Written by Tatsuya Endō.
American Translation by Casey Loe.
Black-and-White Art by Tatsuya Endō; Rina Mapa; Satoshi Kimura; Mafuyu Konishi; Yuichi Ozaki; Kazuki Nonaka; & Masahito Sasaki.
Cover Art by Tatsuya Endō. Colors are Uncredited.
SUMMARY:
The black-and-white Spy X Family, Volume 12 was first published in 2019 in Japan by SHUEISHA Inc. out of Tokyo, which also coordinates this title’s English translation rights. In a 208-page SHONEN JUMP (digest-size) edition, VIZ Media LLC reprinted Spy X Family, Volume 12 for the U.S. market in 2024.
In a world where Westalis and Ostania are rival factions/countries, Westalis’ Secret Service has initiated ‘Operation Strix’ to gain intelligence on Ostania’s chief political operator: Donovan Desmond, an unstable warmonger. Sent in for closer surveillance are master-of-disguise ‘Twilight’ posing as psychiatrist Dr. Loid Forger; naïve assassin ‘Thorn Princess’ posing as a city clerk/typist and Loid’s adoring wife, Yor Forger; and a young telepathic orphan, Anya, posing as their daughter. This undercover ‘family unit’ is completed by lovable Bond, the Forgers’ clairvoyant guard dog that somewhat resembles a seal.
The operation’s gameplan involves assimilating Anya inside the private Eden Academy. That way, she can get closer to the Desmond family through her classmates, among which is Desmond’s spoiled child. Also involved are:
- Sylvia Sherwood, Loid’s world-weary intelligence handler, whose slovenly personal life is mitigated by her loyal German Shepherd, Aaron.
- Fiona “Nightfall” Frost, who is Loid’s colleague and is secretly in love with him.
- Yor’s kid brother, Yuri Briar, who is a gung-ho undercover police officer, who despises Loid.
- Damian Desmond, who is Donovan Desmond’s snotty young son; and
- Becky Blackbell, who is Anya’s new friend.
Most recently, the Academy was rocked by a school bus hijacking, with Anya among the distraught hostages. Her telepathy subsequently helps defuse the emergency, but this incident’s repercussions are still being felt.
While a hyperactive Anya continues to interact with her classmates, Loid’s talents posing as a psychiatrist come into play counseling one of Eden’s teachers. At a dog park, Sylvia meets up with Loid and Anya where she adds a new assignment to his casework. Their competing dogs, Bond and Aaron, humorously finish in a draw over which canine is the best trained. Egged on by her co-workers and then Yuri, a meek Yor tries far too hard conveying that she and Loid have marital difficulties, too, like any other normal couple.
Though bewildered by Yor’s drunken behavior (which she privately regrets), Loid is called upon to go undercover with Fiona to pursue an elusive intelligence mole. Yet, their quarry’s improvisations heighten the jeopardy they are in. Case in point: should the mole escape with classified materials, the exposure of ‘Operation Strix’ would dangerously compromise them all.
Posing as both the fugitive and then subsequently as Yuri, Loid finds himself pursued by the police. Injured in solo combat, Loid’s super-spy talents may not be enough when facing the enemy alone.
Also included are a few ‘confidential’ back-up stories, including: 1. Eden Academy’s zoo trip; 2. Loid’s efforts to help teach Anya history has him crafting a spy comic book; 3. Eden Academy students discuss a trip to the moon; and 4. “Franky’s Secret Files” offer some breaking-the-fourth wall insight about Sylvia’s character design.
Notes: This title is also available digitally. To the publisher’s credit, there is a parental advisory as a ‘T+’ (ages 16 and up) read per the book’s ‘realistic’ violence quotient. Spy x Family, Volume 12, ironically, is really a mild ‘PG,’ as compared to some DC and Marvel titles where a parental advisory ought to have been (and wasn’t) included for vile content.
Lastly, for those of you like me where Spy X Family, Volume 12, is one’s first experience with manga, here’s a few rules of thumb. 1. This story begins at the very back with a table-of-contents. Hence, the book is to be read in a reverse page order (backwards to front). It initially seems you are supposed to generally read the panels from right to left. Sometime shortly thereafter (perhaps it’s due to the American reproduction/translation), the reading then shifts to the conventional Western left to right – at least, the dialogue still makes sense that way.
REVIEW:
Including its quirky sense of humor, Spy X Family, Volume 12 is a fun discovery. As both writer and primary artist, Tatsuya Endō concocts an assortment of slightly strange characters that consistently fits a classy semi-parody of spy capers. Hence, his plotting balances the narrative’s shifting from low-key humor to character development to action scenes without missing a beat, in terms of its coherency.
While some intriguing characters (i.e. Sylvia Sherwood) receive less screen time, the compensation plays up, for instance, a seemingly good-natured Yor’s role as Loid’s ‘perfect wife’ vs. Fiona’s resentment that she didn’t get the role. Endō, suffice to say, knows how to make good use of his cast without resorting to profanities or gratuitous violence (i.e. the extensive Loid/Yuri fight scene is kept clean).
Though Spy X Family, Volume 12 isn’t necessarily a must-have, its intriguing content delivers a cartoony cloak-and-dagger caper. Finding it at the library first might be the best option, as far as considering this book for purchase.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
A brief dossier on the characters helpfully identifies the pertinent who’s who and provides a quick summary of the plot-to-date. Endō’s ‘special thanks list’ credits additional collaborators on this project, along with a brief message from. Including a personal quote, Endō has a paragraph-long biography.
BRIAN’S OOD MOON RATING: 7½ Stars
