u/Liliacfury

多聞くん今どっち!? 【公式】最新16巻発売中！ (@Tamon_official)

“Everyone in E/YES, good evening~🍀
This is Keito Tachibana, the leader of F/ACE.

Thank you for celebrating my birthday today!
I never could have imagined, back in the day, that a time would come when so many people would celebrate with me like this~.

Going forward, I hope that I can keep going together forever with the members and E/YES, just like family~.

Thank you always for supporting us so much, everyone in the Tachibana family! Please continue to take care of us, along with the members, from here on out too~

#TachibanaKeitoBirthdayFestival
#TachibanaKeitoBirthdayFestival2026
(Keito🍀)”

For the record, I’m not judging anyone that has their own opinions of the season or the series as a whole, just wanted to share my opinion on it.

I’ve recently rewatched the season, so I’d like to say I have a fresh take of it. I recall when it first came out, it was generally agreed upon that it felt faster paced and rushed, but I’d like to argue that criticism is unearned. I think the conclusion came from expectations that weren’t lived up to during the release, primarily that it would be a longer season, or that it would adapt less than it did. This comes from it adapting more chapters than the other seasons, but I feel as though that’s a bad metric to look at because chapters can be shorter or longer in size, and that these in particular were shorter on average, as many of the more recent chapters have been (as expected, mangakas usually develop fatigue over time, especially in longer series, and in order to maintain the same publishing schedule, they instead shorten the lengths of each chapter.)

The prior seasons adapted 3 volumes every 12-13 episodes (a little less for 12, a little more for 13, making an even 6 for 25.) Season three did… the same exact thing. So despite the chapters being greater in number, the page count was the same (since volumes have the same number of pages.)

If we want to be technical, it may look like it adapted over the standard three volumes because it overflows into the next volume a few chapters and had a few lingering chapters to adapt from the volume prior to the main 3 adapted, but the anime actually skipped two chapters to account for that. On top of it, the season was 13 episodes rather than 12, and since the established norm for this series has been to adapt a little bit over 3 volumes given that extra episode, it’s an acceptable amount of content adapted. Had they not skipped those two chapters or only made a 12 episode season, I’d agree it would’ve been rushed. But since they didn’t, I found the pacing to be perfect.

I think another metric that causes the blame on its pacing is how many arcs/subplots it got through. Season 2 in comparison had a few standalone episodes at the start and end, and a single huge arc in the center. When you compare season 3 to that, it appears must faster. But really, I think the issue was season 2 was much slower. If we look at season 1, it adapted around the same amount of arcs/subplots as season 3, which most people agree season 1 was a very great adaptation of the manga. The only difference is it generally kept the family together a lot more with more interconnected arcs. Season 3 on the other hand was much more sporadic with isolated arcs. Some people might translate that to feeling like it was poorly paced since it got through so many seemingly unrelated events, but I don’t think that‘s the fault of the anime, and more so a problem with the content it was given to adapt.

Anyway, I wanted to put this here because I recall seeing a lot of criticism with the season’s pacing, and occasionally still do, when, really, it was adapted as well as it could be given the story that was told in the manga. I think people mainly take issue with the less family focused arcs, creating a more disjointed feel to the series, rather than the actual adaptation of the season. This is probably made worse by the fact the manga takes much longer to create, so the amount of time from arc to arc was extended, making it feel less rushed during the manga experience. Unfortunately, this results in a lot of the blame being put on how the season was adapted rather than the arcs themselves.

I honestly think, unless they had one extra episode to maybe adapt the skipped chapters with the rest of the season, that ending any earlier or trying to adapt this same amount of content in a 25 episode season would’ve ruined the pacing. And that this was perfect for what was given.

Right now I think we are nearing the end of an arc in the manga, and had some ideas on what some of the upcoming arcs would look like.

