Ôkami to kôshinryô

Spice and Wolf had been on my anime watch list since I started getting into anime again in 2022. I saw a lot of people recommending it as one of the classic and best romance animes, but I would have to say after watching it that that is misleading. Not that there isn't romance here, but I wouldn't be advertising this show as a romance. The highlight to me were the two main characters for the most part. I thought their chemistry and banter were often entertaining, and saved this show for me from being otherwise pretty boring. The finance part of this show wasn't done the best in my opinion, mainly because I think the show spends far too much time on it. Saving 80,000 Gold In Another World for my Retirement to me does a much better job at this sort of thing, explaining finance tactics and economics in a smart but also easy to understand way that just makes it way more fun. It could also be the artistic style of Spice and Wolf as well as the tone, but just about everything comes off as dull. At times I can see why many people who saw this show back in the day would like it, but I wouldn't recommend it to people just now getting into anime.

So I wasn't sure how much I'd like this one at first. I saw it classified on Wikipedia as a romance and this is typically not my favorite genre. Thankfully, the romantic story is secondary to the main plot. I was grateful for this, for had it been the other way around I think it may have become tedious. The main stories revolve around the business ventures of Lawrence and Holo as they journey to Holo's ancient homeland hidden somewhere in the distant north.

Now one might think that a story centering on the business dealings of a traveling peddler might be mundane, but they actually succeeded in making it rather exciting. And while so many other non-comedy animes have mortal peril as the main consequence of failure, and while Lawrence and Holo both certainly have brushes with death, it is just as often that the potential cost of failure is Lawrence's financial ruin and bankruptcy. I found this to be refreshing.

One of the coolest things about this anime is that it is actually educational. It provides a (very basic) crash course in basic economics and touches on such subjects as supply and demand, market trends, currency trading and speculation, and others. The downside is that if you're like me and already have a relatively good understanding of these things the explanations in the show can come off as long- winded and a little tiring. However I absolutely appreciate the show's effort at being educational.

As for the romance angle, I felt that it was handled well. It is by far the secondary plot of the show and it rarely overstays its welcome. The only problem that I have in this regard is that Holo is an extremely violent person and often ridicules Lawrence and even goes so far as to shove, slap, and punch him. Sorry, but if domestic violence against women isn't okay then it shouldn't be okay when it's a woman striking a man. This is a common anime trope that has always bothered me and Spice and Wolf is simply the latest specimen.

Oh, and I also have to say that the English dub is incredible, especially the voice of Holo (Brina Palencia). Truly one of the best dubs I've seen recently.

And finally I will leave off with one more complaint. The ending is, in my opinion, not satisfactory at all. If I understand correctly, the anime only covers about 1/4 of the manga so there really isn't any true resolution in this show. But all in all I liked it very much.

7.5/10

"In the beginning there was nothing. There was only North. And then there were the promises that were made... When human beings achieved enough on their own there was no reason to be faithful to their promise anymore."

When merchant Lawrence Kraft rolls into town they are nearly ready for the harvest festival, and the people are excited. The Earl's new planting methods have yielded a bumper crop. There's no need to pray to that 🐺 anymore. Lawrence unties his wagon to unload and there's a woman sleeping there! Naked! She has Wolf ears! She has a TAIL! She claims her name is Holo. Holo is the old god who has been blessing their crops. Modern methods have made the people believe they don't need her. For most of her 600 years, she's kept her vow and watched over the harvest, but since the people have forgotten her she wants to go home to the north.

It's a road trip! She ends up taking a ride with Lawrence and they have many adventures on their journey. Early on, after Holo proves her worth, Kraft promises to escort her north (maybe it's just an excuse to hang on to her). Holo is quick witted, she's a better negotiator than he, she's scorchin hot, and she's always hungry.

S&W is a 2008 Imagin Studios release that is rated 8.21 on MAL. It is 2 seasons consisting of 13 23-minute English dubbed episodes each, with CC available. There is a Sequel (OVA Ookami to Koushinryou II: Ookami to Kohakuiro no Yuuutsu), and they actually remade this in 2024 with the same English speaking lead actors. The show is merchant operations 101. In that limited way it reminds me slightly of Farming Life in Another World-7.7, which is civilization 101 and Novice Alchemist, which is setting up shop 101. It's as educational as it is entertaining. People are drawn with simple features and minimal lines and shading. They take some liberties with hair and eye color, sizes, and shapes. It is a fantasy tale, afterall. Backgrounds are flat, muted and simplistic with scattered detail. They melt away into insignificance.

For the English voice acting, Brina Palencia is Holo and J. Michael Tatum is Kraft Lawrence in both productions. I prefer the 2024 version. 2008 Holo is too smug sounding for me to find her likable, though she has her finer points. Holo sounds like an elder statesman at an official dinner. I suppose that's a god's privilege. Apples. Holo is obsessed with 🍎🍎🍎. It reminds me of the Shinigami from Death Note. What is it with anime and 🍎🍎🍎? Their personalities mostly take a back seat to the plot, but we finally get a peek at what she's capable of in ep6.

