Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
RemanTheArchean
I came to this series looking for another slow-burn anime like Bookworm, Frieren, or Apothecary Diaries. Spice and Wolf is highly rated and in the same vein, but watching it in 2026 feels like playing the original Ocarina of Time right after playing more modern Zelda games. It only sort-of holds up. It was probably excellent for its time but after decades of other shows refining its formula it ends up seeming stilted.
First I should point out how rough the animation looks. Again, it probably was fine for its time, but I had to check when this came out. Released in 2008 it's not *that* old, but then again I'm really not all that familiar with how anime has progressed since I've mostly watched shows made after 2010. Anime techniques must have had a glow-up around then, because most of the s…
Read at the sourceScanerior
Spice and Wolf is a medieval fantasy anime that is easy to watch, and which works mainly thanks to the pair of main characters - Craft Lawrence & Horo (Holo). Wandering, trading, quarrels, joys, betrayals - these words describe most of the plot, with the fact that I actually enjoyed the part with the wandering and the ever-present "scuffles" between Lawrence and Horo the most. The plot itself is good, but the situation of failed trade and betrayal is actually too repetitive, which I found almost tiring. At times, one also got lost in the explanation of business matters - but there is the question of whether the problem is in the original, the subtitles or me. Anyway, I liked the series and I'm sorry that this original adaptation didn't get the chance to finish the story.
Read at the source50Fiftillididee
✒🍎Holo Lessons °7° °good° 💯%🔍 some minor spoilers
“In the beginning there was nothing. There was only North. And then there were the promises that were made… When human beings achieved enough on their own there was no reason to be faithful to their promise anymore.”
When merchant Lawrence Kraft rolls into town they are nearly ready for the harvest festival, and the people are excited. The Earl's new planting methods have yielded a bumper crop. There's no need to pray to that 🐺 anymore. Lawrence unties his wagon to unload and there's a woman sleeping there! Naked! She has Wolf ears! She has a TAIL! She claims her name is Holo. Holo is the old god who has been blessing their crops. Modern methods have made the people believe they don't need her. For most of her 600 years, she's kept he…
Read at the sourceDestron
I feel like Spice and Wolf is one of those animes that overall is pretty fine, but is overly hyped and over rated. When I saw the high rating from MAL, I had high hopes for this anime and judging based on what I've heard about this anime over the years I expected this to be a really good anime with lots of action. I've never actually seen or heard what this anime is about, however I have been told that Spice and Wolf is definitely worth the watch. My response to that is... it's just ok.
I shall say, whilst watching Spice and Wolf, I was debating on dropping it because it started out really really slow. If you're not into anime that is really slow, not much going on and shows no sign of having anything significant going on, then I can't recommend Spice. Not really anything happens until a…
Read at the sourceMaltard
My watch of Spice and Wolf occurred after finishing exams. My brain is rotted, and it showed during the duration of me watching this anime. When I learned that the main heroine was a wolf, I kept making jokes about "there are two wolves inside of you", and so kept spamming either the brainaneurysm.mp3 sound effect or some random gigachad theme. There were times where I talked about Holo being either locked in or tweaking because of this joke. Aside from this, there were the serious sections that talked about economics, and these sections were easy to watch because I watched with someone who was financially literate, unlike me who has zero clue what a bank loan means. This anime was pretty good, and maybe it was because I watched this in a lobotomized state, but I could barely tell you why…
Read at the sourceadaminop
Ok how was this made in 2008. This animation and drawing is on par with stuff that comes out today. This was a pretty good anime I like the heroine, but the MC was kinda dumb at times making really risky decisions just to have it all blow up in his face but some how making a profit at the end. I really wanted more when it came to the romance. The tags said that it has romance but I would say it have romantic subtext. I don't want to judge it too harshly cause it is an older anime and they are remaking it. But I feel like it is a little overhyped, I have seen a lot better romance anime's that had a much bigger impression on me. But overall was a decent time and fun to watch something that is considered a classic. 8/10
Read at the sourceLegionIscariot
Spice and Wolf is supernatural romance drama.
About a travelling merchant Lawrence who finds a wolf god Holo in his cart. And promises to escort her to the North.
Holo is supposed to bring luck and fortune. However Lawrence's life seems to have gone to hell ever since meeting her. He goes from misfortune to misfortune. From life threatening situation to life threatening situation.
