Summary

• Spy X Family Code: White movie is a great entry point to the franchise, balancing comedy and action for new viewers.
• The film effectively introduces main characters Loid, Yor, and Anya, but minor characters from the series have less impactful roles.
• Viewers can enjoy the film without prior knowledge of the anime, as it masterfully kicks off the story with fantastic character introductions.

The telepathic orphan Anya and her exciting adoptive parents have taken the world by storm, but Spy X Family Code: White is the franchise's first film featuring a story that anime fans won't want to miss. Two seasons of the anime based on Tatsuya Endo's Spy X Family manga have been released to critical acclaim, thanks to its hilarious and charming characters who all appear in the film. However, some fans may be curious if they should be caught up on the anime to enjoy the movie.

Spy X Family's main story revolves around an incredibly skilled spy tasked to create a fake family to accomplish a mission that will help prevent a World War. In his quest, he adopts a mischievous and telepathic orphan named Anya and convinces a woman named Yor to pretend to be his wife, who, unbeknownst to him, moonlights as a world-class assassin. All facts the Code: White film does an excellent job of demonstrating.

While the anime series has expanded the cast and contained many comedic moments, the movie Spy X Family Code: White is a stand-alone story that does not require previous knowledge of the franchise to be enjoyed. However, there are a few characters from the series that also appear in the movie, but they are not introduced nearly as effectively as the main cast.

The Spy X Family Movie Brings Viewers Up To Speed Masterfully

People who have never seen an episode of Spy X Family can enjoy the Code: White film thanks to its fantastic beginning. Each family member is introduced in a way that explains their situation while displaying their very entertaining-to-watch talents. Loid's skills in infiltration and disguise and Yor's deadly assassination abilities start the film off with a practical case of showing instead of telling. The clever scenes provide first-time viewers of the franchise a great idea of what they are in for, and that's even before introducing Spy X Family's best character, Anya.

After the very effective scenes revealing what Loid and Yor's real jobs are, they return home and slip into their comfortable alter egos as Anya's parents. However, the film uses the opportunity to demonstrate the orphan's shocking ability to read minds when she uses her ability to see what her parents were really up to before coming home. Code: White's first scenes effectively introduce the franchise's main characters in less time than the anime takes to accomplish the task. Still, there are a couple of characters in the movie that are not introduced as thoroughly.

Spilling The Beans On The Spies In Code: White

While Spy X Family's Anya, Yor, Loid, and even their trusty clairvoyant dog Bond each receive compelling scenes that explain their characters to new audiences, other characters from the series also appear in the movie but with less effective introductions. Not knowing about Agent Nightfall, Franky, and Yor's obsessive brother Yuri does not take away from the entertainment that Code: White provides. However, they appear in the film in smaller roles that beautifully epitomize their characters.

Loid's mission is of the utmost importance, and while he is probably the world's greatest spy, he's needed help accomplishing his missions. Franky is a scruffy-haired informant who's helped Loid get difficult-to-find items and information, who was introduced in Spy X Family's first season. He does appear in the film, but much like his role in the series, his character is used for comedic relief that doesn't connect to the series' overarching plots.

However, Agent Nightfall is a female spy who doesn't appear until later in the series. Her role in the film is short, but each moment she is on screen, she conveys her obsession with Loid and how badly she wants to take Yor's position as his fake wife. Each character plays a minor role in the film but stars in scenes that nail their utility and quirky personalities.

The Movie Is A Great Entry Point To The Franchise

The first Spy X Family movie does a great job of telling its story without demanding too much from its viewers to understand what is happening. Like the series, it wonderfully balances moments of comedy with exciting action and adorable interactions between the cast. Fans who want to introduce others who have been resistant to trying the anime medium may have good luck convincing others of its entertainment value by showing them Spy X Family Code: White when it releases in North American movie theaters on April 19.

Watch the Spy X Family anime on Crunchyroll

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