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May 4, 2013 1:37 PM

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Jan 2013
11047
8.75/10 Loved almost every minute of it.
May 4, 2013 10:44 PM

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Dec 2012
3002
Great ending to a great series. Lawrence sure caught me off guard when he explained that he called Holo's name because it was shorter! 9/10
May 12, 2013 8:53 PM

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Jan 2013
805
The ending was a little quick for me but like someone on the first page mentioned it's not an action anime so I guess I'll have to deal with it.

Holo was able to take care of the wolves and come back to save Lawrence. He mentions that she did "that" and she says not to say it. I'm not sure what they meant there but I'll read around to find out (maybe it's obvious and I'm just being dumb).

Holo was also able to control herself for both Nora and Levert or whatever his name was. She obviously cares a lot about Lawrence to honor his wishes over her instincts.

The ending was sweet. Holo caring about whose name he called out was so cute. It was the perfect opportunity for him to tell her because he loves her but he decides to joke about it twice. They both know it but they keep dragging it out by deferring which is funny and cute to watch but I can't wait till they finally say it. Excellent series and onward to season 2. I will probably get to the light novels once my backlog of projects gets smaller. Summer vacation needs to get here now!
-Nothing can stay unchanged. Even so, can you still keep on loving this place?

-Be still my soul; when change and tears are past, all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
May 14, 2013 5:13 AM

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Apr 2013
2282
The ending was fun. In the end he payed off his debt and the those who owned him are now being owned instead. And the part when Horo was expecting him to say her name was nice. At least he is the one who teased her this time.

Looking forward to the 2nd season.
Always-HungryApr 22, 2014 2:57 PM
May 16, 2013 2:20 AM

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Jan 2012
1485
Trade warfare! They did everything right. Great sound track, top notch ear twitching animations, interesting characters with quality seiyuu, engaging storylines, wolves with no nips. If only there was a sunset on the end scene....

Nushi out of 10.
NoobHunterDMay 16, 2013 2:25 AM
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Jul 26, 2013 6:35 PM

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Feb 2013
162
It was a very nice series! Now I'll watch S2 !
Horo and Lawrence are a cute couple :)

8/10
Aug 14, 2013 5:40 PM

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Sep 2011
489
Very good. Holo is very nice, and a good voice. Big Wolf was just epic.
Oct 1, 2013 7:58 PM

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Dec 2012
16083
An interesting series, the sense of adventure was there and I certainly enjoyed seeing things from the perspective of a merchant, even if many of the economic concepts went over my head. Horo is fantastically awesome and made each episode entertaining. The world building was good too, all of that lore really added an element of romanticism. The Spice for Dummies tidbits at the end added to the experience as well. I'll definitely be watching the sequel before the end of the year, 8/10.
Oct 9, 2013 5:20 PM
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Jan 2013
15981
The gong part at the end was hilarious. Holo going all Holo like toward Lawrence. Also Lawrence forgot to buy Holo those peaches and honey apples I presume.

Hopefully season two has lots of romance.

Oct 15, 2013 3:25 AM
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May 2013
1540
I like it , it's good. I hope the next season is better with more romance.
Nov 16, 2013 4:57 AM

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Jul 2013
311
I got so sad because I thought it ended! Really a fabulous anime, looking forward to watching the rest. I laughed so much when Lawrence said he probably said Horo because it's shorter. Everytime they blush, I feel so happy and cuted-out. Ah, what is this anime doing to me.
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Dec 13, 2013 2:48 PM

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Feb 2009
895
Great show, great soundtrack! Loved it! 9/10

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Dec 28, 2013 3:38 AM
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Nov 2013
171
Goddamn that was a good finale. Bumped this series from a very solid 8 to a 9 for me, by far my favorite episode. The first half had me on the edge of my seat, and the second had me cracking up non-stop. I also have to give props to the makers for ending it with the much more fitting OP, instead of the usual ED.

