(CR) Spice and Wolf - Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf - Anime Episode Discussion

[Stark700]

Spice and Wolf is getting a brand new anime season!

Announcement video

Source

https://twitter.com/Spicy_Wolf_Prj/s...19488525094914

[Frontier]

The tale of a merchant and the beautiful wolf who invites herself into being his traveling companion is told once more, courtesy of Passione! And Jun Fukuyama and Ami Koshimizu play Lawrence and Holo as effortlessly as ever !

What a beautiful and atmospheric OP! Featuring pastel Holo and Lawrence as well as all the various places and people they will meet in their journey .

Kind of rough to go from a Wolf worshiped as a God of Harvest and given proper deference before getting turned into little more than a recreational game no one takes seriously. Though luckily for said wolf, a merchant shows up in the village with some wheat for her to transfer herself into so she's not lucked in a shed this year .

There are definitely worse things to pick up from a village than a beautiful and naked wolf woman who oozes charisma. Did I mention she's buck-naked and not afraid to flaunt it ?

Oh hey, Tomokazu Sugita as Lawrence's buddy Yarei! He seems like a pretty fun guy, even if he doesn't take the villages' wolf superstition seriously, though in the current era it's probably harder to believe .

Holo held herself to a promise to someone who accepted her true form that she would give a bountiful harvest to the village while also tending to the land...but now they don't really need her any more and don't truly believe in her, so she feels ready to move on and head back home. And Lawrence can't refuse the idea of traveling with her .

First she's in your bed and now she's wearing your clothes! And she wears them amazingly well .

And thus the merchant and his wolf companion (who wastes no time snuggling up to him on the carriage ride) begin their journey! Lawrence will provide the meals and travel, while Holo will provide him good fortune .

ClariS Spice and Wolf storybook ED! So cute .

[Nachtwandler]

So far a great adaptation. That opening scene was a big tease for LN readers and they did not change a certain characters sex this time for adaptation. Let's see how far this anime reach and if we'll get vol. 4 adaptation this time.

[Ragashingo]

I liked it.

The opening and ending were both good. The opening, especially, was stylish with that moving painting look at the beginning and very Spice and Wolf feelings of travel and coin later on.

There's a general moderate uptick in the animation quality. The horse actually walks more like a horse now. The scene of Holo running through the field at the beginning was very pretty. I think the most welcome change were more views of Pasloe. It felt like a bigger, real-er place to me.

Perhaps the most interesting thing they did differently was set up the main story with a framing story. Everything else was more or less accurate to the light novels. This story of a story thing is a new, anime original.

Originally Posted by Nachtwandler

...and they did not change a certain characters sex this time for adaptation.

Yes, but:

Spoiler:

I'm sad at the subtraction of Chloe. Yes, she was anime original, but she was mostly a impact-less drop in replacement for Yarei but with the added bonus of adding one more little layer to the things Lawerence was giving up on and missing out on by being a traveling merchant and by traveling with Holo. She was a good addition, in my opinion, and I'm sad she is gone.

Except, she isn't! While she is no longer replacing Yarei, she does tackle him! Same eyes, hair, shirt, and jacket! It's fine to revert to the original telling, but it made me happy she still appears in this new show!



Original Chloe from 2008:

[magnuskn]

A fine first episode. Picked up. I can see why this is was a classic and probably will be again.

[Xical]

All looks fine, well, better than fine, but something in Holo's design feels odd to me.

[Dextro]

Originally Posted by Xical

All looks fine, well, better than fine, but something in Holo's design feels odd to me.

Glad I wasn't the only one thinking that. She looks a bit thin. Though thin isn't really the thing but it's the closest I can get to describing it.

Still, it was a great start to the show. I never actually finished the original series so this time I'm in to remedy that mistake.

[FlareKnight]

An interesting choice for how to open the show up before the OP. Though can't really comment on that too much .