The first immediate thought is an Anya’s Past arc, which depending how it’s executed, could just be an extension of the current arc. However, the recent chapter summary makes me question if we will get it next chapter, which was ideal based off the way that last chapter ended with what looked like Anya reacting to some type of memory, and then her being too scared to sleep alone and sleeping with Yor. Could’ve opened up potentially to her dreaming about her past.

The next I suspect is another arc related to her earring a Stella. We haven’t had Eden shenanigans since the Eden Scandal arc, which since then has been the TV Island arc, the SSS Gathering arc, and then the current Symposium/potentially Anya’s Past arc. Not sure how she’d earn the Stella, but maybe another midterm? Right before all the arcs I just listed was the Poacher Hunting arc, which stated it was almost spring, which could mean more testing is finally coming up. Though I’m not entirely sure what school system Eden College uses.

Following testing, there’d be spring break, which I suspect is where the long hinted at East-West Games arc will take place. I honestly think this will be the next big arc, aside from the potential Anya’s Past arc. I feel like Melinda will end up getting Yor roped into playing since Melinda typically hosts events such as this and Yor is known for her athletic abilities, which means we’d see the Forgers, the Desmonds (at least Melinda), and of course the SSS and WISE overseeing the matters on each of their respective ends.

After that, I think it could lead into the next Imperial Scholars mixer arc, until finally, her Final Exams arc and then maybe some type of summer arc if things don’t hit the fan before then, especially considering the Imperial Scholars mixer is suppose to be the grand goal of the entire operation.

There are probably some minor arcs I’m missing, especially Anya earning stellas, seeing as she needs eight of them to attend the Imperial Scholars mixer and canon wise she’s only at four, and the second midterms would only put her at five. There’s also likely some major arcs I’m missing, concerning Garden and such that I can’t really predict until we get farther in the story.

Here’s kind of a rough timeline I’ve configured of the current arcs based on hints given throughout the manga (the hints are in parenthesis marked with a *):

—Summer—
June: N/A
July: N/A
August: Introduction, Admissions Interview, Eden Beginnings

—Fall—
September: Secret Police, Stella Star, Doggy Crisis
October: Midterm Exams, Campbelldon Tennis, Imperial Scholars Mixer, Cruise Adventure
November: Loid’s Past, Friendship Schemes (*3 month mark), Bus Hijacking

—Winter—
December: Wheeler (*winter), Term Finals
January: Love and War (Martha’s monologues to Becky), Term Break (*Fiona arm healed from Wheeler arc)
February: Poacher Hunting (*almost spring, ~6 month mark), Eden Scandal, TV Island

—Spring—
March: SSS Gathering, Current/Symposium, Prediction: Anya’s Past, Second Midterms
April: East-West Games, Stella Six, Other
May: Stella Seven, Other

—Summer—
June: Stella Eight, Second Imperial Scholars Mixer, Final Exams
July: Summer Break
August: Summer Break

Pretty much what the title says.

Since the current arc has started (chapters 137-139), it’s been a (mostly) mutual consensus we’ve hit the halfway mark in the story (at least that I’ve seen). But looking at the other arcs and the pacing and just in general the story overall, I’m more inclined to believe we are in the final “act” of it, or the last 25% of the story that contains the final stretch of the story.

My reasoning for this is in an interview a while ago, Endo (the creator) said they were aiming for the series to be 20-30 volumes long. Now, for all we know he’s since changed his mind, but assuming he didn’t, we are already 18 volumes in (waiting for the 18th volume announcement, but chapter and page count wise we are). Even if the max 30 volumes is made, we are well past the halfway point. Though more likely, if the series is aiming for 24 (about the middle point between 20 and 30), we have only another 6 volumes to go, which is exactly the last 25% out of those (assumed) 24 volumes, and starts the final act of the story.

