‘Spy x Family,’ Episode 3 – “Prepare for the Interview”

Spy x Family is an action/comedy shonen anime produced by WIT Studio and CloverWorks. With Loid and Yor agreeing to be a married couple last episode, the family is complete. But just because everyone is living in the same home doesn’t mean they are ready to pass the academy’s entrance exam. But when their first run through the practice questions proves disastrous, Loid decides that they all need to spend some more time together and head out for a day of fun and learning in Spy x Family Episode 3.

The series feels like it has hit its stride with the family fully assembled. And if Spy x Family Episode 3 is an honest indicator of what that stride looks like, we are all in for a highly entertaining ride.

The biggest surprise for me in this episode comes from Yor. As an assassin, I expected her to be rougher around the edges. In addition, the seeming lack of social skills she demonstrated in her first appearance had me expecting her to have some struggles acclimating to her new surroundings, particularly where Anya is concerned. But aside from what could be viewed as a disturbing fascination with sharp objects, Yor navigates the story with just as much warmth as the other members of her new family.

While Yor is surprisingly charming, and Loid continues to be his endearingly on-edge self, the show’s star is once again Anya. The young telepath steals virtually every moment she is involved in. The series’ writing continues to deliver as authentic a take on childhood as I’ve ever seen an anime deliver. I dare anyone to make it through Spy x Family Episode 3‘s opening sequence of Anya giving Yor a tour of their apartment without getting filled with all the warm and fuzzy feelings.

While the bulk of this episode focuses on the heart and humor of the goofy new family, it breaks up the calm near the end with a bit of action. When Yor sees a purse snatcher assault an older woman, she quickly leaps into action. This sees the whole family soon hunting down the crook.

This moment for Yor is handled beautifully. Not only does it spice up the episode with some unexpected excitement, but it helps the viewer forget that Yor is literally paid to murder people. Instead, she seems like an all-around wonderful person if you ignore that one tiny flaw.

The animation brings all the various moments in this episode to life. The action, while brief, is nevertheless exciting. The animation does a great job of making the moments when Yor and Loid spring into action feel genuinely dynamic. And the visuals work just as well on the humor side of the show. I don’t think I will ever tire of Anya’s look of shock every time Yor thinks about murdering people.

When all is said and done, Spy x Family Episode 3 delivers a great taste of what the show will be now that its core cast is assembled. If the series can maintain this high standard of quality while harmoniously combining wonderful humor, heartwarming feeling, and stylish action, this series will be an anime people will be talking about long after the credits have rolled.

Spy x Family Episode 3 is streaming on Crunchyroll.