Really a unique show, and one that i enjoyed immensely. Who knew economics could be so interesting :). I thought that the soundtrack was at times a bit grating, but that is really my only complaint. Excellent characters, excellent dialogue, and a unique story. Add a fox-girl and I'm sold :p Holo's English voice actor is so excellent i just had to watch this one with the dub, something which very few anime can make me do. Lawrence's is impressive as well.

I did start on the manga recently, and i do like it a bit better than the anime. The art style is more fitting of the series, and more pleasing in general in my opinion. It is also easier to follow some of the more complicated specifics of the economics when you can read it at your pace, multiple times if need be, and study the diagrams. I have not read the light novels but from what little comparison i saw on the internet, i believe that the manga maybe follows them a bit more closely. For instance, Chloe's character is actually a man named Yarei in both the Light novels and the Manga. It is also less censored with regards to Holo's nudity, and the facial expressions are done perfectly, Holo is just a joy to look at :)
SatanicBeaverDec 28, 2013 3:42 AM
Dec 31, 2013 5:36 PM

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Feb 2013
402
I just finished re-watching the show and I liked it even more. Spice and Wolf is one of the few anime I will only watch dubbed because of how good Brina Palencia is as Holo.

9/10
Jan 5, 2014 9:11 PM

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Aug 2013
4245
That felt a bit rushed but still really awesome!

Holo in her wolf form is a total beast. I really though she fucked up when there was that black an white scene, but in the end, they all did the right choice. I hoped Liebert to get eaten alive, but I guess it isn't that kind of show :(

Lawrence is such a dirty merchant xD
He sure know how to pay back and keep his hand clean.

That ending was hilarious, great way to end a season :)
I'm really hyped for the second season, I have high hope, but I'm scared at the same time because I've heard that everyone that watched it have been devasted by the fact that there is no third season...
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Jan 5, 2014 9:23 PM

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Apr 2012
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minouneetzoe said:
That felt a bit rushed but still really awesome!

Holo in her wolf form is a total beast. I really though she fucked up when there was that black an white scene, but in the end, they all did the right choice. I hoped Liebert to get eaten alive, but I guess it isn't that kind of show :(

Lawrence is such a dirty merchant xD
He sure know how to pay back and keep his hand clean.

That ending was hilarious, great way to end a season :)
I'm really hyped for the second season, I have high hope, but I'm scared at the same time because I've heard that everyone that watched it have been devasted by the fact that there is no third season...


yes sadly ._. but watch the second season you won't be disappointed if u liked the first season :3 go read the source material after season 2 ._.

Feb 2, 2014 9:28 PM
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Jun 2013
159
My friends all told me to watch this anime for the economics - I had no clue what they meant until I actually watched the first few episodes xD

The economics was splendidly done. I thought I knew a lot about the exchange of goods in pre-modern times, but I actually learned a lot from the show.

In addition to the economics, I also loved the character interactions.
Overall, I give the first season an 8/10, and I'm a pretty harsh rater :)
Feb 26, 2014 3:51 AM

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Aug 2012
1098
This anime made me want to travel back in time and be a trader just like Lawrence lol.


Pretty good as a final episode, Holo was awesome as always and Nora was too adorable. I'm glad that she finally managed to cut her connection with the church and quit being a shepherd. The scene where Holo asked Lawrence to say her name was hilarious. And finally, dem blushes when Nora wished them happiness, cute!

8/10


and still waiting patiently for a 3rd season of Spice & Wolf :'|
Jun 4, 2014 10:33 PM

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Jul 2013
1760
Yup don't mess with Lawrence and Holo, betraying is something that they don't like. The Remerio Company got what they deserve through Lawrence's blackmail XD. And a happy ending right there, but who does he called out too.... Holo :D.

I just love the chemistry and the romantic build up between Lawrence and Holo, adventuring, and teaching great things about economics. It is also pretty unique that it's not a harem one where another girl joins in throughout the season, which is why I like the anime really much.

However the pacing was kind of slow in the beginning and I kind of got bored in a couple episodes. This gives me a 9/10. Well onward to the 2nd season.

