SPY X FAMILY CODE: White International Release Date, Plot, Trailer, Cast And More Details
The hit anime "SPY x FAMILY" is about a spy from the fictional country of Westalis who gets sent to the neighboring nation of Ostania to uncover a potential conspiracy for war between the two powers. In order to get close to a certain shady political figure, Twilight (aka Loid Forger) builds a false family with a compassionate woman named Yor and a rebellious child named Anya — who, unbeknownst to him, are actually an assassin and a psychic, respectively. Light-hearted antics (and the occasional dramatic, plot-pushing beat) ensue.
Not content to simply revel in the glory of being one of the best anime series of 2022 and one of the most-popular anime in recent memory, "SPY x FAMILY" is now headed to conquer the cinematic world as well. In addition to the upcoming second season of the heartwarming and surprisingly action-packed slice-of-life show, the property is also getting a feature-length film titled "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White." Here's everything you need to know about it.
When will SPY x FAMILY CODE: White be released?
"SPY x FAMILY CODE: White" is set to come out on December 22, 2023 in Japan. TV listings have confirmed that "SPY x FAMILY" Season 2 (which premiered on October 7, 2023) will be a single cour of 12 episodes, which means that "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White" will drop in Japan around the same time as Season 2 ends. The franchise is set for a dominant winter, with both the sophomore season of the anime series and the first film in the franchise being hotly anticipated. But when will the film come out in the United States?
While the actual date has yet to be confirmed, it's been announced that "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White" will get a North American theatrical run at some point in 2024. Crunchyroll has acquired the rights to the movie, and the streamer is bringing it to cineplexes with the help of Sony Pictures Entertainment. There will be an English dub, though fans will also have the option of watching a subtitled version of the film with its original Japanese dialogue. In addition to North America, runs are planned for Latin America, Europe, and Oceania, Crunchyroll has revealed.
What is the plot of SPY x FAMILY CODE: White?
"SPY x FAMILY CODE: White" will focus on the central trio of characters taking a family trip outside their usual home of Ostania. Fueled by a desire to do well at her school's cooking competition, Anya and her parents travel to the region of Frigis to learn a special new recipe, but are soon sidetracked by a world-threatening plot involving a mysterious chest. The story begins when Loid is pulled from a mission called Operation Strix and replaced with an agent who isn't up to the task at hand in his opinion. Feeling hard done by, he sets out to prove his employers at WISE wrong — and the cooking contest is the perfect cover.
Loid does his homework and discovers that Benedict Goodfellow — the school's headmaster and, more importantly, the judge of the contest — has a favorite pastry. It's called the mele mele, and it comes from Frigis. Unfortunately, things go sideways on the journey to the region when Anya comes across a chest containing a single chocolate. After accidentally eating it, she learns that her actions have larger repercussions than she could have possibly imagined.
As the story unfolds the Forgers come up against a formidable villain called Type F, who is described as "a brutal and cold-hearted man [who] will stop at nothing to achieve an objective" on the film's official website (via Anime News Network). There's also relationship drama on the horizon: Yor starts to feel less secure in her arrangement with Loid after she overhears him speaking to a mysterious woman. The stakes are high, but there's sure to be plenty of the typical humor that fans have come to expect from the property.
Who is starring in SPY x FAMILY CODE: White?
"SPY x FAMILY CODE: White" will star the main voice actors of the original Japanese version of the "SPY x FAMILY." All major cast members will reprise their respective roles, including Takuya Eguchi as undercover spy Loid Forger, Saori Hayami as assassin-by-moonlight Yor Forger, Atsumi Tanezaki as the precocious Anya Forger, and Ken'ichirô Matsuda as their loyal canine companion Bond. Kenshô Ono (Yuri Briar), Yūko Kaida (Sylvia Sherwood), Hiroyuki Yoshino (Franky Franklin), Kazuhiro Yamaji (Henry Henderson), Emiri Kato (Becky Blackbell), Ayane Sakura (Fiona Frost), and Natsumi Fujiwara (Damian Desmond) are also back.
It's been confirmed that some new characters will be introduced in "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White," meaning some new voice talent is joining the franchise. Big bad Type F is played by Shunsuke Takeuchi, who recently impressed as Einar in "Vinland Saga." He has two henchmen called Luka and Dmitri, who are voiced by a pair of actors that are better known for their live-action roles: Kento Kaku ("AI Amok") and Tomoya Nakamura ("Like Father, Like Son").
Additionally, anime and video game veteran Banjou Ginga is voicing the character Snijder, described by the film's official website (via Anime News Network) as "a colonel in an intelligence agency that is trying to disrupt the East-West peace." Ginga, who is known for voicing King Vegeta and a number of other characters in "Dragon Ball Z," told the film's website (via Crunchyroll) that his character will likely be "extremely unpopular" with Anya fans, adding, "please be generous and overlook my misdeeds." At the moment, casting plans for an official English dub of "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White" have not been made public.
