The hugely popular anime series Spy x Family has hit another major milestone with the release of its first feature film, Spy x Family Code: White. To celebrate surpassing 3 billion yen (around 20.7 million USD) at the Japanese box office, the official social media account for Spy x Family shared a new “thank you” video montage.
The video highlights thrilling and action-packed scenes from Code: White, giving fans a glimpse into some of the most exciting moments from the movie.
Since opening in theaters across Japan on December 22nd, Code: White has been a massive hit, selling over 2.59 million tickets so far and grossing over 3.4 billion yen (roughly 23.5 million USD).
The film claimed the number one spot at the Japanese box office for two weeks straight after its premiere, showing just how enthusiastically fans have embraced the franchise’s first big-screen adventure.
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『劇場版 SPY×FAMILY CODE: White』
動員259万人&興行収入34億円突破！！
大ヒット御礼PV公開🎬
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主題歌「#SOULSOUP」
エンディング主題歌「#光の跡」#SPY_FAMILY とのコラボレーション💫
是非ご覧ください‼📺YouTubeはこちらhttps://t.co/yoZnOBuUDg#劇場版SPY_FAMILY… pic.twitter.com/ENEAdz9Mnw
— 『SPY×FAMILY（スパイファミリー）』アニメ公式 (@spyfamily_anime) January 4, 2024
The monumental box office success of Code: White reflects Spy x Family’s continued popularity and the anticipation surrounding the movie.
As the franchise reaches new heights, the thankful video serves as a celebration with fans who have helped make Spy x Family such a phenomenal achievement.
Spy x Family Code: White – A Culinary Quest Leads to International Espionage
Spy x Family Code: White, directed by Takashi Katagiri, tells a standalone story not connected to the events of Spy x Family’s second anime season, which just wrapped up in late December.
The movie follows secret agent Loid, assassin Yor, and psychic daughter Anya as they embark on a family vacation to the countryside.
However, Loid has an ulterior motive – tracking down a special dessert recipe to help Anya win an upcoming cooking competition at her school.
During their trip, Anya stumbles upon and eats a strange piece of chocolate she finds hidden away in someone’s trunk.
This discovery inadvertently gets the family caught up in a larger conflict that threatens world peace, which they must work together to stop.
Code: White was written for the screen by Ichiro Okouchi, known for also writing the Spy x Family anime series and the popular mecha series Code Geass.
By blending family bonding with spy thriller action, the film provides a cinematic adventure for the franchise’s central Forger family that stands apart from the events of the anime’s second season.
Ingenious Marketing Fusion with Disney’s Wish
In the lead-up to Code: White’s release, the animation studios behind notable Spy x Family – CloverWorks and Wit Studio – implemented creative marketing strategies to generate buzz for the film. One collaboration was with Disney’s upcoming movie Wish.
As part of this cross-promotion, Spy x Family unveiled special new artwork featuring Anya Forger and her dog Bond gazing at a falling star.
This visual homage mirrored the promotional art of Princess Asha and her pet goat Valentino from Wish. Disney Japan celebrated this creative pairing by releasing a trailer highlighting the domestic theater debuts of both Wish and Code: White.
By teaming up the imagery of Anya and Asha, two young girls with devoted animal companions, the studios tapped into a shared emotional spirit between the films.
This inventive marketing tactic generated enthusiasm and drew connections between the Spy x Family movie and Disney’s similarly family-oriented Wish.
The collaboration provided wider exposure and audiences for Code: White leading up to its launch in theaters.
Spy x Family’s Delicious Partnership with Bandai Candy
In another fun promotional move, Spy x Family collaborated with Bandai Candy to create a line of anime-themed mochi treats tied to Code: White’s dessert-focused plot.
The company added 7 varieties of Anya mochi to their “tabemas” Japanese food brand, each showcasing the psychic girl’s expressive face in different emotions.
The mochi head and facial features were crafted using milk-flavored mochi, while her signature pink hair was made with strawberry-flavored red bean paste.
Capitalizing on the movie’s theme, these creative Spy x Family sweets went on sale on December 29th just before the film’s premiere.
While Code: White has proven massively successful in Japan, North American fans will have to wait a bit longer. The Spy x Family movie is slated for a 2024 release in the US and Canada.
In the meantime, both seasons of the hit anime series are available for streaming on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video.
For those wanting to dive into the original manga that started it all, creator Tatsuya Endo’s Spy x Family comics can be read digitally or in print from VIZ Media’s English edition.