Jun 13, 2014 4:26 PM

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Apr 2014
306
Absolutely amazing series. I wasn't sure about this show after the first episode but by episode 3 I was completely sold. I hope season 2 can keep pace and the romance continues at a good rate.
Jun 23, 2014 4:28 AM

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Jul 2012
660
Just finished it, it was "okay". Probably just not the anime of my taste but even so I did enjoy the fun between Holo and Lawrence.
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Aug 6, 2014 4:29 AM

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Oct 2013
619
I love it, nice atmosphere and it's so enjoyable to watch, at the end Lawrance was like "Lawrence was like "I must've unconsciously chosen to call your name for sure... because... ...because.. your name is a little shorter than hers" LMAO //facepalms


Overall score 9/10, now onto the 2nd season
Sep 25, 2014 5:31 PM

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Jun 2014
309
9/10.
Oct 7, 2014 4:50 PM

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Jul 2014
405
This anime very much surpassed my expectations and I'd give it a 9/10 ^_^ Welp on to the second season!
Oct 14, 2014 10:00 AM

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Oct 2013
4354
What a beautiful episode. ;___; I miss Nora already. Lawrence and Holo's interactions are just amazing, and the drama was very well done these last four episodes. Hopefully the second season is just as good.



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Oct 14, 2014 6:13 PM

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Nov 2013
51
Oh my god I envy you so much for just now watching this show :)
Nov 8, 2014 4:12 AM
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Feb 2014
37
lovely anime! I am anxious to watching the next season!
Nov 13, 2014 3:18 PM

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Aug 2014
843
Horo is so pretty. She and Lawrence can be a nice couple :)
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Nov 19, 2014 10:17 PM

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9206
They left us hanging! I feel for those who watched this when it originally aired. The ending definitely leaves you wanting more... That said, it was good for an open ending. No needless plot twists; just the ending notes of their latest predicament and a bit more Holo/Lawrence fun. Seeing Holo still concerned over Nora was kinda cute.

What a satisfying show. The focus (economics) was unique and was presented accurately; the character dynamic was great; the dialogue was fun; there was justified drama with reasonable conclusions; there was good romantic development. I could hardly ask for more. This is definitely worthy of a 9, possibly a 10. On the enjoyment side, it's close to favorite-dom, although I'll wait a bit longer before deciding on that.

I certainly plan on watching the sequel season.
Nov 27, 2014 9:07 PM

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Sep 2014
1641
Ahh~ Holo's wolf form never cease to amaze me.. Thought that scene where she kneeled down before the big wolf must've been a big blow to her pride.. I hope she can retain it again.. Youngsters *sigh*

A pretty good ending to this great show.. The last scene where they were teasing each other was fun to watch but I would've like it more if they ended it romantically.. Not that I'm complaining~

Anyways, this show was enjoyable to watch and I didn't regret watching it.. Holo is definitely hands down, best character.. Every EP was awesome 'cos of her haha!

Now then, on to S2! I hope it'll be as good (if not better) as this season.. Looking forward to it!

~ 8/10 ~
Dec 14, 2014 10:08 PM

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Sep 2014
7339
10/10, awesome show. Kinda wish they hadn't stopped after 2 seasons.
Jan 3, 2015 3:05 PM

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Nov 2012
4707
Great show 8/10.

Loved how Lawrence stated that he only said Holo's name because it was shorter & when he said he loved her as soon as the bell rang.

Really loved Holo & Lawrence's interactions,they had really great chemistry & made a great couple.
Feb 6, 2015 4:55 AM
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Nov 2009
11326
A sweet romance show with a bit of late medieval trading on the side. Will definitely check out the second season now.
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Mar 13, 2015 6:18 PM

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Mar 2012
5785
That was very enjoyable, just gotta love Holo and the way she acts :) Looking forward to checking out S2.
May 2, 2015 1:39 PM
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Nov 2014
26586
Great SoL show with good characters and osts, I'll be looking forward to watch S2.
May 7, 2015 4:47 PM

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Feb 2013
620
Wow, I loved this series.

