Spice and Wolf
Ookami to Koushinryou
[Full Review]
Imagin
Objective Score: 8.5
Personal Score: 8.5
Season 1 (13) & 2 (12)
Times Watched: 2
Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, Economics
Awards: 3x3, Seal of Approval
Recent Changes: n/a
For the longest time, Spice and Wolf was the one show on my 3x3 that I hadn't watched in a long time, but refused to remove it due to the simple reason that it was the one show I could say “ya I liked that one.” After rewatching it and mulling it over, though, I am convinced Spice and Wolf will remain a staple on my 3x3 for a long time, possibly forever. Spice and Wolf is a classic fairytale in anime form, and it is beautiful because of it. To be honest, the storytelling of Spice and Wolf is a bit rough around the edges. For the most part, all the information is there, it’s just sometimes not properly conveyed to the audience. At times it also felt like the story was overly complicated for the sake of complexity. However, that doesn’t mean I hated the story of Spice and Wolf. On the contrary, I actually loved it. At its core, the story is very simple. Lawrence is a traveling merchant and Holo is a god who wants to return home, so the objective of the story is simply to get Holo back home while making as much money along the way as possible. It’s in the details that the story of Spice and Wolf truly shines. The world-building is second-to-none. Each town they visit has their own religion, holidays, practices, government, currency, and history, and since everyone is trying to save their own skin, no one is truly a friend. Trouble is around every corner, and you're never quite sure who will strike next. Both Lawrence and Holo are fine characters by themselves with their own goals, motivations, and skills, but it’s when they're together that the story becomes something special. Their relationship is super cute and surprisingly realistic. They bicker and tease each other constantly, but at the end of the day they have each other’s backs. I particularly love Holo. Her slyness is not only thematically perfect, but it’s just so fun to watch her mess with people. It’s also cool how they tie her abilities to her myth and what it means to be a god in this world. The style of Spice and Wolf is unlike any other anime I’ve seen. It very much feels like I'm watching a fairytale. The backgrounds are gorgeous and lively. The music and sound design are not only beautifully composed and incredibly nostalgic, but invoke feelings of classic fantasy. The voice acting is great, especially Lawrence and Holo’s VA’s who bounce off each other quite well. Spice and Wolf is one of the cutest shows I've seen. Not in the typically soft designs and bright colors, but rather a wholesome cute. It’s not a perfect show, however. Like I stated before, the storytelling is a bit rough, but so is the dialogue. I do think this is an issue with translation, though, and not the story’s fault. There is a lot of complicated terminology that gets used, so the writers likely had to make the dialogue extra descriptive, however, this drags the dialogue and makes it difficult to follow. Holo is also shown naked quite a bit, but never does it show anything inappropriate, or linger or zoom into particular parts of her body. There’s a story purpose for her being naked, not a fan-servicey reason, however I can see it being difficult for viewers to distinguish the two. It’s been over ten years since we’ve last seen Lawrence and Holo, and with a new anime project around the corner, we will get to see them once again. However, it’s yet to be confirmed whether the new project is a sequel or a reboot, but when I think about how this project will affect the two seasons we already have, I’m scared. I’ve fallen in love with the anime and the thought that the new project could potentially change the show is frightening. I have so much nostalgic love for this show. I really hope that the new project is a third season, but it’s been so long that it’s hard to say. Regardless of if the new project is a reboot or not, the original Spice and Wolf will remain a favorite of mine for a long time.