Spy × Family

Spy × Family is set in a Cold War–style world where the nations Westalis and Ostania maintain a fragile peace through covert operations and intelligence wars.

To prevent a new war, the Westalian spy agency WISE sends its top agent, code-named “Twilight,” into enemy territory with a strange mission: build a pretend family and infiltrate an elite school.

The series blends home comedy, action, and absurdist humor.

It focuses on how three strangers slowly become a genuine family while each keeps a major secret from the others.

The manga is serialized biweekly on Shonen Jump+ and collected in tankobon volumes by Shueisha.

As of October 2025, 16 volumes have been published, with over 38 million copies in circulation worldwide including digital releases.

Spy × Family takes place mainly in Ostania, an Eastern European–flavored state whose capital is the stylish, tram-filled city of Berlint.

Ostania’s political climate is tense, with multiple parties, a powerful secret police, and deep scars from a recent war.

Across the border lies Westalis, a Western nation that also suffered heavy war damage and now relies heavily on espionage to preserve peace.

The two sides stare at each other across their own “iron curtain,” trading spies and secrets instead of open warfare.

At the heart of the story is Eden Academy, a prestigious school for the children of powerful politicians, business leaders, and military officials.

Admission requires not only academic excellence but a show of refinement and “elegance,” making it a perfect stage for social satire.

The manga plays with “secret identity” tropes: everyone is hiding something, and almost nobody knows the full truth.

Despite that, it is ultimately a warm story about found family, trust, and people who start faking a role and end up truly caring.

The work intentionally avoids the darker tone of Endo’s earlier series Tista, leaning instead into “fun and heartwarming” storytelling with movie-like pacing.

It uses internal monologue heavily, jumping between characters’ inner thoughts with sharp comedic timing.

The series also comments on changing family norms.

The fake Forger household contrasts with traditional family ideals, especially those upheld by Eden Academy’s old-guard faculty, and matches modern readers’ longing for “healing,” “support,” and “team-like” family bonds.

After the end of his earlier series Moon Flower Fantasia, Tatsuya Endo created several one-shots.

Spy × Family combines elements from three of them, especially the spy-themed one-shot I SPY.

I SPY was well received, which pushed Endo and his editor, Shihei Lin, to build a full serial about a spy protagonist.

Endo reportedly assembled the pitch from a very rough outline written the day before a major planning meeting.

He chose a spy husband, an assassin wife, and a telepathic child to create an exaggerated Hollywood-like hook similar to films such as Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

The child, Anya Forger, was designed as a balancing “accent” that could see everyone’s secrets but still keep the tone light and comedic.

Endo deliberately simplified his art style, even though he can draw much more detailed line work.

The goal was clarity and readability on smartphones, where Shonen Jump+ is mainly read.

When Spy × Family launched, Shonen Jump+ itself was being revamped.

The app began offering all chapters of original series free to read once, and it started displaying view counts, encouraging open competition and making hits highly visible.

Spy × Family quickly became the app’s first massive breakout original and brought many new users—especially women—to the platform.

This success helped pave the way for later Shonen Jump+ hits such as Kaiju No. 8.

Operation Strix Begins

Westalian intelligence agency WISE is worried about Donovan Desmond, the reclusive leader of Ostania’s hardline National Unity Party.

Because Desmond only appears at Eden Academy parent gatherings, WISE assigns its best agent “Twilight” to get close via the school.

Twilight creates the alias Loid Forger, a psychiatrist working at Berlint General Hospital.

To execute the mission, code-named Operation Strix, he must adopt a child and acquire a wife, then get the child into Eden Academy.

At a shabby orphanage, Loid meets Anya Forger, a small girl who seems unusually eager to please.

He does not know she is a telepathic test subject, “Experimen­t 007,” who can read his mind, learn he is a spy, and pretend to be smart enough to pass the Eden entrance exam.

Anya manages to pass the written test, but Eden also demands a three-parent interview, requiring both “father” and “mother.”

Desperate to find a woman willing to play along, Loid crosses paths with a shy but physically terrifying civil servant: Yor Forger.

A Fake Family Forms

Yor works at Berlint City Hall, but her real job is very different.