There were so many great things about this anime, the music, the medieval fantasy setting, the story in general. But what really made me love it was the characters of Holo and Lawrence and their amazing interactions together. Holo in particular is an amazing character unlike any other, that just made every episode extremely entertaining.

I'm also usually someone who doesn't really care for the romance in most things, but even I couldn't ignore how cute Lawrence and Holo were together throughout this entire show. I personally think the romance was done exceptionally well.

I'll be looking forward to seeing more of Holo and Lawrence in the second season.

10/10
Jul 14, 2015 7:15 AM

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Mar 2013
63
I love shows like this that focus so much on the characters and their interactions, Lawrence
Jul 27, 2015 1:06 AM

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Jul 2015
2647
I'm gonna have to be one of the odd ones out here and say I was honestly not that impressed with this series. Holo was pretty much the only character that was entertaining, and any time someone else would step up and start to shine as a character, their time would be over; mainly Chloe and Nora. And while it certainly had some thought put into it, I just did not care at ALL about the economic happenings in the story. They were boring and had me wanting to do something else most of the time. There really was nothing wrong with the animation and music though, so I can't mark it in that regard.

6/10. Probably not going to watch the 2nd season, because I just don't care enough about the overall story, and while she is genuinely an awesome character, Holo is not enough to convince me to give it a shot...
Aug 28, 2015 4:34 PM

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Jun 2015
2572
Beautiful romance!! Love the opening and ending!
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Oct 10, 2015 8:05 PM

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May 2015
1829
Cute episode and cute show in general. My friend was raving about it but I honestly just wasn't that into this show. I mean I might watch the second season but this show just has too much business talk in it for me. I'm just not that interested in economic based things in my anime. Like, yay, you can do math and make money. Good for you. Now do something. I give it a 6/10.

Mystifire said:
I'm gonna have to be one of the odd ones out here and say I was honestly not that impressed with this series. Holo was pretty much the only character that was entertaining, and any time someone else would step up and start to shine as a character, their time would be over; mainly Chloe and Nora. And while it certainly had some thought put into it, I just did not care at ALL about the economic happenings in the story. They were boring and had me wanting to do something else most of the time. There really was nothing wrong with the animation and music though, so I can't mark it in that regard.

6/10. Probably not going to watch the 2nd season, because I just don't care enough about the overall story, and while she is genuinely an awesome character, Holo is not enough to convince me to give it a shot...


You basically just described my reaction to the entire series.
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Oct 24, 2015 8:19 PM

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Apr 2014
1651
Don't understand the business side of the story, but I like the interaction between Holo and Lawrence.
If I have to say Lawrence is naive...but what he say is right as well. Still he is too naive...almost got kill and still won't kill other.
Not bad. 7/10 on to next season.
Nov 5, 2015 10:22 PM
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May 2010
104
This was a thoroughly enjoyable series, and I agree with the pacing throughout.

It had a slow start, but fast paces work best when you already are invested in the characters. When too much happens with characters you don't know or care about, it's hard to get into them at all.

The ending didn't feel rushed, like some mentioned. It felt appropriate, and like it chose to terminate instead of drag on like some series' endings do. There wasn't a lot to say goodbye to after all.

As for the trade, currency exchange, negotiations, deals and betrayals... it's kind of in the description. If you weren't interested in stuff a merchant would do, why are you watching a series about a merchant? I mean sorry, but if that's your complaint, you're the problem, not the show. Personally, I do like that sort of stuff, and I was pleasantly surprised at the depth with which they addressed those topics, and how well it balanced out with the show as a whole. Seriously, once again, if your problem with the show was the business and trade aspects of it, you are the problem. I wouldn't go out and tell someone that a show about sports was a 6/10 simply because I don't like sports. It's not the show's fault if I choose to watch something I dislike.
Nov 13, 2015 5:58 PM

