Best Anime Like Spy X Family

Spy x Family was one of the most highly-anticipated anime of 2022, with the show producing a single season split across two cours. While the second half was not as well received as its predecessor, the shonen comedy was overall a huge success, so much so that a sequel launched in Fall 2023. Twilight is a super spy who must complete an operation that involves playing the part of a family man, so he becomes Loid Forger, adopts a young girl named Anya, and marries a woman named Yor. While Loid assumes he is the only one with a shocking secret, both Anya and Yor have their own truths they must keep hidden.

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Although not devoid of action, Spy x Family is primarily a comedy, with Anya regularly taking center stage. Blending misunderstandings, slapstick, and witty dialogue, the anime offers family-friendly goodness packed to the brim with laughs and a hint of heartwarming wholesomeness. What are some great anime like Spy x Family?

Updated November 21, 2023, by Mark Sammut: Spy x Family season 2 is airing as part of the Fall 2023 anime season, and the sequel has been enjoyable for the most part. While waiting for new episodes, fans should check out a few anime similar to Spy x Family.

A Slapstick Masterpiece

A comedy classic, Fumoffu is the Full Metal Panic spin-off that focuses on Sousuke Sagara’s earnest attempts to protect Kaname Chidori while undercover at the latter’s school. Although mecha-themed danger may lurk around every corner in the main seasons, the same cannot be said for Fumoffu, although that does not discourage Sousuke from treating every development as a life-or-death situation.

Fumoffu utilizes slapstick humor more than Spy x Family, but they both revolve around protagonists who are trying to keep up appearances for the greater good. Compared to Loid Forger’s ability to seamlessly blend into his environment, Sousuke sticks out like a sore thumb, and Chidori is usually the one who has to clean up his messes.

15 ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept.

Similar Universe, Wildly Different Tone

ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. is a widely different type of show than Spy x Family. Set in the fictional kingdom of Dowa, Madhouse’s anime revolves around a public servant, Jean Otus, who is charged with investigating rumors regarding a coup d’etat. In order to quietly gather information, Jean goes to the country’s states to conduct audits.

Tonally, these anime have little in common since ACCA has almost no comedy or action; however, both series revolve around characters who work behind the scenes to maintain peace. ACCA and Spy x Family‘s societies are also relatively similar.

14 Kaguya-sama: Love Is War

Hilarious Mind Games

Even though their settings are nothing alike, Kaguya-sama and Spy x Family cover a lot of the same ground. Both shows revolve around characters who have to keep secrets from each other; in the case of A-1 Pictures’ series, Kaguya and Miyuki are secretly in love with each other but cannot admit it. The series leans heavily into comedy while incorporating elements of other genres, be it romance for Kaguya-sama or action for Spy x Family.

Even the style of humor is similar as both shows combine mind games, slapstick, and wordplay. More importantly, Kaguya-sama and Spy x Family have hilarious characters with pink hair.

13 The Millionaire Detective – Balance: UNLIMITED

Action & Comedy

Daisuke Kanbe is stupidly rich. In fact, he is so rich that he can effortlessly indulge in his crime-solving pastime without fear of repercussions for collateral damage since he can just pay off the city whenever his escapades destroy a building. When he joins the Modern Crime Prevention unit, Daisuke is assigned to Haru Katou, a straight-laced detective who is not enamored by his new partner. As they solve cases together, they gradually learn that they are both far more complex than they might initially seem.

The Millionaire Detective – Balance: UNLIMITED blends action and comedy incredibly well, although it leans into the former more than Spy x Family. While there might not be a kid involved in the main story, Daisuke and Haru’s dynamic is more than gripping enough to carry the series, although the fantastic storytelling does not hurt either.

12 Bunny Drop

Wholesome Father & Daughter Relationship

Season 1 of Spy x Family steadily strengthens the bond between Loid, Yor, and Anya. The eponymous spy’s actions are still primarily driven by his mission, but he has started to grow attached to his pretend family; in fact, these brief moments of genuine connection between the characters make up some of Spy x Family‘s most unforgettable scenes.

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Bunny Drop is all about the bond that can develop between a father figure and their adoptive daughter. In this touching anime, Daikichi Kawachi decides to take in Rin Kaga, the illegitimate child of his deceased grandfather. Over the course of 11 episodes, Daikichi and Rin’s relationship develops significantly, as the two characters learn to trust and cherish each other. Except for the occasional gag, Bunny Drop is a slice of life anime rather than a comedy, so it does not have Spy x Family‘s blend of humor and action; however, this series has one of the best father-daughter dynamics in anime.

11 The Yakuza’s Guide To Babysitting

Two Worlds Collide

A Summer 2022 anime, The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting was a pleasant surprise. The premise sees a violent yakuza enforcer, Tooru Kirishima, tasked with taking care of his boss’s daughter, the reserved Yaeka Sakuragi. At first glance, this pairing might appear mismatched, but the story blasts through the “will they get along?” section and quickly establishes a wholesome dynamic. Like Anya in Spy x Family, Yaeka is aware that Tooru’s profession is unique, and she mostly leaves him to it. On the other hand, Tooru has to balance his yakuza responsibilities with his role as a babysitter, and the latter influences his approach to the former.

While mostly a cute slice of life comedy, The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting does not shy away from the dark side of Tooru’s life either. In fact, the anime can get shockingly vicious at times, and these moments are generally earned.

10 Kakushigoto

A Raunchy Secret

Kakushi Gotou and his daughter Hime have an odd relationship where one is keeping things hidden the best they can, which is sort of like Spy x Family. The major difference here is Kakushi is not a spy, he just draws an extremely raunchy manga.

