Is Spy x Family’s 1950s-Esque Nuclear Family Model a Good One for Today’s World?
Spy x Family, one of the most eagerly awaited anime of 2022, captivated Japan when it premiered there in April. The anime, which was based on a very famous manga, exceeded all expectations when it shot to the top of the Japanese streaming rank charts and held that position from April to July. In reality, Spy x Family has a sizable fanbase all over the globe, particularly because of its endearing heroine Anya. Her facial expressions have gone viral several times in the previous year, so even those who are not anime fans should be acquainted with them.
Spy x Family has undoubtedly been a remarkable success for a programme that is mostly about family life and has given rise to several (not so crazy) speculations regarding its origin and goal. Some Reddit users believe that the anime is a government-sponsored cultural work created to inspire Japanese people to start families and have kids. After all, the extraordinarily low birth rate in Japan is well-known. Whether or not these hypotheses are accurate, it is obvious that the programme will serve as a role model for family life in Japan and beyond as a result of its rising popularity. Therefore, the issue is whether this approach is appropriate for the modern world.
Spy x Family’s Traditional Family Model and Treatment of Women
Loid, Yor, and Anya, the main characters in Spy x Family, are the ideal representation of a typical nuclear family and fit naturally into the roles of father, mother, and only child. In Season 2, they even get a lovely puppy to complete the picture. So far, so good: both parents work and are in charge of both household tasks and child raising responsibilities. However, Loid and Yor’s relationship eventually begins to become imbalanced. As the story progresses, it seems that Yor is supposed to be a good housewife, which includes caring for her family, cooking, and cleaning, and she receives criticism from others when she falls short of those standards. On the other hand, if Loid assists with household duties, he is applauded as though he is doing a special feat. The episodes often include a scenario where Loid is relaxing in his chair reading a newspaper while Yor is doing the dishes or cleaning.
One of the anime’s main hooks is that both Loid and Yor are covert assassins and spies at the start of the tale. However, beyond the first episode, very little of Yor’s ‘at work’ is seen, with more time being devoted to Loid’s escapades as an agent. Yor appears in mostly domestic situations since she now seems to be focused completely on becoming a wife, with her professional career all but gone. The difference between Loid and Yor goes beyond only their respective positions in the outer world. Yor has a kind of frantic self-doubt if she fails to make a good breakfast, and only Loid’s praise is able to break her out of it.
When fellow spy Fiona Frost is introduced as a possible rival for Loid’s love, Yor’s inner anguish only becomes worse. Her character—possibly the worst thus far in the series—is introduced as a capable and ambitious spy, on par with Loid, only to be quickly exposed as a love-struck lady whose sole ambition in life is to marry Loid. Her fate as a female character just strengthens the idea that Spy x Family treats women in an unfavourable manner.
Dismantling and Subverting Familial Stereotypes
However, one must take into account the context as well as the subtle ways in which the anime subverts that same stereotype before criticising Spy x Family for promoting a risky model. For example, the imaginary country of Westalis and Ostania, in which the anime is set, obviously serves as a fictional representation of a post-WWII Europe, with the political situation, as well as the architecture and fashion, evoking the 1950s. Therefore, it appears much easier to grasp why a nuclear family model is inevitable in this situation. To form a relationship that will be accepted by society, Loid, Yor, and Anya are all but compelled to unite. If they didn’t, they would come out as suspicious; in the first episode of the series, Yor runs the danger of being detained as a spy just because she isn’t married.
The fact that Loid, Yor, and Anya are not a true family is interesting to observe. They are, in fact, social outcasts who banded together for mutual defence against the oppressive government. Their unique partnership is comparable in some ways to the sham marriages that some LGBTQ+ individuals in Japan choose for in order to live their authentic lives free from the scrutiny of society. Therefore, it is impossible to just accept Loid and Yor’s responsibilities, especially given that Yor faces more pressure from outside than from inside the family. Yor’s ingrained misogyny causes her to question herself and feel inadequate; Loid never asks Yor to cook, clean, or be anything more than she is.
In fact, the focus of the programme is never on the characters’ flaws or desire to improve. When the anime chooses to be instructive, it only ever emphasises the advantages of communication and understanding; for example, Yor will compliment Loid on how she handled Anya’s difficult behaviour, or Loid will show Yor that she is precisely what Anya needs. The characters in Spy x Family learn to embrace who they are and never try to alter it.
Striking a Dangerous Balance Between Heteronormativity and Progressiveness
Unfortunately, the deconstruction of gender norms and a static family structure only takes place at a deeper level and in very subtle ways. Spy x Family seems to be an extremely conservative anime, and the way it treats female characters in relation to males is rather alarming—especially when you consider that its audience is often young and may not be able to engage with it critically. Only a savvy viewer with knowledge and the drive to learn more will be able to see the show’s more progressive side since it promotes a conventional and heteronormative family model and leaves no room for other forms of relationships.
Is Spy x Family’s 1950s-Esque Nuclear Family Model a Good One for Today’s World?
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