Spice and Wolf: Season One
by Justin Nordell
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Brina Palencia, J. Michael Tatum, Jamie MarchiDirector: Justin Nordell
Brand: Funimation
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); Japanese (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 312 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-12-22
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Funimation
Movie Reviews of Spice and Wolf: Season One
Movie Review: Smart, witty and enjoyable, "Spice and Wolf - The Complete First Season" is an anime series that is well-animated, well-acted...
Summary: 5 Stars
"Spice and Wolf" (aka "Okami to Koshinryo") is an anime series that is based on a popular light novel series by Isuna Hasekura and character design by Ju Ayakura. A winner of the Silver Prize at the Twelfth Dengeki Novel Price, 13 volumes have been published by ASCII Media Works (via Dengeki Bunko) and have sold over 2.2 million copies.
Part of the allure of "Spice and Wolf" is that its a fantasy tale but its screenplay is quite smart as it incorporates economics and trade. The light novel series has spawned a manga (rel. in 2007) and in 2008, the first season plus an OVA was created and a second season which followed in 2009 along with a light novel release for the Nintendo DS.
The anime series is directed by Takeo Takahashi ("Elle", "Aki Sora", "Wife Eater", "Rozen Maiden") and features a screenplay by Naruhisa Arakawa ("D.N. Angel", "Jinki: Extend" and "Blue Seed"), music by Yuuji Yoshino (".Hack/Legend of the Twilight", "Brigadoon", "Marie & Gali"), character designs by Kazuya Kuroda ("Sakura Wars", "Sora no Iro, Mizu no Iro", "Vandread", "Aki Sora") and art direction by Toshihiro Kohama ("Solty Rei", "SaiKano", "Heroic Age").
"Spice and Wolf - The Complete Series" comes with episodes 1-13 on two DVD discs.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
"Spice and Wolf" is presented in 16:9 with animation by Imagin Co, Ltd. (known for working on animation for "Hit wo Nerae!", "Eyeshield 21", "The Cosmopolitan Prayers"). One thing that will catch your eye is how beautiful the artist backgrounds are. There is plenty amount of detail put into the art. From the walls of a building, the trees in the background, lush green or yellow lands, the wood, the ground, you name it...the artist definitely did a wonderful job on this television series. As for character designs, the designs by Kazuya Kuroda are quite faithful to Ju Ayakura's illustrations.
Many television series tend to not have much time to add detail to an anime series but with Imagin Co., Ltd. being a smaller anime production house, they definitely put in a lot of work in bringing this world of where "Spice and Wolf" takes place to life.
Audio is presented in English 5.1 Dolby Digital Sound and Japanese stereo. Voice acting for both the English and Japanese dub are done very well but one thing that I liked about the English dub was Brina Palencia's take on the character Holo. She gives Holo this mature, serious but also flirtatious style that is really well done. For the most part, the series is front and center channel driven as the series is primarily dialogue driven. "Spice and Wolf" does have its share of action but action sequences happen once in a while, the anime series is definitely more plot driven. There is use of music that plays in the background but its more subtle than anything.
Subtitles are in English.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"Spice and Wolf - The Complete First Season" comes with the clean opening and ending themes and FUNimation Entertainment trailers.
JUDGMENT CALL:
I have to admit that I was surprised by "Spice and Wolf". I was expecting your somewhat usual, fantasy/comedy anime series but the anime series turned out to be quite an intriguing anime series that is quite enjoyable to see. Primarily because the series is smart and witty but rarely do you find an anime series that really gets into the heart of economics, business, money-making, peddling, bankruptcy and needless to say, "Spice and Wolf" definitely distinguishes itself from other anime series out there.
Because of its business-driven plot, "Spice and Wolf" may not be a series for everyone wanting a more simpler fantasy/adventure series. The anime series focuses on the business aspect of moneymaking of that time period dealing with bartering and trying to make cash through the items one gets from town to town, the life of Lawrence the traveling merchant with a wolf deity at his side. But this is what makes this fantasy adventure so unique is that it deals with the business side that anime doesn't typically cover and I have no doubt that is why the light novel by Isuna Hasekura won an award in Japan. It's definitely a fresh and unique storyline that I have never seen in my many years of watching anime.
