25 Days of Anime - #23: Spice and Wolf

Taking a drastically different approach from the previous two entries on this list, Spice and Wolf is not a series that features any notable fight scenes. There are tense moments of conflict, both internal and external, and Kraft Lawrence finds himself attempting to outrun pursuers on a few occasions. But Lawrence and wolf goddess Holo play wits and economic knowledge to their favor in hopes of besting both rivals in the market and enemies they inadvertently make during their travels.

The two share a highly entertaining relationship, with each understanding how to best exploit their customers for a higher return on their products. Lawrence is more familiar with the value of goods and fluctuations in the market, while Holo has a better understanding of how to influence human emotions - unusual character traits to ascribe to protagonists. But Lawrence is interested only in earning his way and making a name for himself, and wishes to keep on good terms with his customers. At the same time, Holo's role as a wolf goddess who has lost her way makes the two valuable assets in the eyes of more selfish individuals.

Holo and Lawrence butt heads at times, with Lawrence usually feeling guilty as a result (whether he was actually at fault or not) and Holo doing some self-assessment. In turn, her sly behavior results in greater earnings for Lawrence, which she uses as a means of apology. Though Holo believes herself superior to humans, she does find their nature amusing, considers Lawrence among the most impressive people she has encountered, and enjoys her fill of apples and ale (the latter of which brings out her silly and carefree side). Holo develops a strong bond with Lawrence, and while it is never explicitly stated, Holo drops a number of hints - more prominently in the second season - that she may in fact be falling in love with this human.

The world realized in Spice and Wolf is heavily inspired by old world European culture. The architecture of buildings and use of horse-drawn wagons for transportation implies a medieval-era setting. The soundtrack is heavy on strings and vocals, and all of this makes for a very believable world, where magic exists only in its farthest reaches.

Anime review: Spice and Wolf (season two)

At the conclusion of the first season of Spice and Wolf, Lawrence and Holo managed to outwit the Remerio Company and left for other business ventures, but not before aiding Nora in finding her own courage to stand up for herself and break away from her job as a shepherd. With the overarching story of season one so nicely wrapped up, I was concerned that season two would be a completely unrelated journey that would struggle to get on its feet and carry a weaker narrative narrative than that of season one. Thankfully, I was only partially correct – the events of the second season are, for the most part, unrelated to those in season one, save for the obvious continuation of Lawrence and Holo’s story. There are some notable changes from the storytelling style of season one – some for better and others for worse – but ultimately season two comes out stronger than its predecessor.

The story is notably darker this time around and the story far more serious. Nothing is spared in regards to the show's humorous segments, however, as these are particularly clever in both content and their placement in the series' events. The mythological aspects of Spice and Wolf are explored in greater detail and Lawrence’s trades become increasingly greater gambles with the potential for even greater rewards (and not just those of monetary nature).


Whereas the first season put greater emphasis on Lawrence, season two is largely centered around Holo and her past. Her travels with Lawrence have made her far more comfortable around him and she acts more mature, putting behind herself some of the childish behavior seen in season one. In this regard, Holo herself is less humorous, but the dynamic between Lawrence and Holo is genuinely entertaining and will evoke plenty of laughs from viewers. If however, some viewers found Holo’s antics is season one to be annoying, they can rest assured that her personality has changed a bit – not so much that it becomes difficult to recognize her as the same character, but enough that it becomes obvious from a very early point in season two as to how much Holo has matured.

Season two's pacing is a bit faster than season one, picking up right where the story last left viewers. Lawrence, with little information to work with, begins asking around for information about the lands to the North, in hopes of locating Holo's homeland and keeping his promise to her. However, things become sidetracked when Lawrence makes a gamble with a rich young local named Amarty, and the two essentially compete for Holo's companionship. It is during all of this that Lawrence begins to deeply question his true feelings toward Holo. Due to the more specific focuses of the plot in season two, viewers can expect to see fewer locales and environments as the backdrop for Spice and Wolf.

The side characters in season one, though few and far between, were well-rounded and usually very engaging. The side characters in season two are still enjoyable, though their development leaves something to be desired in most cases. They are generally used to tie plot elements together, and while they aren’t stereotypical or bland, per se, they aren’t fully rounded or the most well-developed. In this regard, viewers should feel relieved that the two main characters remain the only main characters over the course of the second season.


The one major exception to this, however, is a merchant by the name of Abe, who offers a partnership deal to Lawrence in fur trading. Abe is shrouded in mystery during her first few appearances, but slowly exposes who she is and what her intentions are as each episode progresses. Abe's story as a large driving force behind the second half of season two causes the pacing to slow down considerably, but this seems quite fitting to the overall darker mood of season two, as well as the intricacies and complexity of the relationship Lawrence, Abe, and Holo forge.

The soundtrack is comprised of a number of new pieces following a similar formula to those in season one. Though the use of strings and woodwinds does sound superb, there are fewer distinctly seperate pieces used in season two, so viewers are certain to hear familiar sounds over the course of the story. The animation is a significant step up from that of season one, which was impressive in and of itself. The lighting effects and attention to detail really make season two shine through and set it at the caliber of a standalone full-length movie. Part of this is likely due to the fact that there are only twelve episodes in comparison to many series capping at twenty-five or fifty. Nonetheless, the animators should be commended on a job very well done.


The Japanese voice actors make a triumphant return and convey emotions even better than in season one. Newcomers to the cast seem to flow pretty smoothly with the overall portrayal of the characters and focus of the plot. The series is, however, about Holo and Lawrence in virtually every way possible and it's comforting to see how the voice actors for these respective characters seem to 'click' with one another even more so than in season one, making their interactions more convincing.