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Oct 2010
76
Yeah, I would have to agree with the latter comments of this thread and I would have say that this show is 6/10. By no means was the show bad, but at the same time it did not have enough strengths in it to call it great. One of the problems I had with this show is the romance. For an anime to have a huge focus on these two characters that obvious have a thing for each other, and for them to travel together that long and the relationship doesn't go anywhere is a slap in the face for me. I would of been fine with the two MC not hooking together, if there wasn't so much flirting and sexual tension between the two. There was literally nothing discouraging them or stopping them from being more than friend, so I'm just confuse on why have this platonic relationship this whole time.
Second problem with the show is I still don't think it translated that well into an anime. Too dialogue heavy, lots of dialogue is great and dandy for a novel, but for an anime to have so much dialogue you need to balance it with either better art or visual style, add more events, add a lot more animation in the dialogue or any combination of the three to make the anime exciting.
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Nov 13, 2015 10:31 PM
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Royce said:
There was literally nothing discouraging them or stopping them from being more than friend.


Really? She isn't human, is basically immortal, has just gone through centuries of mind-bending loneliness after losing someone who is obviously "more than a friend", and you think that just a couple of weeks of traveling with some merchant will be enough to overcome all of that? That, and you haven't even seen the second season yet (unless you're just posting in the season one thread instead of the season two one).

So really, don't be that guy. Just say why you didn't like it as much as others, and it's all good. Reaching for faulty arguments is unnecessary. If you haven't even read the novels, how would you know how well it translated into an anime? And you've clearly ignored the quality of things that you personally don't seem to care about, like voice acting, music, dialogue, and character nuance, among other things, so you probably have a different idea of greatness than others who would like Spice and Wolf to begin with.

What if I said Berserk '97 wasn't great because the voice acting was nothing special, the characters were pretty much flat, and the music and voice acting were mediocre at best? Hardly fair. But if I simply said I found it a 6/10 on my enjoyment scale, because the ending felt like a cheap attempt to make me read the manga, the relationships didn't really amount to much, and I would rather have had a more complete and compelling story than a bunch of grotesque violence and such, then it's not quite as insulting, it's just what I had hoped for from Berserk (which isn't my real opinion of Berserk '97, but you get the point).
Nov 14, 2015 4:44 AM

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Dec 2012
2928
No kiss. so 9/10

Nov 14, 2015 8:20 PM

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Oct 2010
76
BashZeStampeedo said:
Really? She isn't human, is basically immortal, has just gone through centuries of mind-bending loneliness after losing someone who is obviously "more than a friend", and you think that just a couple of weeks of traveling with some merchant will be enough to overcome all of that? That, and you haven't even seen the second season yet (unless you're just posting in the season one thread instead of the season two one).


Pretty much, yeah. I mean they were together for a couple of weeks for non stop/ 24 hours per day for most of the time. In my humble opinion I thought that was more than enough time for two love birds to start a fling together regardless of her past, but this is just my opinion. I don't remember a part where they said that an immortal and a mortal having a relationship was consider taboo, and most of the people in the series didn't even that Holo was even a wolf god thing or whatever she suppose to be.

I haven't seen the second season yet, I do plan on seeing it at some time. Since the first one did not thrill me as much I said I'd put it to the side until I finish watching some other shows I'd really wanted to watch. You might even say that this thread sparked back my interest of watching season 2 ;D
No, I have not read the novel and could not argue with you the difference between the novel and the anime, but in entertainment theory books with a lot of dialogue either internal or external does not translate well when put into a movie or tv format, and this usually the main reason why books turned to movie/show are not as good as the book, and this show had a lot of dialogue that at times that felt a little bit boring to me.

I would still recommend this show to a friend because I do believe it is a very mature show, it has a very unique feel to it, it is consider to be a classic to a lot people, and I know that I am in the minority when say that this show is just average to me, but I will admit that this would not be one of the first shows that I recommend out of the long list of anime that I enjoy a lot.

Believe when I say I'm not that guy, if you are referencing to people who rate something different (in most cases negatively) just to stand out of a crowd. Everything I rate and/or do in MAL is honesty as I possibly can be for the fact that I want to get other people honest opinion on anime so that I can have a better appreciation for shows I don't understand or shows I would not generally watch and I hope to do the same for others. I believe the best way to get people honest opinion is for me to be honest with others.

