Spy x Family episode 20: Anya's attempts at being a spy complicate Loid's cover, a new WISE agent appears

Spy x Family episode 20 was released on Saturday, November 19, bringing with it an exciting continuation to the series’ second cour. The episode primarily focuses on Anya, showing her accompanying Loid to his “place of work” to fulfill an assignment for school.

The second half of Spy x Family episode 20 also focuses on Anya, seeing her once again do her best spy impression as she develops a secret code of her own. While largely inconsequential to the series’ overall plot, it is a great string of scenes that allow Anya to shine as the series’ adorable mascot.

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Spy x Family episode 20’s Anya-centric plots make for can’t-miss television

Spy x Family episode 20: Occupational studies

Spy x Family episode 20 begins with the mission titled “Investigate the General Hospital,” showing Henry Henderson assigning a career study assignment to his class. He suggests that the students visit their parents’ workplaces or interview local shops and companies. He even says that interviewing famous people via their parents’ connections is acceptable.

After suggesting he’s also open for interviews, he tells everyone to put their findings in a report and submit it on Friday. Damian says he’ll talk to his dad if he can find the time, while Becky says she’ll also talk to her dad to make it quick. Anya seems to have no idea what she’ll do as Spy x Family episode 20 changes scenes to the Forger family apartment.

Anya is explaining the assignment to Yor, emphasizing that she’s supposed to watch Yor do her job. This begins troubling Yor, as she immediately assumes Anya means her professional killing job. A hypothetical scene plays out where Yor and Anya, dressed up in matching outfits, begin discussing Yor’s job, how she got into it, and why it’s so important.

Spy x Family episode 20 then sees the Shopkeeper call Yor with her next target, prompting Anya and Yor to run off and scout the mission. She explains how the Shopkeeper tells her all relevant security information ahead of time, meaning she just has to get inside. She also emphasizes that, while she usually kills everyone inside, she must not kill the wrong person.

She ends by saying she thinks the job is worthwhile because she cleans up the filth in this country, as she’s seen rushing through the compound, taking out everyone in her path. Eventually, she reaches the target, successfully killing him as Anya watches in horror. Hilariously, Yor is trying to educate Anya on how to kill someone simultaneously, as Anya is drenched in blood from the kill.

Spy x Family episode 20 ends this hypothetical scenario of Yor’s, prompting Anya to say she’ll investigate Loid’s job instead, much to the joy of Yor. Loid comes home at that moment, prompting the episode to jump forward in time two days later to the Berlint General Hospital. Before going in, Loid warns Anya (adorably dressed in detective garb) not to cause trouble for anyone.

She agrees, and they go inside, where Loid begins telling Anya various facts about the hospital. Internally, he thinks how it would’ve been easier to fake being a general practitioner, but many people of political and business interests frequent the hospital. Loid internally emphasizes that this lets him infiltrate their social circles and steal information, which Anya hears with her telepathy and begins writing down.

Loid tells her he hasn’t said anything she needs to take notes about yet, but she continues as he asks her why she’s dressed like that. She tells him it’s classic investigation fashion as the two move to Loid’s locker. He dons a lab coat, saying most psychiatrists don’t wear one, but it helps him to look the part more.

Anya asks him why he chose this job, to which he essentially says that he wants to help people who are mentally sick rather than physically sick. He uses the example of veterans who are still suffering from their experiences despite the war being over for years. He internally thinks that if Donovan Desmond ever gets sick and comes to this hospital, being a doctor would allow Loid to approach him.

Anya writes this down in her notebook, thanks to her telepathy powers, as Loid tells her he decided to be a psychiatrist in college. She then asks him what the atmosphere is like at his workplace, but they’re interrupted by Loid’s coworkers. His coworkers begin fawning over Anya, who cutely introduces herself to them as they offer her snacks and compliments.

Anya writes down that Loid’s workplace is a paradise before asking his coworkers how he is at work. Spy x Family episode 20 sees everyone have nothing but good things to say about him, emphasizing how impactful he was immediately after transferring. Anya questions if Loid is popular, to which he says he makes sure to be sociable.

