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Now that there is a suitable place for totally unrelated items, I will take this chance to expand on my favorite art form; Anime.
Today I will be reviewing Spice and Wolf, both seasons.
Since first watching it years ago, it's come to be one of my very favorite Animes because it is so unlike other Anime. In a culture featuring entire genres about giant robots, sword fighting or ninjitsu, talking cats (all of which feature bizarre facial expressions that are indecipherable to someone unfamiliar) Spice and Wolf is a brilliant change of pace.
It's almost boring, but never such that it's not engaging.
Spice and Wolf is the story of a traveling peddler, Lawrence, seeking profit in a late medieval setting and a Wolf-girl named Holo. Holo is thought to be the god of good harvests, in the small town she watched over for years beyond remembering, but times change and while she is now just a myth in their minds the Church (a faith similar to Christianity) leaves little place for such pagan notions.
It is then that Holo and Lawrence meet and Holo asks him to take her to her home in the north.
While that may seem like typical anime-fare, that is where the 'typical' portion ends and sets the stage for something very unexpected, as Holo steps into the world of a young merchant and proves she is maybe better at turning a profit than Lawrence. It becomes an exploration of the late-medieval merchant trade, with cunning schemes, a bit of intrigue and just enough romantic tension between Holo and Lawrence to keep their playful jabs charming.
This is enough to make it a good anime, but it's not enough to make it great.
While the characters are all well-written and ably preformed by the cast, each with enough depth to keep them interesting but not so much as to draw the attention away from the story; what really sets this series apart is Holo and a brilliant performance by Brina Palencia (yes, I watch dubs; we can talk about that later). Her abrupt and unpredictable changes of mood are delightful, because each time you find yourself wondering if she's serious or toying with Lawrence and what she will say, as you quickly learn it is never for the reason you assume. If there is any one thing that makes the idea of a wolf-girl seem plausible, it's the way her character is written and her lines delivered. Even if I spoke Japanese, I very much doubt the original voice acting could have been this spot-on and is probably worth watching for any serious Anime fan, for that reason alone.
I choose Spice and Wolf for my first review because I was just rewatching with my girlfriend, who hadn't seen it yet and, I've gotta say, I was pretty impressed at how rewatchable it is. I still squee every time Holo delivers a particularly cutting jab to Lawrence and you would not believe how hard I laugh when she's complaining about how much slower she has to eat in her human form and bursts out in a fit near rage saying, 'IT VEXES ME!'
It's probably also a good idea to have some food ready. If you really want to enjoy it, cook yourself a nice meal and to eat while you watch because this show will make you f***ing hungry. Hungry like sitting around all day, smoking weed and watching Cheetos commercials.
The soundtrack itself is nothing particularly special, but it does generally accent the scene nicely and, even though it's mostly the same few tunes, it's never obtrusive either. I really like the intros, it sets the mood and pace of the show up very nicely with a song that draws up thoughts of travel and longing. The outro for the first season... well, it's pretty goofy. It's not bad just doesn't really fit sometimes.
Now, it should be noted that this probably isn't for children. While the nudity is well within what I would call the realm of 'tasteful', there does tend to be a lot of it although it is never gratuitous nor sexualized. But, if you're the kind of person that would be offended by a naked female, you should probably avoid this. On the other hand, as mentioned earlier, it's not sexualized either, so if you're looking for fap material, I'd look elsewhere. There are a few scenes with violence and occasional blood, but it tends to be the kind of thing you could pretty easily avert your eyes a moment if that sort of thing bothers you. But, in the end, I think most people old enough to be playing eSim shouldn't take much issue with it.
There's also something I sort of hesitate to mention, but I will if no other reason than
met3_ might read this. Holo is a physical manifestation of pagan belief systems which are being actively opposed by a very Christian-like church. As such, one of Holo's main problems is that if she is discovered she might be turned over to them and killed. While I don't think the series ever makes the Church itself out to be a big bad wolf, it does not hesitate to imply that people of faith are not immune to the corruption of men, either. So, if you're the kind of person that thinks Harry Potter and Pokemon are tools of Satan... well, you should probably just go ahead and unsub my paper. 
What's probably more important is understanding that, just by virtue of it's approach, it's probably not for everyone. An exploration of merchant culture is hardly the most exciting topic and, while they do a pretty good job of making it interesting, it would be pretty easy to see where some people might drift off. If the pure detail and intricacy of character interaction isn't enough to keep your attention then you'll want to pass, especially on the second season which I don't think has anything I'd call an action sequence. However, the quality and detail of the characters is such that you might even want to give it a try anyway. I'm betting you'll either love it or hate it after an episode or two.
