Spy x Family Season 2 Anime/Manga Comparison

 

    Welcome back to Beyond The Anime for my first in-depth anime/manga comparison of the new year - Spy x Family season 2! This series quickly became one of my favorite anime after its fantastic first season, and the sequel was just as fun and exciting. 

    Season 2 covers chapter 39 through chapter 59 of the manga (volumes 7-9). This content was a near exact adaptation, plus a few nice additions, which was great to see but also brought up a minor concern with the structure of the manga when translated into anime form. 

Yor (the assassin with near superhuman abilities) and Franky (WISE informant) being overwhelmed by a pack of stray cats

    The manga alternates between serious, action-packed arcs and comedic slice-of-life chapters. This format works really well to have the more lighthearted adventures of Anya at school or Yor and Franky tracking down a missing cat as relaxing shorter stories after an arc where the Forgers narrowly avoided danger, especially when read without long breaks in between. I enjoy these comedy chapters just as much as the action-packed ones, but there were critiques about this storytelling structure when the season was airing, as some viewers who preferred the serious plot felt that it took too long to get started this time. 

    While the fantastic cruise arc makes up half of season 2, it began four episodes in - a month for a show that's airing weekly, in comparison to both parts of season 1, which started with their serious arcs before leading into the comedy. In my season 1 anime/manga comparison, my prediction was that season 2 would maintain this structure and shift some of the comedy chapters to after the cruise arc, but it ended up mostly following the same order as the manga. It's hard to say which approach would have been best, but it seems this critique was more common among anime-only viewers, and the current structure was well-received by manga fans. 

Yor standing with perfect balance during her rowboat ride with Loid

    The season begins with a previously unadapted extra chapter from the end of volume 3 - Loid and Yor's unfortunately timed date, during which she spent most of her effort trying not to let him know that she had suffered a gunshot to the butt the previous night, and he tried not to let his nerves spiral out of control wondering why she looked so angry. (It was the excruciating pain.)  

    Loid and Yor's date originally took place earlier in the manga, before they adopted Bond. A nice little addition to the anime acknowledged his presence when Anya assigned him, along with "agents" Penguin and Chimera, to guard the house while she and Franky shadowed her parents. 

    There were a few anime-only additions to this episode. One of the quick scenes during Loid and Yor's date shows the two of them at a clothing store, and he recommends an outfit for her to try on. In the manga, it's a pair of pants and a stylish top, but in the anime, it's a pantsuit - the same one Yor is wearing later on the first day of the cruise! I also loved the way the anime expanded the other date attempts that were only given a single panel in the manga, like the animals at the zoo looking afraid of the pained scowl on Yor's face. 

The ride is a panda in the manga, but a polar bear in the anime versions shown on Hulu and Crunchyroll.

    The only other unadapted material from the early manga were the one-page shorts at the end of volume 2, which showed Anya enjoying a panda ride at the department store and going on her first visit to the pool. In the anime, these cute scenes were illustrated in a style with a crayon-like effect that complemented their childish whimsy really well. There was only one that didn't make it into the anime from the end of the first volume - Anya's attempt to get a certain mystery toy prize included with bags of candy, and lamenting that her mind reading powers couldn't help her find the one she wanted. 

    There was also one extra chapter adapted early - a short Bondman skit in episode 3, animated with an old fashioned cartoon art style, which is actually from volume 10. Although originally shown past the point of the chapters adapted for season 2, the nature of its brief "cartoon within a cartoon" comedic story made it a good standalone short to help fill the remaining minutes of the episode.

Yor ready to fight with newfound resolve

    The cruise arc is one of the longest yet in the manga, and its anime adaptation was perfect. Yor takes the center focus as she guards the survivors of a mafia family fleeing from a violent takeover and fights off dozens of assassins competing for their bounty. There's plenty of amazing action sequences in this arc, like the stunning one-against-many battle under the fireworks, but the heart of this arc is the exploration of Yor's doubts - if she really needs to continue her assassin work, why she started in the first place, and finally, her renewed dedication to make the world safe for her family however she can. 