Internally, he thinks about how it’s good to spread out his connections, both as a means of obtaining intel and as a safety net for a spy. He emphasizes how crucial it is for him to embody how he wants people to view Loid Forger, saying he can’t stand out too much but has to remain sociable.

Anya takes notes again, which Loid once again questions before Anya asks him and his coworkers what’s so hard about the job. Loid, metaphorically, says it has to be them dealing with patients’ hearts and how they can’t read minds, which Anya smugly smiles at. Loid continues, saying that they have to throw away preconceptions and carefully observe patients.

As he internally monologues about how that’s also important to a spy while externally explaining to Anya why that’s important for a psychiatrist, Anya is distracted by snacks. Spy x Family episode 20 then sees Loid’s colleagues continue offering her more snacks and a psychological test, prompting Loid to say he’s done answering her questions.

Anya says he’s so serious, which his colleagues say is great about him and his work. They even express hopes that he will open his own clinic one day, to which he says he’s been busy with his research while internally saying the hardest part is balancing his side job and his spy work. Loid’s coworkers disperse after this, prompting Anya to say she wants to see him in action.

Spy x Family episode 20 sees Loid show Anya his consultation room instead, explaining that it violates a patient’s privacy. Anya points out how it looks like a normal room, which Loid explains is to help patients not feel anxious. As Anya looks around the room, Loid says they should get back to answering questions. However, Anya says they’re all done, adding that she’s bored now.

Loid warns her not to fuss too much with a bookshelf, or he’ll get mad, internally revealing it to be a secret escape passage, wowing Anya. A WISE agent then knocks at the door, prompting Loid to suggest they have Yor come pick Anya up. However, she says she’ll wait until Loid is done with work, prompting him to give her toys to keep her busy while he deals with a WISE agent.

Although she says it’s boring, Loid leaves her with the toys, saying he’ll be back in 10 minutes and warning her not to touch anything. Anya, however, is devilishly smiling, clearly set on exploring the spy-ified room. Spy x Family episode 20 then cuts to Loid’s WISE coworker, a brand new character for the series.

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Spy x Family episode 20: The fanatical Fiona introduced

Spy x Family episode 20 then sees Loid and his WISE coworker discussing some documents, while Loid internally says several of his coworkers have also infiltrated the hospital to keep up the facade. They’re seen discussing a separate mission and adjustments to his hospital schedule when the woman asks about Anya’s presence and how she seems attached to Loid.

Loid says she’s unpredictable and a handful, to which the woman says that she’s surprised to hear Anya is beyond what Loid expected. Spy x Family episode 20 shows that Anya has discovered the secret passage and is walking through it. Suddenly, she comes to an air vent, hearing a discussion from below.

It seems to be hospital officials discussing new types of treatment or new illnesses for patients afraid of ghosts, which Anya gets excited about before hitting a pipe. Worrying that the secret passage will be found, she keeps quiet as the men in the room below chalk it up to an imagined noise before ending their meeting.

However, it’s revealed that Anya’s leg is stuck, and she makes more noise trying to get out while hilariously straining herself to stay silent. The men below chalk it up to a ghost, which they ironically just asserted doesn’t exist, while Anya manages to free her leg. Spy x Family episode 20 then sees Anya run back to the room, with the noises confirming to the men that ghosts exist.

The episode then sees Anya back in the Loid’s consultation room successfully, with the bookcase back in place. She hears Loid thinking of what she did with her box, rushing to put something together before he returns. As he walks in the door, Anya says how fun playing with dolls is while he shares how what they make gives them insight into a patient’s inner psyche.

As he approaches, he sees that her box is complete and utter chaos, saying that’s what’s in her mind, as well. He says he’s never seen anything like this, asking Anya why she did things the way she did. However, she internally thinks of how she just dumped everything in, while Loid is lamenting his “ignoring the signs” and thinking of everything she’s gone through.

Spy x Family episode 20 even sees Loid go as far as to say the darkness in her heart has grown this much, saying it’s his fault and that he has to do something about it. He says they’ll call it a day, get her the new volume of Spy Wars, and then head home for dinner. He also says they can put her report together after dinner and goes ahead to read her notes, which are just unreadable scribbles.

