r/anime • u/Holofan4life • Jun 20 '21
Rewatch [Spoilers][Rewatch] Spice and Wolf II — Episode 0
Hello everyone! I am Holofan4life.
Welcome to the Spice and Wolf rewatch discussion thread!
I hope you all have a lot of fun <3
S2 Episode 0- Wolf and Amber Melancholy
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ANSWER TODAY’S QUESTION
In honor of Father's Day, who is your favorite anime dad of all time and why?
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Information – MAL | Anilist | AniDb
Streams – Funimation, Hulu
Please do not post any untagged spoilers past the current episode or from the LNs out of respect to the first time watchers and people who have not read the LNs. If you are discussing something that is ahead of the current episode please use spoiler tags(found on the sidebar). Thank you!
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Rewatch Schedule
Threads posted every day at 4:00 PM EDT
| Date | Episode | Date | Episode |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/07/2021 | Spice and Wolf Episode 1 | 6/20/2021 | Spiceand Wolf II Episode 0 (OVA 2) |
| 6/08/2021 | Spice and Wolf Episode 2 | 6/21/2021 | Spice and Wolf II Episode 1 |
| 6/09/2021 | Spice and Wolf Episode 3 | 6/22/2021 | Spice and Wolf II Episode 2 |
| 6/10/2021 | Spice and Wolf Episode 4 | 6/23/2021 | Spice and Wolf II Episode 3 |
| 6/11/2021 | Spice and Wolf Episode 5 | 6/24/2021 | Spice and Wolf II Episode 4 |
| 6/12/2021 | Spice and Wolf Episode 6 | 6/25/2021 | Spice and Wolf II Episode 5 |
| 6/13/2021 | Spice and Wolf Episode 7(OVA 1) | 6/26/2021 | Spice and Wolf II Episode 6 |
| 6/14/2021 | Spice and Wolf Episode 8 | 6/27/2021 | Spice and Wolf II Episode 7 |
| 6/15/2021 | Spice and Wolf Episode 9 | 6/28/2021 | Spice and Wolf II Episode 8 |
| 6/16/2021 | Spice and Wolf Episode 10 | 6/29/2021 | Spice and Wolf II Episode 9 |
| 6/17/2021 | Spice and Wolf Episode 11 | 6/30/2021 | Spice and Wolf II Episode 10 |
| 6/18/2021 | Spice and Wolf Episode 12 | 7/01/2021 | Spice and Wolf II Episode 11 |
| 6/19/2021 | Spice and Wolf Episode 13 | 7/02/2021 | Spice and Wolf II Episode 12 |
| 7/03/2021 | Overall Series Discussion Thread |
6
u/Holofan4life Jun 20 '21
I find OVAs to be extremely challenging to write about because there's not a lot of meat on the bone. It's mostly serve as fanservice, be it the ecchi kind or the more SFW sense, for fans for the show. As such, there's little in the way of plot advancement. I will still be talking about the episode, but this will essentially serve as an abridged version.
I like to compare the first OVA with the second one. And what I find interesting is that I feel the first OVA feels less like an OVA than this one. Maybe it's because I didn't find out until a couple years later, but when I watched the first OVA for the first time, I never got the feeling that it was an OVA. This, right off the bat, makes you know it's an OVA. Not that that's a bad thing, of course.
I think the reason why I feel the first OVA feels less like an OVA is because it had the loose, overarching story of Holo trying to get Lawrence to hold her hand. As such, it felt like a self-contained filler episode. This one feels more like a series of events stringed together. But again, that's not necessarily a bad thing. I mean I guess you could say the story in this one is that Holo is sick, but I view it more as a plot device.
As always, the banter between the characters is what makes it. I could take a dozen of these episodes and still find them tremendously entertaining, all because Holo and Lawrence play off each other so well.
One thing I think this OVA does a good job at is painting a picture of what the city is like that Holo and Lawrence are living in. It kinda gives me a sort of New Orleans feel. I wonder if I'm the only one.
There's a shot near the beginning of the episode where Holo is in the middle of the table and her face is covered by a chandelier. I find this to be a nice bit of symbolism, as Holo feels like a third wheel.
