Although I can imagine most watchers believing Spice and Wolf being only about their relationship growing while their wealth of money and experience grow as well. I would not argue with this thought but I would have to say that it is much more than that. Kraft Lawrence, our main character and expert merchant, is kind-hearted individual who doesn't mind getting his hands a little dirty in the name of business. In fact he even goes as far to tell Holo the Wise Sage Wolf, his companion, that all he thinks about is his business and dream to own his own shop. Watchers learn much about the ways of negotiating, bartering, and trading as well as techniques that border on absolute cunning. What makes Spice and Wolf unique is that the more we learn about merchant trading the more we see that relationships are the same. The bond between Holo and Lawrence perfectly illustrates the lessons in love and trading. With each town they travel to they experience different hardship that is linked not only in trading but in romance. Throughout their journeys we see actions of greed, selfishness, and risk applied to both of Lawrence's relationships: trading and Holo. This is clearly represented through their long dialogue and without understanding the connection between the two can leave watchers confused and bored. Overall, Spice and Wolf's story line is simple but full of emotion that makes you longing for more.
The art work is basic for being produced in 2008 but it might have been on purpose to further represent the older time that the story takes place. Either way it doesn't affect the watchability of the anime.
I lose complete interest in an anime when the personality of a character changes throughout the story, especially when the characters are older. Character growth is extremely important to any good story. What did the character learn? How have they grown to meet the various challenges they faced? Becoming more courageous or becoming bolder are characteristics that can change easily through various events but personalities stay the same - it's who we are. In Spice and Wolf we see cleverly how growth changes how one makes decisions and expertly how their personalities remain true despite their many challenges. Perhaps one of the best reasons for selecting a (10) is the fact that the characters we love at the beginning, are the same characters we love in the end.
I leave you with a simple conclusion - if you are one that watches anime purely for how it looks then this anime is most likely not for you. But if you enjoy listening to the several lessons that great animes contain then Spice and Wolf is a great place to look. The love is subtle and yet strong. If I could add anything to the wonderful work it would be to have seen a more affectionate Lawrence. Although he clearly develops a strong bond with Holo that rivals even his obsession with his trade it could have been more clearly displayed to watchers waiting eagerly for that special moment.