It's kind of nice that Lawrence really seems to be exactly the same as always. His design no matter what animation studio gets their hands on him remains pretty much timeless. Which is kind of funny since from original S1, to S2, to this remake...Holo's design seems to change. My gut still prefers that first design I ever saw in the original show. But this is nice. It's a softer and more withdrawn kind of look. Feels like she's been through a lot just looking at her.

There's no way a new OP could have won over my nostalgia for the original Tabi no Tochuu. But this was nice. It has the right kind of atmosphere. No complaints there and I'm sure this one will only grow on me.

You can feel the pace is a bit hurried at points in this episode. Some lines really feel like they are being given with someone motioning for the VA to hurry it up . Might not have been bad to let a few moments breathe a bit more. But I get it. They also crammed quite a bit extra into this episode. It's a give/take sort of thing. Extra material, but a bit hurried in the delivery of it.

Overall a good episode. Good to see Lawrence and (I swear one day this will feel natural) Holo. Holo and Lawrence just feel right as usual. So glad they got Ami Koshimizu and Jun Fukuyama back . It wouldn't be the same without them.

Originally Posted by Ragashingo

I liked it.

The opening and ending were both good. The opening, especially, was stylish with that moving painting look at the beginning and very Spice and Wolf feelings of travel and coin later on.

There's a general moderate uptick in the animation quality. The horse actually walks more like a horse now. The scene of Holo running through the field at the beginning was very pretty. I think the most welcome change were more views of Pasloe. It felt like a bigger, real-er place to me.

Perhaps the most interesting thing they did differently was set up the main story with a framing story. Everything else was more or less accurate to the light novels. This story of a story thing is a new, anime original.



Yes, but:

Spoiler:

I'm sad at the subtraction of Chloe. Yes, she was anime original, but she was mostly a impact-less drop in replacement for Yarei but with the added bonus of adding one more little layer to the things Lawerence was giving up on and missing out on by being a traveling merchant and by traveling with Holo. She was a good addition, in my opinion, and I'm sad she is gone.

Except, she isn't! While she is no longer replacing Yarei, she does tackle him! Same eyes, hair, shirt, and jacket! It's fine to revert to the original telling, but it made me happy she still appears in this new show!



Original Chloe from 2008:

Spoiler:

I do agree with you. I'm fine with a more accurate adaptation. But I think Chloe was a good addition originally. Turning her down was a great deal more difficult for Lawrence and added some extra layers to things. It wasn't just turning down a deal...but a lot more than that . And that kind of temptation before Lawrence and Holo had really gotten established was interesting.

I am glad they did slip her in there in some form. It's a compromise I can accept. Get the original guy in there, but give that briefest of shots so we can say that Chloe still exists. Her role is just far diminished.

[grecefar]

I never watched the previous anime but I always read good comments about this. I guess this is my chance to see it then.

not a bad first chapter and I always like traveling animes.

[Random14]

Its not the first time I've seen this series (between the anime and manga) but its still nice to watch it again, with the simple but enjoyable start/setup, and the quality looks pretty good so far too. And of course Lawrence and Holo are instantly fun together.

I'm a minor fan of this series, and there's always something nostalgic about wheat fields. Here's hoping they keep the quality (or at least a decent level) for the rest of the season.

[Jaden]

When it comes to redoing an anime that was already good, and not technically outdated, FMA Brotherhood is something like the yardstick. If you can't get on that level, then what's even the point?

There's got to be something special planned to make this stand out, but I'm not seeing it yet in the pilot episode. It's just alright.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Originally Posted by Jaden

When it comes to redoing an anime that was already good, and not technically outdated, FMA Brotherhood is something like the yardstick. If you can't get on that level, then what's even the point?

The first part of FMA Brotherhood is actually more rushed than FMA 2003. Brotherhood even skipped some stories from the manga. Thus, Brotherhood will always be deeply flawed for me.

This first S&W episode, however, is very good. If they can keep it up all the way to the end, this might become a better adaptation than Brotherhood.