Is there a trailer for SPY x FAMILY CODE: White?
Early promotional images indicated that the Forgers were going to be heading on a vacation of some sort in "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White," and the first trailer confirmed that to be the case. "Let's go on a family trip," Loid announces, to the excitement of Yor, Bond, and Anya. We then get a shot of a delicious looking slice of mele mele (Benedict Goodfellow's favorite pastry), with the family looking on adoringly. However, things quickly get serious. From there, the trailer cuts to Yor in action, telling an unseen opponent, "This is my last warning to you." After that, Anya's voice is heard. She asks, "Is the family falling apart?"
Those are the main beats of the trailer, but we also get shots of Loid loading his gun, black-cloaked soldiers marching, and Anya finding the lone chocolate that sets the whole near-catastrophe plot in motion. There's also plenty of snow shown throughout the trailer, adding to the festive feel of a December release that will "brighten up your Christmas," new cast member Shunsuke Takeuchi told the film's website (via Crunchyroll). The second trailer goes even further with the festiveness, opening with extended shots of the faux family at a Christmas market.
The third trailer is the most revealing of the lot, with a particular emphasis on the villains of the film. Antagonist Colonel Snijder appears to shoot someone dead in the opening moments of this action-packed trailer, much to the shock of Dmitri and Luka, his bespectacled henchmen. Dmitri and Luka feature prominently in the third trailer, shown wearing disguises and apparently hunting down Anya — in one shocking moment, Luka advances on her with a knife as Dmitri attempts to hold her still.
Who is directing SPY x FAMILY CODE: White?
Just as the cast of "SPY x FAMILY" is returning en masse for the movie, the director of "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White" is also someone who has been deeply involved with the production of the anime series so far. For the movie, it will be none other than Takashi Katagiri at the helm.
Katagiri has worked extensively on the "SPY x FAMILY" anime throughout its first two seasons, serving as a storyboard contributor, a director for some episodes, and as the assistant director for the general production. He helmed the memorable episode "Prepare for the Interview," the third episode of the anime. This is the episode in which Yor moves in with Loid and Anya and they practice being a family with trips to a museum and a theater. Katagiri also took charge of Season 1's "Elegy Dedicated With Love – My One and Only Beloved Partner," an episode about preventing a war between AI and humans.
Away from the "SPY x FAMILY" franchise, Katagiri has also contributed to some other big anime, most notably "Attack on Titan," serving as both a production advancement assistant and an assistant episode director on the hit series. He has also worked as an episode director on "Great Pretender," a Netflix anime about an international con artist, and "Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song," a sci-fi anime about AI and time travel. Other anime credits include"Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress" and "Seraph of the End," on which he served in a production advancement capacity.
Is SPY x FAMILY CODE: White based on the manga?
While much of the "SPY x FAMILY" anime series is a direct adaptation of the original manga by Tatsuya Endo, "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White" is actually set to be a wholly original story taking place at a yet-undetermined point in the franchise. Fans usually have an idea of what an anime will entail if they also follow the manga, but since "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White" is an anime-original narrative, the only available details on the movie's plot come from the synopsis and other early teases and hints.
Though the story for "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White" may be a new creation, fans should expect it to be consistent with the general tone and basic premise of the overarching franchise. It has been confirmed that Endo will be supervising the development of the new story, keeping it in line with what has come before. Endo's involvement also bodes well for the movie's potential significance to the greater franchise, as many anime-original movies are often distanced from the main continuity of their respective adapted universes.
Who is writing and producing SPY x FAMILY CODE: White?
Ichirō Ōkouchi has penned the script for "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White." Like director Takashi Katagiri, he's got a prolific background in popular anime productions. Not only has he worked on the "SPY x FAMILY" anime series, but he has also written scripts for such productions as "Guilty Crown," "Devilman: Crybaby," "Azumanga Daiou," and "Space Dandy." However, perhaps his biggest claim to fame is his status as the writer and co-creator of the mega-popular anime and manga franchise "Code Geass."
Two major studios will oversee the animation production for "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White," Wit Studio and CloverWorks. Both of these studios are responsible for animating the "SPY x FAMILY" anime, so it makes sense for the pair to spearhead the new project. Wit Studio is also responsible for animating several seasons of "Attack on Titan" and the first season of "Vinland Saga." Meanwhile, CloverWorks has animated productions like "My Dress-Up Darling," "Bocchi the Rock!," and "Horimiya." Fans are definitely in safe hands here.
