If someone told me a few years ago that Spice and Wolf is getting a new anime to air in 2024, I would've laughed it off and called them crazy. Looking backto 2022 from the announcement and here we are. Holo, the wise wolf makes her grand return on the television screen, her first time in well over a decade.
Back in 2008, the first Spice and Wolf anime holds a special place for me and I'm sure it's a special anime for many fans. It's the first fantasy anime that I watched that didn't revolve around swords, magic, or some sort of plot about saving
...
the world. Spice and Wolf ventures into an unique category that deals with economics and business. For a franchise like this, Spice and Wolf was ahead of its time.
Rather than adapting a direct sequel, Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets The Wise Wolf serves as a remake, retelling the story of 25-year old Lawrence Kraft and his traveling companion Holo. However, the remake goes far deeper into their story, relationship, and adds more into their world lore. Watching this season reminded me the nostalgia of enjoying a fantasy-adventure classic. Spice and Wolf's first episode begins with the season of the harvest festival but immediately introduces the self-proclaimed Wise Wolf, Holo. According to story lore, people worshipped her as a God-like entity far before the main timeline story began. Holo is aware of this and holds pride in her status. Meeting with someone like Lawrence is a new experience as she has never build a relationship so close to a human before. It's between the two that we truly experience their story.
Even after 15 years, it felt like yesterday when we met Holo and Lawrence. The voice actors played an outstanding job at performing their roles, in particular Holo. Her haughty, sarcastic, flitartious voice tone adds countless moments for the audience to see. Accompanied by her superior confidence, Holo is truly prideful of her existence and what she presents. Although some might interpret it as arrogance, Holo never has malicious intents to gain what she wants. Her love for food and alcochol also shows her humanity. Even though she is a wolf entity, Holo displays many traits that is perceived as human. In fact, she isn't that different from Lawrence thoughout their journey together. It's noticable from the start that both characters contain insecurities about themselves. Holo's greatest fear is being alone while Lawrence rely on himself so much that he realizes not everything can be accomplished by himself alone.
As a remake, this season follows mostly in tone with the original season. The storytelling maintains a balance of dealing with business while developing the relationship between our two main protagonists. Holo and Lawrence together accompanies each other skills. With Holo's wit and Lawrence's intelligence, they're able to get through many obstacles and obtain their win of the share. In their business dealings, it's easy to see what can go wrong if neither of them help each other. The show makes it clear that Lawrence's experience is invaluable. Meanwhile, Holo's playful personality and persuasive nature gets them by through bargaining and other essential deals.
One of the main selling factors for the original and this remake is the expanding relationship between Holo and Lawrence. It's very important to realize that the two rely on each for comfort and escape lonliness. They only have each other as judging by their journey, they don't come across any close friends, family, or allies. We actually don't see much of either characters' family at all, whether in the present timeline or the past. As such, Holo and Lawrence always depend on each other to survive. This is made so important that Holo suffers a case of monophobia, where anxiety surfaces and she expresses them in extreme ways in later episodes. It's a sensitive topic that can relate to any relationship and this anime is able to explore that in its own unique way.
Kicking into the story, Holo and Lawrence comes across many interesting individuals ranging from the shepherd Nora Arendt, finsmonger Fermi, and church manager Else Schtingheim. Each of these individuals introduces business and emotional elements for the pair. For instance, Nora ignites a feeling of jealousy for Holo while also serves as a foil character because she is a shepherd. Fermi's fascination for Holo causes him to fight Lawrence for her ownership. And finally, Else gives us a deeper glance at the complex system of the church in their world. Let me just say that while these supporting characters do not become permanent traveling companions, they test the feelings of our two main stars. Spice and Wolf truly wants us to show how Holo and Lawrence interact with others in unusual circumstances and face life together in ways they've never realized before.
Passione's long track record of adapting various fantasy based media has a role for Spice and Wolf. Among their most prominent work includes Rokka no Yuusha, with the environmental art style feeling familiar with this show. Adapting into this series over a half and decade later, the character designs look cleaner and sharper. Nonetheless, the overall asthetic is still similar including its world fiction. The most noticable character traits are Holo's wolf features and more prominently, her real form. When transformed, she displays fierceness and animalistic features of a mature wolf. In such form, she grows several times her size and sheds her human form completely although maintaining much of the same personality. The fan service of her being nude should not be misinterrpted as it's her natural form. The show contrasts her human and animal form in such magnficient ways that it looks surreal and atone to classic fantasy.
Watching Spice and Wolf after all these years made me realize that these remakes brings so much more than just nostalgia. It's a celebration of the author's works and gives both returning and the new audience to experience such a wonderful adventure.
Alternative Titles
Synonyms: Spice and Wolf
Japanese: 狼と香辛料 MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF
More titlesInformation
Type:
TV
Episodes:
25
Status:
Finished Airing
Aired:
Apr 2, 2024 to Sep 24, 2024
Premiered:
Spring 2024
Broadcast:
Tuesdays at 01:30 (JST)
Licensors:
None found, add some
Studios:
Passione
Source:
Light novel
Theme:
Adult Cast
Duration:
23 min. per ep.
Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
Statistics
Ranked:
#5182
2
based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity:
#1113
Members:
238,419
Favorites:
2,081
Available AtResourcesStreaming Platforms | Reviews
Filtered Results: 58 / 62
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Your Feelings Categories Sep 23, 2024
If someone told me a few years ago that Spice and Wolf is getting a new anime to air in 2024, I would've laughed it off and called them crazy. Looking backto 2022 from the announcement and here we are. Holo, the wise wolf makes her grand return on the television screen, her first time in well over a decade.
Back in 2008, the first Spice and Wolf anime holds a special place for me and I'm sure it's a special anime for many fans. It's the first fantasy anime that I watched that didn't revolve around swords, magic, or some sort of plot about saving ... May 15, 2024
Too much economics, not enough wolf waifu. I'm also dumb so it's hard to understand the ergonomics of economics (trying to sound smart here, don't know what ergonomics means). Nonetheless has a sweet story and joyful moments, very heartwarming, so if you are smart enough to go through the boring bits where they are explaining random stuff about money without falling asleep or opening some meme page, you will enjoy it.
But if you are like me and it's just here for the wolf ears, you will not be leaving disappointed, the voice actress is great, the animation and character design is awesome and her personality ... Apr 15, 2024
SPICE AND WOLF IS BACK BAAAABBBBYYY.
This series is near and dear to my heart, and more likely the same to most of you. For a number of reasons. It's more likely one of your first animes that you've finished. Or read for that matter. Or at the very least, one of the few series you remember seeing around as a kid. As for new faces, they'll be welcomed to the gem that is this series. Spice and Wolf deserves not only a watch, but deserves to be red, to be appreciated, and so much more. Story and characters: 9 You might look at the premise, and how ... Apr 19, 2024
Ah, "Ookami to Koushinryou: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf," a timeless classic reborn from the annals of anime history—a tale as enchanting as it is nostalgic. As a connoisseur of fine storytelling, I found myself drawn once more into the whimsical world of spice and commerce, eager to rediscover its charm anew.
This remake, while faithful to its predecessor, boasts subtle enhancements that breathe fresh life into its familiar tapestry. The artistry, though not radically different, bears the mark of refinement—a testament to the enduring legacy of the original. And oh, the joy of revisiting beloved characters, each exquisitely crafted and imbued with depth and nuance. Ah, ... May 21, 2024
I'll keep this short.
Spice and Wolf is one of those anime. It came out in 2008, before JoJo, before AoT, before OPM. It was a time when anime outside of the biggest shounen titles was still just a small part of pop culture, a complete niche that people made fun of in real life, like video games in the 90s. But it was there, a story revolving around economics, with beautifully hand-drawn animation, great voice acting, and beautiful music. Set in a fantasy medieval European-like setting, it captivated many people. It had compelling characters and an interesting premise, and so I too fell in love ... Sep 23, 2024
As someone that’s never seen the original Spice and Wolf but seen tons of Holo memes and hype over the last decade, all I can say after watching this remake is “I get it”. She lived up to the hype as a waifu, but more importantly, this lived up to the hype as a fantasy story about two people who couldn’t be further apart coming together and changing one another for the better. Lawrence and Holo’s relationship is a breath of fresh air in a world full of shallow ones. This show exudes the magic of the early 2000s and even at nearly 20 years
...
Oct 19, 2024
I wish to ask, What is so great about this anime? Why dear viewer, would you watch it? Is it for the love story? Is it the economics? Maybe its the characters, or the setting?
Let me tell you then. Personally, I find the love story in this show incomprehensible. At least on the front of matching my own experience with what others told me about it. Supposedly the love story is a "slow burn", but its not really true. They flirt constantly and later they make many grand gestures of love that just happen to not hit the mark. The structure of their romance is ... May 22, 2024
I recommend this masterpiece.
First let's talk about its world building and its characters, I want to say that Holo is the most complete character I have ever seen in terms of depth and personality, she has a powerful charisma that makes it entertaining to watch. The towns they visit along the trip are incredible. Finally there is a mature protagonist who knows what he wants and is determined to achieve it, plus he has no traumas or any pubescent bullshit. The Romance that the work has is unique and well constructed where they come together by mutual agreement and as they travel they realize that they have a ... Apr 29, 2024
A unique fantasy story, I recommend this anime to anyone who is tired of generic isekai.
If you don't like the topic of economics, the story will captivate you thanks to Holo and her incredible charisma and Lawrence, a mature protagonist who, although he can be strict, can also provide security in key moments. The story is told passively but not Less interesting is its mythology about pagan gods who were once indispensable but now thanks to the influence of the church and its pilgrimage to a single god they have been forgotten and now live hidden among humans. We also have the story of the hunted ... Aug 20, 2024
If you like Romance, Wolf Girls, Medieval, and Economics in your anime, this one is for you.
but there’s more depth to it than that, specifically the relationship between our main characters Holo and Lawrence. If you don’t care much about economics regarding coins or product (the plot of the show 💀) you at least have the fun and interesting interactions between Holo and Lawrence. Watching their relationship grow and change overtime make this somewhat of a slow burn romance, although it’s not the main focus. This show balances the romance and actual plot pretty well, while also sticking pretty close to the Light Novel source. ... May 22, 2024
Masterpiece of medieval fantasy.
