Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf is an anime television series based on the light novel series Spice and Wolf written by Isuna Hasekura and illustrated by Jū Ayakura. The story follows a 25-year-old traveling merchant named Kraft Lawrence who meets Holo, a female wolf deity of harvest. Holo, bound to a nearby town by an old promise to ensure a good wheat harvest every year, escapes with Lawrence when the townspeople stop believing in her. Lawrence promises to take her north to her homeland, Yoitsu, while she helps him with his business transactions along the way in return.
A new anime adaptation was announced in February 2022, as part of the light novel's 15-year anniversary.[1] It was later confirmed to be an anime series remake, titled Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf, produced by Passione and directed by Hijiri Sanpei, with Takeo Takahashi returning from the previous adaptation as chief director, Kevin Penkin composing the music, and both Jun Fukuyama and Ami Koshimizu returning to reprise their roles as Lawrence and Holo respectively.[2] The series aired from April 2 to September 24, 2024, on TV Tokyo and its affiliates.[3][4][5][a] The first opening theme song is "Tabi no Yukue" (旅のゆくえ, lit. 'Journey's Destination') performed by Hana Hope, while the first ending theme song is "Andante" (アンダンテ) performed by ClariS.[6] The second opening theme song is "Sign" performed by Aimer, while the second ending theme song is "Ringo to Kimi" (りんごと君, lit. The Apple and You) performed by NeRiAme.[7] Crunchyroll licensed the series outside of Asia.[8] In March 2024, Netflix announced that it would be streaming the series in select Asian regions.[9]
Following the finale of the first season, a second season was announced.[10]
Episodes
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title [11][12] | Directed by [b] | Written by [b] | Storyboarded by [b] | Original air date [a] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "The Harvest Festival and The Crowded Driver's Box" Transliteration: "Shūkaku-sai to Semaku Natta Gyosha-dai" (Japanese: 収穫祭と狭くなった御者台) | Mitsuki Kitamura | Tatsuhiko Urahata | Takeo Takahashi | April 2, 2024 |
| 2 | 2 | "Mischievous Wolf and No Laughing Matter" Transliteration: "Itazura Ōkami to Waraenai Jōdan" (Japanese: いたずら狼と笑えない冗談) | Akifumi Komori | Tatsuhiko Urahata | Hijiri Sanpei | April 9, 2024 |
| 3 | 3 | "Port Town and Sweet Temptation" Transliteration: "Minatomachi to Amai Yūwaku" (Japanese: 港町と甘い誘惑) | Tatsuya Hagino | Tatsuhiko Urahata | Shinji Itadaki | April 16, 2024 |
| 4 | 4 | "Romantic Merchant and Moonlit Festival" Transliteration: "Yumemi-ga China Shōnin to Tsuki Akari no Wakare" (Japanese: 夢見がちな商人と月明りの別れ) | Shunichi Kato | Tatsuhiko Urahata | Hijiri Sanpei | April 23, 2024 |
| 5 | 5 | "Wolf Incarnate and Obedient Lamb" Transliteration: "Ōkami no Kenshin to Jūjun na Kohitsuji" (Japanese: 狼の化身と従順な子羊) | Yū Yabuuchi | Tatsuhiko Urahata | Takeo Takahashi | April 30, 2024 |
| 6 | 6 | "Merchant and Unreasonable God" Transliteration: "Shōnin to Rifujin na Kami" (Japanese: 商人と理不尽な神) | Shunichi Kato | Tatsuhiko Urahata | Shinji Itadaki | May 7, 2024 |
| 7 | 7 | "Scale of God and Sorcerer of the Grasslands" Transliteration: "Kami no Tenbin to Sōgen no Majutsushi" (Japanese: 神の天秤と草原の魔術師) | Tatsuya Hagino | Yuki Nekota | Masayuki Sakoi | May 14, 2024 |
