REVIEW: ‘Spy x Family,’ Episode 22 — “The Underground Tennis Tournament: The Campbelldon”

With a new upcoming mission for Loid and Fiona introduced in the last episode, Spy x Family Episode 22 sees the duo undertake their new task for the cause of world peace. They must capture a painting that may hold clues to a secret diary whose information could reignite hostilities between the east and the west. To get the sought-after image, the pair enter an underground doubles tennis tournament hosted by the painting’s owner.

As one would expect from the character’s introduction last week, Fiona’s goals here are not entirely the same as Loid’s. While Loid pursues the preservation of peace, Fiona is also using the mission to try to impress her old mentor in order to supplant Yor in the role of his wife. Her desire to be Loid’s wife goes well past the point of obsession here, though her delivery could use some work. As is frequently the case with this series, Spy x Family Episode 22 sees Fiona’s intentions towards Loid frequently misinterpreted by their intended target.

The opponents that the agents come up against are an eclectic bunch. With no rules prohibiting tricks, novelty rackets, or performance-enhancing substances in this tournament, the opposition shows up with some wild tactics for winning their matches. These oddball approaches lend a lot of humor and zaniness to the episode while also delivering a greater level of threat than normal tennis matches would create.

The best part of Spy x Family Episode 22 is seeing Loid shine again. It’s been a few episodes since the character got to flex his muscles, and this episode lets him show off his hard-trained adaptability and physical prowess. Loid is often played off as the worry wort running around, desperate to keep Anya on the straight and narrow. Seeing him get to show off how he became known as the best spy in the world is always a welcome change of pace.

While the vast majority of this tale is all about Loid and Fiona, we do get a brief look at Yor and Anya as well. Despite its brevity, there is a lot of punch in this momentary interlude as a heartwarming scene plays out between the two characters. Much like Loid, Anya is, more often than not, geared into a comedic role in the series. Getting to see her play out a more substantial role in a tender moment is a lovely change of pace for her. Plus, tennis enthusiast Bond is adorable.

The visuals throughout Spy x Family Episode 22 deliver on both the wackiness of the tournament and the more heartfelt side moments.  CloverWorks Studio handles the tennis matches with all the over-the-top energy and acrobatics it showcased previously in Yor’s many athletic outings.

Spy x Family Episode 22 delivers a fun series of moments that lean into the series’ signature style. Even if it does nothing to further the main plot, the change of pace for so many of the series’ characters is a welcome thing.

Spy x Family Episode 22 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.