And how do you get it?
Summary
- Fans spell Spy x Family name differently.
- X in Spy x Family is usually not pronounced, but fans just don’t care.
- X is also not pronounced in anime like Hunter x Hunter.
Alright, let's dive into the juicy world of anime debates over their names, and trust us, there's no shortage of them. We know plenty of examples of anime titles being mistranslated (think of “Attack on Titan” and “The Attacking Titan” in the original). But what about (mis)pronunciation? Let’s look at the Spy x Family example.
Spy x Mathematics
Mostly fans jokingly pronounce the name of the anime mathematically:
"Spy Times Family" (sounds a little bit evil, doesn't it?). Some suggest its analogue: “Spy * Family”. Or maybe you prefer “Spy != Family”? We aren't keen on Maths too much so let’s pretend we understand what the last example means.
“Spy multiplied by Family”. This theory actually has some merit. When you think about it, Lloyd Forger, whether he intended to or not, ends up effectively birthing new spies – particularly Anya and her trusty assistant dog who, just like father, have their own missions to complete.
If you still don’t get enough Maths, look at this:
"Variable S multiplied by variable p multiplied by variable y² multiplied by variable x multiplied by variable F multiplied by variable a multiplied by variable a multiplied by variable m on the imaginary axis multiplied by variable l". Scary variant is still a variant.
Spy x Chaotic Evil
"Spy Cross Family" has a good analogy. For some, X represents two things crossing over (and we can’t argue). For example, in the closest English translation of “Street Fighter X Tekken” the announcer literally calls it "Street Fighter cross Tekken". But how can we use it about such a neat anime as Spy x Family? No way!
“Spy Twitter Family”. Since Twitter is no longer “Twitter” but “X”, people see rebranding everywhere, and we can’t blame them for it.
Jokes Aside, How to Pronounce It Correctly?
The katakana puts it simple: "spy family" (スパイファミリー、 "supaifamirii"). You see no X here. It’s similar to “Hunter x Hunter'' and “Kiss x Sis” as these anime titles also miss their Exes. But we've got the ever-popular "Hunter ex Hunter," where 'X' is pronounced as 'ex.' It does roll off the tongue quite smoothly and helps set the series apart from all those other hunter-related shows and movies. It's a fan favorite, despite its original variant is ハンターハンター (“hanta hanta”).
Some folks are all about the action and opt for "Hunter versus Hunter." And there are a few more wild cards in this game, like "Hunter by Hunter" and even "Hunter times Hunter" like we’ve seen in the Spy x Family case above. The fans are divided, and it's a showdown for the ages. In the end, it's all about personal preference. It's one of those debates that'll keep us talking, just like the epic battles in the anime itself.
The X is a stylistic choice rather than a spoken part of the titles. Maybe it’s another trend in the anime world?