Spy X Family isn't just about spy moves, here's what it's secretly teaching you

India Today

04-08-2025

If you thought 'Spy X Family' was just another spy anime packed with slick moves, shady missions, and shadowy villains, then congratulations, you've been successfully deceived. Because while yes, there are cool disguises, top-secret missions, and the occasional explosive getaway (plus a dog that sees the future, but let's park that for a second), 'Spy X Family' is actually sneaking in lessons about emotional intelligence, family dynamics, and trust faster than you can say 'Operation Strix.'advertisementFor the unversed, 'Spy X Family' follows the story of Loid Forger (codename: Twilight), a master spy tasked with infiltrating a prestigious school to stop a national crisis. To do that, he needs a fake family. Enter: Yor, an assassin pretending to be his wife, and Anya, a telepathic child he adopts because why not? Sounds like a sitcom that accidentally wandered into the wrong genre, right? But while the premise feels like a chaotic cocktail of 'Mr & Mrs Smith' and 'The Incredibles', the show's real mission is deeper, and much sneakier.
Operation: Emotional sabotage (aka heartfelt life lessons)Let's start with trust. Loid is trained to manipulate people without catching feelings, Yor kills for a living (after dropping her groceries), and Anya reads minds. None of them should trust each other, yet they do. And that's where the magic happens. You watch them slowly build a bond, fumble through misunderstandings, and genuinely start to care about each other, despite knowing it could all fall apart with one exposed secret. It's like an emotional ticking time bomb except adorable.Then there's emotional intelligence. Yes, really. Loid might be saving the world, but his biggest struggle? Figuring out how to talk to a six-year-old. Watching this stoic spy awkwardly navigate parent-teacher meetings and emotional tantrums is weirdly relatable. Yor, meanwhile, might be a trained killer, but she's also dealing with crippling self-doubt and the fear of not being good enough. And Anya? She's just trying to survive school without blurting out secrets she's heard in people's heads. Honestly, same.What 'Spy X Family' does brilliantly is dismantle the idea of what a 'perfect family' should look like. This trio is built on lies and deception, but ironically, they become more functional and emotionally available than most real families. The series shows us that love and connection aren't about DNA or Hallmark moments, but about effort, protection, and the willingness to stick around, even when things get weird. And boy, do they get weird. Beneath all the fake identities and espionage, 'Spy X Family' reminds you that the strongest connections are often the most unexpected. Loid becomes a better human thanks to his fake family. Yor learns to open up. And Anya, well, Anya just wants a gold star and a peanut snack. But through them, we see how compassion, teamwork, and vulnerability can be more powerful than any spy gadget.So, next time you're watching 'Spy X Family' for the action, stay for the emotional trauma disguised as comedy. Because nothing says 'wholesome' like a fake family trying their best to love each other while lying through their teeth.- Ends