It is incredible as a premise that could be boring on paper but is so well written that it catches you from chapter 1. but this story would not be so spectacular if it were not for Holo and her incredible personality, her charisma and her great depth as a character. Lawrence is also a focused and interesting protagonist and the best of all is his interaction with the Wolf who does not stop having duels of words every time they have the opportunity. The relationship between Holo and Lawrence is one of the strong points of the work since it is a very solid ... Jul 10, 2024
Spice and the Wolf vs. Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf
It’s kind of a remake of an old anime that was first aired in 2008. Then, the technology and animation style were different. So, when it was announced, I was kind of looking forward to what kind of changes they would make. And after watching almost half of the season, I felt some dissatisfaction. I am pointing this out here. The view of merchants Compared to the old version, surprisingly, they are quite young—funny, right!? I don’t know why they changed that; from my point of view, it was unnecessary. ... Sep 23, 2024
I held off on this review to check the new content, and wasn't disappointed at all. For all the lame producers out there that want to reboot beloved franchises, this is your study in how to do it right.
The artwork was splendid. Even the original background work didn't compare to this. The animation was better than I suspected it would be, They managed to blend hand drawn, 2D and a light touch of 3D CGI about as perfectly as I have ever seen done. The characters are what made the original so special. I must say that this rendition improves on all the characters. ... Sep 23, 2024
I think I can understand a little bit why this anime has such a classic status.
I started watching this anime out of curiosity to understand why people considered it a classic. At first glance it seems like a romance between an adult man and a furry girl. Little by little the story gives you information about the world and the characters to understand that this goes beyond a simple romance. The protagonist is a merchant and not just in name, he knows his stuff and we constantly see him talk about economic concepts that some are understandable and others not. The furry girl is a ... Oct 9, 2024
Being a merchant is tough—balancing trade deals, trying to make a profit, and oh, occasionally traveling with a centuries-old wolf goddess who outsmarts you at every turn. Spice and Wolf throws you right into the mix, where Lawrence, a merchant just trying to get by, ends up with Holo, a sharp-tongued wolf deity who turns every business deal into a battle of wits. Welcome to Spice and Wolf, where the economics are complex, the banter is gold, and Holo is always two steps ahead of poor Lawrence, who’s just trying to keep his business (and sanity) intact.
Holo is basically the queen of sass. What can ... Nov 24, 2024
The first thing that popped into my head when I saw this is "why?".
There was absolutely no need to remake this anime, as we already have the 2008 rendition, which still stands the test of time to this day. The art and design is beautiful, the animation is great, and since this is not some edgy action anime, frame rate and CGI doesn't play here. The VO and localization team is the same as well, and bring about the same quality. What [b]did[/b] change is the characters themselves. In the original, Holo is a dignified albeit fickle goddess with surprising bouts of vulnerability hiding under ... Sep 23, 2024
A merchant accidentally meets a wolf deity and ends up traveling with her, which turns out to be a very beautiful journey through the land.
In Spice and Wolf we follow Lawrence and Holo on a trip through the land, its a trip with both a goal and trip for trading, since Lawrence is a traveling merchant. This gives a story that has a steady cast of our two main characters, but also with a steady flow of new characters as they travel. The plot throughout the show very much centers around it being low fantasy in a medieval setting. Which results in a lot of plot ... Jun 20, 2024
This might've been the wrong time to remake this anime.
Yes i said it, it might've been too early to recreate this anime classic as we're currently at the age of internet brainrot and most people won't really appreciate the content. Can't really blame anyone tbh. The dialogue, the story, the pacing, the characters, they're all a bit "old" and they're right, i know I've only watched 3 episodes of this version but i can easily say that this feels the exact same as the original (obviously it looks better). I've watched a lot more anime after i first watched the original version and by my ... Sep 23, 2024
Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf - A return to form for the remake of a beloved and classic franchise that is the gateway to Economics 101? It'd better be good, and it delivered.
The current trend of anime nowadays is getting too predictable, being Isekai or fantasy series all the seasons over, and something must be done to break that trend. So...how about bringing back classic IPs and giving them reboots, remakes, and the like? This is certainly the upcoming trend for the AniManga industry's scope as it is today, since Japanese corporations like to cash in on existing IPs that have made ... Oct 30, 2024
What's the point in remaking a show if the remake isn't better than the original?
The remake is nearly line for line, scene for scene identical to the 2008 show. Even the episode/chapter timings are basically the same, so you could actually watch episode 1 from the OG, episode 2 from this, ep 3 from OG, etc, with no confusion. So the main difference is a slightly different art style from a different studio. Unfortunately, the new art style is not clearly better than the old. I actually think it is a bit worse overall, though there some scenes that look a bit better. Despite the similarities, ... |




