Review of Spy x Family Season 2

I love Spy x Family as it's one of my all-time favorite series and even I have to admit when it comes to seeing its second season either a second or a third time, it does a little less yet still amazing as is. Well, I do think some parts did make me lower this season by a point. As you may wonder, the whole Operation Strix is still going yet, but most of the time, it does have that filler feel. That, I do agree with some folks who would see it as a con. You know how several animeseries get a little downgrade as filler arcs and filler episodes tend to get in the way sometimes? I never mind filler arcs as long as they entertain. With that, it does entertain me still since they were also from the manga. Like the time when Yor gets shot in the butt and she goes through severe pain that she refuses to sit down. That was from a bonus chapter that I will admit the joke does become tired throughout the episode, but the payoff was still worth it, especially for when Anya and Franky were tailing them. Then you have the last episode when Loid goes on a walk with Bond, and they find out about an arsonist after rescuing a puppy from a burning apartment. That was an actual chapter. You do have to admit that it was still funny to see Bond soaked like that. Yes, they have nothing to do with Operation Strix, but the payoff with those episodes ends with either improving their relationship as being a pretend family goes as well as keeping the peace for both sides.
When it does get serious, we go into the cruise ship arc when Yor and the Director, who was also working at city hall, visit Shopkeeper, the head of the assassin organization known as Garden, and assigns them to protect a young woman named Olga and her son from other assassins. Coincidentally, Loid and Anya won a grand prize to hop into the same exact cruise ship, known as the Princess Lorelei, as Yor was going to ask a form of a "work related" trip. Thankfully, all of that was resolved, the assassins on board have been defeated, the one who has all the Intel has been thwarted, bombs being defused and now Olga, her son and her friend named Zeb now found sanctuary in another country. By the end of it, even Yor gets to spend time with Loid and Anya on the island that they ended up in after the cruise trip before returning home. You have to admit, the payoff was worth it even for Yor after fighting off all of those assassins without causing a commotion even with the Secret Police who were also on board.
Those weren't the only episodes that still got some fun out for me. You also have episodes like Damian going on an outdoor camping trip with his friends along with this teacher under Henderson's orders as well as going through punishment by tardiness. Sure, they are jerks to Anya and Becky, but you can't outright hate them since you do feel sorry for Damian for what he's dealing with, and his friends are right there for him. You also have an episode where Yuri has to deal with a former reporter sending false news. You understand that Yuri isn't always a jerk himself but the same as you see Loid and Yor, who are just protecting the peace between both Westalis and Ostania, even in the shadows of the public. Then you have Nightfall doing her own mission while Loid and the family are on the Princess Lorelei cruise ship. You also have Becky crushing over Loid when she'd visited Anya's home, which I get it, she's a child, and children tend to look up to future crushes. However, I found this sort of something to shrug off. At the least, she doesn't make ridiculous faces like Saikawa makes in Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid. That would've made me lower this season by another point. My favorite out of the episodes outside of the cruise ship arc is when the kids were paying old Maid for a macaron that's said to increase ones knowledge. There was a moment that made me think back at Nisekoi when it came to Ichijou and his friends who were also playing Old Maid. If you know what moment I'd mentioned, you would know.
I know I've been talking too much on the episodes so far and believe me, there were a lot of mini episodes that took place in-between one of the main arcs, which would make sense of it being a pacing issue and whatnot. Honestly, I didn't find it that much since this is still a pretend family who are still going through how they would keep themselves together for Operation Strix until the main event happens. You could say that you need a break from the main plot once in a while as long as it still entertains. Admittedly, some of them drag a little. The animation is more steady and it feels like it's back to how the first season of the anime was like and I don't have an issue since the action is still amazing and the comedy still gave me some good laughs. I like how we're seeing more of each character and seeing an introduction of Garden, the Shopkeeper, and the Director. They're cool for who Yor works under. It was also good to see why Yor will still continue to do what she does since her time with Olga on the Princess Lorelei cruise ship arc. Gotta love when motivation gets involved.
The voice acting in both Japanese and English is still great for where the story goes. I was actually surprised to know that they had a different writer and a different director for this season. I don't mind that since they were consistent in keeping the tone and heart of the anime series when adapting it from the manga. It's still worth a watch if you're a fan of the series like I am. Not to mention that the third season is coming later this year, and it has already got me pumped for it by the time I've seen the trailer. As for what I would give this season, I'm giving it nine Loid carrying a sleepy Yor and Anya out of ten. 9/10.