The following contains spoilers for Kotaro Lives Alone, now streaming on Netflix, and Spy x Family, now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Kotaro Lives Alone and Spy x Family are two anime that may not seem all that similar at first glance, but they share a wholesome depiction of found family that makes each series memorable. The trope of a found family is common in anime, but both these series incorporate it in interesting ways that help make them as impactful as they are entertaining.
Kotaro Lives Alone debuted on March 10th, 2022 as an original net animation on Netflix. The eight-episode story follows Kotaro, a five-year-old boy who moves into an apartment complex on his own and the relationships he develops as his adult neighbors learn that he lives alone. The anime doesn't immediately explain why Kotaro lives on his own, either to the other characters or the audience. As he slowly engages more with his neighbors though, it becomes clear that no matter how independent and capable Kotaro is, he still longs for the special interactions and memories that come with being surrounded by friends and family.
Kotaro's memories are sprinkled into the episodes and hint at his traumatic past and relationship with his parents. Unbeknownst to his neighbors, they still make an effort to make him feel at home and ensure he is taken care of. Karino, Kotaro's immediate neighbor, is an unassuming manga artist who accidentally steps into a father-like role.
While he initially complains about the sudden responsibility, he can't help but feel concerned for the unsupervised Kotaro. Kotaro says he doesn't need Karino to watch over him but the two find themselves regularly in each other's company, with Karino learning more about the boy's behaviors and each developing a stronger bond with the other.
The other neighbors, Mizuki and Isamu, also take on guardian roles as they regularly check in on Kotaro, scold Karino for not understanding him, and even help them both as a pseudo-three-parent unit. Kotaro's past circumstances with his family -- and the legality of his current situation -- are juxtaposed with the hilarious and heartwarming antics of his neighbors and new friends in kindergarten. Kotaro teaches those around him how to be grateful for what they have while also learning how to enjoy being a child and what the love of a family is like. However unconventional it may appear to everyone else, Kotaro is surrounded by a family that genuinely cares for him.
Spy x Family is a highly anticipated series that recently debuted as part of the spring 2022 anime lineup. Much like Kotaro Lives Alone, the series follows a character and unusual family situation that comes to drive the story. This action-comedy follows a spy known as Twilight as he attempts to investigate Donovan Desmond, the leader of an extremist political party.
The only way to effectively get close to Desmond, however, is for Twilight to become Loid Forger, the doting father to Anya and husband to Yor, so that young Anya can attend the same private school as Desmond's son. Adding to the tension and comedy is the fact that Yor is secretly an assassin and, while neither Loid nor Yor know each other's true identities and professions, little Anya reads minds and knows the whole truth.
With their circumstance as bizarre as it is, comedic misunderstandings are to be expected. When Yor is introduced, Anya quickly learns she's an assassin and takes to setting her and Loid up. Yor is already suspected of being a spy by her colleagues due to being perpetually single, so showing up to an event with Loid helps curtail any further danger. Loid accidentally refers to himself as Yor's husband in front of everyone, which she decides to use to her advantage to keep from raising any more suspicion. The fact that he isn't put off by her eccentricities is an added plus. What makes Spy x Family really stand out, though, is the dedication the characters have to playing their roles as family members that ultimately comes from a genuine place.
Rather than seeing her as merely a prop, Loid makes honest attempts to understand Anya and learn how to be a good parent. Anya, knowing the truth of his profession, still sees the real attempts at fatherhood coming from Loid and accepts them wholeheartedly. Both Anya and Loid are orphans and, despite the mission, both are looking to fulfill the idea of a family that has so long eluded them. However "fake" the family may be, their care and determination to protect one another is real.
Whether anime fans are looking for a short slice-of-life anime to binge or a longer series with more action, both Kotaro Lives Alone and Spy x Family are bound to satisfy while giving a gentle tug at the heartstrings.