I get what you are say with the Berserk analogy, but I could not get mad if somebody did not like Berserk. While I am a huge Berserk fan as you can tell, I know some people who do feel that an ending will make or break a show is probably not going to like the Berserk's
and I'm ok with that. While it would still hurt me a little inside if somebody said they did not like Berserk, but I know the anime and movie is not without its' faults
.

BashZeStampeedo said:
And you've clearly ignored the quality of things that you personally don't seem to care about, like voice acting, music, dialogue, and character nuance, among other things, so you probably have a different idea of greatness than others who would like Spice and Wolf to begin with.


I will admit that I don't have a appreciation for voice acting and music like other people do. In most things that I watch directing, visual style, story, pacing, and characters are the things I focus on. As long as the acting is a least average that is more than enough for me to enjoy that character (I couldn't even give you a top five favorite actors because I don't have any favorite actors (I know, weird)). As far as music goes as long as it fits the show, that good enough for me. I don't mind a lot dialogue as long as it is exciting like the Monogatari series, Mononoke, Kuuchuu Buranko or Quentin Tarantino's movie.
Now when I go into season 2 I will have a bigger focus on the voice acting and music.
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Nov 15, 2015 10:36 AM
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Royce said:

I mean they were together for a couple of weeks for non stop/ 24 hours per day for most of the time. In my humble opinion I thought that was more than enough time for two love birds to start a fling together regardless of her past, but this is just my opinion.


It still feels to me like you're taking for granted that these are two very isolated individuals, not your average lovebirds. I can see why you'd be disappointed that things don't progress more quickly, but I don't think it's a stretch that a career-obsessed guy who isn't used to normal human interactions, and a creature who was bitterly alone for centuries, would be able to lower their defenses like a regular pair of people would. At any rate, it's just a difference of opinion, I was just surprised that you seemed to miss those elements entirely.

Royce said:

Believe when I say I'm not that guy, if you are referencing to people who rate something different (in most cases negatively) just to stand out of a crowd.


No, I meant "that guy who tries too hard to sound like he knows what he's talking about". You don't have to do that. It's perfectly useful and honest to just say what you liked/didn't about the anime, without also making weird arguments that obviously don't hold up to scrutiny. In theory, Spice and Wolf could easily be better as an anime too, so that kind of argument is pointless and detracts from your review in my opinion.

Royce said:

but I could not get mad if somebody did not like Berserk.


Sure, but that wasn't my point. I'm not upset that you didn't like Spice and Wolf S1, I was just hinting that people tend to appreciate Spice and Wolf for things you didn't seem to even consider. It's not that I think you'll enjoy it like they do, but I feel it's worth knowing what others enjoy about an anime, as it's easy to get locked in your expectations even if a story isn't even aiming for those things.

Royce said:

I will admit that I don't have a appreciation for voice acting and music like other people do. In most things that I watch directing, visual style, story, pacing, and characters are the things I focus on.


That's a-ok, but you seem to have specific things you're looking for in each of those dimensions. As I said, it's easy to lock yourself into only looking for what you want, and miss what the anime is actually trying to present to you instead. This isn't quite a standard romance, especially in anime terms. If you can't buy into the emotional fragility of the characters, or that they might not really be sure that they even want a romance in the first place, then it'll be really tough to care about what's going on. Even if the characterization and pacing is deliberately set to give you a chance to get to know the character's subtler aspects without too much exposition or winking at the camera.

Incidentally, this is a case where some people can appreciate the dub more than the subs; there's something about reading the lines that makes it easy to miss subtler things going on in the anime, plus in this case at least the dub is generally considered to be of comparable quality to the subs.
Nov 15, 2015 9:41 PM

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BashZeStampeedo said:
No, I meant "that guy who tries too hard to sound like he knows what he's talking about".


When I talk about topics like that one the chances are I am not making stuff up to sound smart, but I'm able to talk about it because I know a good deal about the subject from a technical standpoint and I like to speak on stuff coming from a subjective standpoint too. The argument about books not translating well into shows or movies is not something I've created, I got that theory from both Scott McCloud in one of his Making Comic Books series and from the Screenwriter's Bible. If you don't think my words hold weight, well I'll give you a little bit of my educational background.

