Spice and Wolf

Posted by in Anime Video Reviews | | 20 comments


Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.

What? I can’t come up with funny descriptions all the time.

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  • sirpastry

    very nice.

  • Volbla

    I’ve never really got what this show is about before. Nice review. Will probably check it out.

  • Darkseid

    The subbed version just popped up on Hulu. I usually watch dubbed, so I’ll wait till I have some money or when the dub becomes avalible.

    Great review, I’ve wanted to see this for awhile.

  • OtakuGamer

    Was very disappointed that I watched the first two episodes of this on youtube then realized that I would have to buy the other remaining season 1 episodes if I would want to continue it. Disappointing since I was enjoying the change of pace (I just finished Now and Then Here and There XP). Here’s hoping that maybe it’ll show up on Hulu sometime or somewhere else with the dub (which I rather enjoyed). Nice review Ark.

  • http://noneedfortenchi.com/bbs Akawoa

    About time someone reviewed Spice and Wolf, nice review Ark =D!

  • MagiFox

    Lovely review, Ark! I was waiting for someone to review this show for a while now. I’ve only seen the first two episodes 2 dubbed, but I’m already loving it, so I’ll be definately be picking it up sometime in the future. Hopefully, FUNimation will pick up Season 2!

    “Stupid Potato!” XD

  • http://www.youtube.com/MCBigman Michael Flinn

    This just proves that there is an anime for anyone. PERIOD.

  • http://thegeekgallery.blip.tv/ Goombasa

    I have to admit, I was pretty hesitant about watching the show before I found out about Holo (and I have no trouble admitting that she was, at first, the main draw for me). But I also have to say that I really like the way that it focuses on their dealings as merchants. It gives the world a great sense of realism that’s usually missing in fantasy stories. Yes, we get to see a lot of action, but we’re never told HOW the world works or functions and are left to make up our own reasons, or fill in plot holes on our own.

    This series doesn’t have that problem and I am glad that I watched, and even more glad to see that others really liked it to.

    Very nice review, Ark, though I thought it was a little short this time for some reason. Still, it was insightful nonetheless and does a great job of highlighting what makes this series special. Very nice work~

  • fulltvalchemist

    I’m currently watching this. And I recomend it to everybody, as long as your not expecting exteme amounts of action. It’s a good show, and I’d recomend the Dub, just for “Supid Potato”

  • WWI historian

    Ah, Ark … Thank you for this review. I had already watched all of the episodes: the first two dubbed, but the rest subbed because of Funimation being the company it is. I’m being reminded of a quote from a movie Lucas did about a car inventor who said that we might as well have been under both Imperial Jap and Nazi rule for having industries that were like that.

    Anyway, I loved this series that I have put it on my list of anime to buy, it being the second so it isn’t a big list. It really was worth my time watching it, and to expand on the music: the instruments are somewhat limited because other instruments like the horn and certain others were to the Church, ‘pagan’ instruments, but the instruments used do give a nice feel for not just setting the tone, but making it feel right within its setting.

    I too would recommend the dub for the infamous “Stupid Potato” line. But I personally liked the subbed version.

    Auf Wiedersehen!

  • SpacemanHardy

    I will say this:

    I enjoyed this anime. Quite a bit, in fact.

    I do NOT, however, understand why everyone is so GA-GA over it.

    I mean, yes, Holo is a fun character. The animation and music are nice as well.

    But seriously, every time that the dialog goes into “We have to sell this much to make a profit” mode, I can’t help but shout out “REAGONOMICS!!!”

    I’m sorry, but I had enough of math going through high school. I’d rather not have it popping up in my anime as well.

    Not only that, but calling it a “swords & sorcery” anime like some have called it makes no frikkin’ sense to me, as there’s hardly ANY of those things here, besides of course Holo’s infrequent transformations.

    I also don’t like it when people compare it to other “green & earthy” shows like Mushi-Shi, Kino’s Journey, and Haibane Renmei. To me, it just doesn’t have the mystical, naturalist elements that made those three shows go great. I SUPPOSE you could lump it in with those three, but I really do find it to be the weakest of the pack.

    So in short, I’ll finish with this:

    Is Spice & Wolf good? Absolutely. You should watch it.

    Is Spice & Wolf an upper echelon title to be held high next to the greatest series in all of anime? HELL NO.

    Oh… and average opening is average and NOT worthy of a Taishi. So nyah. -_^

  • Rin

    Ah~ This review was so refreshing (:
    Like I felt kind of frustrated before this and now.. I feel so happy. =D

    Excellent job, as ALWAYS!

  • HeatLegs

    High quality review Ark! :)

  • GENSHIFOX

    bravo! a very nice review!

  • nagato316

    IMHO this is a much more subdued and not quite as snarky a review as per your usual (probably reflective of how “different” Spice and Wolf is from other series), but it’s still very well done as always, Ark.

    “Stupid po-TAY-Toh!” Who doesn’t love that line? (Pinnacle of Brina Palencia’s career so far, I’d say! ^_-)

  • http://www.aniviewreviews.com lyzl

    Good review. I agree with others that a break from the snarkiness was in order. It’s still fun to here how bad other series are, but it’s nice to hear something different.

    Personally, I thought Spice and Wolf was good, but not particularly enjoyable. I felt good about what I was seeing, but didn’t have a whole lot of fun so it frustrated me in that way.

  • TokuAniGuy

    Imagin? where the heck is Den-O in all of this?

  • Lunakitty

    Thanks for the review Arkada. I actually decided to watch this, since I saw the review the first time, and I really enjoyed it :)

    Do you know if they are dubbing season two?

  • JZ42

    Looks interesting but I’m generally a fan of a moderate amount of action in my anime, I can enjoy those with very little, but the life of a merchant with a wolf goddess…I’ll pass unless I find myself short of new anime to watch.

  • racerabbit

    Stay frosty wtf arkada?!?
    Still great review as always