| 8 | 8 | "Fellow Traveler and Foreboding News" Transliteration: "Tabi no Michidzure to Fukitsu-na Shirase" (Japanese: 旅の道連れと不吉な知らせ) | Yūta Kida | Yukito Kizawa | Takeo Takahashi | May 21, 2024 |
| 9 | 9 | "Sweet Honey and Bitter Armor" Transliteration: "Amai Mitsu to Nigai Yoroi" (Japanese: 甘い蜜と苦い鎧) | Hiroki Moritomo | Yuki Nekoda | Shinji Itadaki | May 28, 2024 |
| 10 | 10 | "Wisdom of a Wolf and Smooth Talk of a Merchant" Transliteration: "Ōkami no Chie to Shōnin no Kuchiguruma" (Japanese: 狼の知恵と商人の口車) | Yū Yabuuchi | Yukito Kizawa | Takeo Takahashi | June 4, 2024 |
| 11 | 11 | "Forest of Wolves and Frigid Rain" Transliteration: "Ōkami no Mori to Itetsuku Ame" (Japanese: 狼の森と凍てつく雨) | Shunichi Kato, Takahiro Majima, Hironori Aoyagi & Yūta Kida | Yuki Nekoda | Takashi Sano | June 11, 2024 |
| 12 | 12 | "Price of Betrayal and Price of Gold" Transliteration: "Uragiri no Daika to Ōgon no Daika" (Japanese: 裏切りの代価と黄金の代価) | Tatsuya Hagino | Yukito Kizawa | Hiroko Kazui | June 18, 2024 |
| 13 | 13 | "Supper of Three and Afternoon of Two" Transliteration: "Sannin no Bansan to Futari no Gogo" (Japanese: 三人の晩餐と二人の午後) | Takashi Ikehata & Mitsuki Kitamura | Yukito Kizawa | Masae Nakayama | June 25, 2024 |
| 14 | 14 | "New Town and Nostalgic Feeling" Transliteration: "Atarashī Machi to Bōkyō no Omoi" (Japanese: 新しい町と望郷の思い) | Tatsuya Hagino | Yukito Kizawa | Takeshi Mori | July 2, 2024 |
| 15 | 15 | "Bird Feather and Mysterious Ore" Transliteration: "Tori no Hane ro Fushigina Kōseki" (Japanese: 鳥の羽と不思議な鉱石) | Yūta Kida | Yukito Kizawa | Takeshi Mori | July 9, 2024 |
| 16 | 16 | "Night of the Festival and Misaligned Gear" Transliteration: "Matsuri no Yoru to Kurutta Haguruma" (Japanese: 祭りの夜と狂った歯車) | Hiroki Moritomo | Yukito Kizawa | Masae Nakayama | July 16, 2024 |
| 17 | 17 | "Traveling Merchant's Shallow Thinking and Town Merchant's Signboard" Transliteration: "Gyōshōnin no Asadjie to Machi Shōnin no Kanban" (Japanese: 行商人の浅知恵と町商人の看板) | Satoshi Saga | Yukito Kizawa | Masae Nakayama | July 23, 2024 |
| 18 | 18 | "Goods of Intent and Negotiation of Resolve" Transliteration: "Ketsui no Tsumini to Kakugo no Kōshō" (Japanese: 決意の積荷と覚悟の交渉) | Shunichi Kato | Yukito Kizawa | Takeo Takahashi | July 30, 2024 |
| 19 | 19 | "God's Unseen Hand and Wolf's Unseen Heart" Transliteration: "Miezareru Kami no Te to Miezareru Ōkami no Kokoro" (Japanese: 見えざる神の手と見えざる狼の心) | Takashi Ikehata, Lee Ki-Chang, Hito Tadano, Hiroki Moritomo & Tatsuya Hagino | Yukito Kizawa | Hiroyuki Shimazu | August 13, 2024[c] |
| 20 | 20 | "Church Girl and Miller Boy" Transliteration: "Kyōkai no Shōjo to Konahiki no Shōnen" (Japanese: 教会の少女と粉挽きの少年) | Tatsuya Hagino, Satoshi Saga, Hito Tadano, Miki Sorakubo & Vu Ngoc Tram | Yukito Kizawa | Takeo Takahashi | August 20, 2024 |
| 21 | 21 | "Pagan Village and Priest's Contract" Transliteration: "Itan no Mura to Shisai no Keiyaku" (Japanese: 異端の村と司祭の契約) | Mitsutaka Noshitani | Yukito Kizawa | Kenji Setō | August 27, 2024 |
| 22 | 22 | "Church Teachings and Memories of Father" Transliteration: "Kyōkai no Oshie to Chichi no Kioku" (Japanese: 教会の教えと父の記憶) | Hiroki Moritomo, Hito Tadano, Tatsuya Hagino & Shunichi Kato | Yukito Kizawa | Takeo Takahashi | September 3, 2024 |