Kakushi does his absolute best to not let his daughter know as he fears she will become disillusioned if she ever finds out; however, nothing can stay a secret forever. Kakushigoto is funny and cute, with the main characters having a really charming dynamic that feels genuine.

9 Kotaro Lives Alone

A Mature Child Protagonist

Those who want to see what a goofy child like Anya would be doing if she lived by herself will adore this anime. While what happened to Kotaro’s family is a complex mystery, the four-year-old now lives by himself and gets into quite a few shenanigans.

He does have an interesting found family in his neighbors, who are extremely baffled at the situation but go along with it anyway. Light and comedic but with a few heavy moments, Kotaro Lives Alone was unfortunately overlooked when it premiered on Netflix.

8 The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K.

A Very Powerful Psychic Stuck In A Hilarious Comedy

Anya’s ability to read minds has proven useful on many occasions, but it does not begin to compare to Kusuo Saiki’s psychic powers. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.‘s teenage protagonist can do just about anything, except apparently not attract attention from his classmates.

Like Anya, Kusou wishes to keep his powers a secret from the world; also like Anya, that is easier said than done. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. is a laugh-out-loud comedy with episodes that typically consist of short skits that pair Kusuo with one or more of his quirky classmates.

7 Barakamon

Finding A Home

Barakamon‘s premise, on paper, is not all that similar to Spy x Family. Sei is a prodigy calligrapher with an attitude problem, and after he reacts poorly to criticism, he is sent by his father to an island where he can “work” in peace. In reality, his father hoped this experience would allow Sei to grow up and acquire a sense of community by interacting with the locals. The latter initiative is spearheaded by a young child named Naru, whose boundless energy initially annoys Sei. However, in time, Sei learns to appreciate not only Naru but also the island’s way of life.

While obviously far removed from Spy x Family‘s universe, Barakamon also explores a family-style dynamic that goes beyond blood. Sei and Naru’s dynamic is relentlessly endearing, and they are hardly the anime’s only great characters. Although classified as slice of life, Barakamon is also pretty hilarious in its own right.

6 ​​​​​​Hinamatsuri

A Found-Family Dynamic With A Supernatural Twist

In Hinamatsuri, a yakuza member suddenly finds himself caring for a young girl with supernatural powers. This supernatural anime comedy has quite a few similarities but does have some significant differences in tone compared to Spy x Family.

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Watching Yoshifumi trying to get close to Hina, so he can use her powers to help with his yakuza goals, and ending up just plain getting closer to her in the process is a fantastic experience. Plus, Hinamatsuri is gut-bustlingly hilarious and sure to be an entertaining watch.

5 Buddy Daddies

Two Assassins Adopt A Little Girl

Airing in the season after Spy x Family Part 2, Buddy Daddies initially got dismissed as a lesser version of the former; however, after a few episodes, it became clear that the two anime share little in common beyond some shallow similarities. Rei and Kazuki are assassins who wind up taking out the father of a young girl who has just arrived in Tokyo. As Miri has never actually met her father and has been unknowingly abandoned by her mother, she mistakes Kazuki for her dad, and she ends up living with the two assassins. Together, they form an odd but charming found family.

Even though they are around the same age, Anya and Miri are nothing alike. The latter is a considerably more realistic interpretation of a 4-year-old child, and she can be irrational, frustrating, and loud. That said, she is also sweet and innocent. Rei and Kazuki are also great and entertaining father figures, and they can go on different journeys as they learn to accept Miri as their own.

4 Princess Principal

Undercover At A School

Princess Principal focuses a bit more on the spy side of things than Spy x Family, with several elite girls attending Queen’s Mayfaire school as undercover agents. Ange le Carré, Chise, and Beatrice all work together under the leadership of Dorothy.

With their unique skills, they do their best to protect the Commonwealth. The show also has a historical setting similar to Spy x Family for those who enjoy going back in time with their stories.

3 Listen To Me, Girls. I Am Your Father!

Keeping The Family Together

Yuuta was raised by his sister from a young age after his parents died. When she asks him to watch her own daughters while she goes on an overseas trip with her husband, he can’t refuse. But when the couple’s plane goes missing and they are presumed dead, he suddenly finds himself taking care of the three girls permanently so they won’t be split up in foster care.

The story of Yuuta slowly becoming a father figure for the three girls as they grieve the loss of their parents is packed with emotions for a comedic slice of life show. Those who enjoyed the expansion and exploration of the family dynamics in Spy x Family will likely love Listen To Me, Girls. I Am Your Father!

2 Sweetness & Lightning

Learning How To Be A Dad

Sweetness & Lightning is an iyashikei, otherwise known as a soul-healing anime. It also features a father trying his best to figure out how to care for his daughter just like Spy x Family, but it is far more fluffy and light in terms of story. It follows Kouhei Inuzuka and his daughter after the death of her mother.

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As he’s so busy being a single father and has no idea how to cook, he’s forced to feed her ready-made meals. Desperately wanting to give her proper fresh food, he ends up getting convinced to visit Kotori Iida’s restaurant, which causes their lives to become intertwined. The show is a reminder of just how special family meals are and why they should be treasured.

1 Aishiteruze Baby

Two New Relationships

Aishiteruze Baby shows another strange family dynamic as high school playboy Katakura comes home to find his five-year-old cousin abandoned by his aunt. He suddenly is thrust into becoming a parent while having no idea how to do so. Even harder is how the young girl has to grapple with the fact that her mom is suddenly gone.

They both have a hard road ahead of them but the journey to get to the light at the end of the tunnel is one that viewers will be glued to until it finishes.

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