In a number of anime series’, a clear parallel can be made to geographical or temporal locations in our real world. For example, an argument can be made that Attack on Titan and Fullmetal Alchemist are set in alternate World War I and World War II-era Africa and Europe, respectively.
SPY x FAMILY, an anime steadily occupying the conversation as of late, is a series that wears the inspiration for its setting on its sleeve. It’s for this reason that fans have been wondering when SPY x FAMILY is meant to take place, and the answer likely won’t surprise you. Let’s look into it!
What time period does SPY x FAMILY take place?
Eagle-eyed fans know that SPY x FAMILY is set — for the most part — in the fictional nation of Ostania, which maintains a fragile peace with its neighbor, Westalis, but war is rearing its ugly face yet again.
To avoid this, an agent of the Westalian Intelligence Services’ Eastern-Focused Division — or WISE — codenamed Twilight must infiltrate Ostanian society and become close with the president of the National Unity Party, Donovan Desmond.
It might not take much for viewers to draw comparisons between this series’ plot and that of the Berlin Wall, which divided West Berlin from East Berlin from 1961 to 1989. The comparison is made that much more compelling when you consider the city where the Forgers live is called “Berlint.”
It could be that’s where the comparison lives and dies, as I have only seen up to the final episode of the series’ first season. But, as far as that goes, it’d seem the answer is the series is set in an alternate history / alternate dimension version of 1960s to 1980s Germany.