Episode 1


 * This article is about the anime episode titled OPERATION STRIX. For information on the operation itself, see Operation Strix.

OPERATION STRIX (MISSION: 1　オペレーション〈〉) is the first episode of the SPY x FAMILY TV anime series.

Synopsis
Twilight is an agent that works for WISE, Westalis’s intelligence agency, and he is tasked with investigating Desmond, who is in Ostania and planning to start a war. Twilight disguises himself as the psychiatrist Loid Forger and adopts a girl named Anya so that he can enroll her into the prestigious Eden College to get closer to his target. Unbeknownst to him, Anya is actually a telepath who can read people’s minds. One day, members of a mafia group that is after Twilight kidnaps Anya. Loid realizes that he needs to reconsider his priorities and…

Summary
After the death of one of their diplomats in a car accident in Ostania, the heads of Westalis meet to discuss the situation. They believe it wasn't an incident, but an assassination by the East's far-right political party. Believing they plan a war against Westalis, and needing to learn of their plan, one of them suggests they send their best agent, Twilight.

Elsewhere, a man provides proof that the foreign minister wears a toupee as its being blown by the wind. Disguised, Twilight takes the pictures and the negatives, stating they can now force him to resign and leaves in a car. A moment later, the real person, Edgar, comes to take the pictures, causing the first man to realize he was "played". That evening, Twilight was out on a date and Karen, his date. complains that her father was in a bad mood, since someone had stolen the toupee pictures. As she sees a man proposing to a woman, she wonders if they will get married as well, but Twilight interrupts her stating they should break up as he doesn't sense any intelligence in her conversations. Twilight then leaves, apologizing in his mind as after obtaining the pictures from her father, he has no use for her family anymore. He throws away his "Robert" disguise, stating he got rid of marriage aspirations, as well as his identity, the day he became a spy.

The next day, Twilight receives a newspaper containing information about his next mission. They congratulate him for the success of his last mission and explain that his new mission involves the leader of the National Unity Party, Donovan Desmond. Since he is a threat to the truce between East and West, Twilight needs to get close to him and probe any seditious activities. But to achieve that, he will need to get married and have a child. As Donovan is cautious man who only appears at social gatherings held at the elite private school his son attends, Twilight will need to enroll his child there and infiltrate the gatherings. As the deadline for enrollment is near, Twilight has one week to pull it off, which shocks Twilight, but he ends up accepting the mission.

Twilight looks out for a family apartment. After inspecting it and not finding any wiretaps and it has good escape routes, he decides to take it and signs the documents as Loid Forger, a psychiatrist. Twilight then goes to an orphanage and tries to tell a story, but the man being drunk and not carrying, tells him to take whichever he wants. Twilight states he prefers a child that can read, and the man points out at Anya, since she is the smartest there. He states she doesn't talk much and is a good kid, but in reality he finds her creepy and wishes to get rid of her. Looking at her, Twilight recalls that to enroll, she needs to be older than six. Anya then states she is six. Twilight finds her a bit short, but Anya then tries to make herself taller. Anya takes a crossword. Twilight believes it would be hard for her, but as its child’s play for him, he starts solving the crossword puzzle in his mind. Anya then handles him the crossword, all solved, surprising him. He gets excited that she will pass the exam easily and decides to take her. In reality, Anya is a telepath, able to read minds and gets excited to be in a spy mission.

Heading home, Twilight tells her that she must say she was always his daughter and to call him father. Entering their apartment, Anya turns the TV and sees Spy Wars, and states it’s her favourite show. Having to get some stuff and forge an ID for her, Twilight states he will be going out, but Anya decides to go with him. As Anya gets overwhelmed in between the crowd, a woman tells Twilight he must keep his daughter's arm. Holding it, he thinks that it will be hard for him to prepare for an enemy attack and being able to read his mind, Anya panics and goes to hide. To achieve his mission and keep the peace, Twilight thinks that he must start to understand her and have a good relationship with her. Hearing that, Anya states that she likes peanuts, but not carrots. She then states she likes crispy bacon pointing out at a sign, but Twilight corrects her that is a bakery, and they don't sell bacon. Anya attempts to buy a Spy Wars poster with a 10 pent coin, but Loid states it costs 1 dalc. Looking at her, Twilight starts to wonder if she is actually stupid and the crossword was a fluke, and that maybe he can get another child. Anya then starts crying, asking him to not get rid of her. As she causes a scene, he offers to buy her peanuts and she calms down. Before heading home, he ends up buying some books about child raising.