[s07195]

I felt the tears in my eyes well up at the first few minutes. Oh boy, early 2010s is back again for me!

Now that introductions are out of the way, I wonder what sort of pace the anime will be at. Same sort of pace as last time would mean that in 2 cours we could go to the elusive Volume 4... but Abe in Volume 5+ is one of my favorite characters, so I kinda wish we can at least tease her.

I'm really hoping the

Spoiler for novel spoilers:

Myuri tease

goes somewhere. Might I dare hope for a full adaptation?

I know forums are not very popular in the West anymore, but here's hoping to see some old faces in the community back as well for this show.

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

There's no way a new OP could have won over my nostalgia for the original Tabi no Tochuu. But this was nice. It has the right kind of atmosphere. No complaints there and I'm sure this one will only grow on me.

Same here! But one of the first lines of the lyrics is Tabi no Tochuu... between this and

Spoiler for Ep 1 cameo:

the Chloe cameo

, as well as generally the returning staff, I'm seeing a great respect and fondness for the first anime adaptation.

For good reason too!

You can feel the pace is a bit hurried at points in this episode. Some lines really feel like they are being given with someone motioning for the VA to hurry it up . Might not have been bad to let a few moments breathe a bit more. But I get it. They also crammed quite a bit extra into this episode. It's a give/take sort of thing. Extra material, but a bit hurried in the delivery of it.

Yeah there were some rather hurried parts, but fortunately it wasn't too jarring. The pacing of some lines did flow a bit weird but not to the point it was very noticable.

Overall a good episode. Good to see Lawrence and (I swear one day this will feel natural) Holo. Holo and Lawrence just feel right as usual. So glad they got Ami Koshimizu and Jun Fukuyama back . It wouldn't be the same without them.

Good ol' Holo/Horo debate.

Originally Posted by Ragashingo

Spoiler:

I'm sad at the subtraction of Chloe. Yes, she was anime original, but she was mostly a impact-less drop in replacement for Yarei but with the added bonus of adding one more little layer to the things Lawerence was giving up on and missing out on by being a traveling merchant and by traveling with Holo. She was a good addition, in my opinion, and I'm sad she is gone.

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

Spoiler:

I do agree with you. I'm fine with a more accurate adaptation. But I think Chloe was a good addition originally. Turning her down was a great deal more difficult for Lawrence and added some extra layers to things. It wasn't just turning down a deal...but a lot more than that . And that kind of temptation before Lawrence and Holo had really gotten established was interesting.

I am glad they did slip her in there in some form. It's a compromise I can accept. Get the original guy in there, but give that briefest of shots so we can say that Chloe still exists. Her role is just far diminished.

Spoiler for spoilers:

I agree with both of you, but personally I think the bromantic vibes between Lawrence and Yarei were pretty great here too. Having Lawrence choose between Holo and Chloe felt a bit too romance-focused, while Yarei will let the theme of moving beyond the old be more emphasized, especially since the church has been greatly emphasized in this telling.

[Frontier]

Outdoor living with the Wise Wolf Holo! Handy to have around because of her cuteness, powerful personality, and super-senses that let her detect lies and the weather! Not to mention the fluffiest of ears and tails .

Ha! They're already posing as husband and wife and getting a room together .

Don't you just love this talk about what to do about wheat all the while one half of the conversation is buck-naked and practically flaunting it? Holo is absolutely divine in every way that matters. It made me even more envious of Lawrence, though Holo seems to prefer her men older and scruffy .

Lawrence knows how to talk shop and carry conversations about business and securing business opportunities! Though obviously sketchy guy is sketchy, Holo knows how to deflect attention when necessary .

Lawrence treats Holo to travel, food, and his clothes, the least she can do is pull her weight...like detecting if someone is lying about something even if she can't be 100% sure what they're lying about. Still, as a merchant, this is the type of stuff Lawrence has to be able to deal with on his travels, Wise Wolf or otherwise .

