Tatsuya Endo created the best characters and threw them into the most devastating setting, that is war, in Spy x Family. The mere mention of war is enough to trigger a sense of gloom, but that almost never happens here. The reason behind that is how the central characters have found a family and genuinely enjoy the short-lived peace they share.
Even the tense situations become bearable with each other’s presence. The darkness that the Forgers carry in their heart never overshadows their aspirations. Sometimes Loid does get overwhelmed by the circumstances, which is something that never happens with Yor.
Yor’s dark side never takes over unless she’s fighting. During an interview, Tatsuya Endo revealed something that might explain why Yor’s dark side isn’t as prominent as the other characters.
Yor’s dark side wasn’t on Tatsuya Endo’s mind for the most part
All the characters in Spy x Family have either experienced war first-hand or grew up with an intense fear of war. From Henderson to the Desmonds, it’s evident how war has shaped their lives and their professions. For instance, Loid Forger is especially devoted to mitigating war, while Yor chose a high-risk job for her brother’s sake.
Every time Yor accepts a mission as an assassin, she’s essentially risking her life. She’s a beast when she fights, ruthlessly attacking her targets. Apart from the fear of losing her own life, especially now that she has a family that she loves and cares for, Yor is also taking away lives.
No matter how heinous her opponents are, she’s still stripping away their lives, uprooting the lives of their loved ones in the process. So, it’s quite bizarre how her dark side is rarely shown. A fan on Reddit translated Tatsuya Endo’s comments from the fan book, which reveals the mangaka’s focus with Yor’s character, he explained:
She’s the character whose visuals I gave the most thought to. But while referring to several games and anime, I didn’t give even an ounce of thought to her profession as an assassin.
It’s safe to assume that the mangaka was more focused on Yor’s other side. Her shy self, and who she is as a wife, a mother, and a sister. This is why we never see Yor’s dark side beyond her assasination missions.
An indication of the mangaka’s priorities
The focus on Yor’s wholesome side rather than the dark one could be a reflection of the mangaka’s priorities. Endo has always maintained a great balance between the serious themes of Spy x Family and the light-hearted interactions between the characters. The latter brings joy while the focus on war themes evokes concern for the characters.
The reason why the slice-of-life and comedy elements are more prominent could be the mangaka’s attempt to balance the tension. In a way, he captures how humans are capable of finding love and joy even in such debilitating circumstances. If that’s indeed the case, then Spy x Family should continue to be the breath of fresh air in the pool of dark shonen titles.
Spy x Family is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
