Spy x Family, Vol. 1

Thank you so much to Netgalley and VIZ Media LLC for providing an e-arc for me!

I. AM. SPEECHLESS. This was spectacular! The art style mixed with the fine use of dialogue made this a very good blend. Favoring to their faux daughter's ability. Am looking forward to reading the rest of the series!

This was interesting. I didn’t expect it to be good because it wasn’t whimsical magic but I think I’m going to recommend this to my friends!

Can a spy story ever be family-friendly? Do young parents who grew up on Spy Kids have anything new they can get into with their children? Spy x Family is pretty much that, although it does have its share of violence. The black and white nature of manga publishing helps tone down the perceived violence in the book. This is a family literally made up for the sake of espionage but somehow they make it work. The story may start out with Twilight, the spy father, and the mom's secret assassin job ups the intrigue, but Anya, the adopted telepathic child, is the true adorable centerpiece of the story. (I received a free copy of Spy x Family vol. 1 from the publisher via NetGalley.)

The premise for Spy X Family hooks you immediately-- it's like a high stakes sitcom. The father is a spy who fake married the mom (an assassin) and adopted a daughter (a telepath) to get access to an enemy political leader. The premise is completely out there, but it works really well. It's funny, but there are also genuine moments of human connection. Anya, the adopted daughter, has been adopted and returned four different times, and with her telepathy she'll do anything she can to stay with her new family. The manga even has time to discuss the 'witch hunt' mentality surrounding political leanings.
It is a genuinely lovely comic to read, and includes sweet emotional moments, hilarious series of unfortunate events, and discussion of current day politics. I loved it so much! It's such a versatile piece I could recommend it to anyone.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

A *seriously* ridiculously comedic manga about ... literally, see the title. While there are some serious bits and pieces that include things like violence and espionage, there are other more wholesome bits of the story that makes this a fun subversion of the typical spy story. The nice thing is that the story doesn't drag on and on about getting the family together -- nope! thank you very much -- and goes into the fun, wholesome, juicy bits. There are some parts that are uncomfortable to read, but it makes for a good manga. Would definitely recommend.

This is the most wholesome, funny and interesting graphic novel I've ever read. The family dynamic in this book is amazing and so well done.

At first, I thought this would be quite dark and serious but instead, it is an adorable comic filled with slightly dark humour and sweet family moments. I found myself laughing out loud so many times. The daughter's over-reactions to reading her "parent's" minds were so hilarious. The bonding between the family is done well too. Even though they are all keeping huge secrets from each other, they still start to become a real family and start to care for each other more than they expected.
The art style is so gorgeous.

This was definitely five stars for me and I strongly recommend it to anyone who loves dark themes mixed with humour and adorable family bonding. I'm excited to read more in this series.

This was so much better than expected! I really enjoyed the story, it was definitely a different kind of spy story! I liked that it was unique and so much fun. It also had a lot of good action scenes and the art is really well done.

The characters were each really interesting in different ways and their dynamic ended up working well and being super cute! It really drew me in and I can't wait to see what happens next with this fake family and all their secrets.

Would highly recommend giving this a read!

This is a heartwarming story about finding family in the most unexpected of places with the most unexpected people. The main characters, Twilight, the spy, has to become a father and husband to Anya, a telepathic child, and Yor, an assassin. All three of them need something that each other can give and the story portrays this in such a way that over time, they realize that they've really come to care and depend on one another, as quirky as they all are. The art style is unique and well-done compared to other manga I've read and aids in portraying the variety of emotions and situations the characters go through.

This manga is non-stop action and intrigue as the reader comes to learn more about the characters and the world of deception they live in. Although they appear to all be deceiving on another, they have the best intentions at heart, which makes this manga a fun experience. The people they interact with, whether good guys or bad guys, draws the family into helping one another and brings them even closer. As they grow together as a family, they come to learn how to be 'normal' in the sense that makes them feel safe and happy with one another, despite their secrets and that maybe, just maybe, they should stick together in the long run. I admit, I was slightly apprehensive about a spy manga story with its type of premise of a fake family but the art, setting, and characters drew me in and seem almost believable and definitely have me invested in learning more about this unconventional family and how they will end up in the end. I am hoping for a positive ending! Overall, it is an enjoyable series, and I greatly look forward to the next volume!

4.5, rounded up. This was so fun! It reminded me of Mr. and Mrs. Smith (but better); I love Anya (and the irony that only she knows the full extent of her family situation) and am looking forward to learning more about Yor's abilities as an assassin.

I was wondering why everyone was raving about this manga, and wow this blew me away. This was everything I wanted and more in a manga. The art is beautiful, the characters are cool and at the same time cute, and most of all the humor is absolutely hilarious!

Usually, I go for the shojo type manga (a series of japanese comics aimed at young female audiences). However, this one got me addicted, and I want to read more. I can't wait to read the next volume and get a paperback copy of this manga to add to my collection (it's definitely worth reading over and over again).

My Rating:

Note: Thank you Viz Media and Netgalley for the digital copy.

I really enjoyed this! The characters are interesting and their backgrounds are introduced pretty quickly to give insight as to why they react in ways that are the opposite of how people usually would in their lines of work. The pacing is good, and the addition of an esper child makes this book far more interesting than if she had been a normal child. The art style is interesting (in a good way) and the characters' interactions feel natural, with the exception of just before they agreed to get married. In that sequence, it felt too much of a stretch for Yori to just brush off the spy's claims of it being a snapped psych patient coming after him.

After reading this, I pre-ordered the first two volumes! Can't wait to read the first one again!

This book was highly entertaining. Great story and artwork. Filled with spy action, funny, and heartwarming. This make-believe family is awesome. I'm rooting for them to stay together at the end. Can't wait to read more. Recommended read.