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#lots of yor from sxf vibes
frostynovaprime · 2 years
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Momm- er, I mean Khora Prime
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piracytheorist · 2 months
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something i love about spy family is that its a very funny manga, but it isn't afraid to be serious and talk about serious things (and its also really good at transitioning between the two)
Tatsuya Endo has an amazing grasp of balance. There are a lot of posts going around about how Spy x Family goes from something as heavy as "war makes monsters of us all" to something as silly as "Anya finds Loid's tourist fashion choices lame" and it somehow works.
It's one of the things that made me fall in love with the story from the second if not the very first episode of the anime. It dares to be realistic about how war impacts humans and how it takes them into a path they wouldn't normally take, but at its core it's a story filled with humor and love and connection, because this is how humans are supposed to live like. I mean, not to break it down to a "live laugh love" moral, but at the end of the day it does prioritize people living happily together and in peace. Even the "enemy" is shown in a sympathetic light from time to time.
And the humor and silliness attributes to that. It makes the story light-hearted despite the heavy issues it tackles. It would be hard to find hope in a story that focuses only on those heavy issues, if its vibe was constant grittiness and violence and dark themes. Not that there's anything wrong with stories with such themes; but you wouldn't usually watch such a story and expect to feel full of hope afterwards, nor expect it to have the humor that SxF has.
What is amazing is how Endo manages the balance of it all. How he works in the silliness amidst an environment of a cold war, of hardened spies and assassins, because it would be very easy to veer right into tone-deaf cheesy territory that gives you (unintentional) emotional whiplash. I think it's due to how the characters are only slightly exaggerated versions of something you'd see in real life. Anya behaves as any five-year-old would, where her focus is to work in protection of peace, make sure the family won't break apart, and above all, have fun. Yor's view of the world has been impacted by how long she's worked as an assassin, but her "naivete" is mostly her tendency to see good in everyone, even the "bastards" she's sent to kill. Twilight keeps telling himself everything he does is "for the mission" but he's only human and can't help bonding with his family even if he doesn't realize it.
The characters may behave in an exaggerated way from time to time, but they're not caricatures. The humor and ridiculousness (affectionate) in their actions are based on real human traits and behaviours we can see in real life. The want to have fun, the tendency to see the good in people, the desire to love. Endo simply takes those and has three people whose special traits clash with those three mentioned traits. Anya grew up as a science experiment in a lab where she wasn't allowed to have fun, so now that she has people who care for her emotional growth she goes all out with fun activities. Yor was forced into the choice of becoming an assassin, having to be told "This person is BadTM so you play judge jury and executioner", but with Yuri being her motivation (and later on the Forgers too) she managed to keep her kind heart. Occasionally she can't control her monstrous strength and may also consider killing people who inconvenience her and then go like "Yo wtf chill maybe". Twilight became a spy and distanced himself from human connections, but now that his job brought him into the position of staying long term with a kid and a wife and a dog, his desire for such a connection is rearing its persistent head. And so you get a Professional Master SpyTM playing "Rescue Princess Anya from the Evil Clutches of Count Scruffy Head".
It's the contrast that makes the humor of it all, and in such a way that it never takes only one character's side. I think that also adds to the "flexibility" of the story. It's easier to connect to a story when there's multiple sides explained and understood by the audience; and I mean, the only thing the story looks to be trying to "convince" you of is that humans live best when they live in peace and surrounded by people they love, and that's an undeniable fact of human nature. The characters can and do make mistakes but they're shown to be able to grow from them, and even someone radicalized and extremist like Yuri has understandable motives and a very human nature - just one that was taken advantage of by people in power.
Overall yeah, I think it's how focused on the characters' humanity the story is that it makes the balance between humor and heavy issues work. Again, though it can be exaggerated at times, it's not a caricature or slapstick, just for the sake of making the audience laugh. There's a depth and a genuine reaching out for the audience's emotions and understanding.
(Anime only fan here, don't spoil me for the manga 😁)
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sy-on-boy · 2 years
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Spy x Family Opening Analysis :D
(Note: contains spoilers!)
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Link to opening animation and opening MV! They’re both amazing.