As ep12 began I still felt neutral. The show is so popular that there appeared to be little question that I would love it, but I was closer to just existing with it. The tutorial on business is laudable, and the show is relaxing. That's good. The biggest deficiency is the romance. Love does bloom and grow, but they could have handled it better. Consequently, I don't mind this, but I don't love it. I decided to watch the remake as I like the story and I want to see how the two versions compare. Straightway, in the 2024 version, I see that most of my needs-improvement list has been managed: There is more romance, the art is more refined (most likely because of tech advances) and Holo doesn't sound as smug. I'm enjoying the 2024 release quite a bit.

It's possible that the letdown (this show not matching my expectations that were based on the rating) has caused me to judge it harshly. I do like S&W-08, I just think it should be better.

Ep12 is awesome: Things get more exciting as S1 winds down. S2 is similarly up and down with the action. Whatever else is going on, Kraft will be thoroughly sifted, just like wheat flour, by the end. He will be forced to choose, once and for all, what REALLY matters to him. Maybe it isn't owning that shop he's always dreamed of.

My biggest takeaway is that I want to make honey-pickled peaches someday. That seems to be what really matters to Holo, with Kraft a close second.

QUOTE🗣

Remember the lesson, not the disappointment

IMHO〰🖍

📣6.5 📝7 🎭7 💓5.5 🦋5 🎨7.5 🎵/🔊7 🔚? It doesn't really end ▪ 🌞4 ⚡4.5 😅3 😭2 😱3.5 😯2.5 🤢3 🤔5 💤2 🤗4

Shazams: Tabi No Tochuu, by Natsumi Kiyoura is the opening credits song. It's quite nice.

Age 12+ Nondescript nudity, sexual innuendo and content; Rated TV-PG-13: Parents Cautioned

Re-📺? From the ratings I expected better. This is more for a young audience, I suppose. This one's in the good-to-pass-the-time category, but I may never pass this way again....

If romance is your thing, from lite&trite to heavy&serious, here's some recs ~

Ouran High School Host Club-8, Ao-chan Can't Study-7.8, Special A Class 8.2, Maid Sama-10, Why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke's Mansion-8.4, Mischievous Kiss, Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun-7.7, Colourcloud Palace-7.5, Hakkenden, 7th Time Loop-7.9, Honey & Clover, My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU, Princess Principal 8.6, Sugar Apple Fairy Tale-7.5 My Happy Marriage-8.3, My Happy Marriage-8.3, Real Girl-7.5, My Happy Marriage-8.3, Your Lie In April-9, Violet Evergarden-9.5

Oddball love and other romances ~ After the Rain 7.6, Beyond the Boundary 7.8, Castle in the Sky 8.4, Chaika The Coffin Princess 8.4, The Dragon Prince-8.7, Emma-7.8, Here Comes Miss Modern-8.

Love Chunibyo And Other Delusions-8.4, Made in Abyss-9.

Spice and Wolf.

Now this is how romance in animes should be dealt with. I was kinda hesitant at first to watch it as I don't like romance focused stuff but boy does this anime deliver on that front in a fresh way.

The story is good and its progression is great. It focuses on the characters. The old times setting and merchant stuff gave it an adventurous touch.

The protagonist is a likable kind hearted merchant who is really good in what he does and has a mind for profit. His thinking is analytical, always weighing Then there is Holo, the female main character of the anime, who I think is one of the best female anime characters I have seen. She is wise, intelligent, funny and witty, not to mention REALLY GOOD looking. And she is in no way ANNOYING, which was the biggest surprise for me as female characters in animes, especially romantic ones, tend to be annoying. The love story between the two main characters is handled masterfully. Both of them undergo a lot of character development and have diverse personalities that you can't help but enjoy it. The anime focuses a LOT on merchant stuff too. Trading, currencies, techniques, stock prices etc etc. I was baffled at how much detailed it was. Hell, one could learn a thing or two from this anime about that stuff. :p

Soundtrack was pretty good. Some of the emotional scores and the comedy ones were GREAT.

Animation/art wasn't outstanding or anything but it looked good.

If only it was a little longer. I felt that season 2 ended a bit abruptly, I was hoping for a little more of the journey.

8.7/10

In medieval Germany, a travelling merchant discovers a naked wolf-girl in his cart. Naturally, he decides to explain economic theory to her.

For months.

Allow me to be brief. Fans of anime who have discovered this anime because of its attractive protagonist will be both disappointed and delighted. Disappointed, perhaps, because every time the show's writers have to choose between showing the pretty wolf-girl and showing coins changing hands, they select the latter. Delighted, however, because the coins rapidly become the stars of the show - and after a few episodes, you'll be as big a fan of them as of Holo.

Leaping from one economics topic to another without a pause, Spice and Wolf dabbles in currency exchange, stock markets, coin purity, black markets, insider trading, loans, bargains and every manner of trade under the sun. And you'll barely notice the education. Being whisked along by Lawrence's Holmes-like reasoning on the whys and wherefores of each deal makes for a curious yet entrancing adventure, where most of the battles are in the mind. And with the wonderful interplay of the two leads offering a wonderful backdrop and developing storyline for the money to bounce off, it's an adventure you'd be mad to miss out on.

Absolutely recommended.