Reviews Literature / SpiceAndWolf

Literature Much More Than Ecomics and Wolf Girls

I'm not gonna lie: I barely understand half of the economic discussions in this series. Considering that's mainly what it's about, that means it needed to give me something else to grasp onto.

The most obvious is the budding relationship between Lawrence and Holo. Much like how they fell in love with each other, I fell in love with them as a couple. Their banter is often funny (even if the wordplay goes over my head sometimes), and seeing them support and better one another is incredibly sweet.

But surely there must be more, right? After all, it's difficult to stick with one story for so long if you only understand one-half of it.

Well, there's its themes of loneliness, how you can find yourself surrounded by it and what living in it for too long can do to you. It's about accepting the past and looking ahead towards the future. It's about figuring out how to fit into a world that no longer fits you. It's about indescribable loss and moving past said loss. It's about connecting with others after being disconnected for too long. It's about all of that and much more.

This, I believe, is what has endeared Spice and Wolf to so many: if you don't understand or like one aspect of the story, two or more themes, characters, plot points, etc. will. And the topics of loneliness and loss are universally relatable.

Of course, this series certainly isn't for everyone: those who like action will be mind-numbingly bored, and Holo's personality can be a turn off for some. However, even if you think this series may not be your cup of tea, try giving it a shot regardless. It may wind up speaking to you on a personal level before you can say "merchant".

Literature Different but good

It's not a very action based show but that means there's a good counter point for when the action does hit. It's got a smattering of action, comedy, romance, and economic intrigue of all things. Some of it can be hard to understand, but it's generally explained so it stays accessible. If you want a show that is a high octane brawl, no, you won't enjoy anything but a couple episodes. If you want something that has a somewhat accurate depiction of how a relationship works, neither idealized nor perfect with interesting fantasy elements, this is a good show.