In this new episode of Anime Breakfast, this time a review, let's find out together if Code White, the brand new Spy x Family film, has hit its target: total fun between spies and killers
ORIGINAL TITLE: Gekijō-ban Supai famirī kōdo: howaito. TYPE: Animation, adventure, comedy. NATION: Japan. REGIA: Takashi Katagiri. CAST (Japanese voice actors): Takuya Eguchi, Saori Hayami, Atsumi Tanezaki, Kenichiro Matsuda, Yuko Kaida, Ayane Sakura, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Kensho Ono. CAST (Italian voice actors): Mattia Bressan, Elisa Giorgio, Valentina Pallavicino, DURATION: 110 minutes. DISTRIBUTOR: Sony Pictures. EXIT: in Italy from 24 April 2024.
There is no doubt that Spy x Family is currently one of the most popular animated comedy series in the world of Japanese animation. Available in the Crunchyroll catalogue, the series adapts the manga of the same name by Tatsuya Endo, serialized on Shueisha Shonen Jump starting from 2019, and currently consists of two seasons plus, precisely, an animated film. Code White, this is the subtitle of the film, has also arrived in Italian cinemas thanks to an agreement between Crunchyroll itself and Sony Pictures. We had the opportunity to see it and we decided to talk to you about Spy x Family Code White in this review, as well as a new episode of the weekly Anime Breakfast column! Let's begin.
A brief synopsis
For those unfamiliar, Spy x Family follows the daring adventures of Twilight, an elite spy, tasked with infiltrating a prestigious school and getting close to a high-ranking politician. To do this, Twilight assumes the fictional identity of Loid Forger and is “forced” to create an equally fictitious family, of which he takes on the role of caring father. To be his wife, Loid chooses Yor Briar, an apparently kind woman, but who is a professional killer, and Anya, a very sweet little girl taken up for adoption who has the ability to read minds. Spy father, assassin mother, telepathic daughter: what more would you want?
Ah yes, right, the dog: Bond. A dog that has the ability to predict the future. Which is called Bond. Like James Bond. Go on.
A long and beautiful filler | Spy x Family Code White review
You will therefore understand well how Spy x Family managed to enter so forcefully into all the rankings and approval ratings of readers and viewers: the characters. The spearhead of the entire production, each of the supporting characters functions autonomously and concomitantly with the others. Let's explain better: on their own they are already well written, characterized and interesting. Together, they create a choral work that will hardly leave you indifferent and, just as unlikely, it won't be able to make you smile more than once.
Code White is an unreleased feature film, which does not adapt any chapter of the manga. A two-hour long filler, in short, which is inserted between the first and second seasons of the anime and which therefore takes up some events from the previous episodes. Certainly, considering that the basic concepts are covered in the first few minutes and that, in any case, it is not such a difficult work to follow, you could easily enjoy it even without knowing what happened in the first season. It must be said that you might miss some references, however.
Off-season atmosphere | Spy x Family Code White review
In any case, in a dissonant Christmas atmosphere, characterized by characteristic markets and snow galore, Code White sees Loid always engaged in his duty as a spy and increasingly struggling to keep up the so-called Operation Strix, which is exactly what he would like to see get closer to the politician Desmond through his second son and little Anya's schoolmate. Given the poor results achieved up to that point, however, Operation Strix is at risk and Loid's superiors are thinking of taking it away from him and giving it to someone more “competent”.
Anya discovers everything thanks to her telepathy and is more determined than ever to help her father and, in general, to preserve the family she loves so much, albeit fictitious. Loid therefore decides to take advantage of a cooking competition that will take place at the Eden Institute of his daughter to be able to bring water to his mill. And to ensure that Anya can win this competition, the whole family will have to travel to Frigis, the icy mother nation of the recipe for the dessert so dear to the headmaster of the Eden Institute, as well as the judge of the cooking competition.
Intrigues and betrayals | Spy x Family Code White review
What can we ever expect from the protagonists of Spy x Family in a situation like this? Obviously a disaster. Our family will find itself at the center of an international conspiracy that risks undermining the political fortunes of the two most important countries in the world and lead to a conflict of colossal dimensions. To this we add the sudden jealousy of Yor, who fears that Loid wants to replace her as a fictitious wife with another more suited to her, and the eternal pranks with good intentions (which however end very badly) of Anya and the very tender Bond .
Let's therefore combine all the elements that we already know and that made Spy x Family great, that is, the espionage, the heart-pounding action and the very tender gags with little Anya, to obtain a film that manages to keep you glued to the screen and make you laugh out loud on more than one occasion. In this sense, despite being a filler, Code White fully succeeds in its aim of fitting straight into Tetsuya Endo's universe, taking up all its basic characteristics and amplifying them in a wonderful comedy in which everyone, absolutely everyone, is the protagonist. Bond included.
Lots of action well represented | Spy x Family Code White review
To accompany it all, we also find a good dose of frenetic action, especially at the end, full of bullets, lethal gases and fights to the death. In this context it is noticeable the excellent level of animations, created by the expert hands of Wit Studio and Cloverworks, as well as the excellent direction of Takashi Katagiri, for a truly exceptional result. Even the CGI scenes, which can often be dissonant, are excellently created and integrated with the rest of the graphic scene. An excellent job.
Conclusions
We have therefore reached the final stages of this review of Spy x Family Code White and we want to recommend watching it to everyone, absolutely everyone. Both for fans of the series, now in its second season, and for families looking for a simple and fun animated film. Perhaps a little out of season, we admit that a release around Christmas would have made a better impression, but also definitely out of time. Spy x Family is always fun, and Code White is the definitive confirmation of this. Highly promoted!
Spy x Family Code White is currently still available in Italian cinemas! Stay tuned with us at TechGameWorld.com for all the news on the world of cinema and TV series! And if you want to catch up on the first two seasons of the anime, we refer you to the Crunchyroll catalog with the link below!
Points in favor
- A fun and gripping comedy
- Iconic characters that work too well
- Well done animated section
Points against
- Out of place atmosphere
- A long, very long filler, albeit well made
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