For school advisers wanting to show this at an anime club at their school or club, although a TV 14 rated anime, there are scenes with Holo undressed. Although, her tail covers her rear most of the time and her hair covering her front side the opening episode and other episode features her undressed. They are not major nude scenes nor is there anything sex related in this series but for those who are showing this at a school setting, it's important to let you know that there are semi-nude scenes in the series. As for violence, there are some scenes near the latter half of the series that has action and does include violence but nothing that is bloody or limbs getting cut off or anything like that.
For those wondering if "Spice and Wolf" is all about business, well the storylines do focus around the business dealings of Lawrence and various companies. But there are comedy elements and as mentioned, some action sequences which are typically used when needed but it's not going to be found on every episode, it just happens once in awhile. As for romance, well there is flirtation between Holo and Lawrence but with one being a wolf transformed to a human (although yet keeping her wolf ears and tail) and one being a human, I don't really know if these two can even be together or if its even possible. But you sense a sort of sadness with Holo and not that she wants to be human but there is a sense of comfort when she is around Lawrence. She seems to want him to say that he cares for her but yet jokes around with him that she was just kidding. Also, you get a sense of a jealousy from Holo when Lawrence shows attention towards other women. So, it does make you wonder where the series will take these two characters in the end.
If you are looking for an anime series that is definitely different from what you've seen before, enjoyable, witty and smart, definitely give "Spice and Wolf - The Complete First Season" a try.
Summary of Spice and Wolf: Season One
Lawrence, a traveling merchant searching for profit, finds a naked girl with the ears and tail of a wolf asleep in his cart. Her name is Holo ? a harvest goddess with an untamed beast lurking inside who longs to return to her beloved northern home. Armed with his street smarts and her animal instincts, a simple peddler and a forgotten deity begin a journey through the wild countryside. Along their path, the riches of happiness shall be reaped, even as the bankruptcy which dwells in the human heart is exposed.Stills from Spice and Wolf: Season One (Click for larger image)
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In the fantasy-adventure Spice and Wolf (2008), Craft Lawrence, a young peddler in a realm that suggests Renaissance Europe, finds himself caught up in a pagan ritual come true. For ages, the farmers of one region believed the wheat harvest was ensured by a powerful wolf-spirit who periodically appeared in the form of a beautiful young woman. As he leaves the region, Lawrence discovers a naked girl with furry ears and a tail sleeping in his wagon. The girl declares she is Holo, the wise and powerful wolf; now that people no longer believe in her, she wants to return to her home in the far north. How wise she is may be open to question, but she's definitely a fussy wolf, endlessly berating the long-suffering Lawrence. Although he's supposed to be a capable trader who buys low and sells high, Lawrence's fortunes take a decided downturn when Holo joins him. A scheme involving currency speculation blows up in his face, and an attempt to deal in armor leaves him bankrupt. Lawrence and Holo wander from town to town, but they don't get much of anywhere: this set could end two episodes earlier or later without affecting the minimal plot. The humor runs to heavy drinking and reverse sexism, with Holo repeatedly declaring, "men are fools!" Her ears and tail give the fan service nudity an unwholesome tone that suggests Spice and Wolf was designed for adolescent furries. (Rated TV 14: nudity, violence, alcohol use, risqué humor) --Charles Solomon
(1. A Wolf and One's Best Clothes, 2. A Wolf and a Distant Past, 3. A Wolf and Business Ability, 4. A Wolf and a Helpless Partner, 5. A Wolf and a Lover's Quarrel, 6. A Wolf and a Silent Farewell, 7. A Wolf and a Tail of Happiness, 8. A Wolf and a Proper Scale, 9. A Wolf and a Shepherd's Lamb, 10. A Wolf and a Whirling Conspiracy, 11. A Wolf and the Greatest Secret Plan, 12. A Wolf and a Pack of Youngsters, 13. A Wolf and Setting Off on a New Journey)
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