That being said the 2 main characters are likeable. Lawrence is a good man. And Holo is worth the effort.
Along their journey they encounter alot of betrayal. But thankfully some good people aswell.
Its a well written story. With well written characters. With good bonds.
Read at the sourcepatkarunungan
Before I watch the remake, I figure I should watch this and find out if the original anime series is worth watching.
tl;dr: yes
Lawrence is a travelling merchant. Upon reaching a certain village, he met Holo 'the wise wolf.' She is a god-wolf who appears in the form of a cute girl but with wolf ears and a wolf tail. Although she has lived for many lifetimes, she can be silly just like any young girl.
Notwithstanding, she is knowledgeable in trade and negotiation which has proved to be of benefit to Lawrence. The goal of their travel is to go to Holo's birthplace up north.
Character Designs:
The character design for Holo is good and perhaps better than the remake. Lawrence is okay as he is, but some would hold the opinion that the remake's Lawrence is better.
OP/ED:
The OP sounds a…
Read at the sourcecriss_wendigo
i wont go into too much detail because i dont like that so in summanry, i personally loved it, but i know its too slow for some people, for some not enough drama or action oe just not too fast paced enough, so if you want something fast paced full of action or drama every second well, its not for you sadly
now i dont care too much of the level of animation and such and by design you know its age, i dont know about music so i dont care, but about story and charachters, thats what i focus at so as i said for sake of brevity, the charachters are not that deep, but are deep enough to be characters and not devices for the plot, nor just carticatures, the plot is good considering it have nowhere specific to go, since its a travel of a merchant, then he would just go back and forth between cities…
Read at the sourcebboy_X
This goes for both seasons.
I hate economics, but I love Spice and Wolf. I love the idea that if I become a spirit one day, I can acquire so much vast knowledge about the world of trading and economics that living will never be an issue. And then, just totally forgo all the knowledge I’ve obtained and had a part in controlling, to leech off a husbando generation after generation. Holo is wise, even as a goddess, what's the fun of living if you don’t have some stakes involved, and what’s a better way of doing that than attaching yourself to a traveling merchant who’s putting it all on the line in hopes of one day owning his own shop. Despite such a crazy plot, is this series any good?
Yeah it’s pretty good, because it manages to do so many things right. First off, hats off to the transla…
Read at the sourceAtlasEarth
Fairly solid first season that I can see many other folks really enjoying, but in terms of genre and pacing I am not necessarily looking for.
The VA work from the Japanese cast is rather good but I would say they aren’t throwing their all into the performances.
I think the actual best elements of the show, from the stuff I actually liked was the sound design and soundtrack. It very much builds a mood and vibe for the series.
Can also say the animation is pretty top notch even if I am not as enamored with character designs and other visual elements.
All and all this was a pretty decent vibes season of anime that I moderately enjoyed and I hope S2 can match or exceed that feeling.
Read at the sourceBenx2019
By modern standards the animation in general was lacking. The transformation was kind of impressive and the backgrounds were good, but everything was just rough. Characters were pretty deep and well written. They didn't really show their cards often when came to how they felt, but that's just reality. The story is one of the best I've seen, the world building is amazing and the storyline is very focused. Pacing was very good as well. With older anime you go in expecting to be bored at some point, but there is very little if any filler, and the pacing keep your attention. The voice acting is probably some of the best I've seen as well, just in terms of how the voices fit the characters and just feel right in nearly every scene. There weren't any incredibly emotional performances, but everyt…
Read at the sourceprimexamples
"Spice and Wolf" is a captivating and unique anime series that blends elements of fantasy, economics, and romance. The show takes place in a medieval world where humans coexist with various animal gods. The story follows the adventures of a traveling merchant, Kraft Lawrence, and a wolf goddess named Holo.
The anime's storytelling is its strongest aspect, as it manages to keep the audience invested in the characters and their journey. The interactions between Lawrence and Holo are charming and endearing, and the way their relationship develops over the course of the series is both heartwarming and exciting. The series also incorporates a lot of economic theory, which might seem dull at first but is surprisingly engaging and informative.