In this scenario, the end of volume 12 would’ve been the halfway mark, which is the Mole Hunting arc. Considering it centers around the main protagonist (Loid) where he has to confront the core internal dilemma of his surfacing feelings for his family, and the entire purpose of the story, it feels fitting for the midpoint of the story. And since it, all the main players such as the Authens, the Donovan reveal, even some Garden members, and Yor and Loid each having arcs of developing feelings for their family (even Damian has warmed up to Anya); have been set up to prepare for what I feel like now in the current arc is the final stretch and climax of the manga.

It’ll still take a few years, probably 3-4 — and plenty of arcs — to finish the next 6 volumes give or take, but I do think we are well past the halfway point. It’d also mean it’d conclude after around a 10 year run, which feels fitting. Though, if I’m wrong and we get it for much longer, I won’t complain.

Edit: I think I got some of my information wrong, there was no stated end goal for SpyxFamily volumes’ count (the range 20-30 I got was from misinformation or mixed up recall), so perhaps that changes things a bit.

With the announcement of volume 18 around the corner (given there’s about 200 pages of manga available already, perfect for a full volume, and 138 is a good endpoint), what do we think the cover will be?

I’m hoping Chloe! Or even a mix of some of the SSS agents! Particularly Curtis, and maybe 1st Lieutenant Nicholas (the one who hosted the house party with black hair and attempted to burn his own house down to be rid of Director Wilker.)

Others to consider that haven’t been on a cover yet:
- Donovan (maybe next volume since it will focus on him now that he’s at the hospital? Or maybe he’ll be saved for a later volume near the finale.)
- Authens (maybe next volume also, or an upcoming one, if it turns out he has something to do with this Symposium.)
- Hemlock (volume 17 would’ve been a good option for him had Schlag not taken the spotlight near the end, or 16 if not for Melinda, so sometime later maybe?)
- Shopkeeper (he’ll most likely become important later, for better or worse I have no idea.)
- Other Garden members in general (still wondering who Thistle is.)
- Director Wilker? (honestly I dislike him on par with if not more than Donovan, but he’ll probably be very important later — as an antagonist ofc.)
- Anya/Yor as kids (kind of like Loid, if they ever get a past arc. I imagine Anya would be in an experimenting chair, and Yor maybe on a pile of corpses?)

Let me know if I’m forgetting anyone!

Edit: can’t believe I forgot about Matthew 😭

So I’m all caught up with the manga, but I’ve always had the same question in the Mole Hunt arc. Is the “Wheeler” who told Yuri to change the meetup locations actually Wheeler? Or was the Loid feeding him false info to distract the SSS, and that’s why he knew Yuri was apart of the SSS (otherwise how would Wheeler know? By just one look? I mean I guess maybe but the alternative makes more sense.) Because later after the whole Loid distracting the SSS as Wheeler drama (which the real Wheeler never showed up for despite having changed the meet up location, unless it was Twilight all along, hense my theory) where Loid and Yuri fight, it then skips to Wheeler still in the hotel (the original meetup location) as if he never changed it?

It’s just weird it wasn’t clarified later by Loid that he fed Yuri the false intel (even in thought). And there were no other indications, either. But it’s the only thing that makes sense to me (logically).

Been having an ongoing issue with the new Base wallet and Doge coin. I’m aware Doge is not supported anymore on it, and to see the old Doge coin from when they previously had Coinbase Wallet, you have to switch to the legacy option. However, there is no legacy option on my phone. I’ve looked. The toggle switch is not there. There is no way to switch and see the Doge coin.

So, I saw someone suggest to get the google chrome extension of the original Coinbase Wallet. Slight improvement, if I click into it, I can see my Doge coin now, but there is no option to switch or move or do anything with it. Everything I can move just fine, but for specifically the Doge coin, it’s just gone.

Anyone have a similar issue? Any fixed it?

Edit: For the record, I’ve updated, deleted, and redownloaded the Base app and the legacy option still doesn’t exist.

