Episode 12

PENGUIN PARK (MISSION: 12　ペンギンパーク) is the twelfth episode of the SPY x FAMILY TV anime series and the final episode of the first cour.

Synopsis
Loid is burdened with one mission after another from WISE and comes home exhausted. He then hears neighbors gossiping that he's neglecting his family. Because he can't let anyone doubt them as a family for the sake of Operation Strix, he decides to take his family to the aquarium the next day they have off to show everyone that they get along. However, he is assigned another mission from WISE while he's there, and...

Summary
Loid visits a subway store and purchases a drink. The woman working there is a WISE contact, who gives him another mission. As Loid leaves, the woman wonders if a day would come where they won't be needed anymore.

Loid completes his new assignment and meets with a man from WISE, who thanks him for completing the mission so quickly. The man asks him how is Operation Strix going and Loid explains its going smoothly and have secured a wife and a child. While smoking, Loid coughs, making the man wonder if he quit smoking and Loid confirms, since he got a child now.

Back at the Forger's home, Yor comments that Loid said he will be late and suggest they eat out tonight and Anya agrees. Yor thinks to herself that doctors are busy. Anya who read Yor's mind, knows that Loid isn't a doctor, but a spy and went to take out an arms dealer. Yor washes the dishes, but is still able to smell the blood on her hands from the yesterday's kill.

Tired, Loid heads home, commenting that he keeps getting side missions even though he is busy with Operation Strix and that would mean HQ have personal shortage. Entering his building, Loid overhears some ladies gossiping about him, wondering if he is saying he is working late, but is cheating or he got fired and can't confess to his wife. As he doesn't want to attain more suspicion around them, Loid returns home and announces they will be going out as a family next weekend. He sees Anya had draw a penguin and suggest they go to the aquarium. Yor finds him tired and suggest that he rests a bit, but Loid explains that in order for their pretend family to continue, they must do what normal happy families do.

The weekend comes, but Loid have been working hard to complete his extra missions and is quite tired now. The moment they go out, they meet some of their neighbors, who comment its rare to see them all three together, but Loid explains they are going to the aquarium. When they get to the subways, Loid notices there is a mission for him. Loid decides to buy some drink and tells the woman working there that he can't take on the mission. She tries to explains its directly from WISE HQ, but Loid still refuses it, stating he is on an important mission for Operation Strix. As the woman overhears Anya mentions the aquarium, she tells Loid that his mission location is exactly at Berlint Aquarium. Loid still attempts to decline it, but the woman proceeds to explain the mission and that some important intel will be traded at the aquarium. An instructions on making a new chemical weapon and if a terrorist obtains that intel, many people could die. Having no choice, Loid ends up taking the mission.

At the aquarium Anya is excited to see all the animals. Loid is glad that he at least showed his neighbors that they are a good family and can focus more on the new mission, however, one of his neighbors then sees him, making Loid realize he can't relax at all. Yor then suggest they join them, which makes Loid mission ever harder. Loid recalls that the intel is smuggled by a capsule inside a penguin and suggest they should go and see the penguins. As they go, Loid sees there are 200 penguins and wonders which one is his target. As he can't check each one of them and can't just wait and see if someone will try obtaining the capsule, Loid wonders if there is some mark to recognize the right penguin. Seeing that Loid is troubled, Anya decides to try and read the penguins mind. She manages to focus and finds a penguin who have a hard time swallowing. She points it to Loid, who then suspects he could be the one. Loid excuses himself, saying he is going to buy some drink and goes to disguise himself as a newbie staff in order to get close to the penguins.

A senior staff then takes Loid to the penguins, to show him how to feed them. He asks him if he started learning their names. Loid states he glanced at the list with their names, but gets scolded as it takes a lot of time to actually learn all 200 names and be able to recognize them. However, Loid quickly recognizes the penguins around them, which surprised the senior staff, but also annoys him as even he still have trouble recognizing all of them. Loid spots Parles, his target penguin, but then realizes he is surrounded by other penguins, who wish to eat. The senior staff wants to show Loid what each penguin species eat and how to feed them, but not having time for that, Loid express desire to try figuring it himself and recalls what veteran aquarists have done before. Figuring it all out, Loid easily controls the penguins and feeds them, opening his path to Parles. He goes and picks Parles, stating that he doesn't seems hungry, so he might be sick and decides to take him to the treatment room. The senior staff is shocked at Loid's skill.

Taking the penguin elsewhere, Loid notices there is something stuck in his throat. He also notices a red dot on his left foot. A man the shows up and asks Loid what he is doing and Loid explains he is taking him to the treatment room. The man states he will take him, but Loid tells him only staff is allowed to do so. The man apologizes and introduces himself as Harry Taylor, a professor from the Berlint University's marine biology research lab, and explains he is in charge of the marine animals. Loid takes his ID and smells it. He then wets his fingers and smudges the ink, stating its a fake ID, not even well made. Harry is surprised and takes out a gun, but Loid disarms him with a bucket. Harry runs, but Loid states his priority is to take the capsule and as he doesn't know how many enemies are there, he must give up on chasing him. Anya secretly observes Loid and decides to chase after the man. Harry wants to go outside and inform his comrades, so they can kill Loid. Anya manages to grab on him and tells Yor that she is being kidnapped. Yor rushes in and kicks the man, knocking him out. Loid's mission is a success, obtaining both the intel and information from the captured man.

As Loid haven't returned from getting the drinks, the neighbors gossip and tell Yor that he is probably cheating. Loid then shows up with a large stuffed penguin, which he explains was the prize from a penguin name-guessing challenge, and he played over and over, until he manages to get it for Anya. The neighbor ladies comment that Loid is actually a better father than they were thinking. Loid wants to complain to HQ for overworking him and get some vacation, but seeing the smile on Anya, he realizes he can't sit idly if he wants a world without war, where children don't cry. Meanwhile, the newbie that Loid disguised as, is getting promoted to Chief as the senior staff Chief has nothing else to teach him.

At home, Anya introduced Penguin to Director Chimera, the boss her secret organization P2. She then accepts Penguin as a new recruit known as agent Penguinman. Anya then shows Penguinman around the hideout and shows him the TV, from where they obtain intel each day. She introduces him to Agent Papa, who can do anything and Agent Mama, who is strong, but fails at everything else. Anya proceed and shows Penguinman around. She then shows Penguinman the most secret spot in the hideout, her Papa's room and Mama's room. Anya attempts to enter Loid's room, but he captures her, scolding her as he told her to not enter his room without permission. Anya starts to cry, saying she hates both Loid and Yor and will run from home. Worried about Operation Strix, Loid picks up Penguinman and pretends to be him, saying they should wrap up the tour and head out for their next mission. Yor picks a robot and supports Loid. Anya stops crying and tells them to follow her as bad guys have taken over the candy store on 2nd street. Anya then takes them to the candy store, where after they buy her some, she gets happy.

Anime Notes

 * The cold open introducing the Subway Lady is exclusive to the anime.
 * During the previous episodes, Anya's door sign shows "ANIA" as its spelling. It was changed into "ANYA" as shown from this episode.
 * Madhouse Inc. participated in the production of this episode.
 * The peanuts bag Anya is holding at the end of this episode is named "Mazekoze Nuts", which if one translates the Romaji half into English, gives the name of the anime's opening theme song - "Mixed Nuts". The mascot character in the bag (who resembles the toy from the bonus comic in Volume 1) also makes a reference to Official Hige Dandism, the band that performed the song.