REVIEW: ‘Spy x Family,’ Episode 19 – “A Revenge Plot Against Desmond/Mama Becomes The Wind”

Spy x Family is an action/comedy shonen anime produced by WIT Studio and CloverWorks. With the midterms behind them, Anya and her classmates return to the daily grind at their elite school. But one classmate sees his time at the school coming to an end. And if he’s going, he wants to take Damian with him in Spy x Family Episode 19.

In past episodes, I’ve praised this series for its handling of Anya and how it manages to capture her childhood perspective of the show’s narratives and themes. This week, Spy x Family extends its talents for capturing the misunderstandings of childhood to one of Anya’s classmates, George.

Having overheard his father talking about their family’s business losing out to the Desmond family, George decides to get revenge on the only family member near him, Damian. When the boy is confronted about his attempts to get Damian in trouble, the truth comes out and the class largely takes pity on their struggling classmate. While there is some sweetness to the ensuing sequence of events, the charm is mixed with some obnoxious moments on the part of George. These moments feel intentional as Spy x Family Episode 19 shows how kids can get swept away in a moment and test boundaries sometimes.

Following the main narrative, Spy x Family Episode 19 gives us another secondary story starring the Forger Family’s mom, Yor. When Anya is late getting her day started, Yor discovers she’s forgotten her gym clothes and makes a mad dash for the school to make sure her daughter isn’t expelled for her oversight.

While this sequence does highlight the best aspects of Yor’s personality, it continues to hem the character into her largely irrelevant role in the show’s plot. We get to be amazed by her newest feats of athleticism and smile at her fumbling charm as she seeks to aid those she cares about. But as always, the end result is little of actual substance. The show does at least make it a point to acknowledge Yor’s qualities, even if the outcome isn’t what she envisioned, which is a nice reward for the character.

The episode’s visual presentation continues to be top-notch. The way it blends heartwarming charm and comedic elements together with its infrequent action moments is as impressive as it is versatile. It especially seems to revel in its dealing with the children in this episode. While none of her classmates ever reach Anya’s level of punch where her facial expressions are concerned, the show seems to love playing with the exaggerated reactions that young kids have, utilizing them to the fullest for their wit and charm.

Spy x Family Episode 19 delivers more of what fans love about the series. While some elements continue to feel worn down, the overall warmth and fun the series continues to deliver cannot be denied.

Spy x Family Episode 19 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.