She is secretly an assassin known as “Thorn Princess,” working for a shadowy group called Garden that “weeds out” threats under orders from a figure known simply as the Shopkeeper.

Because single women are socially distrusted and may be reported to the authorities, Yor needs a pretend partner.

Loid needs a pretend wife.

Anya, who has read both their minds, wants exciting “spy adventures” and pushes them together.

Loid and Yor agree to a marriage of convenience: he will be her respectable husband, she will help him get Anya into Eden.

Neither knows the other’s true profession, and both assume the other is just an ordinary citizen who happens to be oddly skilled.

With Anya as their daughter and the large, future-seeing dog Bond Forger later joining as the family pet, the Forger family is born.

They move into an apartment in Berlint and begin juggling school life, missions, assassinations, and parent-teacher conferences.

Eden Academy and Social Warfare

Eden Academy is sprawling, practically a small town with hills, rivers, a small castle, and boarding facilities.

Students earn Stella stars for academic performance, sports, and social contributions, and they receive Tonitrus bolts as demerits for misconduct.

Those who collect eight Stellas become Imperial Scholars, elite students whose families attend exclusive social gatherings with people like Donovan Desmond.

Those who accumulate eight Tonitrus bolts are expelled on the spot.

Anya enters first grade, Class 3 (Cecil House), under the refined but strict teacher Henry Henderson.

Her classmates include Damian Desmond, Donovan’s proud second son, and Becky Blackbell, the rich and strong-willed daughter of a military-industrial magnate.

On the very first day, a chain of misunderstandings leads Damian to bully Anya, and she responds by punching him in the face.

She earns her first Tonitrus bolt, while Damian is left secretly smitten but too proud to admit his crush.

Loid had planned to befriend Damian through Anya to get closer to Donovan.

Instead, he finds himself running “Plan B – Friend-Making Operation,” desperately trying to repair the children’s relationship while keeping Anya from failing every test.

Anya, much younger than she claims, struggles academically and speaks in adorably broken phrases.

She sometimes uses telepathy to cheat or anticipate questions, but the chaos of multiple thoughts often overwhelms her, and her powers disappear completely on nights of the new moon.

Sibling Bonds and Secret Police

Yor’s younger brother Yuri Briar works at the Ostania Foreign Ministry by day and the State Security Service (SSS) by night.

The SSS is a brutal secret police agency tasked with rooting out spies and “traitors,” specializing in surveillance, interrogations, and torture.

Yuri idolizes Yor to an extreme, almost comical degree.

When he learns she has marrried without telling him, he storms into the Forger home determined to expose Loid as unworthy.

Loid, however, has already deduced Yuri’s true job from his behavior and cover story.

The dinner turns into a tense psychological battle, with Loid trying not to reveal that he knows Yuri is an SSS officer while Yuri tries to prove that Loid’s marriage is fake.

Yor’s drunken strength and innocence inadvertently save the day many times, as Yuri cannot bring himself to suspect his beloved sister.

He remains unaware that Loid is Twilight, the very spy he is hunting.

Terror, Dogs, and Stellas

Ostania’s fragile peace is threatened by extremist plots, including a major terrorism attempt by a student group led by Keith Kepler.

Keith plans to assassinate Westalian Foreign Minister Brantz using bomb-rigged dogs bred via Project Apple, a secret government program to create animals with extraordinary intelligence.

Among those dogs is a large white one that can see glimpses of the future.

Anya reads the dog’s mind, realizes it foresees Loid’s death, and drags the confused animal to prevent the explosion.

Thanks to Anya’s telepathy and Bond’s future sight, the Forgers help thwart the assassination and save Loid.

After the incident, WISE intends to secure the Apple dogs, but Anya insists on adopting the white dog, who becomes Bond Forger, named after her favorite in-universe spy hero.

Eden Academy continues to provide both stress and opportunities.

Anya occasionally shines in unexpected ways, such as earning a Stella for her role in stopping a bus hijacking, even while racking up more Tonitrus bolts for poor performance in mathematics and behavior.

Garden and the Underworld

Yor’s assassin group Garden operates behind the scenes as a quasi-state actor.

