Dakota Wren

Saw the announcement right before I fell asleep, so sharing this a little late. But who cares when there's a new Musical Spy x Family update.

At a press conference yesterday (two days ago? factoring in the time zones), Win Morisaki, Kento Kinouchi, Fuka Yuzuki, and Kiho Maaya, along with director G2, were joined by the three actresses who will bring Anya Forger to life this fall in Musical Spy x Family 2.

Returning to the role of Anya Forger, from the 2025 cast of Musical Spy x Family, is Rana Izutani. She will share the role with Kanau Kozano and Reika Mano. Along with this announcement, as usual, a character portrait was also released for each actress.

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This is the first time an Anya actress has returned to the role, which I think is so exciting! And yes, I get that this is technically only the third entry in the Musical Spy x Family stage plays, but still. Not to mention, this announcement feels earlier than the previous stage plays, which I don't think announced who was playing Anya until closer to the first preview (and we're still 3ish months away).

I may not be as active in the Spy x Family fandom as I used to be. But you bet I awaken like a sleeper agent when I see any announcements related to the stage plays. Which brings me to the purpose of this post, or Toho Stage dropping a first look of Musical Spy x Family 2's main cast in costume.

In addition to the group poster above, individual portraits were also released.

Returning to the role of Loid Forger/Agent Twilight are Win Morisaki and Kento Kinouchi.

Returning to the role of Yor Forger/Thorn Princess is Fuka Yuzuki. She will share the role with Kiho Maaya, who joins the Musical Spy x Family world with this production.

Finally, of the confirmed, returning main cast is Manato Asaka as Sylvia Sherwood/Handler. As previously shared, Musical Spy x Family 2 will be the first time Handler uses a double cast system, with Haruka Manase joining Manato Asaka.

Visuals were also released for Toru Isono (as Keith Kepler), Keigo Yoshino (as Matthew McMahon), Hitomi Arisa (as Olka Gretcher), and Kazuya Naraki (as Zeb), giving us a first look at these characters' stage appearances.

Like the previous iterations of Musical Spy x Family, a search for the four actresses who will bring Anya Forger to life is currently underway. I would assume that casting announcement and first look will occur sometime in the summer since Musical Spy x Family 2 is scheduled to begin performances in September.

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It's always exciting to get new updates for Musical Spy x Family! And the new main cast members look amazing in costume. Also, shout out to Manato Asaka and her character visual. Like, I don't know if each actor was given directions on how to pose, but whatever energy she brought to her's, I'm here for it.

I also enjoy the composition of the group visual. I love how the characters with double casts are represented on both sides, while Keith, Matthew, Olka, and Zeb are placed on the side corresponding to their respective arcs (Doggy Crisis and Cruise Adventure).

It's probably just a me thing, but I do feel there is something slightly off with the individual, character visuals. Don't get me wrong, the actors in costume look stunning. I think it's the choice of a gray background, and using it for all the character posters, that's really not doing it for me. That and the way some of the character's names are spread out, so as to not be partially covered by the actor.

I went back to look at the character visuals for 2023 and 2025, and really enjoyed the colorful backgrounds each role had. Perhaps with this being a new/continuation musical as opposed to a restaging, this is why the visuals use a different design. Or, possibly, the background and design could be more to fit with the slightly darker tones of the two featured arcs? I don't know. I'm probably just rambling and it's probably just me thinking this.

 Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: SK8 the Infinity (Anime) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Nanjo Kojiro | Joe & Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom, Nanjo Kojiro | Joe's Family & Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom, Nanjo Kojiro | Joe & Nanjo Kojiro | Joe's Family & Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom Characters: Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom, Nanjo Kojiro | Joe, Nanjo Kojiro | Joe's Sister, Nanjo Kojiro | Joe's Family Additional Tags: Piercings, Ear Piercings, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Requited Unrequited Love, DK Era, Soft Nanjo Kojiro | Joe, Soft Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom, Nanjo Kojiro | Joe and Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom are in Love, but this is, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Canon, Nanjo Kojiro | Joe and Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom Bickering, again I tried my best but this may be a little ooc Summary:

After missing her birthday party, Kaoru accompanies Kojiro as he takes his younger sister, Hinata, or Kaoru's favorite Nanjo, to get her ears pierced as one of her presents.

While initially excited, Hinata grows more and more nervous the closer she gets to having her ears pierced. So, it's Kaoru to the rescue with one of his brilliant plans.

a.k.a. my take on how Kaoru got his first piercing

. . . Better late than never, but here’s my fic for Day 2 of Kaoru Week!

For today’s fic, I used the prompt “Piercings.” And, like I wrote in the summary, this work is essentially my take on how Kaoru got his first piercing. 

