MANGA REVIEW | "Spy × Family" - Volume Four
No family is complete without a pet. Sure, kids are great, but not every couple can see themselves as parents. Pets, however, are something that every loving pairing can agree upon, which is why many treat their canines, felines, and other animal pals as good as parents are with their children. Spy × Family knows the importance of the house pet, which is why it’s fourth volume welcomes its newest addition with its most fun and exciting adventure yet!
Twilight and Yor reward Anya with a dog of her choosing, after she earns her first Stella star. But in the narrative’s fashion, a diabolical plan by terrorists puts a temporary lid on the search. That is, until the perfect dog crosses paths with Anya. What’s more, like she and her step-parents, the giant fluffy animal’s got his own little talent: he has sharp obedience! (Also, he can see into the future.)
Thus, Anya is thrusted into a battle against time to not only save the city, but also Twilight himself. Fortunately, her new fuzzy pal has every intention of helping Anya with this mission. This also involves Yor, who fears that Anya had been kidnapped by some bride-seeking pervs. (It’s presented a lot funnier in manga form, I promise!) While Twilight puts all of the pieces of the puzzle to find the bomb’s whereabouts, Anya somehow manages to be a few steps ahead of her Papa!
This particular volume of Spy × Family demonstrates its strengths at their highest levels. The comedy is on-point, with Anya’s face game managing to one-up her past grins and grimaces. It also knows when to aim low for a good joke, especially when Anya comments on her Papa’s “bowel problems”. With her being the star of this volume, Anya also has the best lines and ultimatums, giving way to the ball being in her court at almost every turn.
Perhaps most impressive in this volume is the action. A car chase between Twilight and his target results in some Guy Ritchie levels of excitement, with our spy hero knowing how to even treat four-legged foes with some form of decency. Yor also gets a moment to shine when she fights to protect Anya, albeit with her own face game making her step-daughter frightful of what she’s capable of. It can get a little ridiculous at times, but it’s what the fights lead to that make even the craziest parts seem logical.
Lastly, there’s our new big fluffy member of the Forger Family. Any dog lover would wish they had the power to enter the manga just so they can give him a giant hug! His actions also show off just how loyal he can and will be to Anya, acting as the finest protector any kid can have. With a name that’ll have any reader shaken-but-not-stirred, the canine goes to show why big dogs make for the best pets (even if they make the biggest of poos)!
Spy × Family continues to impress with its mixture of high action and smart comedy. Adding a pet to the concoction just makes for more fun to be had with the Forger Family in the long run. We’ll see just how helpful he’ll be to Twilight and his mission, but for now, let’s just enjoy watching Anya bond over her new furry friend in the most heart-pounding of ways!
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Gabrielle Dyer of VIZ Media
