SPY×FAMILY is a popular sitcom and spy action series. Its popularity has been growing since its initial serialization, and the anime will finally begin airing in April 2022. In this article, we'll introduce the setting of the series, Ostania, and the protagonist Lloyd's hometown, Westalis, as well as explain the countries and organizations that inspired them!
Ostania
Overview of Ostania
The official name is the "Eastern People's Republic," but in the story it's referred to as Ostania or the East. The capital is "Balint." Its urban functions include a tram system, an airport, and an aquarium, giving it the appearance of a modern city. The national currency is the "Dalk," with the Pent serving as a secondary unit. The country suffered extensive damage in a past war, as described below, and is still in the process of rebuilding.
The Political System of the Eastern Kingdom (Ostania)
The political system of the Eastern Kingdom (Ostania) is a multi-party system, and as the name suggests, there are numerous political parties. Only two parties appear in the story: the National Unity Party and the National Party. The National Unity Party is taking a hardline stance that threatens peace with the West, while the Nationalist Party is pursuing a reconciliation approach, resulting in political conflict. The leader of the National Unity Party is Donovan Desmond, and he is the final target of Operation Strix, to which Lloyd has been assigned.
Donovan Desmond, Leader of the National Unity Party
He is the president of the National Unity Party and is considered a dangerous threat to peace between East and West by the West (Westeris) intelligence organization, WISE. Despite his considerable influence in the financial world of the Eastern Kingdom (Ostania), his cautious nature keeps him largely out of the public eye. However, he does attend social gatherings at Eden School, where his son, Damien Desmond, attends. Lloyd decided to create a false family in order to attend these gatherings and spy on Desmond.
Eden School, the Prestigious School of the Eastern Kingdom (Ostania)①
This elite school is located in the capital city of Balint. It offers a seamless education system from elementary school through high school, with 13 grades ranging in age from 6 to 19. The school has a total of 2,500 students, with 238 first-year students, including Anya. What makes it unique is not just the grades, but also Eden's unique system known as "Stella." These are awarded as a reward to students who achieve excellent results in academics or sports, or who are recognized for their contributions to society. If a student collects eight of these stellas, they will become an honorable scholarship student known as an "Imperial Scholar," and will be able to attend a social gathering with their parents.
Eden School, a Prestigious School in the Eastern Kingdom (Ostania) Part 2
However, it's not all good. Failing a regular exam, engaging in violent or bad behavior, or being given a thunderbolt (tonito) is the polar opposite of the commendation star (stella), and is a penalty point. Like the star (stella), collecting eight of these will result in immediate expulsion, no questions asked. However, even with this system in place, conflicts arise between boarding and day students due to factors such as whether their parents graduated from Eden School or whether they grew up wealthy or poor, resulting in bullying and other problems. Additionally, some teachers are arrogant and rely on their parents' influence, and some have even been abandoned by their wives and children due to their bad personalities.
Public Security Organization "State Security Service (SSS)"
Officially known as the STATE SECURITY SERVICE, this is a counterintelligence organization in the Eastern Kingdom (Ostania). In reality, it is a secret police force whose primary mission is to hunt down spies and monitor citizens, maintaining public order within the country. The West Country (Westeris) Intelligence Division subjects spies and stinkers, or informants or those perceived to be informants, to brutal torture to force them to reveal information. Yuri, the younger brother of Lloyd's wife, Yoru, is a member of this organization.
West Country (Westeris)
Overview of West Country (Westeris)
Lloyd's homeland is located to the west of East Country (Ostania). It suffered severe damage from a previous war with East Country (Ostania). Currently, the West is striving for East-West reconciliation and conducting intelligence activities against dangerous individuals from the East who threaten peace.
West (Westaris) Intelligence Agency
The government agency, the West Intelligence Agency, and its East Division, WISE, conduct counterintelligence activities in the East (Ostania). Their primary mission is to gather intelligence on anti-social organizations and prevent terrorist attacks through political conspiracies. Simply put, they aim to eliminate factors and events that could spark war. Lloyd is a member of this organization, and receives information from his comrades who have infiltrated the East. The organization's symbol is an eye, symbolizing its watchful eye over the East (Ostania).
A Great War Involving Both Countries
This was a large-scale war involving the West (Westeris) and East (Ostania). This war caused devastating damage to both countries, and the East (Ostania) is still recovering. Furthermore, Lloyd, a native of the West (Westeris), became an orphan after his city was destroyed during the war. In addition to ordinary civilians, many soldiers who served in the war suffered from mental illness.
The Models for the Two Countries
The Models for the Two Countries are East and West Germany
The story is set in the West Country (Westeris) and the East Country (Ostania), which were divided into East and West after the war and have been in a state of Cold War ever since. Historically, West Germany and East Germany are well-known examples of countries that split into East and West after war. Furthermore, there is a line in the story that refers to the fall of an Iron Curtain, so it is likely that the model for the two countries is East and West Germany.
Model of the Eastern Bloc's Political System
Both countries are modeled after East and West Germany, but the Eastern Bloc (Ostania) is slightly different from the original East Germany. The National Unity Party, which takes a hard-line stance in the West that contrasts with the current government, is reminiscent of the Nazi regime that existed before the two countries split, with its name and the name of its leader, Donovan Desmond. However, not everything is like this, and elements of the former East Germany are incorporated in various places.
Model of the State Security Service (SSS)
The State Security Service, the secret police of the eastern province of Ostania, is also modeled after an organization known as the "Schutzstaffel," which existed under Hitler's Nazi regime. Its abbreviation is SS (Schutzstaffel), pronounced "Schutzstaffel" in Japanese. Since the abbreviations themselves are similar, it's almost certain that there's no mistake. However, the State Security Service is not a direct copy of the SS; rather, it appears to be more similar to the Gestapo.
Model for the Western Intelligence Agency
The Western Intelligence Agency's East Division, WISE, is also modeled after an organization that still exists today: the German intelligence agency, the Federal Intelligence Service (BND). Given that the Federal Intelligence Service's main activities are intelligence gathering, analysis, and evaluation, and that its activities are similar to those of WISE's foreign intelligence activities, as well as the very similar names, it is believed that the Western Intelligence Agency was modeled after the Federal Intelligence Service.
Summary
The above is an explanation of the Western Kingdom (Westeris) and the Eastern Kingdom (Ostania), as well as the countries and organizations that inspired them. What did you think? The Cold War era is the model for the story, making for a very realistic style and depictions. Comparing the story to past history may be even more enjoyable as you watch how the story unfolds. Thank you for reading this far!
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