Chapter 1

is the first chapter of the SPY x FAMILY manga, written and illustrated by Tatsuya Endo. It was released on March 25, 2019.
== Summary ==
In Ostania, a diplomat from the western country of Westalis has his driver take him to the embassy. On their way to the embassy, the driver discovers the brakes are not working, causing them to die in a car accident when the car drives off the side of a bridge. In Westalis, the Westalian Intelligence views it as an assassination by the far-right-wing political party from the eastern country of Ostania, attempting to spark a war between the two countries of Westalis and Ostania. They decide to put a stop to this scheme by leaving it to their most skilled agent, "Twilight."
Meanwhile, an investigator is handing photos of the Ostanian Minister of Foreign Affairs wearing a wig to an old man, who intends on using the pictures to force him to resign. He drives away in a black car, and the investigator slinks away, only to be interrupted by the same man demanding the photos, much to the investigator's confusion. It is revealed that the old man earlier was the skilled Westalian spy, Twilight, in disguise.
Twilight, now under the identity of "Robert," has a meal with the daughter of the old man, Karen, who talks about how mad her father was about the photos. Seeing a couple proposing in the restaurant, she brings up marriage to Robert, but Twilight, who no longer has a use for her, decides to break up with her instead. He walks away and disposes of both his fake glasses and his mask of "Robert," claiming he has long abandoned hopes of marriage and normal life as a spy.
Twilight is at a train station where he exchanges newspapers with a mysterious old man, who walks away and meows as a secret code for a cipher. Twilight gets on the train for Berlint and reads the given newspaper, revealing a secret message from his organization, WISE. They praise his efforts on his last mission and assign him his next mission: to investigate the Leader of the National Unity Party, Donovan Desmond, who threatens the peace between the two countries. To do this, Twilight is instructed to get married and have a child, which he responds to in shock by spitting out his coffee. The organization further explains that Donovan is rather paranoid and only comes out to the regular get-togethers held at his son's prestigious school, Eden Academy. Thus, he must enroll his child in this school to infiltrate these meetings and is given only one week to do so. The plan is introduced as "Operation Strix," the key to maintaining peace between the two countries, as well as the whole world. Twilight begrudgingly accepts the mission for the sake of a better world.
Twilight purchases a family unit in Ostania, going under a new identity as "Loid Forger," a psychiatrist. Loid goes to a rundown and shady-looking orphanage, seeking to adopt a child for Operation Strix. He asks for a child that can read and write, to which the orphanage owner introduces Anya, wanting to get rid of her due to her "creepiness." Loid is initially reluctant due to her young appearance and height, but Anya reassures his concerns by claiming she is six, then completes a crossword puzzle from a newspaper. After Loid adopts the girl, it is revealed that she is a telepath. Formerly known as Test Subject "007," Anya was created by accident and escaped from the facility of a mysterious organization. Loid brings Anya home and presents the setting that she has always been his daughter, but she introduces herself too honestly to their neighbor, to his annoyance. 
Loid goes out shopping, and Anya insists on tagging along in the hopes of experiencing adventure. Loid's cautious spy mindset and Anya's mind-reading abilities cause some miscommunication between the two. Anya misreads a bakery sign as bacon and attempts to buy a 1 dalc poster with a 10 pent coin, causing Loid to wonder if the girl is dim-witted. He contemplates replacing her with another child, which causes Anya to burst into tears as she begs not to be "thrown away." Loid, confounded by her illogical behavior, borrows books and guides on raising a child. Although he initially reads the books earnestly, he eventually gives up, believing it to be a waste of time, as he and Anya will simply part ways when his mission is over.
The next day, Loid tries to get Anya to study for the enrollment test, but she is adamant about not studying, intending to depend on her telepathic powers to cheat instead. Frustrated, Loid decides to head out without Anya, but she persistently follows him until he barricades the entrance of their home and traps her inside. Loid meets with Franky, an information dealer at a tobacco store, who gives him an application form and appointment for the exam, along with a copy of the test. Franky also conducted a background investigation of Anya, revealing that there are no records of her birth, age, and parentage and that she has gone through various foster homes in the past year under various names, and he jokes that Anya is the perfect child for Loid in that regard. Loid leaves, but not before Franky warns him not to become too attached.
