Summary
Spy x Familyhas been a smash hit since its premiere in 2022. Twilight, the greatest spy in Westalis, is tasked with forming a fake family to infiltrate the neighboring country, Ostania. Under his new identity as Loid Forger, he winds up recruiting assassin Yor as his wife and telepath Anya as his daughter, with all three of them hiding their true identities from their new family.
Spy x FamilyCode: Whiteis the franchise’s first movie, and it seesthe Forger family taking a vacation to the wintry region of Frigis, only to get caught up in a plot by the vicious Colonel Snidel to spark war between Westalis and Ostania. The movie spotlights many of the anime’s strongest points: goofy comedy, stellar action sequences, and heartfelt moments shared between the Forger family. And if fans are still hungry for more, there are plenty more anime films like it to try.
Based on the 1971 animeLupin III Part 1
Lupin the 3rd Part 1
Lupin the 3rd Part 1 is the inaugural series based on Monkey Punch’s manga, featuring the master thief Arsène Lupin III. Released in 1971, the series follows Lupin and his associates—sharpshooter Daisuke Jigen, samurai Goemon Ishikawa XIII, and femme fatale Fujiko Mine—as they undertake daring heists and evade the relentless Inspector Zenigata. Bridging action with humor, the show set the stage for the long-running Lupin the 3rd franchise.
In one of thebest anime based on classic literature, the grandson of Arséne Lupin is the world’s greatest thief. His gang pulls off daring heists, dodging the efforts of police (particularly the determined Inspector Zenigata) to catch him. The spinoff film of the first TV series seesLupin and company storming an evil count’s castle to rescue a princessand get back at him for tricking them with counterfeit money.
This 1979 movie is notable for much more than beingthe legendary Hayao Miyazaki’s directorial debut. LikeCode: White,our heroes (made considerably more heroic from their manga incarnations thanks to Miyazaki’s influence) travel the world to reach their goals, getting caught up in the crimes of those much crueler than them. It is particularly highly praised for its impressive animation, a step up even from the original show.
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
Cast
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie is an anime film directed by Shinichirō Watanabe. Set between episodes 22 and 23 of the Cowboy Bebop series, the crew of the spaceship Bebop hunts a terrorist planning to use a biological weapon on Mars. Featuring the voices of Beau Billingslea, Wendee Lee, and Melissa Fahn, the film blends science fiction with noir and western elements.
As a super-spy and a brutal assassin, Loid and Yor are both much stronger than their mild-mannered civilian personas suggest.Code: Whitegives them both ample time to shine in the action departmentas they storm Snidel’s airship to rescue Anya. Loid takes on Snidel himself and Yor fights off his most monstrous lackey as the ship burns out of the sky around them.
Cowboy Bebop The Movie Review: A Monumental Achievement in Animation With One Catch
Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven’s Door goes unnoticed too often, even though it boasts some of the best action scenes ever put to screen.
Both a Halloween special and a feature film spinoff, this movie plunges the crew of theBebopinto their direst adventure yet. Spike and company must stop ex-soldier Vincent Volaju from releasing a virus that will kill everyone on Mars. As they fight to save the planet, their martial talents (Spike’s especially) are shown off in lovingly animated combat sequences, longer and more complex than even those from the original show.
8Tokyo GodfathersBrings an Unconventional Family Together
Based on the novel “The Three Godfathers” by Peter B. Kyne
By a considerable stretch,Code: Whitecould be counted as one of the best Christmas specials in anime. As befits the movie’s name, Frigis is wintry and fun, and in addition to saving their countries from all-out war,the impromptu mission brings the Forgers closer as a family.Tokyo Godfathersbrings an unlikely group together in much the same way.
One of Satoshi Kon’s best films anda fantastic Christmas anime movieoverall, funnier and more grounded in realism than Kon’s usual works,Tokyo Godfatherscenters around Hana, Miyuki, and Gin, a trio of homeless Tokyoites who discover a baby girl abandoned on Christmas Eve. Naming her Kiyoko, they resolve to look after her and reunite her with her parents. Along their journey, they go through a series of absurd yet helpful coincidences and regain hope for their own lives.
7The Boy and the BeastStars an Adoptive Father and Son
Original film written by Mamoru Hosoda
After the breakup of his family, angry and lonely nine-year-old Ren finds his way through a portal to the world of beasts. There, he’s raised by Kumatetsu, a bear warrior outcast from his society as well. Kumatetsu might not be confident in his abilities, but he grows devoted to his adoptive son,training him as a martial artist and willing to risk his own life to protect him.
Many more ofMamoru Hosoda’s best films, fromSummer WarstoWolf Children,are about the bonds between family. For most of her short life, Anya Forger wasn’t cared for by anyone, and is constantly terrified of being rejected by her adoptive parents. However, as Loid and Yor prove throughoutCode: White,they adore Anya and would do anything to protect her.