    This is where an exact adaptation of the manga is a strength, because this is one of the most well loved parts of the story, and the anime portrays both the action and character development with great care. The presence of a musical score elevated several scenes, such as the trumpet fanfare performed by the band pictured in the manga when the Princess Lorelai  cruise ship first comes into view, and the circus tunes in the background during Yor's battle against Sickle-and-Chain Barnaby when she started playing up the theatrical moves for the crowd to go along with Anya's cover story. The insert songs during her battle under the fireworks and the Forger family fun montage when they reached the island (as well as the one featured in Damian's camping trip in episode 2) were beautiful, keeping up the series' track record for excellent music. 

Loid trying to look like a fun dad by wearing a bunch of souvenirs. The sound effects of the squeaking octopus shoes were hilarious.

    As great as the action and serious story was, I think my favorite episode of the season was the conclusion to the cruise arc when the Forger family was allowed to spend the day together having fun and doing normal vacation things - walking through town, swimming and surfing, building sand castles, bike riding, visiting a farm, exploring a cave and even zip lining. I've always loved the balance between the exciting action and funny slice-of-life scenes, and seeing the three of them able to relax after such a stressful trip in which they all did their part to protect each other and fulfill their solo but connected missions makes those peaceful moments even more impactful. As Yor expressed, these are the days they wish could last forever.

    Most of these scenes are the same as the manga, but there was a single addition just before the cruise ship arrived at the island. While both versions have the story show Loid warn Anya not to fall from the top bunk if she chooses to sleep there, the anime has an extra scene the morning of their arrival where Anya rolls out of the bunk bed and Loid expertly catches her on the way down. Another change was Anya's mispronunciation of Princess Lorelai  - originally written as "Laura Bly" in the manga, turned into an amusing Oshi no Ko reference in the anime when she called it "Lalalai", the name of their theater company.

Loid, Yor and Anya swimming in the ocean. This full page manga illustration is wonderfully detailed. 

    The remaining two episodes, like the first four, feature short standalone stories. Episode 11 ends with an anime-only scene of Fiona training in the wilderness and completing Loid's backlog of missions while he's on vacation, and his return to work with gifts for his coworkers. 

    The season finale, an adorable episode where Bond uses his precognitive ability to rescue a small dog from a fire and catch the arsonist, also has some new scenes in the anime. Anya was making origami stars when the episode begins, and when Loid and Bond come back home from their very eventful walk, she gives them each a "stella" for their hard work. This scene echoes the themes of Spy x Family's early episodes - how the work of spies often goes unnoticed and they are rarely thanked for their work, but it feels good to be appreciated. 

Season 3 predictions

    This section contains spoilers for the manga past the point where the anime ends.  

Loid as a child on the cover of volume 10

    If the next season follows the same structure as the previous ones, then the manga will likely be adapted in order for the most part. However, the first chapter after the point where season 2 ends shows a mission involving Frankie and Fiona and hardly features the Forgers at all, so my best guess would be that this part will be moved to midseason to accompany the other standalone chapters. 

    The following chapter, set at Eden Academy, is a good starting point for season 3 and ends on a note that will directly lead into Loid remembering his past. This story from the first half of volume 10 is one of my favorite parts of Spy x Family, portraying Loid's journey from an innocent child heartbroken by war, to a young soldier and then a spy. Assuming the third season is the same length as the second, it will also likely cover Yor's meeting with Damian's mother, the bus hijacking, and the immediate aftermath. This would leave the story in a good place to pick up with the next big arc in season 4. 

    

    I hope you enjoyed this anime/manga comparison of Spy x Family's second season. Stay tuned for more comparisons featuring anime from last year - Tearmoon Empire, My Clueless First Friend, The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses, Shangri-La Frontier, and The Apothecary Diaries. My Favorite Anime of 2023 post is also coming soon! 

Between chapters 56 and 57, this small manga-only picture shows Zeb, Olka and baby Gram made it safely to their destination.  