The finale throws a major plot twist that many viewers won't see coming. With a tense buildup and emotional performances from the cast members, the finale is executed masterfully. The finale is neither sunshine-and-rainbows happy nor so depressing that it would cause fans to cry out in an uproar. Instead, the conclusion is fitting in every way possible, offering a very satisfying conclusion to Holo and Lawrence's story.

Season two improves upon most of the flaws in season one, though there were few flaws to begin with. There is a small amount of experimentation with characters and plot in season two that will likely cause a bit of controversy among viewers, but for the most part this aids Spice and Wolf’s presentation. It was a very unique story idea in season one, with Holo and Lawrence relying on wit to outdo their foes and it’s comforting to see that things feel relatively fresh in season two. It may not be as original, but season two of Spice and Wolf is more focused and delivers a more serious story without sacrificing the light-hearted elements.

My rating: 8.75 (out of 10)

Anime review: Spice and Wolf (season one)

“No one knows when the people of this village began to say ‘the wolf is running’ to describe the ripe wheat swaying in the wind. Where e’re the wind lays flat the ears of wheat, they become trampled by the wolf. And should a poor harvest befall, the crops are eaten by the wolf. In the beginning, there was nothing - there was only warmth. And then, a promise was made. The cycle of encounters and farewells continued with favor, until one day humans came to achieve abundance on their own, and there was no need to be faithful to their promise anymore…”

Spice and Wolf takes place during the late middle ages, a time when feudal lords and regional governors control towns and the lands that surround them. The world is becoming more globalized and the nations of Europe have decided to focus more on building up their economies by trade routes than staking claim to resources through means of military prowess. Kraft Lawrence, a travelling merchant, is making a sale in one of his usual towns and visits his friend and fellow merchant Chloe while there. The town is in the midst of an age-old ceremony celebrating another bountiful wheat harvest for the year. The ceremony is based around the folklore of Holo the wolf god, who supposedly once made a deal with the townspeople to give them a plentiful harvest every few years in exchange for years of poor harvest that would follow, in so allowing the land to recover.


Following the ceremony, Lawrence is approached by the real Holo, who has taken on the form of a young woman, though she bears the ears, tail, and fangs of a wolf. Holo explains that the people of the town have become self-sufficient in their farming techniques and no longer require her helping hand. She asks if he would allow her to travel with him so that she might return to her homeland, far to the north. After some convincing that these events are actually occurring, Lawrence agrees to Holo’s wishes, though he makes it clear that his business with other merchants is still priority.

Holo and Lawrence play off each other as a curious dynamic. Holo claims to be very wise in the study of mankind’s nature, though it becomes obvious as the show progresses that she can still further her knowledge of humans. She promises to Lawrence that she will pay him back for any expenses along their journey, and though her words seem empty at first, she proves a useful partner in earning Lawrence large returns on his inventory. Her obsession over apples and occasional over-analyzing of people may be quirky, but Holo keeps her wits about her and is quick to react to when in a dangerous situation.


Lawrence, on the other hand, is an honest merchant who hopes to make a fair share of profits off his items, though he knows this will not be an easy task to accomplish. His years of experience put him a bit ahead of the competition but he is wary of shady traders. He constantly teases Holo, and although he finds her a bit eccentric and perhaps annoying at the start of their journey, he finds her to be an invaluable partner in trading his merchandise and getting out of trouble with thugs.

As for the other characters, the only two of real notable mention are Chloe and Nora, a shepherd who is employed by the church. Chloe’s involvement with Holo and Lawrence is key in getting the first major events of the story off the ground, as it is revealed that she is under the employment of Medio Trading Company, and wishes to turn Holo over to the church after discovering that Holo is a deity. Nora becomes a prominent character late in the first season, as Lawrence pays her to provide them safe passage to Rubenhaigen, where he wishes to sell suits of armor. Nora ultimately becomes involved in a plan to free Lawrence and Holo from a debt they become trapped in, and thus learns how to define herself instead of having others tell her what to do with her life. The rest of the characters in Spice and Wolf don’t play particularly large roles, usually appearing in two or three episodes at most and providing obstacles for Lawrence and Holo to overcome. This allows more development on the major characters, but it would have been nice to see a few more characters of relative importance.


The art style of Spice and Wolf is superb, with bright colors exemplifying the vast open country fields and darker shades setting an uneasy atmosphere for tunnels in the under-cities. Shadows dance off candlelight and the moon blankets the countryside in a cool blue glow. The animators obviously put a lot of time and effort into every scene, as no detail is left bland. The soundtrack is most fitting, with instruments largely comprised of woodwinds and classical strings. The opening vocal theme fits the fairly serious mood of the show much better than the peppy ending theme, the latter of which I found to be rather annoying. While the Japanese voice actors are well-suited to their respective characters, the English voice actors do an impressive job as well. The work done on the English release of Spice and Wolf really shows how much Kadokawa and Funimation have improved their standards in recent years.

There is no filler content in Spice and Wolf, and while it might take viewers a while to catch on to the major story arc, the end result is truly satisfying. It isn’t often that a series can feel action-packed without involving fight sequences or high-speed chases. But that’s exactly what Spice and Wolf does. The series maintains its tense air and espionage style by showing how Lawrence and Holo are able to outwit their foes. The inclusion of an economic learning experience as the series plays out forces viewers to do a little thinking as they watch. Some of the characters could have used a little bit more fleshing out and some episodes are more entertaining than others, but all in all this is an enjoyable series that fans of fantasy, drama, and action series alike can enjoy.

My rating: 8 (out of 10)