Back at the house, Anya is bored and disappointed that spies are not as exciting as she thought. She eyes a door that Loid locked up, containing his spy gear. Before Loid left, she read his mind to obtain the combination of his locked-up spy gear, which she uses to open Loid's transmission device. Anya fiddles with the equipment, resulting in her sending a transmission that is intercepted by the old man's organization. She sends a playful message, not realizing it is being read and interpreted as a mockery. Anya, now satisfied, hurriedly tidies everything to avoid Loid finding out. Anya flashes back to her past as a test subject, where the scientists remind her not to reveal her powers. She recalls being forced to learn how to use her powers by the scientists and not being allowed to play, solemnly realizing she must also hide her abilities from her new father.
Loid returns from his trip outside and notices that the barricade has been moved. He enters the house, revealing that a thug is hiding behind the door with a metal bar. The man attempts to hit him, but Loid dodges and counterattacks by striking his jaw with his palm, knocking him out. Another man inside tries to shoot at Loid, but Loid uses his groceries to guard against him and hits him with a chair while he is distracted. Loid searches for Anya, but she is nowhere to be seen. He initially panics and thinks of finding Anya but soon rationalizes that there is no shortage of kids. While Loid contemplates this, the first thug creeps up behind him and prepares to swing his bar.
At an abandoned supermarket, Anya has been gagged and bound. Her kidnappers, a gang headed by the old man, tracked the transmission signal and plan on using her as a hostage to force Twilight to take photos of the Minister's wig himself. An underling who suggests that they give up on the wig is shot in the head with a silenced pistol, frightening Anya. The thugs from the house arrive, bringing back a bound man with a paper bag over his head. The first thug, Nguyen, hobbles in pain and complains about Twilight's abilities. 
When the old man takes off the bag, the man is revealed to be Nguyen in Twilight's suit, to the shock of the others. The fake Nguyen has disappeared, along with Anya, and is now running away. Anya, moved by Twilight's decision to save her, bursts into tears, reminding him of his childhood as a crying war orphan. Outside, Twilight sets Anya down and lies that they are a team of pro tag players. He gives her directions to a police station, along with a note for them, now intending on putting Anya at a better orphanage and making a new plan without using a child. Anya tries to protest, but Loid chases her off and pulls off his disguise as he returns to the supermarket.
The old man and his gang run through the supermarket searching for Twilight, but one of them sets off a wire trap that releases flour into the air from bags on the ceiling, obscuring their vision. Twilight attacks the thugs one by one, using the flour as cover until they are all down. Standing behind the old man, Edgar, Twilight holds a gun to his head as he reveals he knows all of Karen's personal information and threatens her to ensure he is left alone for good.
Loid returns outside and is surprised to see Anya still there. Loid makes up an excuse for being there, not realizing Anya knows his identity. Anya clings to Loid, wanting to stay with Loid and return to their home. Loid is reminded that Anya has gone through numerous foster homes and brings her with him. On a tram, he lies that he found a venomous snake at their old home, and they must move houses.
Now taking the exam for Eden Academy, Anya tries to read the minds of other children for answers, but to her dismay, most of the children are panicked or in tears. Anya eventually calms down and remembers what Loid taught her, allowing her to pass when they see her exam number on the board. Loid is overjoyed with her success, relaxing and collapsing onto the ground from the fatigue. At their new home, Anya gets a letter from the mailman, then crawls into Loid's arms while he sleeps. Loid is startled awake, and Anya hands him the mail she received earlier, which turns out to be from Eden Academy. It informs them about the second phase of the admissions process is a mandatory family interview that needs both parents to be present. The father and daughter realize they are in trouble since there is no mother.
== Characters ==
== Trivia ==
* In the original digital release of Chapter 1, the first panel on page 5 mistakenly showed the Westalian diplomat's car driving down a regular street, not a highway overpass. For the release of Volume 1, this panel was corrected.
* The map of Westalis and Ostania shown in page 6 is identical to the real-world geography of West Germany and East Germany during the Cold War era.
* The newspaper Loid reads on the train features real-life events that occurred in 2018, like Japan lowering the age of adulthood to 18 and mentioning former U.S. president Donald Trump.
* A schoolbag is advertised as costing 186 dalc and 25 pents.
* The estate agent has two sons, aged eight and ten.
* A Spy Wars poster costs 1 dalc.
* The pin number to Loid's room is "6110" which can be pronounced as "Loid" in Japanese.
* The tram Loid and Anya ride on is numbered 86.
* Anya's application number is K-212. The number comes from the postal code for Kawasaki, where Endo used to work.
== References ==
== Navigation ==
Category:Chapters
Category:Volume 1 Chapters
Category:Introduction Arc