What is a Stella (Star) in the SPY×FAMILY anime? How many has Anya currently earned?

The anime SPY×FAMILY is a spy-action and home-comedy series that depicts the daily life of a spy protagonist and his family. The original manga by Tatsuya Endō is serialized on the web manga distribution service "Shōnen Jump+" and, despite the fact that the latest chapters can be read for free, the series has surpassed 38 million copies in cumulative circulation as of November 2025.

When the first half of the TV anime's first season aired in April 2022, it instantly became a sensation. Impersonations and voice mimicry of the character Anya became a boom on TikTok, and many celebrities and influencers showcased cosplays of the main characters. The movie, SPY×FAMILY CODE: White, which premiered on December 22, 2023, was also a huge hit. The third season of the anime has been airing since October 2025.

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the in-story term "Stella Star" from SPY×FAMILY, including an explanation, the difference between it and the "Tonitrus Bolt," and the current number of Stella Stars Anya has earned.

What is the anime SPY×FAMILY, which is popular with a wide range of people from children to adults?

The master spy known as Twilight, who excels at disguise, is assigned a mission to investigate the activities of Donovan Desmond, a dangerous individual who threatens world peace. Desmond is extremely cautious and rarely appears in public, but because he is known to attend only the social gathering (or "get-together") held at his son's school, Twilight devises a plan to infiltrate the intimate social gathering at Eden Academy.

To get close to Desmond, Twilight takes on the identity of a psychiatrist named Loid Forger. He adopts a daughter named Anya from an orphanage and takes Yor Briar as his wife, whose interests align with his, thereby creating a family.

Though the three of them became a family by chance, they all have secrets: Loid, the spy, the daughter Anya is a psychic who can read minds, and the wife Yor has a hidden identity as an assassin. Loid, Anya, and Yor live together as the "Forger Family" while concealing their true identities.

What is a Stella Star in the anime SPY×FAMILY? Why are they collected?

At Eden Academy, which Anya attends, students who excel academically or make contributions to society are awarded a commendation known as a "Stella Star."

Eden Academy is a school that operates on a 13-grade system, spanning ages 6 to 19, with approximately 2,500 students in total. It is a top-tier elite school in all fields, including academics, sports, and the arts. Excellent students who acquire eight Stella Stars at Eden Academy are selected as special scholars, known as "Imperial Scholars".

Henry Henderson, Anya's homeroom teacher, described the Imperial Scholar title and the Stella Star award as highly honorable designations that have been built upon throughout Eden Academy's 500-year history.

Becoming an Imperial Scholar grants the student the right to use specific facilities accessible only to special scholars, as well as the privilege of attending Eden Academy's social gathering. The social gathering is a traditional event held once every semester (or "half-term"), and only the Imperial Scholars, their parents, and select alumni are allowed to participate.

Since Desmond, the target of his spy mission, attends Eden Academy's social gathering, Loid plans to make Anya an Imperial Scholar in order to make contact with Desmond.

What happens after one becomes an Imperial Scholar? 

Students who were Imperial Scholars achieved great success, and their portraits are displayed at the school. It was also revealed that they went on to various professions, including politicians, artists, athletes, scholars, and engineers.

Since there were reportedly Imperial Scholars who had accumulated six demerits (known as Tonitrus Bolts), it is suggested that one can still achieve the title of Imperial Scholar even with a high number of Tonitrus Bolts.

How can Stella Stars be earned? Can they be acquired through self-orchestrated efforts?

There are various ways for a student at Eden Academy to earn a Stella Star. They can be awarded a Stella for achieving excellent results on tests or for outstanding performance in artistic activities like art and music, or in club competition events. In anime episode 18 (Chapter 26 of Volume 5 of the manga), it was explained that during the mid-term exams, the top student and the second-place student in the entire grade for each of the four core subjects would each be awarded one Stella Star.

Aside from success in studies or performance in competitions, some students have also earned Stella Stars by engaging in long-term volunteer activities. There are also examples of students being awarded a Stella for meritorious deeds such as saving a life or assisting in the arrest of a criminal, though both are rare cases. It is possible that other methods for earning a Stella Star may be revealed as the story of SPY×FAMILY progresses.

According to Loid, it seems possible to self-orchestrate the acquisition of a Stella Star—for instance, by staging a life-saving event or an assist in an arrest—using intelligence agents from his spy organization. However, he states that it cannot be easily executed because of the risks involved, such as exposing the identity of the intelligence agents or getting them arrested.

Regarding the manipulation of test results, while it would be easy for Loid to simply swap the scores, he is concerned that suddenly achieving a high score could arouse suspicion from the school and those around them. Therefore, he believes it is necessary to improve Anya's fundamental academic abilities so that the alteration appears as natural as possible.

What is the difference between a Stella Star and a Tonitrus Bolt?

A Tonitrus Bolt, conversely to the Stella Star, is a demerit given for poor academic performance or misconduct. It is said that penalties are incurred depending on the number of Tonitrus Bolts received, and accumulating eight of them results in immediate expulsion.

In anime episode 18 (Chapter 26 of Volume 5 of the manga), it was revealed that students who receive a failing grade (red mark) on the mid-term exams are given a Tonitrus Bolt. Furthermore, students who commit an act of violence are given three Tonitrus Bolts without question, but there are cases where the number of Tonitrus Bolts awarded may be reduced to one at the discretion of the teacher.　

There are instructors who issue Tonitrus Bolts even for minor disciplinary infractions, such as disheveled dress, improper language, or forgetting a handkerchief. However, there are also teachers who consider such strictness excessive. Therefore, the standards for awarding a Tonitrus Bolt appear to vary widely among instructors.