*All images from the Spy x Family manga on Kindle and anime clips from Crumchyroll's Youtube channel, screenshots taken by me. Banner made by me in Canva.

Spy x Family Anime/Manga Comparison & Season 2 Predictions

    Welcome to my updated blog, Beyond the Anime! As I mentioned in my last post, I'm expanding the anime content covered in my blog to include in-depth comparisons between anime and their source material. The first up in my Anime/Manga Comparison series is a new favorite of mine, Spy x Family! 

    WIT Studio did an amazing job adapting the art style, character designs, and special brand of action/comedy from manga to anime. The beautiful colors, smooth animation, excellent voice acting and a soundtrack fitting the Cold War period all work together to bring this show to life. 

Season 1 Anime/Manga Comparison

A direct scene comparison. Chapter 1 of the manga...

...and episode 1 of the anime. The images are basically a perfect match!

    In the first volume, the only differences in the adaptation are very minor. The scene where Anya cuddles up next to Loid while he's sleeping does have a slight variation between the manga and the anime, which only shows Loid waking up surprised to find her there. In the manga, he's so startled by her presence that he accidentally knocks her off the couch.

    Volumes 1 & 2 also have a few short, single page extra stories with Anya trying to get a mystery prize from a snack box in the grocery store, enjoying a mechanical panda ride at the same grocery store, and visiting a public pool with her parents. These short stories are cute, but would have been a challenge to fit into the anime due to their length, except perhaps as an after credits scene. 

These agents just couldn't wait for the chance to face off against Twilight. Ball pit fight!

    The anime greatly expanded on Anya's spy party from vol. 2, which easily became my favorite episode. The manga version of her party begins with the scene where Loid calls his fellow spies to fill the empty banquet hall and then leads directly into the final battle between Loid and Yor, which occurs in the same room. The helicopter ride, Franky's quiz game, the epic battle in the ball pit with nerf guns, and the pyrotechnics are all anime original scenes. This is an example of an anime elevating the manga in the best way, perfectly capturing the series' comedic tone and showcasing WIT Studio's fantastic action sequences. 

    The dodgeball game in vol. 3 also had a few anime original scenes that really played up the drama and over-the-top action of this episode, much like Anya's party. The scene with Bill Watkins' father as well as a hilarious Dragonball Z reference in Damian's training montage, when he imagined himself preparing for the upcoming match on planet Namek, were also anime original. It seems Damian is a fan of shonen battle anime, because there were quite a few references in this segment! And if you look closely at the cover of volume 7, there's even a magazine titled "Super Manga" among Damian's belongings. A slightly shortened version of the story at the end of vol. 6 showing Mr. Henderson's morning routine was also moved to the beginning of this episode.

    Another notable change is the placement of the aquarium visit, which was shown earlier in the manga - at the end of vol. 2, shortly after Anya is admitted to Eden Academy. In the anime, this little adventure happened later on as the midseason finale. 

Yor trying her best to focus on their date despite the pain from her recent bullet wound.

    The bonus chapter at the end of vol. 3 was the only one skipped in the anime, where Yor is injured on a mission by a gunshot wound to her bottom and tries to hide her discomfort during a date with Loid. However, it's clear from her pained expressions that something is wrong, leading Loid's imagination to run wild as he tried to figure out why she's angry with him. Anya also gets the chance to be a real spy while shadowing her parents when she happens to read the mind of a man who survived Yor's assassination of his group the previous night and is seeking revenge on her. Interestingly, this short story is the first time the Red Circus group, later involved in a major arc, is mentioned in the manga. At the end of the chapter, the Forger family decided to go to a carnival - possibly the same one from the season 2 opening theme! 

    The following volume, which covers the entirety of Bond's introduction arc and the Forgers thwarting a terrorist plot, plays out almost exactly the same in the anime as it does in the manga. However, there is one small detail from the manga that I wish they had included. Remember the german shepherd that Loid saved by detaching the bomb from its chest? A single panel at the end of the volume notes that this dog was adopted by a kindly agent. 