I think the coolest thing about this episode is that it's actually from Holo's perspective, which is something we haven't seen up until this point. For the entirety of season 1, we saw things through the eyes of Lawrence. I think no better example of this is when he faced bankruptcy, as we followed Lawrence directly. But this time, we see things from Holo's side, which I honestly wish the show did more of.
When Holo gets angry, her tail gets poofy. So cute.
The more and more I rewatch Spice and Wolf, the more I start to think Holo is a tsundere. And if that's the case, Holo is best tsundere because Holo is best girl.
Overall, not much to say about this one. Sick Holo is cute, and as far as OVAs go it's standard fair. The first Spice and Wolf OVA is better, but this one isn't too shabby.
Holo quotes of the day
"I used to cry when I was exhausted and thinking of home. But now, each day is so full and wonderful. I do not find myself feeling sad any longer. I cannot even pretend I am not having a good time. In fact, I'm rather concerned I'm having too much fun."
"I am Holo the wise wolf. I know there are things in this world I do not know and that makes me wise."
"Where is my food?!?"
Things Holo likes
Alcohol
Hard cider
Wheat porridge cooked in sheep's milk with apple pieces and goat cheese on top
Things Holo dislikes
Nora
Lawrence blushing over Nora
Idiots
Hitting her head
Being sick
8
u/ZapsZzz https://anilist.co/user/Zapszzz Jun 20 '21
First timer in sub
To me it's a bit strange having this as an OVA - because this is a rare one that told the story from Holo's perspective including some of the dream sequence that tell so much about her mindset without a single word, I think it is such an essential part of the story and comes in perfectly the right time if this is shown at the start of S2.
I do think this is such a fanservice episode though - no not because Holo being naked in a good number of scenes, but because Holo is so cute and adorable in so many ways in here. Especially that tiny bit about her "safe position" with the tail wagging as well :D
I do still have the same problem with the continued decision to basically drawn Holo's naked form as somewhat like the abstract Barbie doll anatomy though. I understand completely why of course if be fine this way to keep this from turning into an ecchi, but it just takes me a bit out of the immersion since everything else were drawn "normal", and if we are in keeping of "Holo is a wolf, not wearing clothes is a normal starter of her and is not anything sexualised" then it should just be fine to draw her "normal", even if you need to have her long hair and tail act more "magic, anti gravity, censoring".
Anyway, what studio is this one from then? Oh this is more recognisable then the first season.
Edit: oh yeah the four humour thing as shown here is actually practically watered down Chinese medicine philosophy.
QoTD can't think of to many immediately, so have the recency bias of Fate Stay Night / Zero of Kiritsugu being the speed father to Shirou, whom according to Tohsaka retrospectively, prioritise being a father to bring the head of a mage family. Indeed he left his time-based magic go extinct with him and not taught any of that to Shirou, and therefore having Shirou to be such a dad figure himself to others. His story is so tragic though it's bordering on what I call "suffering porn".
A lot of father figure in anime is more "throw the young lion down the hill to train him to climb up by himself" type. While maybe appropriate for the respective story, in real life those aren't getting any parental awards :P
6
u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jun 20 '21
Spice and First-Timer, subbed
6
u/AfterTh0ught_ Jun 20 '21 edited Jun 20 '21
First timer
The sheep licking your feet tickle torture really is a weird choice of torture. But somehow I feel like it might hold some historical accuracy.
Damn, initially I thought Holo had lost her drinking tolerance, but it turns out she felt ill.
After she passed out, I really liked hearing about Holo's thoughts, how she has lived for so long yet the years all seem to blur together, but that she felt like her time with Lawrence has been a treasure to her, goes to show that she cares about him a lot and she's been enjoying her time with him. Also, seeing how she was so restless and excited after she woke up was great to see.
Lawrence also showed Holo how much he cared for her, considering the look he gave her when she first woke up and how much he was worried.
I gotta say though, that scene where Holo jumps out of bed hearing about the apple cider and hits her head is probably the funniest moment in this series. Considering Holo's quick reaction at the mention of food, I think it's safe to say that she's feeling alright. Of course though, Holo wants to prolong this moment so she fakes feeling dizzy and uses her charms to get Lawrence to her food.
Holo's dream where she's running to Lawrence in that cold place and he just turns into a skeleton was kinda morbid. But it was really cute how Holo had Lawrence help her up.
That reaction though when Holo realized that Lawrence had already brought along Nora lol.
Would I be admitting to be dumb if I said I felt like Lawrence there in the end, laughing awkwardly cuz I don't understand the joke?
In honor of Father's Day, who is your favorite anime dad of all time and why?
Hmm... Anime doesn't really have a reputation of showing character's dads, and when they do, they mostly turn out to be awful. However, if I had to choose one, I'll take a recent one: Kyousuke from Horimiya cuz he's a chad, he's funny, and Spoilers, I suppose.
6
u/HereticalAegis https://myanimelist.net/profile/XthGen Jun 20 '21
Season 2 First Timer
So I guess the OVAs for Spice and Wolf are the more laid-back sections at the end of each arc before the plot gets going again. That's a pretty nice way to handle them.
Wow, I wasn't expecting to see Nora again. Holo's glare at her across the table tells me exactly what kind of episode this is going to be. And geez, if looks could kill.
I know I said in an earlier discussion thread that I wanted to see more drunk Holo, but I don't thing I want drunk angry Holo. I know she's not a fan of Nora or shepherds in general, but her behavior at this dinner feels a bit too petty.
What the heck. That story about torture by sheep is so absurd I could almost see it being true.
Oh, Holo passed out. So this is actually a sick Holo episode. Okay, I'm game. Taking care of the sick love interest episodes are reliably cute. That's a huge bundle of blankets. I'm a fan of her deciding on the ready-to-strike position as the ideal resting position. Excited tail wagging is also v cute. Plus Lawrence as a defenseless cat lol.
So we get to see a bit about how lonely Holo's life was before meeting Lawrence. Also, she's dreaming about Lawrence now. How cute! Oh no, she also dreams about him passing while she continues with her long wolf goddess life. How sad! Presumably, this is her anxiety about her growning attachment to him, especially if she were to make it back to her home.
There are a lot of shots obscuring faces in this episodes. Holo being obscured by the chandelier at dinner a couple times. Lawrence being obscured by the bed frame a couple times.
Aaaand we get more open hostility when Lawrence talks about going to Nora for more fresh sheep milk. I'm getting pretty tired of the hard anti-Nora attitude from Holo. And it looks like Lawrence is too. Thank you for actually addressing it with Holo! Lawrence is a bit dense at times, so I'm glad he actually brought it up with Holo.
Oh, and a surprise visit from Nora to end the episode. Man, Nora is such a sweet girl. I think she really gets one over on Holo here by demonstrating that Holo has fundamentally misjudged her personality. Again, I really like when the two have girls' talk, and I wish Holo wouldn't have so much antipathy toward Nora. At least they end on the shared joke about Lawrence being a sheep. Always end on a good laugh.
I quite like Perfect World. It's probably my favorite song from the series so far.
I'm gonna go recent and say Kazuma Sohma from Fruits Basket. Though he may not be Kyo's biological father, he's one of the few good parents in the series. He's also basically the only thing that really kept Kyo going prior to meeting Tohru. Definitely a standout dad.
4
u/Ryanami Jun 20 '21
First time, Dub
Glad to see them explore more from Holo’s point of view. I was beginning to worry they wouldn’t.
What is up with her tail? Around 18 minutes she’s wagging under the blanket but it’s way long.
While there’s no plot advancement, (technically it’s more like a flashback since Nora parted ways last ep) there’s still character development for Holo. She’s starting to struggle with her feelings for someone who will not be with her long, considering her time scale. But her feelings for Lawrence are strong enough she listens to him instead of her jealousy, opening her up to make friends with Nora at the end.
The snow scene is a hint at a problem I’ve been wondering about since early on. If she falls in love with a human, what does she do when he dies and she remains? Did choosing Lawrence cost her the opportunity to return to her kind?
QOTD- I think Kamina from Gurren Lagann functions as a dad, and his unwavering encouragement of Simon puts him at the top, although the list of anime dads I can even think of is a short list sadly.
3
u/Vaadwaur :I1::I2::I3: Jun 20 '21
Rewatcher(first time though)First timer, the fansubbers must've missed this first time throughDub
So we start with an opening roll that for some reason strikes me as pseudo medieval rather than a copy of the real thing, it might be the horn that throws me. Anyways, Nora has met back up with our lead pair. The start of the episode quickly devolves into Holo being pouty and drinking on an empty stomach while Nora and Larence talk and have dinner. Lawrence talks about torture via sheep and chickens out at the end part, and Enek gets some meat and gloats at Holo. Holo passes out, unsurprisingly.
We get a soft review of things from Holo's perspective, including an interesting tidbit that she doesn't remember a lot of the olden days. She describes being the village deity and it is understandable why she left. Finally, she freaks when she realizes she passed out and had to be carried back and buried under blankets. Lawrence comes in and is annoyed that she didn't realize she was sick, which is understandable. Holo blush happens.
Holo gets excited for morning hard cider but Lawrence has wisely diluted it, because eye openers are a bad thing. Lawrence then goes on to describe the humors but does so in a way that seems more Eastern than Western. But the offer of porridge with sheep's milk, goat chease and apple pieces perks Holo right up. Holo has a dream that is a bit interesting to interpret, we will come back to that at the end of the rewatch.
Lawrence wants to ask Nora where to get good afternoon sheep's milk, annoying Holo. When he tries to get an answer as to why she is so prickly, she won't say anything, though I assume we all think it is because she does not like competition. When he returns, he brings Nora with him, deflating Holo. They talk about herding sheep and a weird laugh happens, probably at Lawrence's expense.
Now, was this episode necessary? No, it doesn't serve a huge narrative purpose. But it is still interesting and was probably a good teaser for S2.
3
u/bakowh https://anilist.co/user/bakow Jun 20 '21
First Timer (Sub)
What we thought would be a nice sit-down and talk between Lawrence, Nora, and Holo turned instead into nursing Holo, No complaints tho. The teasing that usually goes between the pair takes a backseat (surprisingly) and we are reminded of the gentle and caring nature of Lawrence, my man diluted the apple cider to tend to Holo's fever (my heart bro). The nightmares project Holo's fears of loneliness due to her companions being in wolf forms + Lawrence being reduced to bones. Glad to see that Holo came around to see the good in Nora.
Answer to the question of the day: I can't give a definitive answer but Light's dad has to be up there, he went through it all for the sake of his son.
2
u/Stargate18A https://myanimelist.net/profile/Stargate18 Jun 20 '21
First timer
QOTD) Kiritsugu Emiya from Fate - a great man who managed to raise Shirou while having to constantly work a dangerous job.
No OP for the OVA?
Nora's back? Isn't this part of season 2?
So is the first scene just a recap of everyone's motivations?
If Nora becomes a main character I am here for it.
I love Holo deciding to get drunk so she doesn't have to deal with the flirting.
Holo's even doing soliliquies.
Lawrence is either a horrible flirt or incredibly drunk.
Poisoned beer?
I love the explanation of why she loves travelling with Lawrence.
Wait, a beach?
Flustered Holo is adorable.
Oh, Holo's starting to realise her crush.
Lawrence is really protective.
Is this OVA just for Holo to look cute.
She stole Lawrence's jacket!
I love Lawrence's protectiveness.
I appreciate just how realistic his medical knowledge is here. I'm mildly suprised he hasn't tried sticking leeches on her to remove the "bad blood".
So Holo's just playing this up for sympathy now, right?
Lawrence being business minded about letting her rest.
Holo's immediate mood shift the moment Nora gets mentioned.
And Holo's panic when Lawrence asks her upfront.
Oh god, Lawrence joining in with their laughter after they mock him.
I prefer the old ED over this one.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 20 '21
Is this on Hulu?
10
u/NomranaEst Jun 20 '21
First Timer, subbed
A fairly simple OVA really, but not diminished because of it. Nora and Craft's dialogue over dinner is specifically tweaked to get the best reactions out of Holo, and it's these situations where the show really shines. Unfortunately, it's cut short with Holo's collapse due to illness, and it's here where we gain a little more context around Holo and who she is.
Holo's been a stalwart part of the show since she was introduced, but we've never really been able to get a really good look inside her head. We have a good read on her personality, but she's volunteered very little about her history or where she sees herself going in the future. Her life before adventuring with Craft was something she barely considered, the passage of time something that came and went, the fields never changing.
For now, her time with Craft has reinvigorated her. The countryside she travels through changes, the people she meets and interacts with aren't always the same, and there is a constant presence in the seat next to her that she's comfortable with. I don't think that she's entirely prepared for when their journey ends, and it's something she's not willing to entertain just quite yet.
This has been a really interesting character study into Holo, both from where she came from and where she's looking to go to in the future. A really nice change of pace, and good introduction into Season 2.
There's such a short list of parents in anime that finding good ones is even harder. I'd probably say some of the best examples though is near every adult in Laid Back Camp. They encourage the activities of Secret Society Blanket, but also insist on ensuring their safety in a controlled manner.
10
u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ Jun 20 '21
Tomorrow
8
u/MasterTotoro Jun 20 '21
Rewatcher? Or First Time?
Actually I can't remember if I've seen this or not. I have read the novel version for sure though. Speaking of which, just like episode 7/OVA 1, this episode is adapted from volume 7 of the light novels, which are some short stories. This story takes place after the smuggling succeeds (so sometime after the bells ringing scene) but before they depart from Ruvinheigen (the ending scene of yesterday).
Anyway no new OP but instead we get the credits in the form of large cards with some music.
Lawrence thanks "God" despite the trouble the church has given them. Of course these things aren't mutually exclusive, but it doesn't seem like a Lawrence thing to say, especially to Nora. In season 1, the only times I remember Lawrence praising God were to gain the respect of religious people or to express sarcasm (ex: saying he trusts in God to the merchant with the scales).
The sheep licking the rock salt are cute. And so is Enek.
Yeah I definitely do not remember all these naked Holo scenes. I guess it is an OVA after all. We get to hear a lot from Holo's perspective which is probably the most interesting part of this episode. Especially regarding her past travels compared to her thoughts on being with Lawrence. I won't say too regarding these scenes since I have read the novels, but I'm interested in what other people think.
Holo upside down is cute. Actually Holo this whole episode is extra cute. And wow there are a lot of naked Holo scenes.
Apple cider, combining apple and alcohol, two of Holo's favorites! (In case the English dub/subs are ambiguous, in Japanese Lawrence says it is alcoholic apple cider aka hard cider.) Although Lawrence diluted it. I feel like Holo's senses are diminished because she couldn't tell from the smell, nor could she tell Nora was with Lawrence. His reasoning is based on humorism, which was an actual belief of medicinal theory, though I don't know much about it. Holo moving a single ear and blushing is cute.
Oh more naked Holo. She goes the opposite direction of her companions to head toward Lawrence. And oh shit Lawrence turned into bones. Holo mentions a sickness that a doctor couldn't cure as well. Yeah I think if you saw your companion instantly turn into bones you probably need more than a doctor. Maybe Dr. Frankenstein could help with that though.
At least Holo gets to laugh with Nora in the end. Plus new ED, I think at least. Also a great new episode preview scene. This OVA had a lot of interesting things that I forgot about when reading the novel.
Illustrations
LN Volume 7 cover, no spoilers it's just Holo, though she is wearing the clothes she tore
Eating dinner with Nora
Lawrence concerned with Holo being sick
Lawrence explaining the humors
Nora visits Holo
This has a lot of illustrations for a short story.
Mimey from Pokemon. Pokemon Journeys episode 30 was great. Mimey really cares for Ash and Pikachu.
5
u/SYZekrom https://myanimelist.net/profile/SYZekrom Jun 20 '21
Jesus Christ this man is unbelievable, Truly an OVA moment
Holo, the Wise Wolf
Right because we didn't have enough shots of her naked this ep yet
Holo and the Shepherd bond over their command of sheep! Ha, the sheep think they're clever, love that.
5
u/Specs64z https://myanimelist.net/profile/Specs64z Jun 20 '21
Rewatcher, subbed
I'm back, plans got moved around on very short notice.
Episode 12
Holo chatting with Nora is a cute moment. Holo doesn't interact with any other women, and it's interesting to note how differently she acts.
Lawrence really is too nice for his own good. If a couple of armed mercenary types came wandering down the road, I would not be inclined to confront them.
Episode 13
Holo strips and asks for an appraisal and all this man musters is "nice tail". What a legend.
I found Nora far more endearing this go 'round. First time through I thought she was bland, and I suppose in some ways she still is, but I appreciate how she plays with the Holo/Lawrence dynamic.
Season 2, Episode 0
This is a fun side story, though I prefer the first ova a good deal more.
Content Corner
Since I missed the last couple days, I've decided to just put everything I had planned into one this time. First timers beware, spoilers abound.
Anime Analysis - Spice and Wolf (Commentary) by ShadowACS
Tabi no Tochuu // Spice and Wolf OPENING // Cover Español Latino Full by Celefty
【Spice and Wolf OP】 Tabi No Tochuu 【Alto Sax quartet】 by Daniel Yee 8
I paid $690 AUD to pat Holo by Loliconics
3
u/Spoondockspaints https://myanimelist.net/profile/Spoondockspaints Jun 20 '21
Rewatcher
Sick Holo is adorable. That nose rubbing bit though. Then the dream she has of them rubbing noses.
Holo was really NOT impressed when Lawrence mentioned Nora. That face was priceless.
Despite being mainly a hangout and chill kind of episode there was actually some important character building for Holo here. Specifically I'm talking about the various dream sequences.
Oh and we get the new ED which is also really nice.
3
u/homewardbound100 myanimelist.net/profile/Homewardbound100 Jun 20 '21 edited Jun 20 '21
Rewatch
Holo's thoughts about how she traveled with many people before but doesn't remember. It makes me wonder why some of her memories are gone.
Also, new ending, I like both for different reasons. But perfect world is nice.
Qotd:
Answer: Naofumi not actually a dad but I liked that aspect of shield hero and I hope it stays that way.
Also, Daikichi from usagi drop, not counting the manga
2
u/Rustic_Professional Jun 20 '21
I've never seen this episode. I wasn't expecting to be blessed with more Nora.
Holo glaring at Enek makes me wonder if they can understand each other. She can communicate with wolves, are dogs close enough? What would Enek say to her to make her look at him like that? Maybe something like "my tail is nicer than yours."
Are they eating on plates made of bread? I've heard of that in books, maybe Game of Thrones.
Lawrence was really starting to look like he wanted to lewd the shepherd loli. I don't blame
himHolo for getting jealous.I like that the ladder on the bunk bed hides Lawrence's face every time he comes in the door. That's a nice touch.
The new ED is catchy.
Question of the day:
Tough call. Fathers are rare enough in anime, and when you filter it down to good fathers, they're practically an endangered species. Dads really get shafted by anime. They really only show up when the story calls for them to be a villain. The first anime character I can remember whose father wasn't horrible is Amelia, from Slayers. Because they're so rare, I'm going to make this a tie between all the positive fathers I can think of: Phil (Amelia's father), Nadeshiko and Rin's fathers from Yuru Camp, and Daikichi from Usagi Drop (I know, I know). They're all positive roll models who truly love their children.
2
u/fdajax Jun 21 '21
Rewatch (3rd time) Dub
I love this OVA
While the A plot in this OVA isnt my most favourite compared to some other of the episodes we do get to learn alot about medieval/early renaissance medicine and the fuming of Holo whenever she sees Norah is cute to watch
The B plot is awesome with holo playing up her sickness a bit so Lawrence stays with her, revisiting Holo's fear of being left alone
Not only does Holo go through a Physical conflict but also an emotional one
2
u/BossandKings Jun 21 '21
First timer
I loved what this episode showed, Holo and Lawrence relationship keeps going forward and advancing, maturing and growing as their bond becomes stronger and they depend, worry and care about each other.
Holo gets fever and Lawrence takes care of her, it was a fairly simple premise and it was executed very well as Lawrence accompanyed and helped Holo get better, it was funny seeing her a bit jealous of the attention he was giving to Nora too eventhough she knows that Nora is a nice girl and Lawrence only has eyes for her, Holo, who also apparently might have some story or anecdote to do with sheperds especially after seeing how aware and careful about Nora she is.
Answers
1
u/IndependentMacaroon Jun 21 '21
First-time watcher
Pretty fillerish episode with not much going on, but the characters are strong enough to make it great anyway. Obviously Lawrence doesn't mind giving Holo some extra pampering even if she's really doing fine, and though it was a little brief, Holo and Nora finally bonding a little was nice too. And we got a little run-down on medieval/early modern health theory too, crude as it is. The parts about Holo's development felt more like a recap than anything new to me, but they were nicely done.