The next day, Twilight wants to see how smart Anya is, but she refuses to study, stating she will look at the other child's work. Annoyed, Twilight goes out and tells her to stay home. Anya still attempts to follow him, but he keeps finding her easily. In order to keep her home, he ended up barricading the front door. Twilight meets with Franky Franklin and explains why he was late. Franky gives him an application, ticket for the exam and exam questions. Franky then gives him all the information he could find for Anya, but the only info is from the last year, where she was adopted four times and returned each time.

Bored, Anya recalls that Twilight locked all of his spy equipment and goes to play with it. Finding a transmitter, she sends a message that she is Twilight and mocks them to find her. Returning home, Twilight notices the front door barricade isn't like he left it. Entering inside, he gets ambushed, but manages to beat all the men. Unable to find Anya, he believes she is kidnapped and its due to him being compromised. While thinking of running away, a man attacks Twilight from behind.

The men bring Anya to Edgar, stating that she was in the room from where the message was transmitted. Edgar wonders if she is Twilight's child but decides to use her as a hostage to make Twilight steal the toupee off of the foreign minister. One of the men suggest they give up on the toupee, but Edgar shoots him, explaining that transparency is essential in government and the minister is a traitor, who secretly backs up the West. The rest of the men return, having captured Twilight. Edgar then removes the bag from Twilight's head, but sees its his man, Nguyen, and the fake Nguyen is gone, along with Anya. As Twilight runs with Anya, she starts crying. Twilight recalls he probably hates kids crying because it reminds him of his own past, where he was alone and helpless, able to only cry. After getting out of the building, he gives her a note and tells Anya to run to the police. Twilight doesn't think he is a failure as a spy but made a mistake to put a little girl in danger, and regrets forgetting that he became a spy in order to create a world where children won't have to cry. Twilight then returns to the building and sets up traps. As Edgar men come and activate the traps, releasing flour everywhere, Twilight takes them one by one. He then points a gun at Edgar's head and asks him how Karen is, making Edgar wonder how he knows the name of his daughter. Twilight explains he is a spy and knows everything. Twilight then threatens Edgar to leave him alone if he wishes Karen to have a normal life.

Walking out of the building, Twilight sees Anya waiting for him. As she comes to him, he acts like he doesn't know anything and wonders why she is outside the house. Anya explains she played tag with some old guys but was a bit scared and wishes to go home. Recalling she was returned each time after adoptions, Twilight agrees and takes her, but explains they have to change apartments as they found a snake in theirs. He tells her that she will need to study, but he has the answers, so she only needs to remember them.

On the day of the exam, Anya tries to read the minds of the other kids, but they all are panicking as neither of them knows the answers. She then remembers what she studied with Twilight and writes it down. After the exam, he and Anya look at the board with the passed students and Twilight sees Anya on the list. Happy about it, he relaxes, and all of his exhaustion hits him, making him fall on the ground.

At home, Twilight is passed out on the couch. The mailman comes and Anya takes a letter from him. She tries to give it to Twilight, but as he doesn't react, she ends up lying next to him. Twilight wakes up, surprised he ended up asleep in front of someone. Anya then gives him the mail and reading it, Twilight learns that the second phase of the admission process is a family interview, and both parents must be present.

Anime Notes

 * In the anime, the Forgers' first residence is directly facing the stairs, while in the manga, it is in the hallway.
 * In the manga, Anya hides under a table, while in the anime, she hides under an A-board sign for a café.
 * In the anime, Anya's chimera doll is on Loid's bed when she recalls her past, while in the manga, it is lying on the floor behind her.
 * In the manga, Anya recalls her past while looking at one of Loid's equipment, while in the anime, she recalls it while looking at her chimera doll.
 * In the manga, the cashier is standing behind a counter when Anya asks to buy a poster, while in the anime, he stands in front of her.
 * In the anime, it is revealed that the poster Anya wanted to buy was a Spy Wars one.
 * Also, Anya is holding the poster when she tearfully begs Loid not to get rid of her, which is not in the manga.
 * In the anime, Loid checks his and Anya's rooms after beating the goons, while in the manga, he only checks Anya's room.
 * Additionally, Loid checking his room and finding Anya's chimera doll is an anime-original scene.
 * When Anya meets Edgar, his anti-Westalis thoughts are shown in the manga, but cannot be heard in the anime.
 * In the anime, Anya clings to Loid's leg when they reunite after her rescue, while in the manga, she briefly lets go when they reunite.
 * In the manga, Anya falls off the sofa when Loid wakes up, while in the anime, she remains lying down.