The animation and art style are beautiful, and the…
Read at the sourcejustatakae
Just finished the first season! I loved it. It is a very cute show with captivating characters. It is intelligently written. I think the best way to describe it is as a "Comfy show." It is very wholesome and it reminds me of autumn with the colors and mood. I love the art styles of the 00's and this very much fits in as part of that era. If you want something that is nice and relaxed, with wholesome characters and a great overarching storyline, you will enjoy this show. It also deals with a lot of economics in its world, and the way the characters behave, scheme, and react to events feels realistic and natural. Nothing about this anime feels forced. It just flows from quality story arc to quality story arc.
Read at the sourcedandelie
At first, I was skeptical about this story. I usually don't like a pairing where the main character is a creature that lives longer than their partner because the normal ones will just die and that's sad. But, I decided to give it a try. I was looking for a drama that is light but still hass some sense to it. Luckily, I found this. I absolutely loved is just because it suits the standard of what I'm looking for. I loved both Lawrence and Holo's wiseness and wittiness. I also got stressed when they were faced in some challenges so I guess the writing is also fine.
i would also very much like to mention about how informative this is about the medieval world and how corrupt the church was back then? (up until now tho). I was kinda scared that it's gonna romanticize the church and was ready…
Read at the sourceEyeAmTheI
This is one of the rare works that touched me deeply. So I might get a little bit sentimental in this review. Especially since I don't think I need to present this one to anyone. Watch one episode, if you find it boring then put it on hold, and try again in 5-10 years. Repeat this until you find the real value in this one. Sooner or later you'll understand the depth of it. I know it's a boomer thing to say, but hey, I'm really close to be a boomer...
I've been planning to watch this series for so long. It was about a decade ago when I first decided I'll watch this sometime. Time seems to pass quickly, but somehow I didn't found the correct time for it. And oh boy, it was the right decision.
This series definietly hit harder if you have already encountered certain feelings in your life. I…
Read at the sourceuWuDesuWooWoo
SPOILERS AHEAD
After about 10 years of hearing about Spice and Wolf, I finally decided to finish the first season. I distinctly remember this guy on /r/animemes with a profile dedicated to Holo, and the references of "if you like economics, you'll love Spice and Wolf!"
It is not an 8/10. I had to choose between giving it a 6 or a 7, and I would've given it a 6.5, but I'm not rounding up.
It is NOT a show about modern economics in any sense. It is basically a pseudointellectual medieval slice of life show that doesn’t care about any realities of medieval Europe (I’m thinking 400-1600 AD), that exposits 99% of the “details” of the world.
The landscapes/backgrounds have basically nothing to do with the show, with the exception of maybe 2 chase sequences, a forest chase scene in ep 12(?),…
Read at the sourceLeGreentea
first of all, this is my favorite anime for forever and im more into romantic animes but imma try to review this anime based on all its genres.
ADVENTURE**
Say no more, adventure lovers! this anime is all about wandering and adventuring all around the continent, lawrence is a wandering trader and holo is always by his side since she wanted to go back to her homeland but she got more and more engaged with lawrence because of his great and caring personality. You'll be satisfied with the sceneries, the music, nature sounds, the obstacles they have to pass through, and the characters they met and befriended on their way to holo's homeland.
FANTASY**
What can i say? it's a medieval-themed anime plus holo is a wolf god, there's no out-of-logic fantasies in the story, they even have to deal wi…
Read at the sourceSymphony1shark
To be honest? Medieval product exchange, and stocks is about as interesting and fun as reading a gym sock. The art and sound is nothing astounding, and just because you give a leading female main character ears and a tail doesn't mean they suddenly have character depth. And the male main character is so stale, I got bored at the idea of him. I get people like what they like, but after watching season 1 and 2, I'd say it'd be better to find almost any other anime to watch. I even went in with a clean slate, and had read the positive reviews to look for what people saw in it, and I honestly feel like it was a waste of time.
Read at the sourceGalacticAshla
While a lot of people have already said this, Spice and Wolf is a lot of dialog. However, despite this, the story is amazing. Spice and Wolf is an amazing story about a merchant and a Wolf Goddess named Holo. The plot is an intricate one and you need to pay attention to it to understand and appreciate it's depth. The art is absolutely beautiful and the whole anime has this hazy aesthetic to it (grain harvest vibe I guess haha). Holo and Lawrence are extremely interesting characters who I genuinely enjoyed all the way through the show (and s2). The romance between the two was authentic, respectful and made sense based on the time period the anime was put in... and tbh the truth of their romance put a tear in my eye.
Read at the source