The two return home later that night, where Yor asks if Anya got to see his “concussive recovery method” at work. He tries to explain it’s just for emergencies, but she shares how wonderful it was to see him punch and kick his patients with such might. Spy x Family episode 20 then cuts to Henry Henderson’s class at Eden Academy, where students are sharing their reports.

Henderson then calls on Anya, who shares her report centered on her father’s humanitarian work. However, she starts to blend his psychiatry work with his spy work, resulting in some raised eyebrows from Henry Henderson and other students. She even shares that he apparently hits his patients every now and then.

Meanwhile, Spy x Family episode 20 sees Loid with his WISE handler, Sylvia Sherwood, shivering and saying he just got a very bad feeling. The narrator shares that he was called to the school a few days later, able to smooth everything out with his “superb eloquence.” The first mission of the episode comes to an end here.

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Spy x Family episode 20: Anya, the code-maker

Spy x Family episode 20 then sees a Spy Wars episode play out, starting the episode’s second mission, titled “DECIPHER THE PERPLEXING CODE.” As Anya watches the main character successfully decipher a code, she decides to make a code of her own. Loid, however, interrupts her to let her know that not only will people be unable to crack her code, but they won’t even be able to read it.

Even Loid says her handwriting is impossible for him to read before saying he has to go into his nightshift and telling her to study. Anya then asks Yor for help with her code, asking her to write everything so it can be legible. Yor does so, completing Anya’s code in multiple copies and allowing her to give it to several people, starting with her dog, Bond.

However, this seemingly failed, with the next scene seeing Anya trying to slip the code into a mailman’s bag. He tells her she has to put stamps on it and put it in the mailbox, shocking Anya greatly. She’s then seen giving her code to some of her neighbors gathered in the hall, who seem unable to tell what it is until one woman recognizes it from a show her son watches.

They laugh at how Anya is always pretending to be a spy when Franky shows up asking for Loid. After she tells him he’s not home, he says he’ll come by again later. However, Anya gives him the code, which he misinterprets as a message from Loid. Spy x Family episode 20 then sees Anya at school the next day, where she gives the code to Becky, who keeps incorrectly guessing what it is.

Anya tells her it’s top secret before running away, where she’s then seen giving it to Damian Desmond. She tells Damian that it’s a secret code, telling him to try and crack it, which angers him as he tells her to crack it herself. Anya is then seen going to bed, excitedly wondering who will show up at her secret meeting place tomorrow, even dreaming of it.

Spy x Family episode 20 then sees Franky at home, picking up the message and reading it, commenting on how the handwriting is so nice it might have been from a woman. As he thinks how nice it smells, he misinterprets it as a love letter from a secret admirer, imagining a blonde woman giving Anya the note to give to him.

The scene then changes to the next day, where Franky is waiting at the bridge for what he suspects is his secret admirer. However, his eyes are shown to be bloodshot, thanks to him being excited and not sleeping all night.

He wonders who it could be and various aspects of her while Anya’s alarm goes off. However, Bond is seen chewing on the alarm clock, allowing Anya to sleep through her meeting time as Spy x Family episode 20 comes to an end. The next episode is formally entitled “NIGHTFALL/FIRST FIT OF JEALOUSY.”

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Spy x Family episode 20: In summation

As has been the case for this second season, Spy x Family episode 20 is a dense episode, covering an impressive amount of material in only 24 minutes. Even considering that the 2nd mission of the episode is an anime-original scene, the pacing of the episode and 2nd cour overall has been remarkable.

Spy x Family episode 20 also gives fans the rare opportunity to see Loid and Anya doing father-daughter activities together. While there are plenty of moments that establish their bond, many are done offscreen, such as having them come home from running an errand. Thus, seeing them bond as they go about their day was a great treat.

Finally, the conclusive, anime-original portion of Spy x Family episode 20 is fantastic for how well-characterized Anya is. The writers behind these anime-original sections understand Anya's and everyone's character as well as series creator, author, and illustrator Tatsuya Endo does.

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