It’s here, it’s here, a new arc of Spice and Wolf! And the post for it is just barely on time since this late still counts as Thursday! My lateness called out and my SEO goal of naming the show reached, lets jump into this weeks episode.
Starting off: Jesus Christ the flirting. There was so much of it! And it was good flirting to! There was more flirting in this one episode than the entirety of season 1! Or at least it felt that way. I’m honestly surprised with how much I enjoyed this weeks episode. I’m not usually into fluff. I find it boring or, dare I say, cringe. But there was something about Spice and Wolf’s, about Holo and Lawrence’s back and forth, that made it endearing. I’m not sure if it’s just how well written the dialogue was again or something else. Maybe I’ve just spent enough time with the couple in recent months that I’m invested. Whatever the case, for an episode all about lap pillows, hand kisses and not-so-subtle innuendo’s Spice and Wolf got a fair bit done this week.
In fact before we continue let’s take a closer look at some of these flirtations. Just to really appreciate them, not because I enjoyed the fluff or anything… I’m talking back and forth’s like “[…] you’re already worth a king’s ransom” into “So high no one would buy you” with the implied “Are you stlll for sale” from Holo’s gaze. Or “If I clap my hands the spell will be dispelled” into “It’s coming undone, better cast it again” to finish with “You cast it a bit to strongly”. These are not light and inconsequential flirts like what we saw in season 1 anymore. These flirts have evolved into full on steamy sexual advances. And I am here for it. Not enough anime romance’s continue past first becoming a couple. And while Holo and Lawrence have yet to do the “kiss” I can safely say they have become a couple.
Moving on from gooey couple stuff lets talk about the new town, Lenos! In an interesting turn of events Lenos seems like the complete opposite of the last town. Where Kumerson was happy and festive, Lenos is cold and quiet, virtually dismissive to visitors with every inhabitant thus far looking… unwelcoming. Yet in an amusing twist, the same can be said for Holo and Lawrence! In Kumerson they were in a very rough place. Very closed off, upset, making this festive atmosphere feel anything but. Yet as you can see by my gushing above, despite the cold nature of Lenos they seem to be having the time of their lives. It’s quite enjoyable, fluffy even, how Spice and Wolf handles it. How good company can make even the dreariest of settings worth spending time in.
As for the actual plot of the arc well… we still don’t have to much to go on. Spice and Wolf has given us a lot of hints, information about the town, but nothing concrete yet. Such as how foreign merchants are being identified via a badge and how many of them are choosing to stay outside the walls instead. Are they being discriminated against in town? Barred from selling their goods while this whole Council of Fifty business goes on? Or is there some other kind of trouble plaguing the town? Whatever is happening though, between the Council of Fifty, the merchants outside the gate and Lawrence’s ability to get himself into trouble we can expect to be involved in it quickly.
Of course it doesn’t help Lawrence that the one man they are looking for, Rigolo the town Chronicler, is on said Council of Fifty. That all but guarantee’s Lawrence’s involvement. The question is just how. Is Lawrence going to have to play mediator between the Council and the Merchants outside the walls? Or could this be more mystical in nature, involving Holo or someone like her? Does this involve the mysterious guest staying at the inn with them in any way? Right now its still to early to tell but I’m interested. My only fear for the arc is that it will drag on to long. Sort of like the last arc did, since it has an entire second cour all to itself. Still, I have faith in Spice and Wolf for the payoff.
All in all I would say this was a pretty good episode of Spice and Wolf. After an arc of “Will they wont they make up” this week felt like a complete and total indulgence of their relationship. As if Spice and Wolf was rubbing it in our faces that yes, they are a couple now. Except we actually like having this rubbed in our faces, I know, weird analogy. Anyways, I’m looking forward to this arc. While the last one wasn’t bad it sort of shot itself in the foot in that the best part of the show for me are Lawrence and Holo’s interactions. This arc seems like we will get a lot of those, in a new setting, with a new supporting cast and I’m all for it. I’m gonna miss Mark though. Mark was my home boy.