Yor's first attempt at making stew in the anime, and...

...Yor's attempt at making stew in the manga. What is this small animal that crawled into the bowl and died?!

    This next scene comparison, from episode 16 of the anime and volume 5 of the manga showcasing Yor's deadly cooking, had me laughing out loud when I spotted the difference - mainly, the pair of legs sticking out of the soup bowl in the manga which seem to belong to some kind of small mammal. The anime stew is slightly blurred by the powerful aura of death surrounding it, but it's possible to make out a whole tomato in the bottom left side of the bowl. And that same spot in the manga? Half of a tomato, and an unfortunate creature that did not heed the warning signs of this deadly brew. My theory is that it went for the tomato, but how the hyper attentive Yor failed to notice its presence is a mystery to me.

    There was also a difference from the adaptation of vol. 5 in the wordplay during Yuri's tutoring session with Anya. In the manga, the phrase "whole enchilada" is misheard by Anya as "swole chihuahua", complete with an adorable illustration. Thankfully, the buff chihuahua image still remains in the anime, but the dialogue is changed to a pun using the word "unleashed" instead. 

Yor shows off her parkour skills, and WIT Studio shows off their action animation.

    This short story in episode 19, which involves Yor using her best acrobatics as she races toward Anya's school to deliver something she believes her daughter forgot, was made just for the anime and fits in well with the other "slice-of-life" episodes covering the comedic, character focused chapters from volumes 5 & 6 of the manga. The majority of vol. 6 was a near exact adaptation of the manga, aside from a single page short at the end which took place during Loid and Yor's outing at the bar, but from Anya's point of view as she spends time at the park with Bond and babysitter Franky. It's a funny little scene where Franky attempts to play fetch with Bond, who imagines Franky would be better suited to retrieve the frisbee while he sits on the sidelines and claps. 

    The Spy x Family anime covers the first six volumes of the manga, as well as the first chapter from volume 7 (Loid's meeting with Donovan Desmond) and the short story at the end which makes an early appearance in episode 17, detailing a day in Sylvia's life as a spy and the lengths she goes to maintain her secrecy and receive important updates from Loid, like Anya's progress learning to jump rope. Overall, it's a fantastic adaptation of the source material with very few scenes left out, and the anime original content is a perfect complement to the series.

Season 2 Predictions (Spoilers Ahead!) 

    Even without having Bond's powers of future sight, reading ahead in the manga can offer a glimpse into the storyline of season 2. After Loid's first meeting with Desmond, volume 7 has five chapters along the same lines as the character focused, comedic shorts in the second half of season 1 before starting the next big adventure that expands the plot in the final chapter. 

Yor strengthens her resolve during this battle scene from the cruise arc.

    The cruise arc is action-packed and brings more attention to Yor's character development, something many fans have been waiting for. This is one of the longer arcs in the story so far and contains many of the things that make Spy x Family such a fun series - plenty of hilarious and heartwarming moments between the Forger family, and Yor brings the over-the-top action in spades. It's my theory that season 2 might start with this arc in order to open with a bang, and then show the five comedy shorts later on. This would also be a great time to show Loid and Yor's date which was skipped earlier, because the appearance of the Red Circus group would be perfect foreshadowing at this stage. 

    The first season covered chapters 1-38 of the manga, and the latest chapter released at the time of this blog post is chapter 75. This would be a perfect ending point for season 2, with another major arc just wrapping up and an excellent teaser for the inevitable season 3 - an ominous meeting with Damian's mother which is a great mirror of the season 1 finale where Damian's father was the one giving off the ominous vibe. 

    The second season of Spy x Family is one of my most anticipated anime of the year, and I'm looking forward to seeing my favorite chapters animated, as well as any new content WIT Studio comes up with! I hope you enjoyed the first entry in my Anime/Manga Comparison series. My next post will examine two currently airing series and their manga, Tomo-chan Is A Girl and Kaina of the Great Snow Sea. 

*All images from the Spy x Family anime and manga, screenshots taken by me