First of all, this is an absolutely stunning and colourful opening and I am so obsessed with it. I think I watched it on loop for like twenty times. It’s just so addictive. 
Secondly, there’s also a really good Twitter thread by Namaryuu analysing the opening specifically in regards to other works by Masashi Ishihama, the director of the opening. I recommend giving it a read!
Also once again this is just my opinion (and I tend to stretch things) so apologies for any mistakes/ misinformation. Now let’s begin! :D
The opening shot is of a reflection of a crescent moon disappearing in a puddle. I believe this is a small reference to how Anya’s powers vanish every time the new moon comes. 
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Then, we are treated to quick-paced action scenes in highly saturated colours like red, yellow, green purple etc. Many typical spy elements are shown, such as bombs, gunfire, spying through spyglasses, and car chases. The music is chaotic as it builds up to the first verse. Personally, I think this bit gives off a retro vibe and reminds me of Cowboy Bebop’s opening (sorry, I’m not the best at these terms).
Stylistically, this beginning part is very different from the rest of the opening and the anime. The high contrast of colours reminds me of classic spy movies, a nod to the spy genre itself. Twilight, the famous spy, is also the only character present in this scene. The font reminds me of (American) comics, which again has retro vibes. This “tricks” the viewers into thinking SxF might be a typical action/spy anime, only for that expectation to both be fulfilled and subverted. 
Then, we see the first image in this post- our three leads painted in different colours, Yor staring to the left, Twilight staring to the right, and Anya innocently between them. The first ten or so seconds established the “spy” setting, albeit in a somewhat dramatic way. Now, the “family” part of the title comes in, each member symbolised by a different colour. Yor is in blue, Anya in pink/red, Twilight in yellow. These are the primary colours.
It should also be noted that Yor and Twilight both look serious and unsmiling, while Anya appears to be completely oblivious to them. The serious tone from the first ten seconds continues. Then- it abruptly shifts.
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The image is then replaced by how Anya imagines her parents. Yor and Loid are now in casual wear, and while the trio still retain their colours, the artstyle is vastly different. We’re seeing the world through Anya’s eyes. The simplified shapes, the innocent expressions, the childish lines... this is a sudden tonal shift from the “retro serious spy anime” from before. In the first ten seconds, the opening has already established both the “spy” and the “family” parts of the show, and they’re contrasted against each other. We can see the world from the perspective of adults or from a child.
The perspective of Anya is very important in SxF because as a mind reader, she is the only one who has access to everybody’s secret identities and motivations. A lot of exposition is usually done through Anya’s mind reading. 
Then, once the singing starts, we get to see Anya’s life in a simple, childlike manner (the opening is appropriately titled “Mixed Nuts”, suiting Anya). The first thing we see are rainclouds over Anya, and both of her parents offering umbrellas to shield her. The symbol of rain is commonly shown in this opening. Anya is protected by Loid and Yor, awww.  
We see the setting of the anime drawn in a childlike style, from the streets to Eden Academy. Cute speech bubbles and a different font also add to the tone. The colours continue to be bright and happy. Anya is shown jumping along with what appears to be her chimera plush. Fitting for a kid’s imagination. 
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We get to see various characters in Anya’s life, from her parents, Franky, classmates, Henderson, to Handler. Handler in particular is shown comically peering and peeping from behind a tower, which is accurate to how Anya imagines spies to be. Anya’s favourite Spy Wars is also present. We know Anya likes cartoons, so it also makes perfect sense for the opening to be animated in a cartoon-like way. (I believe Yuri also makes a cameo with the Spy Wars comics, so rip Fiona)
Interestingly, once Anya walks to the part with Handler and the word “WISE” in the background, it starts raining. Anya takes out her umbrella and the scene transitions to having a rainbow in the background. In this opening, Handler acts as a constant reminder of Operation Strix and how this family is just a facade. In the first episode, Twilight remarked that the Forger family would dissolve once the mission was over. No wonder in Anya’s mind, WISE brings stormy clouds to her happy life. 