A tie-in SPY x FAMILY CODE: White novel will be released alongside the movie
As confirmed by the publisher Shueisha, a novelization of "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White" is set to drop on the same day as the film in Japan. The official synopsis of the book has been translated into English (via CBR), and it contains some interesting details about the overall story. It reveals that Loid Forger "receives an order to change his assignment for an ongoing operation called 'Strix,'" and that "a cooking competition is being held at Eden School." Hoping to keep Operation Strix afloat, Loid "proposes to Anya that they make a traditional pastry favored by the principal, who is also the head of the judging committee." With this in mind, the Forgers take a trip to Frigis, where the principal's favorite pastry hails from.
The synopsis goes on to explain that Yor's suspicions are aroused when she sees Loid meeting with "a mysterious woman." There's apparently a lot of "uneasiness" on the trip to begin with, and this only gets worse after Anya discovers a delicious looking chocolate hidden away in a trunk for reasons unknown. "Anya inadvertently swallows it, but the chocolate hides a secret that could shake the world," the description states. The book is being written by Aya Najima, who is no stranger to the franchise: Najima also penned the spin-off novel "SPY x FAMILY: Family Portrait," which will be released in English on December 26, 2023. There's no official release date for the English version of the "CODE: White" novel at the time of this writing.
Who performs the theme song for SPY x FAMILY CODE: White?
The theme song for "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White" is called "Soulsoup," and it's performed by the band Official Hige Dandism, commonly abbreviated to HIGEDAN in Japan. Fans of the franchise will be well aware of the pop rock group, who performed the first ever theme song (titled "Mixed Nuts") for the main "SPY x FAMILY" anime. Speaking to the film's official website, the band revealed that they put a lot of thought into their latest contribution. "We put in an outstanding amount of passion," the band said of the song (via Crunchyroll). "We created a song that inspires us while imagining the Forger family running around the screen everywhere."
The song was previewed in the third "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White" trailer, and it went down well with fans. "Official Hige Dandism has pure awesomeness. My favorite Japanese band," said @kevsa97 on X, while Redditor u/lunarpisces_ said, "Official Hige Dandism coming out with another bop!!!" While the band is well known to fans of "SPY x FAMILY," this isn't the only anime that HIGEDAN are associated with. Fans of "Tokyo Revengers" are also familiar with them particularly their song "Cry Baby," which is the anime's first ever opening. The four-piece returned for the second season of the show, contributing the song "White Noise." HIGEDAN has also done songs for the sci-fi romantic drama "Hello World," the sumo wrestling series "Hinomaru Sumo," and the anime film "Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Little Star Wars 2021."
What to watch before seeing SPY x FAMILY CODE: White
Seeing as "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White" will be a largely self-contained story adjacent to the anime's main narrative, there's not much that viewers will need to have seen to understand the movie's plot. Nonetheless, watching the first season of "SPY x FAMILY" is recommended to give watchers a basic idea of the franchise's premise — a spy, an assassin, and a psychic all living together without knowing each other's secret lives — and the Forger family's colorful dynamics with one another. There are also important supporting characters like Yuri Briar that newcomers should probably get familiar with before seeing the film.
"SPY x FAMILY CODE: White" will come out in Japan just as the second season of the anime is wrapping up, so it will be possible to see the new episodes prior to the movie's debut. Watching these brand-new TV installments won't be necessary to understand the movie, but if viewers want to catch up on every piece of the "SPY x FAMILY" anime before the film releases, they will be able to do so. If you want to read the "SPY x FAMILY" manga in English, it's licenced for release in North America by Viz Media.
Where to watch previous installments of SPY x FAMILY
If you want to watch the "SPY x FAMILY" anime in preparation for "SPY x FAMILY CODE: White," Hulu and Crunchyroll are your best options, with each service offering both English subtitles and English dubs of every episode. Hulu offers several different plans, with the cheapest costing $7.99 a month. However, this is an ad-supported service. If you want to watch without ads, you'll have to pay $17.99 a month. If you don't mind putting up with commercials, then you may also want to consider a bundle deal — you can get Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ for $14.99 a month with ads.
The cheapest Crunchyroll plan is also $7.99, but the biggest difference is that this gets you an ad-free experience. Crunchyroll's simulcast service means you'll be able to watch anime episodes on the same day that they drop in Japan. This option is known as the Fan tier. The next step up is the Mega Fan tier, which costs $9.99 a month. Along with getting access to simulcast shows, you'll be able to stream on up to four devices at once and also watch shows offline. "Members will also receive a special benefit for the Crunchyroll Store that provides $15 off a purchase of $100 every three months," the streamer states.
The top Crunchyroll tier is called Ultimate Fan, and this costs $14.99 a month. Along with the aforementioned perks, you'll be able to stream on six devices at once, and you'll also get "an annual Ultimate Fan member swag bag, member-only access to the purchase of exclusive merch, and a special benefit for the Crunchyroll Store that provides $25 off a purchase of $100 every three months." If you're a big anime fan, this may be the deal for you.