REVIEW: ‘Spy x Family,’ Episode 5 – “Will They Pass Or Fail?”

Spy x Family is an action/comedy shonen anime produced by WIT Studio and CloverWorks. With the interview over and no one dead from it, the Forgers now anxiously anticipate the outcome. But when the news arrives, it quickly leads to an all-new mission for Loid as he must save Princess Anya in Spy x Family Episode 5!

The most prominent story beat in this episode is obviously whether or not Anya made it into the school. I’m not going to spoil this moment, especially as the episode takes some pains to obfuscate the answer as long as it can. But, due to the outcome of the exam, Anya, with some help from Franky, convinces Loid to gift her with one of her dreams. So, for one day, Anya will be a princess in a castle, needing rescuing by a daring spy.

The ridiculous lengths Loid goes to make Anya’s wish come true are equal parts hysterical and charming. Allowing his reputation at work to do some heavy lifting for him, Loid is able to get a legion of agents to take part in Anya’s fantasy. After all, it is crucial to Operation: Strix’s success for Anya to stay positive and happy.

As Loid runs the gauntlet prepared for him by Franky and Anya, he perfectly slides into the grumbling dad role. The way Spy x Family Episode 5 blends the spy aesthetic with the domestic vibe of a dad simply trying to please his daughter is ingenuous.

But, despite this episode’s tale focusing so much on Loid and Anya, the scene-stealer here is once again Yor. Much like her confrontational moment with the cow last episode (I’ll have to add that to my “sentences I never thought I’d write” bingo card), Yor delivers a tremendous moment that lands perfectly during the episode’s big finale.

Along with its copious amounts of humor and fun action sequences, Spy x Family Episode 5 also does a great job of building up Loid’s character passively through the events of the episode. The way the other agents react to him and how blindly his superiors approve his every request speak volumes about Loid’s reputation as the country’s greatest spy than people merely stating the fact.

While the visuals continue to display a wide range of skill as it delivers the episode’s various beats, its most significant achievement here is Anya. While she has been an adorable character from her first scene, she has continued to find ways to one-up her previous appearances. Much of her heart-melting cuteness is thanks to the fabulous way the animation delivers the child’s lovable personality.

Bringing it all together, Spy x Family Episode 5 delivers a ton of fun, humor, and charm once again. Where the show goes from here promises some change-ups to its situation, but I’m sure the Foragers will be able to handle whatever the mission throws at them.

Spy x Family Episode 5 is streaming on Crunchyroll.