6Words Bubble Up Like Soda PopIs a Charming Rom-Com
Original film written by Kyohei Ishiguro and Dai Sato
True to its name,Spy x Familyspends much more time on its family aspects than it does on any love story between Loid and Yor. However, while the pair’s marriage is fake,their care for one another is very real, even if their ideas of what is normal behavior are a bit skewed.Yor in particular is very anxious about not measuring up as Loid’s wife, leading to a misunderstanding inCode: Whitewhere she worries he’s cheating on her.
Communication is a key element of the romantic comedy filmWords Bubble Up Like Soda Pop.Smile and Cherry love each other very much, but are severely shy and insecure, leading to them having trouble opening up and sharing their feelings directly. As they connect through their love of music, they fall deeper in love themselves, even as life challenges them. Ultimately, they grow brave enough to admit how they feel to one another.
Based on the 2006 anime seasonPokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl
Pokemon
As one of thelongest-running anime of all time,Pokémonhas quite a few spinoff movies. On their journey through the Unova region, Ash and company run into a baby Zorua whose caretaker, Zoroark, has been abducted by a CEO who’s using her in his plot to gain wealth and power. It’sup to the heroes to reunite the family and protect all the Pokémon of Unova.
In the reverse ofCode: White,the story centers around a young child trying to rescue its adoptive parent from a particularly gruesome villain. Like Snidel, Grings Kodai is cold and sadistic, not only willing but happy to kill human and Pokémonalike if it gets him what he wants. Ash, Zorua and Zoroark, and even Celebi need to summon up every ounce of strength they have to stop him.
4Flavors of YouthUses Food to Represent Love
Original film directed by Li Haoling, Jiaoshou Yi Xiaoxing, and Yoshitaka Takeuchi
The Forgers make their way to Frigis in the first place to study a region-specific dish that could net Anya a win in her school’s cooking contest. While their pursuit of the dish falls to the wayside in favor of stopping Snidel,food and drink still drive the plot in several ways.In addition, they’re not only used to represent the villain’s cruel and exacting personality, but the Forgers’ devotion to one another.
Flavors of Youthis a film that centers entirely around the concept of necessities, such as food, representing the bonds between family and friends. In the food-centric segment,The Rice Noodles,Xiao Ming clings to the memory of enjoying noodles with his grandma as his neighborhood and life change drastically. While nowhere near as action-packed asCode: White,it has just as much heart, and it delights in the simple pleasures of life.
3Castle In The SkyIs a Thrilling Adventure In The Clouds
Original film written by Hayao Miyazaki
When young orphan Pazu saves another child, Sheeta, from the shady government agents trying to kidnap her, the two of them are caught up in a wild adventure.Sheeta is the key to raising the lost city of Laputa,and together the children must stop Muska, the city’s other survivor and a vicious killer, from reviving Laputa and using its powerful technology to destroy humanity.
One of themost underrated Studio Ghibli films,Castle in the Skyis not only the famous studio’s first feature film, but one that matchesCode: Whiteboth for thrills and heartwarming moments. Like Loid and Yor, Dola and her gang of air pirates aren’t the most conventional people to rely on in a crisis, but they come through in big ways. And Sheeta, Pazu, and Anya could certainly swap stories about being targeted by military madmen and having to be clever about escaping.
2Drifting HomeSends Its Young Heroes on a Wild Journey
Original film written by Hiroyasu Ishida, Hayashi Mori, and Minaka Sakamoto
Though Anya, being only four, relies considerably on her parents to help and protect her, when push comes to shoveshe’s clever and resourceful in getting out of whatever bad situation she’s in.Ducking and dodging can’t work forever, but when they fail she falls back on trickery and surprisingly effective acting skills. Aboard Snidel’s airship, she’ll need all of them to make it back to her family.
The children ofDrifting Homeare a bit older, but are pushed into a similar position. In one of the best anime now streaming on Netflix, a group of classmates find themselves stranded in an apartment complex floating on a seemingly endless ocean. It’s not quite as directly life-threatening as the massive villainous airship Anya winds up trapped on, but forces the kids to develop vital survival skills very quickly to return home.
Naruto
Naruto is an action-adventure anime series based on the manga series created by Masashi Kishimoto. The titular Naruto Uzumaki is a fearsome Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit sealed inside him, which once wreaked havoc on his village. Shunned by his community yet determined to earn their respect, Naruto dreams of becoming the greatest ninja, the Hokage. This series follows his journey through the Ninja Academy as he continues to train and grow, hoping to prove himself to his peers- and himself.
Narutois one of theanime with the most spin-off moviesto its name, and whileNinja Clash in the Land of Snowmight be closest toCode: White’s setting,Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdomis the most similar in plot.Team 7 (with Rock Lee substituted for Sasuke) is charged with protecting the kingdom’s princes from a deadly coup d’etat.
Political intrigue and the lives of Ostania’s wealthy upper class are very important toSpy x Family,between Loid investigating government officials and Anya contending with her well-heeled classmates at school. Similar dynamics can be found in this movie: while Kakashi and the Land of the Moon’s warriors fight to protect the kingdom from being taken over, Naruto’s plot is much more individualized. He takes it upon himself to teach Hikaru, the spoiled younger prince, to grow up a bit, with Hikaru becoming stronger and more selfless thanks to his influence.