Next, we transition to gorgeous shots of the family enjoying life. Anya, still holding her umbrella, is walking. These shots are what typical family trips look like, with references to the aquarium, fancy dining, sightseeing, and so on. The lyrics at this point are “On the template of happiness, behind the picture which is literally picturesque” (all translations of lyrics are from the official MV). This reminds me of Twilight “planning” family trips to “enrich” Anya’s background for the Eden interview. Yes, they may all look happy and like an ordinary family, but it’s just a “template of happiness” that they’re following.
Anya is holding her umbrella in case rain (hardships, suffering, breakups) happens (note that her parents were the ones with the umbrellas at the beginning). Is Anya afraid of being abandoned and has to take care of herself again? At this segment, none of their faces are shown, just their backs and the side profile of Anya running. 
After that, there’s a transition scene of Anya, Yor and Twilight running out of a television. Umbrella Anya disappears. To me, this symbolises Anya’s fascination with her spy cartoons and how she sees her parents’ dynamic as entertainment and “something out of TV”. The lyrics are “We can’t be as we are, even when we put our hands together sitting around a table”. Now, the imagery in the lyrics are quite obvious. We see more happy Forger family scenes, and we also get to see the faces of the Forger family. They’re smiling and look relaxed. They’re drinking wine, going out for Christmas, eating a cake, and so on. This is what Anya’s ideal family life looks like. However, as the lyric hints, things are not what they seem.
We’re nearing the chorus (and the beat drop). Anya takes center stage with the spotlight, with Yor once again on the left, Loid at the right. They still look like a normal happy family, but Loid is about to turn off the light. I especially like this scene because you can see it as Loid switching off Anya’s spotlight, and also switching off the light to leave Anya’s imagination and enter the adults’ world. 
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Loid turns off the light, and everyone goes dark. In the normal style of the anime, Twilight’s eyes are seen moving around- much like WISE’s symbol of an eye watching the East (the east is also the right where Twilight is consistently positioned). We’re back to the typical spy imagery of watching. Twilight and the Thorn Princess are shown in a split screen, both looking away from each other and carrying out their missions. This shows their identities remain unknown to each other.
The colours are also very noticeably darker. Night has fallen (haha), and the adults must don their hidden identities. Then, Yor’s panel expands, showing a close up of her red eyes. More watching. Quite appropriately, the lyrics are “Home with full of secrets and patches, you know?” Yor and Loid Forger are not who they seem to be. The Forger household has many secrets. 
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We see some cool action and fighting scenes. Yor and Twilight are seen in different settings / backgrounds, showing their jobs are not connected. When we finally see them in a single frame, they’re still separated and highlighted by different colours. 
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The split screen then morphs into casual Yor and Loid smiling, back in their Forger family mode. Note that their panels are still not touching until Anya’s frame comes along and connects them together. After all, Anya’s the one playing matchmaker and decided to bring them together for her own excitement. 
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Despite all the secret identities plastered over them (quite literally with the TOP SECRET stamps smearing the screen), the Forgers are together and loving. But then...
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Handler looms up, a deep ominous purple, the complementary colour of the cheerful yellow used to indicate warmth. As said above, Handler symbolizes the reality of the mission. Her eyes are half-shown, indicating she is always watching (even emphasised with the words EYES ONLY). Would the Forger’s family life be swallowed up by Operation Strix?
Next, we see Handler as a mysterious black silhouette in front of multiple screens screaming out “STRIX”. Handler’s hair moves like smoke to cover up the screens. This adds mystery and suspense to the opening. (Black and yellow might also be Desmond colours because the Desmonds have black hair and Damian has vaguely yellow eyes. Colours of the antagonist maybe?) The lyrics “My life is so insecure and drifting, I know” show that under Operation Strix, the Forger family is supposed to be an illusion. They’re supposed to be insecure about their place in the family because they’re a forgery. Except we know the main three are all genuinely fond of each other. But will Operation Strix cause them to drift apart?
Then we see Franky, a person who is simultaneously involved in Twilight’s career and a Forger family friend. We see a sequence of Yor dressed in different, brightly coloured clothes. Then, we see her with a wide-brimmed hat, knives out in the blue water against a red sky, the slightest bit of her rose motif visible. To me, this is foreshadowing to the cruise arc (holiday hat, water, killing, red blood), where Yor starts to doubt her motivations. 