Yet, it's surprisingly accessible and is not something you need to be familiar with Anime or Anime-related tropes to appreciate. There's no crazily stylized facial expressions or giant sweat drops that imply something Japanese people understand. It's just a story approached straight-on with no time for that kind of hyper-active, childish stuff.
Honestly, Alisa and I have both drifted off watching it a few times in watching it. But that's what I like about it so much. It's a little dull but in a pleasant and relaxing way. Some Anime is a hurricane. Some Anime is a nice sunny day. Spice and Wolf is a cool rain on an evening in early fall. While some may complain that they aren't able to go out and enjoy the last of the nice weather, I'm pretty content to sit and watch the rain fall through the window. Especially with a charming conversation being offered, such as this.
Spice and Wolf is based on a series of light novels which have a manga adaptation, as well. I've not read any of these, but as I understand it the series is not the complete story arc. There has been no announcement of a third season of Spice and Wolf as of yet, with the last episode airing in Japan in 2009. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but you just never know.
Oh and, by the way, you can watch all of it for free online.
Season 1
Season 2 OVA - A straight to video (not aired on TV) prequel bridging season 1 and season 2
Season 2
A note on subs vs dubs:
This can be a contentious issue in the Anime community but, to be honest, I think it's over-blown and the argument is really more of a left over from a time when American production companies were much smaller and their work was frequently terrible. (This kind of thing comes to mind. ) Personally, I find subtitles incredibly distracting and feel like having to constantly be trying to interpret the conversation, sort out which character is talking and occasionally have to pause and rewind to catch something I missed or connect sentence fragments really just destroys the f*** out of immersion. If you prefer subtitles, by all means, I won't stop you but my reviews will, for the most part, be considering dubbed unless it's not available.
But, if any of you can watch Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex subbed without pausing or rewinding and still have a pretty solid idea of what happened, let me know because in my book that's worth a trophy.
Love,
Previous article:
That Didn't Last Very Long (12 years ago)
Next article:
Anime Review: Puella Magi Madoka Magica (12 years ago)
About the game:
USA as a world power? In E-Sim it is possible!
In E-Sim we have a huge, living world, which is a mirror copy of the Earth. Well, maybe not completely mirrored, because the balance of power in this virtual world looks a bit different than in real life. In E-Sim, USA does not have to be a world superpower, It can be efficiently managed as a much smaller country that has entrepreneurial citizens that support it's foundation. Everything depends on the players themselves and how they decide to shape the political map of the game.
Work for the good of your country and see it rise to an empire.
Activities in this game are divided into several modules. First is the economy as a citizen in a country of your choice you must work to earn money, which you will get to spend for example, on food or purchase of weapons which are critical for your progress as a fighter. You will work in either private companies which are owned by players or government companies which are owned by the state. After progressing in the game you will finally get the opportunity to set up your own business and hire other players. If it prospers, we can even change it into a joint-stock company and enter the stock market and get even more money in this way.
In E-Sim, international wars are nothing out of the ordinary.
Become an influential politician.
The second module is a politics. Just like in real life politics in E-Sim are an extremely powerful tool that can be used for your own purposes. From time to time there are elections in the game in which you will not only vote, but also have the ability to run for the head of the party you're in. You can also apply for congress, where once elected you will be given the right to vote on laws proposed by your fellow congress members or your president and propose laws yourself. Voting on laws is important for your country as it can shape the lives of those around you. You can also try to become the head of a given party, and even take part in presidential elections and decide on the shape of the foreign policy of a given state (for example, who to declare war on). Career in politics is obviously not easy and in order to succeed in it, you have to have a good plan and compete for the votes of voters.
You can go bankrupt or become a rich man while playing the stock market.
The international war.
The last and probably the most important module is military. In E-Sim, countries are constantly fighting each other for control over territories which in return grant them access to more valuable raw materials. For this purpose, they form alliances, they fight international wars, but they also have to deal with, for example, uprisings in conquered countries or civil wars, which may explode on their territory. You can also take part in these clashes, although you are also given the opportunity to lead a life as a pacifist who focuses on other activities in the game (for example, running a successful newspaper or selling products).
At the auction you can sell or buy your dream inventory.
E-Sim is a unique browser game. It's creators ensured realistic representation of the mechanisms present in the real world and gave all power to the players who shape the image of the virtual Earth according to their own. So come and join them and help your country achieve its full potential.
Invest, produce and sell - be an entrepreneur in E-Sim.
Take part in numerous events for the E-Sim community.
