Among the animated works broadcast in 2022, this work "SPY × FAMILY" is attracting particular attention. In this work, set during the Cold War, you can enjoy the activities of spies that are rarely seen in modern society, and thrilling characters who operate secretly with various intentions under an unstable nation in conflict between East and West. Many fans were fascinated by the story depicted in a setting very different from modern Japan, and when the first season of the anime was broadcast, it attracted a lot of attention, especially on SNS. It seems that the second season of the anime will be broadcast immediately after the first season, so it can definitely be said that it will be a trend in the future. So, this time, I would like to introduce this work "SPY × FAMILY" and ask "Why has it been accepted by so many viewers?" and "What is the true appeal of this work?"
Is "spy" the main character outdated? ?
In the 1980s and 1990s, spies could be seen in various dramas and anime works, but in the 21st century, their opportunities to play an active role gradually decreased. This is because the reality of spies has faded in the relaxed social situation following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Therefore, when it comes to spies, there is a tendency to have a somewhat old-fashioned image these days.
A fresh setting for today's young people
For this reason, spies may have been out of people's sight for a while, but in recent years, the classic setting seems to feel fresh to today's young people. Indeed, there haven't been many works with spies as the main characters in recent years. In this way, this work came out just when viewers were starting to forget about the spy setting.
Psychics, Hitmen, Spies
Like spies, psychics also attracted attention at one time, so much so that there was a boom called the psychic boom. However, nowadays, they are hardly seen at all. Similarly, there are fewer works depicting long careers and assassinations like during the Cold War, so if they no longer attract attention, they can be said to be a profession. In this way, the settings of the main characters in this work are a collection of things that were popular until recently but have now been discarded.
Attracts anime fans who are tired of reincarnation in another world!
This work features characters with seemingly classic settings, such as a spy, psychic, and assassin, but on the contrary, this classic setting has fascinated modern anime fans who are tired of reincarnation stories in other worlds.
Dissecting the story development of this work
Just delving into the character settings like this is enough to make this book interesting, but at the same time, when you dissect the story development of this work, you will find some interesting themes hidden, so I would like to introduce them as well.
Three lonely people
First of all, I want you to pay attention to the fact that all the main characters in this work are depicted as lonely beings. The drama of this work comes from the fact that the characters, who cannot reveal their true feelings for various reasons, build a home as a false place and interact with each other, and the story development is interesting.
Lloyd regains his humanity
Lloyd in particular is a character who has a sad past of losing his family to the war. For Lloyd, who has worked hard not because of someone else, but because he has to, the feeling of caring for someone else has only been a hindrance. The story of this work revolves around the progression of Lloyd gradually regaining his humanity by building a family with Anya and Yoru, who are in a similar situation to himself.
A surprisingly classic plot
The story of "a man who has lost everything regains something important through an unexpected turn of events" is a surprisingly classic plot that has been depicted in various works so far. Although it is a work that depicts such a classic plot, it has succeeded in being accepted in modern times as a novel work by pulling on the classic setting of a spy, which is now out of fashion, and combining a setting that was a trend in the past.
An unexpected setting that actually makes sense
The appeal of this work is not just that it brings back past settings to the present. Another appeal of this work is that it provides explanations in the work that make sense for characters whose existence is doubted in modern times, such as psychics and spies.
An unlikely but possible psychic experiment
Spies aside, the idea of psychics alone exudes a fantasy vibe, but in fact, during the Cold War, a wide variety of military experiments were conducted, as it was said that World War III was coming soon. Therefore, although they were not exactly psychics, similar experiments were conducted by both camps, and in fact, the Cold War is a more fitting time for psychics to exist than modern society.
The Keyword: The Period of East-West Reconciliation
Not only that, but what I want you to pay particular attention to is that the setting of this work is when the East and West began to reconcile. As the Cold War drew to a close, both sides continued to conduct arms expansion experiments, leading to a vicious cycle of financial pressure, and gradually began to adopt a reconciliatory stance rather than a hardline one.
A time when various experiments were stalled
Given this historical background, it can be said that the period depicted in this work is a time when various experiments were stalled.
Why it's not strange for Anya to be in town
Therefore, it seems that there were rare cases where subjects who were actually undergoing military experiments like Anya disappeared due to the failure of the experiment. Many fans may think that "research institutions would not let important experimental subjects escape," but if you actually look into the history of military research during this period, Anya's presence in the city actually makes sense.
Every setting is designed to fit
Not only Anya's setting, but also the many other settings in this work that could be called ridiculous, actually make sense when you analyze them in detail. Of course, since it is a fictional world, there are some stretches, but when you think about it, the fact that the story provides explanations that make sense is one of the charms of this work.
Commonalities with "LEON"
Furthermore, when analyzing this work, it is important to be aware that this work has been influenced by many overseas dramas and movies. In particular, various commonalities can be found with the Western movie "LEON", which is still very popular today.
Thematic Alignment
"LEON" is a story about a lonely assassin who, through a strange turn of events, ends up living with an orphaned girl. As an assassin, the protagonist is unable to connect with anyone, but through his interactions with the girl, he gradually regains his humanity, which somehow feels similar to this work.
Influenced by various Western movies
As such, this work is thought to have been created with reference to not only Leon but also various overseas dramas and Western movies. In particular, it is a work that can be fully enjoyed by viewers who do not usually watch anime, as it is a work that successfully draws old Western movies featuring assassins and spies into Japanese animation.
A new form of manga? The appeal of this work as a Jump+ series
Furthermore, the appeal of this work is not just the story and character settings. Please also pay attention to the fact that this work has been developed as a distributed work through an app called Jump+, rather than a magazine like previous manga works!
The publishing format of manga may change!
For the manga industry, which still often publishes in magazines, it is unusual for this work, which was distributed via an app, to become such a hit. In today's world, where various industries are switching to digital, will this work serve as a catalyst for the increase in manga works distributed via apps?
It will be easier to spread Japanese manga culture to the world!
It can be said that if manga works are developed digitally, Japanese manga culture will be easier to disseminate to society. In fact, this work boasts strong popularity overseas, and it can be said that developing the work digitally will attract a wider range of readers.
Will the setting of this work come to life? ?
This work is particularly familiar to overseas fans as it is set in the West. In that sense, it can be said that it is a perfect work for digital distribution format, which is easy to deploy overseas. We can expect the popularity of the anime to grow even more overseas through the second season!
Summary
What did you think? In this article, we analyzed and explained the appeal of this work, "SPY×FAMILY," from various angles. Although it has a classic setting, it is a work that has been a great success through its publication on Jump+, a new method of developing works. There is no doubt that it will continue to be the eye of the storm in the anime and manga industry for some time to come, so please consider this work from various perspectives.