After the bright and exaggerated colours, we return to the normal anime style. A montage of events are shown over a background of Twilight with a serious expression. We see him next to a train, and he looks up. Camera zooms into the Thorn Princess, smiling from above. The lyrics at this point are “Every day is so mediocre, but I’m here and so are you.” We see the Forgers united below, their signature colours splashed over them. They’re in casual wear and look quite happy. They’re there for each other!
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The opening ends with them sitting on their dining table as the camera pans around them. This imagery of “sitting at a table together” is constantly used in promo media and referenced in the lyrics, so it’s no surprise they’re using it as an ending sequence. The main three are coloured in and smiling at each other, but the background is monochrome. The background transforms from a dull bluish grey (more rain/storm imagery?) to a light green with leaves, and finally to a soft yellow with colourful, blooming flowers. The Forgers might have rough backgrounds, but when they come together, their bonds start budding and eventually blossom into something genuine and beautiful. 
As a final note about the rain thing, the full song mentions more of it. “Whether you were born above the tree or beneath the ground, the difference is subtle // may the rain equally moisturise this unacceptably dry world” and “The other side of the window is sometimes cold and noisy, you know? // Occasional starless nights, days filled with thunderstorms are okay”. I suppose rain is used as a metaphor for all the suffering the characters might have suffered in the past, but they band together to provide shelter for one another (especially for Anya).
Anyways, this is getting long, so if you reached this point, thanks for reading this over-the-top post! I really do love this opening. Hope you have a great rest of your day! <3
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butter--peanut · 1 year
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A, O and T :3333!!!!!
A - Ships that you currently like a lot. -> HAH my response is so similar to @wind-becomes-lightning, my faves are kkob (otp. A great surprise for everyone), kkobrin, kkym, kkobym, obym. I’m a multishipper for Shisui, think he would vibe with most people. I also like sakukarin a lot right now. Also, outside of Nart I’ve been reading lots of twilight/yor fics from sxf, really love them!
O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of? -> i tried to do this by setting my liked songs to shuffle on Spotify but it didn’t work because my brainrot is still so bad for my original story I automatically think of those characters. XD but actually, I think I’ll always associate Living Room by Laura Stevenson with kkob because I listened to it on repeat when I was writing kb and, well. Kamui is their living room 💚
T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending? -> nope! I have preferences but nothing I’d fight someone in a duel for. I tend to be pretty open to whatever hcs people have - if it’s written/justified right I can probably accept it/think it works in the context of the story
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mcmoryfound · 2 years
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@dcsiremelodis​ inquired: What’s something about your character that you’d like if you had to spend time with them? Do you think you’ve gotten better at writing anything or any type of thing or situation since you started writing this character (or roleplaying in general)? What’s your favorite thing about rping a canon character? What’s something you dislike about rping a canon character? What/Who is a character you think you would like to roleplay? What’s currently stopping you from roleplaying them? [   mun-directed questions   ]
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What’s something about your character that you’d like if you had to spend time with them?
[   from the rare few that wouldn’t bully me? maybe just be fine with silent vibing, i think i’d be too awkward to speak   ]
Do you think you’ve gotten better at writing anything or any type of thing or situation since you started writing this character (or roleplaying in general)?
[   well, i definitely got bit better, otherwise i’d be seriously concerned. however for specific accepts it’s hard to pin point? i think improvement is kinda more fluent & if i were comparing there wouldn’t be much change unless i’d take two completely different times.   ]
What’s your favorite thing about rping a canon character?
[   it’s just fun & i get to be - you are mine now.   ]
What’s something you dislike about rping a canon character?
[   there’s fear of just being someone’s second plan, or being dropped bc someone found a better version of character & being compared. especially with well known ones. i try to not let this get to me, but hey, we all get anxious about these occasionally.   ]
What/Who is a character you think you would like to roleplay? What’s currently stopping you from roleplaying them?
[   oh boi. so sorting series wise, i was thinking akkun, mitsuya or kakucho from tr, bc brainrot. reason against: anxiety. william or ganji from idv, but on other side i already have a lot of idv muses. was also thinking yor or loid from sxf, but for now i’m not ready yet to try join another rpc.   ]
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