They accept contracts from powerful clients, including high-level officials like SSS director Vilker, and refer to murders as “customer service” and targets as “customers.”

Orders flow through the well-dressed Shopkeeper, who uses flower-shop code phrases to mask instructions.

Garden employs multiple killers, and Yor is regarded as one of its deadliest.

On one mission, Yor is assigned to protect Olka Gretcher, the last surviving member of a once-powerful crime family, and her infant, as they attempt to defect to a third country.

Posing under false identities aboard a cruise ship, Yor must fend off waves of assassins while keeping her double life hidden from her “normal” family, who coincidentally also end up on the cruise for vacation.

Yor’s boss at City Hall, Matthew McMahon, is secretly involved in this underground world as well.

Outwardly just a calm department head, he reveals formidable combat skills when necessary, coordinating with Garden’s operations.

WISE, Handlers, and Rival Spies

Back on the Westalian side, WISE is directed from Berlint by various handlers and management figures.

Loid receives instructions from a gruff but capable director and reports in the field to Sylvia Sherwood, a sharp, world-weary woman whose nickname is “Fullmetal Lady.”

Sylvia poses as a diplomat at the Westalian embassy in Ostania, but she spends much of her time in shabby clothes while handling assets and interrogating captured agents.

She despises war and repeatedly reminds her agents that every tiny piece of intelligence can save lives.

Among WISE’s agents is Fiona Frost, code-name “Nightfall,” a stoic operative who once trained under Loid.

Outwardly emotionless and hyper-efficient, she secretly harbors an intense, almost obsessive love for Loid and dreams of replacing Yor as his wife for “optimal mission efficiency.”

Fiona occasionally joins the Forgers’ activities, such as a tennis tournament undercover mission, where her competitive and romantic feelings explode internally.

On the surface, she never lets those feelings show, maintaining her icy demeanor—except to the reader.

Another supposed spy is Daybreak, a self-styled rival to Twilight hired by George Glooman to tamper with exam scores at Eden Academy.

In reality, Daybreak is incompetent, loud, and anything but subtle, forcing Loid to stealthily fix his mess just to prevent unwanted suspicion.

Expanded Cast and Daily Life

Beyond the core Forger family, Spy × Family features a wide ensemble of supporting characters whose quirks keep the story lively.

Each contributes to the mix of domestic comedy and espionage thriller.

At Eden Academy, Damian’s sidekicks Emile Elman and Ewen Egeburg follow him everywhere, acting as a comedy duo.

They gradually recognize Anya’s courage and Damian’s own better nature, especially during crisis situations like the bus hijacking by the terrorist group Red Circus.

Bill Watkins, a six-year-old with the size and mind of an adult, dominates school sports events and provides over-the-top rival energy.

Teachers like Walter Evans, the kindly language instructor, and Murdoch Swan, the petty, vengeful teacher who abuses his power in interviews, highlight the school’s extremes.

At Berlint City Hall, Yor’s colleagues Camilla, Millie, and Sharon begin as gossiping co-workers who mock Yor.

Over time, they soften, especially when Camilla gives Yor intensive cooking lessons that finally make her food edible and even delicious.

In the Forger’s apartment building, new neighbors like an elderly professor couple help tutor Anya in difficult subjects such as classical language.

Their presence expands the “neighborhood family” around the Forgers.

Loid’s friend Franky Franklin, a chain-smoking information broker running a small tobacco shop, provides both comic relief and critical intelligence.

He is one of the few people who knows Loid’s real occupation, and his unrequited romantic life and homemade gadgets cause frequent trouble.

Other figures like underworld broker Edgar, security personnel such as Green, and city officials like Heymann appear around larger plots.

They flesh out a world where personal grudges, political schemes, and secret operations constantly overlap.

Forger Family

Loid Forger

Loid Forger is the main protagonist under the code name “Twilight,” a master spy from Westalis working for WISE.

He is a former war orphan who lied about his age to enlist, later being recruited into intelligence because of his extraordinary skills in disguise, memory, and combat.

Loid’s current cover identity is that of a psychiatrist at Berlint General Hospital.

