Hello all and welcome back to another episode of Spice and Wolf! Sorry about this one being a bit late, but I just finished moving into my new home and I love it. Fios is a godsend. Switching back to Spice and Wolf though this a good week for us. Holo and Lawrence continue to deliver fantastic exchanges, meanwhile the pair finally leaves Pazzio for new pastures. What do they find? Read on to find out!
Starting with a basic overview, it looks like we are back to travelling and I’m glad for it. I would have liked a bit more of a notice of that fact though. The episode opens already on the road and in a new town, taking me a bit to realize we weren’t still in Pazzio. I figured it out eventually through context clues and dialogue of course. But jumping from one brick walled city to another with no in-between or notice could get very confusing very fast. As the only things to really delineate these towns from each other are the overhead views and the characters in them. That’s basically the only issue I have the with episode though. Spice and Wolf seems to struggle a bit with how to open but once it gets going it becomes rather capitating. Not the worst problem to have I suppose.
Onto the episode itself, lets get some of the “boring” stuff out of the way first. I say boring because its economics but really I just mean “not my favorite part”. Lawrence’s explanation on tariffs, gold, preserves and the Church were all pretty interesting. He explains them in easy to understand ways and has good examples ready to illustrate his points. Spice and Wolf does a great job here of weaving its world building into the conversations naturally. And Holo’s role as an ignorant audience surrogate is fine for prompting Lawrence to talk about it. The best part though is how this avoids a trap most anime fall into: The exposition monologue. Spice and Wolf introduces its information slowly, as its needed, instead of lore dumping us every time Lawrence opens his mouth. It’s a very welcome improvement!
Moving from macroeconomics it microeconomics, we come to the merchant who tried to swindle them. There were a lot of layers to this scene that I really liked. Take the two scales the man had prepared for instance. One was clearly the “honest” scales for people who are “devoted” to God like Lawrence professes. The other no doubt being weighted against them. But for that to only be a front to another scheme to cheat merchants, and thus blackmail for Lawrence against his reputation once it’s discovered, was really engaging. It gave the illusion of having avoided the scam only for another to be in waiting. I am curious what, if any, drawback this will have on Lawrence though. Spice and Wolf has had some pretty clear anti-greed theming so far and with him making off with the armor “on loan”… I’m concerned this might bite him in the ass.
Possible allegories for greed aside though the best part of the episode was, once again, Holo and Lawrence. I realize I’m gushing about this each week but every week they do something new and engaging with their relationship. Whether it be double teaming a merchant with Holo’s sharp senses and Lawrence wit or drunkenly flirting as neither are able to plainly admit their attraction to each other. Hiding it behind talks of debt or “merchants honor”. It’s small exchanges like that or noticing Holo snores that really sell their relationship. That they are watching and truly living with each other. Most anime romance just settle for “They are in love” without any effort put into showing us that love. So I like that Spice and Wolf is in it for the long haul.
As for what this episode does differently? I think this week Spice and Wolf is starting to explore the loneliness of its leads a bit more. Showing us their fears of what it was like before, how they saved each other and how desperate the two are to keep it that way. Whether it be Lawrence backpedaling on the debt to keep Holo around or Holo guilt tripping Lawrence by playing up her own feelings on the matter. It’s clear neither of them want to separate. Holo’s are obvious but for Lawrence, he finally has a constant human connection. Prior to this as a traveling merchant he probably only knew people superficially, like Chloe. I suspect part of the reason he wanted to get a store is so he could settle down. But with Holo he has that connection while still getting to travel like he did before.
Finally we have to talk about the new plot/arc: The Shepperd. There’s a lot going on here and I’m not entirely sure which direction it will go. On one hand we have claims/scenes saying they are a sorcerer, controlling wolves to attack caravans. But that seems a bit to… obvious for Spice and Wolf. Especially when combined with Holo’s dislike of her. I suspect it’s something closer to her scaring wolves away, as a Sheppard, and people suspecting that for witchcraft. A classic “More than meets the eye” story. What I can’t quite figure out though is where Spice and Wolf will go with it. Will it try to explore Lawrence and Holo’s relationship through jealousy, since she’s a girl? Or will she discover and drive Holo off to clear her name of witchcraft? Or maybe it fits into something else entirely! I don’t know, but I’m intrigued.
My theories for the future aside though and when all is said and done, how was this episode? Once again, I thought it was pretty good. I’m surprised by how much I’m enjoying Spice and Wolf. I’ve always put it off because I assumed it was like every other anime romance out there. Surface level, trite and ultimately 12 episodes of nothing. But there’s so much going on here beyond just the romance. We have commentary on greed and capitalism, some occasionally dry economics and the beginnings of an exploration on religion. And of course there is a pretty good romance/duo to top it all off. I don’t think it’s going to be a huge favorite though, not unless this ending really throws me for a loop. It’ll probably get me invested enough to watch the 2nd season though and I call that a win.