Holo is interested in religion because she sees it as novel that a group could believe that one God could make all of creation when she's been long enough to know that nature is the true God...but it just goes to show how much the world has passed her by. Yet even so, she still has people willing to be there for her like Lawrence, and comfort her like she comforted him .

So I guess we'll see what this kid is about when they reunite on their travels...

Holo values humans with intellect and experience, believing that wolves hunt for humans to harvest their brains for power...though it's no joke for Lawrence who has had experience with wolves attacking him and eating his traveling companions, though mutually Holo knows full well that wolves only react to being hunted by humans in the first place. But does that mean that Holo and Lawrence can't truly connect and coexist with each other as a human and a wolf ?

[FlareKnight]

Episode 2 was good .

I feel even more comfortable with it now than I did with episode 1. The pacing is a bit smoother in this episode and it feels like we aren't going to see a rushed adaptation for the sake of getting to "new" material faster.

The whole Lawrence and Holo drying off scene was great. And yes for all sorts of reasons . Holo was really just so animated in that scene and it allowed the conversation to be all the more fun. And I do like the maturity. Lawrence is hardly unaffected by Holo being very much naked in that scene. But he's not openly and actively losing his mind. Just...struggling a bit while attempting to keep a calm front going .

Just nicely settling into this world. Holo noting the changes of time and how big the Church has gotten since she settled into the south. A good reminder as well for these two of how they are different. Everyone has a past and troubles.

Think I can really have a good time with this remake while anticipating the parts that weren't originally adapted.

Originally Posted by s07195

I felt the tears in my eyes well up at the first few minutes. Oh boy, early 2010s is back again for me!

Now that introductions are out of the way, I wonder what sort of pace the anime will be at. Same sort of pace as last time would mean that in 2 cours we could go to the elusive Volume 4... but Abe in Volume 5+ is one of my favorite characters, so I kinda wish we can at least tease her.

I'm really hoping the

Spoiler for novel spoilers:

Myuri tease

goes somewhere. Might I dare hope for a full adaptation?

I know forums are not very popular in the West anymore, but here's hoping to see some old faces in the community back as well for this show.

I am looking forward to chatting about this show with familiar faces. And thankfully episode 2 gave a good hint at how the pacing will go. So far it is pretty much a 1:1 pace with the original. So good odds that we'll get a solid 6 episodes or so per volume like the original. Which is great since I'd hate to see this story rushed.

Same here! But one of the first lines of the lyrics is Tabi no Tochuu... between this and

Spoiler for Ep 1 cameo:

the Chloe cameo

, as well as generally the returning staff, I'm seeing a great respect and fondness for the first anime adaptation.

For good reason too!

I am honestly glad for the respect seemingly going out to the original adaptation. Getting the voice cast back, little nods like with that cameo, it's just nice. This feels like the kind of remake you hope for and fear you'll never get. Telling the story, but not sticking it to people that loved what came before. So may remakes miss the mark on why people loved the original. But this one seems to get it.

Good ol' Holo/Horo debate.

Time may pass, but I'll always have a instinctive preference for Horo. But I do get the author's intent and the official translation. Time has certainly passed. Long ago I probably was right in there with a heated Horo vs Holo debate as those were burning bright. But it's just not a big deal. The battle of R vs L in English translations has gone on for too long to worry about this particular one .

Spoiler for spoilers:

I agree with both of you, but personally I think the bromantic vibes between Lawrence and Yarei were pretty great here too. Having Lawrence choose between Holo and Chloe felt a bit too romance-focused, while Yarei will let the theme of moving beyond the old be more emphasized, especially since the church has been greatly emphasized in this telling.

Spoiler:

There are definitely pros and cons. I do think Yarei will allow them to focus on those intended themes. Removing any romantic intrigue will keep it nice and direct.

Although I still really do love the impact Chloe had . She was all the more effective because it was so early. Holo and Lawrence were really getting established so that kind of temptation added some drama while mixing in with the other themes.