He is highly rational and mission-focused, often planning multiple layers of backup schemes and analyzing situations like a human computer.

Despite his cool professionalism, Loid has a deeply human side.

He genuinely wants to create a world where children do not cry because of war, a motivation born from his own traumatic childhood.

Over time, he becomes attached to Anya and Yor, worrying about their safety and happiness beyond the needs of Operation Strix.

He struggles with the conflict between honest affection and the insistence that everything is “just for the mission.”

Anya Forger

Anya Forger is a tiny girl with pink hair, big green eyes, and the ability to read minds.

She gained her telepathy as a test subject in a secret experiment and later escaped, bouncing between orphanages before meeting Loid.

Anya loves spy cartoons, especially the in-universe show Spy Wars, and dreams of helping Loid as a “cool spy sidekick.”

She calls Loid “Papa” and Yor “Mama,” cherishing the family she finally has, even if it started as a lie.

Her telepathy lets her understand everyone’s inner thoughts, from Loid’s elaborate plans to Damian’s confused crush.

However, she cannot turn it off, which makes crowded places overwhelming, and she completely loses her powers during new moons.

Academically she is behind, more like a four- or five-year-old than the six-year-old age she claims.

She procrastinates, mispronounces words in funny ways, and often misuses complex vocabulary she has half-understood from adults’ minds.

Anya’s impulsive decisions frequently spark trouble but also drive much of the story’s heart.

She secretly tries to support both Loid’s covert missions and Yor’s assassin work, even if she rarely grasps how dangerous those worlds are.

Yor Forger

Yor Forger is the Forger family’s mother figure by day and the assassin “Thorn Princess” by night.

Appearing polite and slightly airheaded, she hides terrifying physical strength and lethal skill.

Orphaned young, Yor joined Garden to support herself and her younger brother Yuri.

She believes her killings are for the good of the country and to protect innocent people, though the full moral complexity is left ambiguous.

Yor’s social skills are clumsy, and she is gullible when it comes to social norms or romantic cues.

She is so strong that she can kick cars into the air and withstand heavy poisoning, yet she panics over ordinary household tasks.

Her biggest weakness is cooking, which initially produces inedible monstrosities that make people collapse.

After serious training with Camilla, she learns to make certain dishes properly, such as a nostalgic stew from her childhood, bringing Anya and Loid to happy tears.

Yor deeply cares for Anya and Loid and wants to be a good wife and mother, even though she believes she is only “pretending.”

Her intense embarrassment around romance leads to comedically acrobatic dodges whenever Loid gets too close.

Bond Forger

Bond Forger is the family dog, a huge fluffy white dog born in Project Apple with the ability to see short glimpses of the future.

Before joining the Forgers, he was used in experiments and later almost turned into a living bomb by terrorists.

Bond communicates his visions only through actions and expressions, since he cannot speak.

Anya, however, can read his mind and see the same future images he does, allowing the two to work as a unique duo.

He is gentle, loyal, and nervous, easily jealous of Anya’s other toys or companions.

Bond often saves the day by foreseeing disasters, from exploding buildings to spilled hot pots, and trying his best to intervene.

Eden Academy Community

Damian Desmond

Damian Desmond is Donovan Desmond’s second son and Anya’s classmate and reluctant friend.

Initialy arrogant and spoiled, he bullies others to mask his insecurity and his desperate desire to be recognized by his distant father.

After Anya punches him for insulting her, Damian unexpectedly develops a crush on her.

He fiercely denies his feelings, which leads to hilarious internal monologues as he swings between annoyance and admiration.

Damian is actually hardworking and capable, striving to earn Stellas and become an Imperial Scholar.

He gradually shows fairness and courage, especially during crises like the Red Circus bus hijacking.

Becky Blackbell

Becky Blackbell is Anya’s first real friend at Eden, the daughter of the powerful Blackbell military company’s CEO.

She is bossy and fashionable but emotionally sincere and fiercely loyal to Anya.

Becky initially sees Anya as a follower, but changes her mind when Anya “takes the blame” for punching Damian.

From then on, Becky acts as Anya’s big-sister figure, indulging in romantic drama fantasies and cheering on Anya’s “love” plot with Damian.

