MANGA REVIEW | "Spy × Family" - Volume Fourteen
It’s nice whenever Spy × Family brings out a surprise or two in its narrative. While it’s always preferred to see the Forger Family story march forward, it’s a good change of pace sometimes when it focuses on its secondary character. And in its fourteenth volume, Spy × Family gives the spotlight to the most elegant of its characters.
But first, Anya’s got some great news: she got another Stella Star thanks to her high grades. However, she also got the second-lowest score in another test, which means a Tonitrus Bolt. It’s always one step forward, one step back with our little mind reader, but it keeps the narrative interesting. However, during the Stella Star ceremony, another one of Damian Desmond’s relatives arrives: his older brother, Demetrius.
Demetrius’s first appearance gives a wave of mystery, with his whole being looking more like a specter than a human. But that’s Tatsuya Endo’s character style for you, a strength of his that’s only gotten better as the years have gone by. Even his internal elements give a whiff of dark deceit, although considering he’s been the one closest to his father, Donovan, that’s not entirely surprising. However, the fact that there’s still a lack of closeness between the eldest son and his father goes to great lengths to show just how much Spy × Family’s antagonist is keeping himself protected from, well, everything.
The main mission to take down Donovan continues, with a school dance offering the chance for Anya to get closer to Damian. It’s here where Spy × Family showcases its zaniness with great glee. At first, it’s watching grade school kids engaging in adult-like party quirks, whether it’s their odd discussions or seeing boys sipping grapefruit juice like they’re a suave secret agent. However, the real fun comes when a competition to dance with Damian emerges, which — thankfully — a certain father figure just so happens to be close by enough to offer assistance.
Perhaps it’s should come as no surprise that Anya doesn’t need too much help, save for a balancing contest. When Anya wants something, she goes to great lengths to get to it. From quiz shows to obstacle courses, the young girl barrels through everything like her life depends on it. And when the moment comes, there’s a great amount of sweetness on display between the Forger and Desmond children.
Yet it’s a little dance between two old friends that leads to the big story in this volume of Spy × Family: Housemaster Henry Henderson and Becky’s butler Martha Marriott. It’s another flashback to the days before and during the war, as Henry and Martha grow close during their time at Eden Academy. But when the war begins, their paths begin to diverge. And in this chapter, we learn the price we pay for war, and why humanity may never find themselves free from it.
Endo often slips in the current state of the world into his current work, even if it takes place in the 1980s. The horrors of war, the concept of humankind always stuck craving for battle, and — perhaps the most potent of realizations — intelligence never being able to stop the worst people from growing into power. But throughout this story is a tale of love, tragedy, and regret. And while it doesn’t have a happy ending per se, it does give a glimmer of hope that things could work out in some way.
Volume Fourteen of Spy × Family has a great mixture of comedy and drama. Anya shines in her quest for a dance, whereas Henry & Martha’s tale is ripe with strong emotion and terrific storytelling. It gives us another solid look at the worlds of Westalis and Ostania, as well as a bit of how certain political leaders had found their voice early in their lives. One wonders if Henry and Martha will play a big role in the main narrative later on, or if they’ll keep on being secondary characters. Still, it was nice to get to know these two a bit more.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
