REVIEW: ‘Spy x Family,’ Episode 15 — “A New Family Member”

Spy x Family is an action/comedy shonen anime produced by WIT Studio and CloverWorks. Thanks to Anya’s quick thinking, Loid was able to avoid the trap set for him by the terrorists. Now having disguised himself as the intended target of the plot, Loid looks to put the final assailant out of commission in Spy x Family Episode 15. This week’s story splits its narrative in two. The opening wraps up the terrorist incident, while the back half of the episode sees the Forgers getting back to their daily lives.

The ultimate conclusion to the attack on the peace talks manages to bring together all the elements that make the series great. It delivers action, heart, and the Forgers being the best family, whether they are a real one or not. And, as the title of the episode indicates, the family grows a bit when Anya insists that they get to take Mister Dog home with them.

Anya’s plea to keep the dog is the best scene in Spy x Family Episode 15. Not just for Anya’s earnestness, but also for the response we see from Loid’s boss, Handler. After seeing how cold this character can be during the interrogation scene in the last episode, seeing how warmly she interacts with Anya brought charm and likeability to the character where previously she was just a cold authority figure.

The rest of Spy x Family Episode 15 sees the family adjust to its newest member. There is a lot that goes into owning a dog, and the biggest challenge right off the bat for Anya is finding a name for the new family member. As is generally the case with Anya, her struggles with what to name the dog is adorable. A trip to a local dog park sees Anya questioning people about what names people gave their dogs and how they came to them. When a name is finally reached, it couldn’t be a better fit. Both as a reflection of Anya’s likes as well as a meta-joke, the final choice is perfection.

While saving the peace conference has been the focus of this season so far, Spy x Family Episode 15 doesn’t forget about Operation Strix. The show does a wonderfully smooth job of reintroducing the larger plot to audiences through a brief sequence at Anya’s school. Her latest attempt to win over Damian so she can save the world by connecting with him through her new dog is funny and sweet.

The animation delivers wonderfully throughout this episode. The brief moments of action are delivered with style and skill, while the sweeter moments are also handled great, with Anya’s wonderful facial expressions continuing to steal every scene.

Spy x Family Episode 15 brings the season’s opening arc to an excellent close while also reintroducing viewers to the larger plot that the series will be getting back to. I’m looking forward to seeing what adventure awaits the four Forgers in the episodes yet to come.

Spy x Family Episode 15 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.