I went to art high school for three year and studied Fine Art as my major.
I major in Media Arts and Animation for 4 years in college.
I have read plenty of books outside of school including The Animator Survive Kit, The Illusion of Life, The Screenwriter's Bible, Scott McCloud's Making Comics series, Shot by Shot, and couple more book that I can't remember their names.
I watched over 500+ hrs of animating tutorials
I been watching anime since the early 90s with over 200 different series that I've seen.
I also read recent articles on animation news, theory, and tutorials online.

Even with all that I still value everybody opinion, I do have a good understand from an animation and technical standpoint, but doesn't mean that somebody who don't have that same background in art opinion mean nothing. Even with all that knowledge doesn't mean that I know everything about animation or anime, and that is the reason that I still ask people how about a certain anime because it help me grow as admirer of anime and as an animator.

BashZeStampeedo said:
It still feels to me like you're taking for granted that these are two very isolated individuals, not your average lovebirds. I can see why you'd be disappointed that things don't progress more quickly, but I don't think it's a stretch that a career-obsessed guy who isn't used to normal human interactions, and a creature who was bitterly alone for centuries, would be able to lower their defenses like a regular pair of people would. At any rate, it's just a difference of opinion, I was just surprised that you seemed to miss those elements entirely.


While I guess we will have agree to disagree on why they couldn't have romantic relationship, but I would have to say that is a really good argument on why they just could not hook up, and hands down the best argument I heard for this.

BashZeStampeedo said:
Incidentally, this is a case where some people can appreciate the dub more than the subs; there's something about reading the lines that makes it easy to miss subtler things going on in the anime, plus in this case at least the dub is generally considered to be of comparable quality to the subs.


I agree, I feel the same way. I actually like dubs more than subs, and I always feel that watching subs take away from the immersion of watching a show and I can't focus on the art and other thing in the anime as much as I would like. I thought the voice acting was pretty good for the series. I don't know if I heard her voice before, but I thought that the voice for Holo was good and I still can remember her voice like it was yesterday, and even though I've seen the Spice and Wolf about a year ago. I think I would've had a harder time liking the show if I had to watch the sub.
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Royce said:
BashZeStampeedo said:
No, I meant "that guy who tries too hard to sound like he knows what he's talking about".
When I talk about topics like that one the chances are I am not making stuff up to sound smart, but I'm able to talk about it because I know a good deal about the subject from a technical standpoint and I like to speak on stuff coming from a subjective standpoint too.


That specific argument doesn't really hold up, though. Spice and Wolf is really not too dialogue-heavy, as you seem to believe it is. Many anime are even heavier and slower for longer periods of time, say Steins;Gate or Hyouka, yet they too are not considered relatively poor adaptations nor lacking in greatness. The devil is in the subjective details.

Maybe it won't sound as confrontational and will make more sense if I just suggest that next time, you simply state that the show didn't have anything that interested *you* to offset how dialogue-heavy it is. Others found plenty; body language, wit of dialogue, mood, music, economic ideas, and so on, but those are quite subtle, and you apparently aren't usually taken by them. Which is fine, as the point of reviews is usually to speak to those with similar tastes and give others a fresh perspective.

I basically just recommend not mixing objectivity with subjectivity, unless you're going on far more than just gut instinct based on what you've seen in other anime/etc. The general case is unlikely to apply to a work which is so clearly an outlier in its given medium and genre, and making a pretty bold claim without substantiating it does both your review and the anime a disservice.

I realize how insistent and silly I must seem with this, but I truly enjoy good arguments and debates about such things, yet I didn't really get either. What I got was the equivalent of "trust me, I know what I'm talking about, it's too dialogue-heavy... even though I seem to have missed all these other aspects of the anime, which kinda contradicts that I know what I'm talking about." But I'm not trying to be harsh, so much as make a suggestion (I'm just a very insistent person).
BashZeStampeedoNov 16, 2015 8:03 AM
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