STORY (7/10):
Yes, economics play a large part in the story in Spice and Wolf. It's not as bad as it sounds. As someone who dislikes Social Studies class, I was legitimately interested in some of the trades and bartering that Lawrence made throughout the series, and the economics manage to tie into a hooking part in the plot.
ART (8/10):
Spice and Wolf looks considerably above-average and shiny, even compared to anime airing in 2016. The character designs for every character are great, but it seems like they put extra effort into Holo. There is careful detail placed into her ears and tail during certain scenes, as well as her wolf form looking spectacular. (The show doesn't hold back and try to make Holo's wolf form cutesy at all, and I'll just leave it at that. It's better if you see it for yourself in the show.)
SOUND (9/10):
The OP is average, but the ED surprised me by being a strange song that sounds like something you'd teach to an elementary school choir. It's quite catchy.
While the Japanese track is still good, this is one of the best English dubs I've seen in a long time. Brina Palencia's role as Holo is flawless. The dialogue in both versions of the series is solid and memorable as well, and the main selling point of Spice and Wolf for many by just how well simple banter is written at times.
CHARACTER (8/10):
Both Holo and Lawrence are strong characters, and you'll likely grow attached to them after only a few episodes. I wish we would have learned more about some background characters, but this is only the first season, so a lot can happen in the future.
ENJOYMENT (8/10):
I must admit, Spice and Wolf has a few dull moments, but they don't last anymore then a couple minutes. You barely have time to yawn before the show gets back into the great relationship development between Holo and Lawrence.
OVERALL (8/10):
Spice and Wolf well exceeded my expectations. Based off its plotline alone, I would have never expected it to be as well-crafted and entertaining as it was. No matter what your preferred genre of anime, I recommend giving this show a fair shot. You might be as pleasantly surprised as I was.
---
CONTENT ADVISORY: Spice and Wolf features occasional scenes of partial nudity, some moderate violence, mild language, and lots of humorous drunkenness/casual drinking. The PG-13 rating fits, though it's very unlikely most people under 13 would be able to appreciate the charm of a dialogue-heavy series like this.
