REVIEW: ‘Spy x Family’ Season 2 Episode 10 — “Enjoy The Resort To The Fullest/Bragging About Vacation”

Something that Spy x Family Season 2 Episode 10 doubles down from is how such a big part of the charm of the series boils down to how cute it all is. Yes, there’s the espionage intrigue, and there’s small but significant character development that transpires over the course of the story, but at its heart, it is a sweet, wholesome story about a family finding one another and the hilarious, authentic rendering of Anya (Atsumi Tanezaki,) who continues to be animated with pitch-perfect details. “Enjoy the Resort to the Fullest/Bragging About Vacation” might not be the most substantial episode of the series, especially following the just-finished mini-arc, but it understands a considerable component to its main appeal. 

It might sound like diminishing the overall story to slap the label of “cute” on a show and call it a day, but plenty of series try and adopt that same feeling and fall short or, rather, overdo it. Anya’s character works so well because she’s adorable but also a realistic child in how she naively confronts the world despite her telepathic skills. While the first portion of the episode is primarily a montage sequence of the Forger’s finally getting a day to relax and have fun together as a family, it allows for some genuinely hilarious beats of animation. For instance, the three are walking, and most of Anya’s movements are all arms as they move forward. Similarly to this year’s Buddy Daddies, the series understands children and seeks to find humor in that understanding, including the not-quite-grown into their own limbs movement. 

The montage in question is also just sweet, especially as we see Loid (Takuya Eguchi) begin to soften around the edges, finally able to actually relax now that he has Yor (Saori Hayami) in his company to help out. It also underlines just how not normal they all are as Yor and Loid play the part of normal parents with their skills peaking out, from Yor’s strength when she gives Anya a push while trying to surf or Loid’s ability to craft a sandcastle. For as bleak and violent as this show can get — again, evident from the recent arc — Spy x Family Season 2 Episode 10 enjoys something of a respite with the simple charms of their domestic life. 

All of this culminates in the moment when, fatigued from her recent battles, Yor passes out mid-walk against Loid, with Anya following suit. He carries both back to the cruise ship and acknowledges Yor’s work in making the day memorable for Anya despite clearly being tired. He might not know the full extent of her world and the real struggles she faced on that ship, which makes his quiet “You did a great job” even more heartfelt. They both live extraordinary lives with unspeakable challenges, yet he still sees the triumph of parenting while tired. It’s an understated moment that further explores the ongoing development between the two of them. It’s not romantic yet, but the bond is notable nonetheless. 

The back half of the episode “Bragging About Vacation” doubles down on how much of a kid Anya is when she returns to school, assuming she had the best vacation out of her schoolmates. She’s clearly in the wrong and ends up spinning tales to try and recover, only to be publicly embarrassed by the ordeal. The animators take fun of the increasing contortions of Anya’s face as she moves from shock over not having the best story to pure mortification when she’s called out in front of the class. It’s a light yet hilarious moment in the series that’s made better when she returns home, dejected, and tells Loid, Yor, and a visiting Yuri about her day.

Considering the number of times she’s noted that her dad is a liar, it’s no surprise that his inner monologue is first him telling her all the ways in which she could become a more efficient liar — they’re more alike than they know after all. His response, of course, tones it down to a light admonishment, with Yuri, in contrast, calling all liars trash. A bluntness to the humor makes the moment sing, from Loid’s internal “he’s so loud” in response to Yuri, to Anya’s admission that she “cried a little” after being embarrassed. For all the lying that these characters do, it makes the moments of frank honesty more comedic. 

Spy x Family Season 2 Episode 10 is light on its feet, acting as a soothing balm in light of the recent, action-heavy arc. With the Forgers home and their lives back to their routines, it will be interesting to see what carries over from the cruise, such as the mentioned potential political tension. While the show never forgets that Yor and Loid are dangerous people in dangerous professions, this week’s episode works so well because it marries those qualities with the domesticity of their life with Anya and the heart and humor that spills forth due to it. 

Spy x Family Season 2 is available now on Crunchyroll.