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Spy X Family chapter 71 is the third chapter in the Red Circus arc, where a group of terrorists has hijacked Anya’s school bus and neither of her parents is aware of it. This chapter sees Anya deal with having an explosive placed around her neck, and Damian’s misguided attempt at taking her place to save the girl. Elsewhere, Yuri Briar joins the SSS rescue effort to save the schoolchildren.
The ending of Spy X Family chapter 71 makes it clear that the arc will continue for at least two more chapters. It appears that Loid and Yor are both elsewhere occupied in this arc and the focus will be on the Cecile Hall trio and Anya’s relationship with his uncle.
Spy X Family chapter 71: Anya finds out the kidnappers’ secret while the SSS attempts to stage a rescue
As usual, Spy X Family chapter 71 is simply titled Mission 71.
In the previous chapter, the leader of Red Circus, Billy Squire, placed a bomb around Anya’s neck as a warning to other children on the bus. Spy X Family chapter 71 began with the students being in shock as Becky tearfully worried about her best friend.
Anya, on the other hand, realized by reading Billy’s thoughts that the bombs were fake and only intended to fool the children into submission. Relieved, Anya sat back down and began to play with the explosive collar around her neck to show her confidence.
However, since the other children were unaware, they became terrified and started to berate Anya for putting everyone’s lives in danger. Damian, mistakenly thinking that Anya was only trying to cover up her nervousness for the sake of her friends, walked up to Billy and asked to be taken hostage instead of the girl.
Amused, Billy placed another fake collar around Damian instead. Damian tried not to show how much this terrified him, but Anya was impressed by “Sy-On boy” and held his hand to let him know that he was not alone.
Elsewhere, Becky’s message alerted her father, who tried to attempt a rescue using his considerable Blackbell fortune. Thankfully, he relented after the butler Martha reminded him that he would only be putting his daughter’s life in danger. The SSS were also informed and they planned a rescue mission.
However, the chief stated that even if some of the hostages die or the media tries to pressure them, the SSS must prioritize capturing and subduing the terrorists, burying this entire incident if need be since the citizens of Berlint must not be agitated due to this mishap.
Meanwhile, Yuri Briar learned that his niece’s school bus was hijacked and enquired about it to the superior officer in charge of the rescue. His superior told him to stay out of it since they could not risk his identity being exposed to his sister’s child.
While at first Yuri thought that Anya’s demise would not have anything to do with him, the thought of how broken Yor would be if her child died spurred him into action and he requested to join the team.
The Police and SSS then deployed several units to capture the terrorists. Knowing that the busses were headed towards Papier Palace Park, thanks to Becky’s note, the police managed to derail the vehicles with Spike strips. Inside the first bus, everyone was surprised to see that Anya and Damian’s explosive collars did not blow up. Looking outside, the trio rejoiced at seeing numerous police cars surrounding the two buses, presumably conducting a rescue.
Observations
Spy X Family chapter 71 once again illustrates why Anya’s powers are in the right hands and yet wasted on her. She has the compassionate, kind, and righteous soul that allows her to use these powers for the greater good, and the innocence that stops her from being willfully invasive.
However, she also lacks the intelligence to use her powers efficiently and often botches up situations that should be smooth sailing. This latter problem can be easily solved if a well-meaning adult got to know about her talents and guided her on how to use them.
On a purely speculatory level, both her parents and their respective bosses are incredibly unfit for this role. The only person who has the moral backbone to properly guide her, but also possesses the necessary distance from politics to not push her towards a life of service, would be Master Henderson. Interestingly, Anya always comes up with bizarre but believable covers for her ability, indicating that the girl is sharp and adaptable.
The SSS’ stance on the hostage situation in Spy X Family chapter 71 once again paints them in a villainous light while also capturing the mentality of the fascist armed forces. They prioritized the veneer of stability over saving their citizens, in this case, children.
Comparing it to WISE’s actions in the previous chapter gives readers a clear indication of whom mangaka Tatsuya Endo is trying to champion. However, Endo also emphasized how WISE prioritized Twilight’s mission in Bayan.
Yuri Briar’s mindset, while presented in a more joking manner, is equally concerning. He would have been happy to let Anya, a child and someone he is fond of, die if it meant a clearer path to Yor's affections.
Readers must note that he did not change his mind out of a sense of responsibility as an adult, but rather due to his concern for how terrible Yor might feel if something happened to Anya.
Final thoughts
As Sylvia mentioned in Spy X Family chapter 70, Loid is busy in Bayan and cannot make it back in time. In Spy X Family chapter 71, Yuri is explicitly warned against informing the City Hall, and by extension, Yor. Hence, it appears that neither of Anya’s parents would be making any appearances during her rescue this time. This could lead to Anya and her friends saving themselves, or Yuri rescuing the children. There is also a chance of a new character entering the fray. Readers can only wait for the next chapter, which will continue in this arc.