In anime episode 39, the instructor Donna Schlag (nicknamed "Tonitrus Auntie") appears. She immediately issues a Tonitrus Bolt even for minor disciplinary infractions. It is said that the number of students "Tonitrus Auntie" has driven to expulsion is over 100.

What is Anya's current number of earned Stella Stars and Tonitrus Bolts?

As of anime episode 46, Anya has earned two Stella Stars and has been given two Tonitrus Bolts. To become an Imperial Scholar, she needs to acquire seven more Stella Stars. Conversely, if she receives six more Tonitrus Bolts, she will be expelled.

Meanwhile, in the original manga, as of Volume 16, Anya has earned three Stella Stars and has been given three Tonitrus Bolts.

In which anime episodes did Anya earn her Stella Stars in SPY×FAMILY?

First Stella Star 

Anya earned her first Stella Star in anime episode 11 (MISSION:11), titled "The Stella."

Seeing that Anya struggled with her studies, Loid searched for ways for her to earn a Stella Star outside of academics. After trying to teach Anya instruments and sports with little success, he decided to aim for a Stella through social contribution by participating in a parent-child volunteer program at a hospital. However, Anya only made mistakes and was continually admonished by the nurses.

Anya was feeling down, but after hearing the thoughts of a young boy drowning in the hospital pool, she rushed toward the pool. Anya, who had sensed the sinking boy using her psychic ability without anyone else noticing, jumped into the pool to save him. However, Anya herself ran out of breath and began to drown, at which point Loid jumped in and rescued both Anya and the boy.

As a result of this incident, Anya was awarded her first Stella Star for the merit of saving a life, making her the first student in the first grade class at Eden Academy to receive one.

In the original manga, this episode corresponds to Chapter 16, which is collected in Volume 3. Regarding the phenomenon of "silent drowning" (Dekisui Hannō), where a child drowns without alerting those around them, the author, Tatsuya Endō, stated that it was the idea of his editor, Shihei Lin. Lin commented that he learned about "silent drowning" while researching child-rearing and passionately urged Endō to include it in the manga because he wanted to inform many people through the story.

▼ SPY×FAMILY MISSION:11 "Stella" Preview

Second Stella Star

Anya earns her second Stella Star in anime episode 46.

Anya's Class 1-3 and Class 1-4, which included the prodigy Bill Watkins (who played a part in the Dodgeball episode, MISSION:10), were traveling on the same bus for a field trip to the Berlint Museum. However, the bus was hijacked mid-journey by the extremist group, the "Red Circus."

Reading the minds of the perpetrators, Anya learned where the hijacked bus was headed. She then cooperated with Becky to throw a can containing an SOS letter out of the window. When one of the Red Circus members, Billy, noticed that something had been thrown, Anya was caught and had a bomb placed around her neck.

Anya, having read his mind and learned the bomb was a fake, remained courageous and confronted Billy, telling him she wasn't afraid of the bomb. Billy, whose heart was moved as he superimposed Anya's image onto his own daughter, threw down his gun and surrendered. Subsequently, the other perpetrators were also arrested, and the four students—Anya, Becky, Damian, and Watkins—were each awarded a Stella Star for their contribution to the arrest of the criminals.

The bus hijacking incident corresponds to the episodes collected in Volume 11 of the original manga, specifically Chapters 69 through 75. Anya receives the Stella Star in Chapter 75.

In which anime episodes did Anya earn her Tonitrus Bolts in SPY×FAMILY?

First Tonitrus Bolt

Anya was given her first Tonitrus Bolt in episode 6.

On her first day at Eden Academy, Anya was irritated after being insulted by Damian and his followers, Emile and Ewen. Although she was immediately tempted to hit them, she remembered Yor's words—"Those who wield power based on emotion are not true champions"—and restrained herself.

However, Damian and his followers' harassment and insults escalated, and Anya, no longer able to endure it, punched Damian.

Henry Henderson, her homeroom teacher, reprimanded her for committing the act of violence. However, Anya improvised and claimed that she couldn't tolerate Damian's continued mean-spirited behavior towards Becky. Although an act of violence normally results in three Tonitrus Bolts without question, Henry, understanding Anya's action as being in defense of a friend, used his discretion to assign her only one Tonitrus Bolt.

In the original manga, this episode corresponds to Chapter 8 of Volume 2.

Second Tonitrus Bolt

Anya's second Tonitrus Bolt was given by the disciplinary committee member Donna Schlag, nicknamed "Tonitrus Auntie," in Episode 39.

When Emile and Ewen had a disagreement with Becky, they promised that if Damian were ever given a Tonitrus Bolt, both Emile and Ewen would run one lap around the school grounds wearing only their underwear along with him.

Amidst this situation, Tonitrus Auntie suddenly began inspecting the belongings in Anya's class, and Damian realized he didn't have a handkerchief. Anya, reading his mind and sensing his predicament, lent him a handkerchief, thinking she had two. However, she couldn't find the spare handkerchief she thought she had, and consequently, she was given a Tonitrus Bolt.

Although Anya was thanked by Damian, Loid immediately fainted upon learning that she had received a Tonitrus Bolt. In the original manga, this episode corresponds to Chapter 61 of Volume 9.

Summary of the Stella Star in the Anime SPY×FAMILY (or SPY×FAMILY Anime: Stella Star Overview)

The "Stella Star", which frequently appears in the anime SPY×FAMILY, is a commendation awarded at Eden Academy (which Anya attends) to students who excel academically or make a contribution to society.

Students who acquire eight Stella Stars are selected as special scholars, known as Imperial Scholars, which grants them the right to use specific facilities, as well as the privilege of attending Eden Academy's social gathering.

As of the broadcast of anime episode 46, Anya has earned two Stella Stars.

(C)Tatsuya Endo/Shueisha, SPY x FAMILY Project

List of images for this article