Being an anime fan, it’s easy to assume every anime-based movie is — by nature — non-canon. I mean, with almost every Dragon Ball film (sans the more recent Dragon Ball Super films), every One Piece film, and nearly every Naruto film all being non-canonical, it’s a fair conclusion to make.
When it comes to SPY x FAMILY Code: White, those conclusions around canon may be a little harder to draw. However, understanding how those creators and their communities view additional media is part of this process.
Is SPY x FAMILY Code: White canon?
So, the answer is a bit complicated because it depends on how tough you’re willing to be when judging canonicity. It would seem Code: White is telling an original story written by mangaka Tatsuya Endo, who is “also supervising the film alongside creating the original character designs for the new characters,” according to Crunchyroll News. Taking this into account, I would call it partially canon.
But, if your personal definition of the word canon is so strict that it requires the story being told to be one initially presented in the manga, then you’d probably consider Code: White non-canonical. In any case, it’s quite possible that the SPY x FAMILY anime and/or manga will reference characters or events from Code: White in subsequent seasons, as both One Piece and My Hero Academia have done. So, you should still make plans to go see the film when it comes to western theaters, courtesy of Crunchyroll.
How do we determine canon?
For those anime fans who’re out of the loop, a story is considered non-canon if it doesn’t fit into the main series’ timeline for any reason; this usually occurs if the mangaka / manga author isn’t involved in writing the story’s plot. In some cases, the mangaka takes on a supervisory role, and the canonicity of these stories varies on a case-by-case basis.
For example, despite Eiichiro Oda’s involvement in One Piece Film RED, it’s impossible for it to be considered canon due to it being a mish-mash of different arcs and story beats. So, that explanation considered, perhaps you understand our feelings on SPY x FAMILY Code: White, but now you’ve got what you need to make those judgements, too.