She develops a crush on Loid after seeing him and decides that Yor is now her romantic rival.

However, Yor’s kindness and strength win her over, and Becky ends up respecting her and even training under her.

Henry Henderson

Henry Henderson is the aristocratic-looking teacher in charge of Cecil House and Anya’s homeroom.

He idolizes “elegance” as the supreme virtue and tries to maintain Eden’s dignity and tradition.

During the entrance exam, Henderson is impressed when Loid and Yor rescue a child and ruin their own clothing but still conduct themselves gracefully.

He is so offended by Murdoch Swan’s petty cruelty that he punches Swan for insulting the Forger family, calling it a matter of true elegance.

Henderson later proves to be deeply caring toward his students, risking himself during dangerous incidents.

He often ends up teaching multiple subjects when other teachers are absent, becoming a familiar authority figure in Anya’s school life.

Other Students and Staff

Emile Elman and Ewen Egeburg form Damian’s loyal but goofy entourage.

Their antics highlight Damian’s growth and provide a lot of schoolyard comedy.

Bill Watkins is a giant in a child’s body with a record of winning countless sports titles.

He represents the absurd extremes of Eden’s ultra-competitive culture.

George Glooman briefly believes his family’s business has been ruined by the Desmond group and that he will be forced to leave school.

His over-the-top farewell day becomes a comedic highlight when it turns out the acquisition was friendly and his life is not ruined at all.

Teachers such as Walter Evans, the serious Green in charge of student discipline, strict inspector Donna Schlag, and petty Murdoch Swan help depict the complex ecosystem of Eden Academy.

Their very different ideas about education and discipline clash frequently, giving the school a lot of personality.

Ostania Government and Security

Yuri Briar

Yuri Briar is Yor’s younger brother and a rising officer in the State Security Service.

To most people he is a polite, diligent foreign ministry official, but in reality he hunts spies and interrogates suspects for the SSS.

Yuri is obsessively devoted to Yor, believing she sacrificed everything for his education.

His extreme sister complex makes him both funny and dangerous, as he loses all composure when anything concerns Yor’s happiness.

He is physically tough and very capable in combat, though he remains outclassed by veteran spies like Loid.

Loid quickly figures out Yuri’s role, but Yuri does not yet realize Loid is Twilight, setting up a long-running cat-and-mouse dynamic.

State Security Service (SSS)

The State Security Service functions as Ostania’s secret police, responsible for counter-espionage and domestic “security.”

Its agents monitor citizens, recruit informants, and use brutal interrogation methods on suspected traitors.

High officials like director Vilker and nameless senior officers direct sweeps for Westalian spies.

Ordinary citizens live under constant fear that a careless joke or association might bring SSS attention.

Yuri’s colleagues, including an older lieutenant and the caring subordinate Chloe, sometimes question his workaholic devotion.

They encourage him to rest, especially when his unhealthy obsession with Yor and spies risks burning him out.

WISE and Westalis

Sylvia Sherwood

Sylvia Sherwood, WISE’s handler in Ostania, manages agents like Loid from the field.

She uses a stern and pragmatic approach, often disguised in shabby clothing while debriefing agents in parks or derelict buildings.

Sylvia once had a daughter around Anya’s age, which adds a bittersweet layer to her interactions with children.

Her hatred of war stems from personal loss, and she refuses to let agents treat their intelligence work lightly.

She occasionally shows a softer side, especially when rescuing or comforting children affected by conflict.

Sylvia even adopts one of the Apple project dogs, naming him Aaron.

Fiona Frost

Fiona Frost is a WISE agent operating under the code name “Nightfall.”

She appears emotionless and cold, but inside she is burning with devotion to Loid.

Fiona believes she would make a more “perfect” wife for Loid and mother for Anya, running the household like a finely tuned operation.

She constantly evaluates Yor’s “imperfections,” yet also ends up respecting Yor’s strength and unique bond with the family.

Her athletic and tactical skills are top-tier, making her a formidable partner in missions like underground tennis matches or infiltration operations.

Still, her emotional blind spots and impossible standards often backfire in amusing ways.

