REVIEW: ‘Spy x Family,’ Episode 11 – “Stella”

Spy x Family is an action/comedy shonen anime produced by WIT Studio and CloverWorks. With the dodgeball tournament ultimately yielding no Stella Stars, Anya must go back to striving for them through more conventual means. But with her grades not making the cut and her athletic abilities not excelling either, Loid looks to alternative approaches for improving Anya’s standing in Spy x Family Episode 11.

This week’s episode opens on a more somber note than many of its predecessors. Anya’s recent test scores have come in, and things are not looking great for the girl’s shots at earning any Stellas through her academic accomplishments. While I appreciate Loid’s focus and drive to get Anya to where the mission needs her to be, I cannot help but feel bad for the youngster. Anya seems like a perfectly normal child where concepts like academics and sports are concerned. However, Loid’s expectations for her just don’t seem to be reasonable. And no amount of study can just change someone into a scholar. It’s just not that simple.

Seeing Anya’s frustrations mounting, though, Loid decides that perhaps there are other ways Anya could stand out. Public service has been a route others have used to earn Stellas at the prestigious school, so Loid takes Anya to volunteer at a local hospital.

This excursion forms the cornerstone of Spy x Family Episode 11‘s plot. While Anya initially struggles to make herself useful, she eventually finds a way to make a difference. This revelation isn’t just good for the mission, but it also looks like it could profoundly impact Anya herself. Thanks to her experiences at the hospital, Anya has begun to realize her abilities may be capable of genuinely helping others rather than just freaking them out.

After her experience at the hospital, the episode follows Anya back to school. But rather than just trying to keep her head above water here, Spy x Family Episode 11 sees a distinctive shift in Anya’s focus. We see the young girl concocting plans she thinks will help maintain world peace and attempting to follow up on them. Like so many aspects of Anya’s personality, these plans feel like a perfect representation of a child’s basic, straightforward ideas. The uncomplicated worldview of a youngster is always so charming.

The episode wraps up its story with Anya asking Loid and Yor for a present. This moment does a great job of humorously revealing the thoughts of Anya’s parents, their focus, and concerns about Anya’s requested gift through the lens of Anya’s mind.

The visuals do a great job of bringing the multi-faceted Anya to life. Her concern, joy, and moments of bravery are all presented wonderfully to the viewer. I can’t fathom how anyone could watch this series without actively cheering for this wonderfully charming character, and how the show delivers her visually is the cause of so much of that charm.

When all is said and done, Spy x Family Episode 11 delivers another strong episode. We see Anya continue to evolve and I continue to eagerly look forward to the next adventure the Forgers go on.

Spy x Family Episode 11 is streaming on Crunchyroll.