I love reading different author’s takes or interpretations on how teen Kaoru got his piercings. They’re always such a fun read for me. When looking over the prompts for Kaoru week, this idea popped into my head and I knew I couldn’t resist writing it.

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: SK8 the Infinity (Anime) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Nanjo Kojiro | Joe/Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom Characters: Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom, Nanjo Kojiro | Joe, Hasegawa Langa, Kyan Reki Additional Tags: hints of renga, food tasting, taste tests, Comfort Food, Married Nanjo Kojiro | Joe/Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom, Nanjo Kojiro | Joe and Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom Bickering, Fluff, Sia La Luce (SK8 the Infinity), I tried my best but this may be a little ooc Summary:

After a tiring work function, Kaoru seeks a good meal and some quiet comfort at Sia La Luce. However, Kojiro's plan and meal with Kaoru is interrupted by two surprise visitors: Reki and Langa.

Together, the two couples end up creating a new dish.

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Happy Day 1 of Kaoru Week!

I wrote this fic for the prompt “Wine/Food Tasting.” Thank you to @/sk8weekevents for organizing this event! 

I’ve had so many partially completed SK8 fics and I guess it took this event for me to finally complete one. I enjoyed writing this one, especially with such a fun prompt to go off of, so I’m glad this will be my first posted fic in the Sk8 fandom.

As someone who has not read the entirety of Trimax, does Legato have a weapon like this in the manga? Genuinely curious, did Orange pull inspiration from the manga for this or is it a new addition?

Wolfwood, what are you doing back in the car?!

(Apologies for the image quality above. I could not find any stills that matched what I was looking for and had to grab some of my own)

Both details seem so small and irrelevant since they take place in the middle of a large fight sequence. And yet, it's these slight appearance changes that signals Rei and Wolfwood's new identities as "protectors" while not fully erasing the past they lived through or honestly, survived.

I don't know, maybe this is me looking too far into the details (which is nothing new). Or, perhaps this is me loving both characters and interpreting these moments as when both characters choose to fight for their futures and realizing they have something worth fighting for.

And with the stills shared today, we know that moment is most likely happening next episode. As I've written before, I haven't reached this point in the manga, but it just seems like a such an emotional moment for Nicholas and a chance to show his vulnerable side. And I know I will be a crying mess while watching this episode.

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A thought about Nicholas "Doomed by the narrative" Wolfwood

I've seen several people speculate that Wolfwood may meet his end in Stargaze, not because of an overdose like in Maximum, but because he runs out of vials. With Orange including several scenes of Conrad offering Nicholas extra vials, and for Nicholas to refuse them, that prediction makes a lot of sense to me. If that's what happens, it'll make sense since Orange has clearly hinted towards it from Nicholas' reintroduction this season.

But my brain started spiraling on all the "what ifs" and one that popped into my mind is what if all those scenes are a red herring? Specifically, a red herring for the way Wolfwood meets his demise.

I've yet to reach vol. 10 in my read through of Maximum, so I don't know every detail about this fight beyond a few panels (mainly the couch scene) and the general story beats of this moment. But, it seems like Stargaze is bypassing Vash and Wolfwood's escape from the Ark and/or combining it with the Livio/Razlo fight.

So, if the Livio/Razlo fight happens aboard the Ark (or at least partially) that means Wolfwood still has access to Conrad's labs and the vials. In following what I've heard about this fight, it's very possible Nicholas could reach his breaking point while still aboard the Ark. And rather than Nicholas meeting his end simply because he ran out of vials, what if Nicholas goes back to find whatever vials Conrad had lying around and later in the fight, meets the same fate as his Maximum counterpart by taking one too many in an attempt to mass heal?

Now, with Nicholas refusing the vials and any outside help in Stargaze, perhaps him going back for those would be out of character. Again, this is just speculation and a "what if" my mind spiraled down on, so everything was not fully thought through.

Regardless, things are not looking good for Wolfwood because...

Maximum:

Vash - Alive Livio/Razlo - Alive Wolfwood - Deceased

98:

Vash - Alive Livio/Razlo - N/A Wolfwood - Deceased

Stamp/Gaze:

Vash - Alive (I'm assuming) Livio/Razlo - TBD Wolfwood - TBD (but probably deceased)

There's clearly a pattern, one which I do not like but must accept. And honestly, if Stargaze ends with this season, I think it makes sense for ep. 8 to be where we must say good-bye to Wolfwood. Because hopefully that'll mean ep. 9 gives Vash the space to grieve and process how he moves forward with his plan to stop Knives, as well as reunite with Meryl, Milly, and Home. Then, like last season, the final arc can span episodes 10-12.