The month long wait for a new manga chapter has made me restless, so I decided I’d make (another) Season 4 prediction. I just recently read the SPY x FAMILY: Family Portrait LN, and my delight for it as well as a realization I had that if the current arc continues with the character development it has been doing (and potential plot development considering Endo just finished 15+ chapters of character arcs which feels like a setup for something bigger), if the Family Portrait chapters don’t get animated this season they likely won’t ever be (unless it’s done in an OVA format) because it wouldn’t fit the further developed narrative. So, I thought I’d make a prediction including the Family Portrait chapters.

There was also the dilemma with the Poacher Hunting arc not fitting in a regular single cour season (likely only up to the Term Break arc would fit, up to ~111), so by adding the Family Portrait chapters it could extend the season enough to have two cours ending right after and including the Poacher Hunting arc with the Authens reveal knowing Anya as Subject 007 being a finale. Which, has another bonus of starting the season with the introduction of the Authens, and then ending it on the fact they were in all likelihood planted there as the Forger’s neighbors intentionally by Donovan, who can read minds and probably knows of Loid’s identity.

Plus, this season ending on Yor accepting the family and her feelings for Loid would be a good parallel to what I think Endo is working on now where Loid accepts his feelings for the family, too, (almost there, not quite yet), which would be adapted in the next season (probably, unless Endo takes longer than 2 cours to get there, which isn’t entirely improbable).

Without furtheuradoo (now that I’ve finished my rant), here are my predictions and breakdowns for the episodes of Season 4:

————————————

COUR 1:

EP 1 : SHORT STORY, 89
EP 2: 88, 90
EP 3: SM 9, 78
EP 4: SM 13, 91, v13 omake
EP 5: ANYA’S NATURE CLASS
EP 6: YURI’S DAY OFF
EP 7: 92, 93, v14 ch 93 extra page
EP 8: FRANKY’S NEW LOVE!?
EP 9: 94, SM 12, v14 sm 12 extra page
EP 10: 95, 96
EP 11: 97, 98, 99 (first half)
EP 12: 99 (second half), 100, 101
EP 13: 102, 103, v15 omake

————————————

COUR 2:

EP 1: 68, SM 8, v14 omake
EP 2: 104, 105, SM 14
EP 3: PORTRAIT OF THE FORGER FAMILY, 106
EP 4: 107, 108
EP 5: 109, 110, 111
EP 6: 112.1, 112.2
EP 7: 113, SM 15
EP 8: 114, 115
EP 9: 116, 117, 118, SM 16
EP 10: 119, 120
EP 11: SM 17, 121
EP 12: 122, SM 11

————————————

Ironically, I wasn’t trying to put the Family Portrait chapters in order, but it just happened to work best like that. The first cour had hardly any Franky except for SM 9, so his chapter fit well there; and there wasn’t any Yuri at the latter half of the first cour opposed to the second one where he’s present early and in the middle of it, so his chapter was well suited later in cour 1 as well.

Meanwhile the nature class one makes sense to put before the finals and term break since it takes place during school, and usually field trips are planned right before tests as a reward for working so hard coming up to it, but before they start wrapping up the school year/term with said tests.

Then there’s the Forger family portrait chapter that is only half the length as the others, so it could be paired with another manga chapter and fit well within an episode (the other chapters are extremely long, around 8000-10000 words each, which is about the length of an entire episode in of itself), and I thought it paired well with the Desmond family dinner to show the juxtaposition between the two families, so it went there.

As for the short story, I feel like it’s a good introduction to the family for the start of the season from the POV of an outsider; pairing it also with ch 89 and possibly some anime original content would further serve as a season starter to kinda remind anime watchers of the recent Mole Hunt arc that just concluded.

If anyone want’s a more in depth explanation on the manga chapter placements I might add it later, but I feel like I’ve written quite a bit already. Let me know what you think!