I find it most interesting that Chloe brings up a deal and tries to lure Lawrence in a bit while Yarei is just cheerfully happy to see him. I find that interesting.

[grecefar]

I was happy with lawrence reaction of holo being naked, it was more him being a gentelman that just your typical embarrassed main character, his age and maybe experience is a good thing.

fun chapter, I'm enjoying this.

[larethian]

Originally Posted by Obelisk ze Tormentor

The first part of FMA Brotherhood is actually more rushed than FMA 2003. Brotherhood even skipped some stories from the manga. Thus, Brotherhood will always be deeply flawed for me.

This first S&W episode, however, is very good. If they can keep it up all the way to the end, this might become a better adaptation than Brotherhood.

Same opinion. I guess it's because they have different goals, and I'm guessing FMA BH has the assumption that a large majority of audience are already familiar with the series and the 1st anime. The early introduction of multiple characters and rushed start though, makes it hard to treat it like a true reboot.

S&W otoh feels like a true reboot, and I enjoy being properly reacquainted with the series, every second of it. The reprisal of the original VAs in their roles is also a bonus for me.

[Nachtwandler]

I know majorioty of fans adore Brotherhood but a bunch of my friends utterly hated last chapters.


As for S&W there won't be much new in the first half of the season but we'll see what will be in the second half.

[Frontier]

Holo and Lawrence have made it to Pazzio, a city run by nobles and merchants! Who needs a king when you can run on the power of business deals and coin ?

The Pasloe legend of Holo's appearance is very on-point in it's description of her...but if most of the villagers are like Yarei, probably not a lot of people are even still aware of that description, so she's probably not likely to be recognized .

Holo has a hankering for apples! A Wise Wolf knows how to manage her own Greed, and her Merchant companion is willing to spend one of his precious silver coins to feed her deliciously evil apples! All she has to do is make up the money with her aid, and considering Holo is a fast learner and quick thinking, she'll have no problem there .

Nice to have a trading company you have good business with who you can haggle with and get information out of. Even moreso when you have Holo and she knows how to put on a performance and get an even better deal than you did, using the apples she bought in the process to boost up the scent of the apples! Not bad for a Wolf Girl just going off what she learned from a prior passing merchant .

Zheren's a little more unsure about his info and he has a pretty conservative investment in Lawrence, so maybe he is on the up and up, or at least that's what Lawrence thinks when he decides to take him up on his deal .

Look at Holo committed to learning all the various different silver coins and their names! Though nothing puts a Wolf God to sleep faster than having to remember all that...though the wine she always helps herself too probably didn't hurt either .

The history of civilization is also the history of currency, which changes and is redefined/revalued so often that it's a lot of work keeping track of it and where the market and value will shift. Though at least Lawrence has some advantage in Holo's uncanny ears and knack for business .

Lawrence meets up with his old buddy Weiz who wastes no time flirting with Holo, which Lawrence doesn't care for, though Holo seemed to appreciate him getting jealous of her holding hands with another women. Men are jealous idiots, but women are idiots for enjoying the attention .

Holo helps Lawrence put together that the purity of the Trenni coin is degrading, meaning there's more going on in Zheren's deal, but Zheren might be working on the orders/info of someone else...and it's time to return to the trading company !

[FlareKnight]

Another excellent episode .

True that there isn't too great a reason to be concerned. If they wanted to be truly careful then having Holo travel under a fake name would really be all they need. In terms of legends the key features are her ears and tail. If those aren't visible there's little chance for her to be found out. Particularly when she's pretty much been forgotten by the people of Pasloe.

Nice bit of negotiating. And Holo proved how greed can be a handy thing. Spending a silver coin got her a belly full of apples and helped raise the price of the furs they were selling from 140 silver coins to 210! That's what I call a good investment!

And a good twist on Zheren's deal. Normally the question would be how he could possibly profit off something like this. But if he's profiting from being paid to spread the rumors then it all lines up perfectly.