OX/Twitter Spice & Wolf: merchant meets the wise wolf (Ōkami to Kōshinryō: merchant meets the wise wolf), the new anime series based on the novel Spice and Wolf of Isuna Hasekura and Ayakurarevealed this promotional image for “Ikyо̄ no Kamigami no Denshо̄” (Legend of the Pagan Gods), the new arc that will begin on August 19, 2024. The original 2008 anime did not adapt this arc.
Present in the image above, the cast includes:
- Lynn like Elsa
- Atsushi Abe like Evan
The animation was delivered to the studio Passion (Interspecies Reviewers, Joshikousei no Mudazukai, Citrus), Takeo Takahashi remains the chief director and the management has passed to Hijiri Sanpei (direction of episodes of the first anime). The music was given to Kevin Penkin (Made in Abyss, Tower of God, The Rising of The Shield Hero).
In the cast we see the return of Jun Fukuyama like Lawrence and Ami Koshimizu like Holo.
Spice & Wolf began publication in 2006 with illustrations by Jū Ayakura. The novel took a break after the 17th volume in 2011 and returned with the 18th volume in 2016. The 23rd and final volume was released in September 2021.
Hasekura started a spinoff series, Wolf & Parchment: New Theory Spice & Wolfin April 2016.
The story of Spice & Wolf revolves around Lawrence, a traveling merchant who trades various goods from town to town to earn a living in a stylized setting with a strong European historical influence. Having already been in business for seven years, during which he has accumulated experience in commerce, his main goal is to raise enough money to open his own shop. One night, in the town of Pasloe, he encounters a pagan Goddess/deity named Holo in his cart, who is over 600 years old.
Most of the time, she takes human form, except for her wolf-like tail and ears, and appears to be a beautiful young girl, but her true form is that of a large brown and white wolf (with shades that resemble a fox). Introducing herself as the harvest goddess of Pasloe, she reveals that she has been responsible for blessing the town with good wheat harvests for many years. However, believing that the people have either abandoned their belief in her or no longer hold her as dearly as they once did, she decides to return to her homeland in the north of the country, a place called Yoitsu, intending to travel with Lawrence to see how the world has changed.
She manages to negotiate her way out of the village, making a deal with him to take her with him, which means they will be separated at the end of the journey. As they travel, her wisdom and insight help increase Lawrence’s profits, but at the same time, her true nature attracts the unwanted attention of the church, which, combined with dealings with dishonest merchants, puts them in dangerous situations.
Spice & Wolf inspired two anime series directed by Takeo Takahashi and written by Naruhisa Arakawa. The first season aired from January to March 2008 and the second from July to September 2009.
A virtual reality anime premiered in June 2019 for Oculus Rift, HTC VIVE, and Oculus Go Edition. A sequel premiered in December 2020.
