REVIEW: ‘Spy x Family’ Season 3 Episode 1 – “Berlint Panic/The Informant and Nightfall”

Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 1, “Berlint Panic/The Informant and Nightfall,” tells a pair of stories that split its time between its star family and some of its secondary characters. It kicks off the new season with the familiar antics of its cast and blends them with some creative scenarios. 

After an obligatory refresher outlining the core concepts of the show and Operation Stryx, the episode reunites fans with the Forgers as they enjoy a day at the park. Anya (Atsumi Tanezaki, Arknights: Rise From Embers) wolfs down ice cream, Loid  (Takuya Eguchi, The Rose of Versailles) lectures about the potential for stomachaches if she behaves like that, and Yor (Saori Hayami, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles) swoops in to clean up the mess left across her daughter’s face. 

The opening moments of Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 1 reestablish the family’s dynamic quickly and charmingly. The trio has really gotten comfortable in their roles, deepening the sense that the act becomes less so with each entry. 

Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 1 continues to excel because of its creativity.

But the idyllic moment comes to a halt when Anya, thanks to the precognitive abilities of the Forger’s dog Bond (Ken’ichirô Matsuda, Engage Kiss), discovers imminent peril from a disgruntled crane operator. Still unwilling to reveal her telepathic powers to her foster parents, Anya immediately attempts to manipulate the situation so the disaster can be averted, while keeping her secret intact. 

Just as the opening moments reaffirmed what fans expect of the family dynamic, this stretch of Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 1 refreshes how each member functions within their secondary roles. Yor uses her always impressive athletic prowess to save an innocent bystander, while Loid confronts the angered crane operator. 

It is Loid’s part in the emergency that makes the front half of the episode excel, rather than be merely fun. Leaping into a second crane, Loid confonrts the worker in a crane fight that feels like a kaiju battle. Like two ferocious monsters, the long cranes snap at each other, becoming locked in a “test of strength.” 

The camera work during the confrontation doubles down on the “monster fight” energy. Close-up shots of crane claws as they open give the impression of roars, as if the mechanical constructs are flesh and blood. It is a unique approach to the scenario that breathes excitement and laughter as the unexpected clash plays out. 

The back half of Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 1 follows Agent Frost (Ayane Sakura, Oshi No Ko) as she pursues her own mission. In need of help, though, Loid points her towards Franky (Hiroyuki Yoshino,  New Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt) to achieve her objective. 

The ultra serious Frost creates a fun, mismatched dynamic with the always silly Franky. As the duo reach out to one of Franky’s contacts, they are beset by state security agents and forced to fight their way out of a deadly trap. 

Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 1 is a great reintroduction and good next chapter.

This section of Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 1 is fantastic. Bringing these familiar faces back by having them meet for the first time reintroduces them in a way that brings as much originality to the sequence as possible. Frost is shown to be a powerhouse fighter here, an important thing to note as her abilities can get overshadowed by Yor’s.

There are also hints at a potential deepening of the duo’s relationship. While this may seem ridiculous to write, the sequence does an excellent job of setting up that potential. Despite Franky’s sometimes off-putting nature, he shows himself to be a caring guy who will look out for Frost. And despite her ongoing fixation with Loid, being noticed the way she is by Franky is bound to leave a lasting impact after failing to get so much as a nod from her current object of desire. 

Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 1 does a fantastic job of reestablishing familiar characters while injecting unique scenarios to keep the episode feeling creative. Here’s hoping that creativity can continue to flow as the season progresses. 

Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 1 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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