Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 15

Rating: B+ Things were a bit strained between Lawrence and Holo at the end of last episode, and clearly that still weighs on Lawrence as this episode starts; why else would he flash back to the last time he thought Holo was leaving him behind? That presumably plays a factor in why Lawrence decides toContinue reading “Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 15”

Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 14

Rating: A- With “New Town and Nostalgic Feeling,” the series begins the adaptation of novel 3, thus following the exact path trod by episode 1 of season 2 of the original adaptation. And like that adaptation, the depiction of Holo’s hangover after a night out drinking the strong stuff is epic. Whether this version orContinue reading “Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 14”

Spice & Wolf (2024) Episode 13

Rating: B+ As I surmised last review, the episode “Supper of Three and Afternoon of Two” covers the exact same content as “Wolf and the Amber Melancholy,” the OVA episode which served as the effective episode 0 for season 2 of the 2009 adaptation. Both are adaptations of a short story of the same nameContinue reading “Spice & Wolf (2024) Episode 13”

Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 12

Rating: B+ Last episode ended with Lawrence seemingly in deep trouble, though this time viewers don’t have to rely on meta knowledge to know that the worst for Lawrence is now past; with Holo around, humans are a much bigger threat to Lawrence than wolves. The irony here is that, while those humans find outContinue reading “Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 12”

Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 11

Rating: B+ Even if I hadn’t read the source novel or seen the original adaptation, I think I still would have seen all the major twists in this episode coming. While the series can pull off some genuine surprises, those are predicated more on readers/viewers not fully understanding how things work in a practical senseContinue reading “Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 11”

Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 10

Rating: A- The end of last episode found Lawrence at his lowest point, knowing that he was in trouble both financially and with his companion. Left with nowhere to go but up, he spends this episode gradually digging himself out of that hole, and he does so with the help of two formidable women: oneContinue reading “Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 10”

Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 9

Rating: B+ The original adaptation fell into a steady and familiar pattern throughout its two seasons: the first two episodes of each arc set up the circumstances as Lawrence and Holo move to a new location, encounter someone new who figures into the overall arc, and generally engage in more relaxed banter. The third episodeContinue reading “Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 9”

Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 8

Rating: B Like its name suggests, the episode “Fellow Traveler and Foreboding News” deals with two plot threads running in parallel: one concerning Lawrence and Holo’s encounter with the shepherdess Nora (and her dog Enek) and the other concerning various ominous notes about Lawrence’s business situation. Exactly how the two are connected is unclear asContinue reading “Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 8”

Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 7

Rating: B+ With this episode, this take on the source novels begins its adaptation of the second novel. It equates to episode 8 of the original series, since the original episode 7 was only released on DVD and adapts a short story which comes up later in the novels (but chronologically happens between novels 1Continue reading “Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 7”

Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 6

Rating: B- Whether you’re a newcomer to the franchise with this series or a long-established fan, this was always going to be the make-or-break episode for this adaptation’s first story arc: the point where Holo finally fully reveals her true form. Up until this point, the new adaptation has done a mostly-worthy job of matchingContinue reading “Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 6”