Garden and the Underworld

Olka Gretcher and Zeb

Olka Gretcher is the daughter of the former boss of the Gretcher crime family, once a major underworld power in Ostania.

After internal betrayal devastates the group, Olka and her baby son Gram become targets for assassination.

With Garden’s help, Olka attempts to escape to a third country under an alias and surgically altered face.

Yor is assigned as her close protection on a luxury cruise, and the tense mission reveals Yor’s professionalism and empathy.

Zeb, a young member of the Gretcher family, is deeply loyal to Olka and accompanies her in exile.

Their interactions with Yor highlight the blurred lines between “criminals” and “protectors” in this morally gray world.

Garden and the Shopkeeper

Garden is the clandestine assassin organization that raised and employs Yor.

They present themselves as “gardeners” pruning dangerous elements from society, but their true political alignment is ambiguous.

Assignments come through flowery euphemisms from the Shopkeeper, a calm, stylish man who runs everything with eerie composure.

Targets are “customers,” killings are “customer service,” and no witnesses are left behind.

Even powerful officials like SSS director Vilker are just clients to Garden.

This balance of power hints that Garden may be more influential than many state agencies.

Civilians, Colleagues, and Minor Figures

Dominic is a friendly city hall co-worker and boyfriend of Camilla, often smoothing over social friction around Yor.

Camilla starts as a catty colleague but ends up teaching Yor to cook and becoming a surprisingly supportive friend.

Millie is a cheerful, somewhat insensitive colleague; Sharon is a cool-smoker city hall employee who slowly warms to Yor.

Their small side stories capture everyday Ostania life outside espionage and violence.

Franky Franklin stays central as Loid’s go-to information source and reluctant babysitter.

He cares deeply for the Forgers, grumbling all the way while he helps with childcare, dog-sitting, and fake identities.

Figures like Edgar, a criminal connected to political manipulation, Keith Kepler, the extremist student terrorist, and various agents, teachers, and neighbors act as moving pieces in larger arcs.

They highlight how Spy × Family constantly mixes serious themes—terrorism, war trauma, political extremism—with lighthearted, character-driven humor.

Manga Volumes

Spy × Family is released in collected volumes by Shueisha under the Jump Comics line.

Each cover typically shows a main character seated in or near a famous designer chair, except volume 10, which uses rubble instead of furniture.

As of October 2025, 16 volumes have been published.

Special editions have included items such as rubber straps, acrylic stands, and themed stickers.

A three-volume starter set collecting volumes 1–3 has been released to introduce new readers.

The series is licensed in many countries and available both in print and digitally.

Light Novels and Junior Novels

A light novel titled Spy × Family: Family Portrait written by Aya Yajima expands on the Forger family’s everyday adventures.

It adds side stories that fit between manga arcs, focusing on character interactions and quieter moments.

A junior novelization line from Shueisha Mirai Bunko adapts manga arcs into prose for younger readers.

These volumes simplify the language and emphasize Anya’s perspective, making the story accessible to children.

Fanbook

The official fanbook Spy × Family Official Fanbook: Eyes Only offers detailed data on characters, locations, gadgets, and behind-the-scenes production notes.

It also includes interviews with Tatsuya Endo and editor Shihei Lin, concept art, and trivia such as the real-world inspirations for the chairs on the covers.

I SPY – Prototype One-Shot

Before Spy × Family, Tatsuya Endo published a one-shot titled I SPY in Jump SQ.

It followed a defense ministry spy known as “the faceless phantom” and a surprisingly capable high school girl who takes an interest in him.

Many core ideas—spy comedy tone, strong female lead, secret identities—originated there.

I SPY’s positive reception directly led to the creation of Spy × Family as a full serial.

Anime

Spy × Family received an anime adaptation produced by WIT Studio and CloverWorks.

Season 1 aired in 2022 in two split cours, covering early school and terrorist arcs.

Season 2 began airing in October 2023 and continued to adapt later manga storylines.

A theatrical film, Spy × Family Code: White, premiered in December 2023 with an original story overseen by Endo.

Season 3 began broadcasting in October 2025.

The anime significantly boosted the manga’s popularity and turned phrases like “Anya likes peanuts” into widespread memes.

Musical Adaptations

Musical Spy × Family

In 2023, the Musical Spy × Family opened at the Imperial Theatre in Tokyo, produced by Toho.

It translated the manga’s blend of comedy and action into song-and-dance numbers, using ambitious rotating sets and large moving structures.

The main roles of Loid, Yor, and Anya were shared between multiple actors and child performers.

The show then toured to venues in Hyogo and Fukuoka.

Director and writer G2, along with composer and music director Shuhei Kamimura, designed the musical to satisfy both manga fans and musical theater audiences.

The rotating “city” stage was so complex that staff worried they might not finish setup in time for full run-throughs.

A 2025 revival run was staged at Nissei Theatre and other venues across Japan, with some cast changes and a new Anya casting round.

Planned performances included preview shows at Westa Kawagoe and later stops in Osaka, Fukuoka, Yamagata, Shizuoka, and Nagoya.

A Blu-ray and DVD release of the 2023 Imperial Theatre performances came out in December 2023.

Two different versions, labeled Version S and Version F, captured different combinations of the double-cast leads.

Musical Spy × Family 2

On the opening day of the 2025 Nissei Theatre run, Toho announced a sequel titled Musical Spy × Family 2.

It is scheduled to be performed in autumn 2026, again written and directed by G2 with music by Shuhei Kamimura.

Details of the story and casting have been kept under wraps.

The production promises a “new mission” for the stage Forgers, further expanding the franchise’s presence in musical theater.

Video Game: Spy × Family Operation Diary

Bandai Namco Entertainment released Spy × Family Operation Diary, the first console game adaptation of the series.

The game is available on Nintendo Switch (since December 2023) and on PlayStation 5 and digital-only PlayStation 4 (since June 2024).

Players mainly experience the game through Anya’s perspective, filling out her “operation diary” with daily adventures, minigames, and small missions.

Activities include school events, stealthy eavesdropping using telepathy, Bond-assisted prediction games, and family outings.

Operation Diary focuses on lighthearted, slice-of-life gameplay rather than high-stakes combat.

It is designed to let fans “live” in the Forger household and Berlint, interacting with many familiar characters.

Events and Exhibitions

Spy × Family has been central in Manga Dive, an immersive projection-mapping exhibition series produced by Shueisha XR.

In 2023, it was featured alongside Chainsaw Man and Dandadan in the “Manga Dive 2023 Summer SHINJUKU” event at LUMINE 0.

In early 2024, “Manga Dive 2024 Nihonbashi” hosted a dedicated program called “Spy × Family: The World of Double Lives.”

Visitors walked through large-scale projections, LED installations, and multi-sensory displays that recreated key scenes and themes from the series.

These exhibitions highlight the franchise’s visual and emotional appeal beyond print and animation.

They also mark the growing trend of manga as full-fledged immersive experiences.

Spy × Family became a phenomenon almost immediately after launch on Shonen Jump+.

Its first chapter surpassed 2,000 comments and 3 million views within just a few installments, a first for the platform at the time.

The manga topped numerous “next big thing” and annual rankings.

These include first place in the 2019 Next Manga Awards (web category), first place in the 2020 “This Manga is Amazing!” male list, and first place in multiple bookstore and rental rankings.

It has also won major industry recognition.

In 2023, it received the 52nd Japan Cartoonists Association Award in the Comic category, praised as a “precious light” spreading ideas of peace and gentle ways to protect it to children and readers worldwide.

The anime and Anya’s distinctive speech style sparked a tidal wave of memes and catchphrases across social media.

Lines like “Anya likes peanuts” and “Anya’s language” dominated Instagram, TikTok, and youth slang rankings in 2022.

Spy × Family has appeared in promotional collaborations with institutions such as the Japanese Red Cross for blood donation and the Digital Agency for My Number ID cards.

It has also partnered with retailers like Aeon Mall for family-oriented campaigns.

By 2024, the series had firmly established itself as a social phenomenon, not just an entertainment product.

Its characters and themes have been used in educational contexts, and an excerpt is set to appear in junior high school English textbooks, further cementing its place in contemporary pop culture.