For the upcoming first cour release this October, I thought It’d be fun to guess how they’ll divide up the chapters of LN 5 between the typical 12 episodes they’ve been doing for each novel. This is what I came up with, divided into sections to hopefully visually see better:

EP 1 : Ch 1 (Locusts) + Ch 2 (Ukyou)

——

EP 2 : Ch 3 (Sleep) + Ch 4 (The Fire-Rat Cloak)

——

EP 3 : Ch 5 (Let them Eat Cake) + Ch 6 (The Last Volume)

EP 4 : Ch 6 (The Last Volume)

——

EP 5 : Ch 7 (The White-Snake Immortal)

——

EP 6 : Ch 8 (Proficiencies) + Ch 9 (The Paper Village)

EP 7 : Ch 9 (The Paper Village)

EP 8 : Ch 9 (The Paper Village) + Ch 10 (Hemp and Folk Religion)

——

EP 9 : Ch 11 (Bandits) + Ch 12 (Problems Accumulate) + Ch 13 (The Western Capital-Day 1)

EP 10 : Ch 13 (The Western Capital-Day 1) + Ch 14 (The Western Capital-Day 2)

——

EP 11 : Ch 15 (The Banquet <Part 1>) + Ch 16 (The Banquet <Part 2>)

EP 12 : Ch 16 (The Banquet <Part 2>) + Epilogue + Prologue

The Paper Village chapter was split up between three episodes because of how big it is, almost 30 pages long. The first episode could leave off around where the Quack’s sister and her husband ask for his help over the dinner table after their arrival, and the second episode can leave off the part where Maomao challenges the farmers to a drinking bet, with the third episode covering the rest of the content plus the following chapter’s content.

Similarly, the two Western Capital and two Banquet chapters might be a bit over what would fit in a normal episode, so they also spill over slightly into prior and following episodes. For the Western Capital chapters, I feel like it’d be fine after all the prior traveling chapters to adapt the first few pages of them arriving and settling down for the night in the Western Capital, where Maomao then monologues about her travels; a summary-like ending. It’d be right before the Lishu drama with her sister visiting her room, too, so if the anime producers do their usual foreshadowing at the end of each episode, it would be a good prelude into the following conflict. As for the Banquet chapters, the last episode can simply finish adapting the Lion attack before jumping into the epilogue and concluding the cour.

I did something similar for chapter 6 where, because of its length, I didn’t think it’d fit all in one episode. But it also has confirmation the girls who ate the poisoned cake in the previous chapter actually did get the job at the brothel, so by including that small part in the previous episode it ties up their story nicely and gives more space for the rest of the chapter to be adapted in the following episode.

Whether it be personal head cannons or long awaited reveals such as Twilight/Thorn Princess/Anya’s identities, what scenarios are you most excited for?

Personally, I’d really like to see Anya and Loid finally get invited to the Desmond’s house. [manga spoilers] >!Maybe if Donovan can actually read minds and knows about Loid’s real identity, he sets a trap for Loid but Anya knows because she can read minds!< and Anya saves Loid by making a scene to get them to leave, and back at home Loid gets really upset at Anya for ruining the opportunity to get close to Donovan, where she also gets upset and defensive and ends up letting her secret slip that she was doing it for the mission and that she can read minds?

Another one I think would be interesting is Anya’s mom being alive, and maybe also an antagonist, and shows up randomly to take her back? Especially if this happened right after Loid admits he’s attached to the family and wants to fight for them, this would really screw things up for not just the mission but between him and Yor since she thinks Anya’s bio mom is dead (and that Loid loves her because she was his former wife in her mind.)

The first is more realistic and in line with things already set up, the second is most likely not going to happen but fun to think about anyway.

What are your guy’s predictions for the progression of the show?

Kinda a niche question specifically for this fandom (it seems it doesn’t apply to other mangas), I noticed the page counts between the English translated volumes and the original Japanese ones has the English being several pages larger. Why is that? If it were a normal book I could understand, but considering spyxfamily is a manga with images and panels, I don’t see how changing the text in the speech bubbles would increase the need for space and thus more pages. No other manga I’ve seen does it, so was wondering what was the reason behind it for this.