| 23 | 23 | "Orchestrated Catastrophe and Appropriate Retribution" Transliteration: "Shikumareta Saika to Shikarubeki Mukui" (Japanese: 仕組まれた災禍としかるべき報い) | Cheng Xianfu | Yukito Kizawa | Hiroyuki Morita | September 10, 2024 |
| 24 | 24 | "Path of the Snake God and Answer of the Wise Wolf" Transliteration: "Hebi-shin no Michi to Ken Ōkami no Kotae" (Japanese: 蛇神の道と賢狼の答え) | Tatsuya Hagino, Hito Tadano, Miki Sorakubo & Vu Ngoc Tram | Yukito Kizawa | Hiroyuki Morita & Takashi Sano | September 17, 2024 |
| 25 | 25 | "Miracle's Path and Journey's Continuation" Transliteration: "Kiseki no Yukue to Tsudzuku Tabiji" (Japanese: 奇跡の行方と続く旅路) | Shunichi Kato, Mitsuki Kitamura, Hito Tadano, Daishō Miyagi & Takashi Ikehata | Yukito Kizawa | Takeo Takahashi | September 24, 2024 |
See also
edit
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (February 25, 2022). "Spice & Wolf Fantasy Novels Get New Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
- ^ Harding, Daryl (June 29, 2023). "Spice and Wolf's New Anime Project to Broadcast in 2024". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on June 29, 2023. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- ^ Tai, Anita (December 31, 2023). "New Spice & Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf TV Anime Airs in April". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 31, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 11, 2024). "Spice & Wolf: merchant meets the wise wolf Anime Debuts on April 1". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 11, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
- ^ "Blu-ray | TVアニメ『狼と香辛料 MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF』". spice-and-wolf.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 6, 2024. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
- ^ Cayanan, Joanna (March 17, 2024). "Spice & Wolf: merchant meets the wise wolf Anime Reveals Theme Song Artists". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 27, 2024. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 28, 2024). "Aimer, NeRiAme Perform New Themes for Spice & Wolf: merchant meets the wise wolf Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
- ^ Mateo, Alex (October 13, 2023). "Crunchyroll to Stream Kaiju No. 8, Spice and Wolf, The Unwanted Undead Adventurer, 7th Time Loop, Sengoku Youko, More Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ Tan, Melvyn (March 21, 2024). "Netflix To Stream New Spice and Wolf Anime in Asia". Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
- ^ Mateo, Alex (September 23, 2024). "Spice & Wolf: merchant meets the wise wolf Anime Gets 2nd Season". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
- ^ "TVアニメ『狼と香辛料 MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF』". spice-and-wolf.com (in Japanese). Retrieved September 3, 2024.
- ^ "Watch Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF - Crunchyroll". Crunchyroll. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
- ^ Jovanovic, Marko (July 30, 2024). "Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf Episode 19 Delayed to August 12". Anime Corner. Archived from the original on August 6, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
External links
edit- Official anime website (in Japanese)
- Official website at Crunchyroll
- Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf at IMDb
- Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia