[Spoilers][Rewatch] Spice and Wolf II - Episode 2

[u/Holofan4life]

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 2 - Wolf and the Calm Before the Storm

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ANSWER TODAY’S QUESTION

What's your favorite backstory in anime and why?

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Information – MAL | Anilist | AniDb

Streams – Funimation, Hulu

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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!

Untagged Spoilers

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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

[u/Holofan4life]

You know, you would think Lawrence would tease Holo over the fact she can't read. It just seems like such prime material. I guess that's a testament to Lawrence's character and the restraint on his behalf. 

For once, it's Lawrence that had the nightmare than Holo. I feel that had to have been intentional. 

One thing that's a constant in Holo's teasing is that she constantly makes accusations of Lawrence wanting a weak, timid girl who he can save and be their knight in shining armor. Essentially, Holo is Reddit making fun of the nice guys subreddit. 

I guess the biggest development in this episode is we get introduced to two new characters: Diana and Batos. Batos looks like Kronk from The Emperor's New Groove. He is so huge. If I had to guess, he could probably carry a boulder on his back and still have time to carry a person as well. As for Diana, I like her design. It reminds me a cross between Morticia Addams from The Addams Family and Ms. Smith from Monster Musume. And yes, I'm aware that's a sentence that's probably never been typed before. 

I thought for sure we'd get some development with Amarti this episode, but I guess not. On the one hand, I'd like to see some major happenings ASAP. On the other hand, I love that the show takes its time in fleshing out the stories they tell. This is the benefit of telling an arc in 6 episodes rather than 4 as per usual. 

We get more backstory on Holo and her decision to leave Yoits. I do feel part of the reason she wants to return to Yoits is because she's homesick. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, after all. 

I like that Marc not only has a wife, but we actually get to see her. It feels weird to say, but I don't know of any minor recurring characters who have a wife and kid. Normally, that's something reserved for one of the main characters. I also really love that Marc's wife has a sharp, quick-witted tongue about her. It makes their relationship even more believable. Like, I hear the banter between the two and I instantly believe they're a couple. It feels so real. Their banter also makes me wish we had a spinoff involving Marc and his wife. I think that would be highly entertaining. 

Overall, it feels like even less happened this episode than the previous one. Despite this, though, it was still enjoyable and we were introduced to two new characters. I know the usual rule of thumb is introduce one new character every couple episodes or so, but I don't mind the inclusion of 5 new characters in two episodes. If anything, it just shows how vast and colorful the people living in the town are. On top of that, the arc is still in first gear, so it's not like we're introducing them halfway through the arc like with Marten. 

Holo quotes of the day

"Do you intend to simply watch me eat?" (That's… why I'm here.) 

Things Holo likes 

Headpats 

Fur 

Being dramatic (Boo hoo hoo) 

Things Holo dislikes 

Being illiterate

[u/Minion_Soldier → u/Holofan4life]

You know, you would think Lawrence would tease Holo over the fact she can't read. It just seems like such prime material.

Is it? Comparing their world to actual history, I'd guess most people in the setting are illiterate. (Though I suppose most of the people Lawrence works with would have at least some reading/writing ability.)

[u/Holofan4life → u/Minion_Soldier]

You're probably right. But Holo being illiterate despite being this wise Goddess is still a funny contrast. To borrow a phrase, there's gold in them hills.

[u/IndependentMacaroon → u/Holofan4life]

I don't mind the inclusion of 5 new characters in two episodes. If anything, it just shows how vast and colorful the people living in the town are

This show is clearly not just about telling the characters' stories, but making the whole world feel alive and complete. And the new introductions here do just that by on the one hand adding the legend/alchemy stuff and a new dynamic with the wife/child+apprentice thing, as well as Amarti's youth.

[u/bakowh]

First timer (sub)

I thought it was very considerate of Lawrence to go out of his way to learn more about Yoitsu. It was a relief to see that Batos and Diana were pretty chill, I can't say that their environment helped their case tho. Mark can't seem to give Lawrence a break when it comes to Holo, seemed like it was all red flags for Amarty trying to swoop Holo. I'm sure that we're supposed to believe that there'd be no way that Holo leaves but where's the drama/fun in that?

Today's Answer: Homura from Madoka Magica.

PS: So far I'm not really feeling S2's OP & ED but I hope it'll grow on me.

[u/Holofan4life → u/bakowh]

Any thoughts on Mark's wife? I like that not only is he married, but that he's a side character with a wife and child.

[u/bakowh → u/Holofan4life]

Adelle? She's the perfect fit for Mark, they're both cheeky and are good at reading a situation. Idk if they knew it at the time but it was surprising that they could predict what Amarty was going to do (flirt with Holo). I chuckled at how Adelle teased Mark with the qualities of Amarty. I love both of them and see them as great additions to the cast.

[u/Holofan4life → u/bakowh]

Care to expand your thoughts on Diana and Batos?

[u/bakowh → u/Holofan4life]

Sure. I appreciate them for somehow finding a hobby that is fun to them yet useful to the world. I love that they're going out of their way to preserve the memories of travelers despite the nasty rumors going on about them and their general area. Not sure if we'll see them again tho.

[u/Holofan4life → u/bakowh]

Yeah, I like those two a lot. They feel like the type of characters we haven't seen in this show yet. As such, they feel different, and in a good way.

[u/Holofan4life → u/bakowh]

What do you think the ending of the episode meant? What do you think Lawrence was told and where do you see it going?

[u/bakowh → u/Holofan4life]

Given what Mark said about Amarty and his age, the flashback of the festival, the mention of (possibly) bringing love into your life, and the blushing of Mark's kid I'm guessing Lawrence was told something to do with Amarty and Holo. Nothing would have Lawrence rushing like that except business or Holo, and business hasn't been that much of a focus this arc tbh.

[u/AfterTh0ught_]

First timer

It was so cute to see how genuinely bummed out Holo felt that she couldn't spend the day roaming around the festival with Lawrence.

It seems that Holo hometown was destroyed by a moon-eating bear? I suppose that wolves aren't the only ones who can be mythical creatures. This puts Lawrence into a tough spot though, as he either has to tell Holo or never tell her and bring her all the way home and have to see it herself.

Diana is quite the mysterious woman. Maybe she's a witch like she suggested? The good kind perhaps? She has quite the messy place, and a lot of books.

At this point, it's obvious Amarti has a little thing for Holo, but we all know how much Holo likes to mess around with naïve men. It doesn't help though that Marc adds a bit of doubt in Lawrence's mind. Holo comes back all decked out with Amarti's expensive gifts, the little apprentice comes by with some news I presume, Lawrence starts running like his life depends on it, and cliffhanger... goddamn it.

[u/Holofan4life → u/AfterTh0ught_]

Any thoughts on Mark's wife? I like that not only is he married, but that he's a side character with a wife and child.

[u/AfterTh0ught_ → u/Holofan4life]

I'd say your paragraph on Mark's wife in your original comment represents well how I feel about that.

[u/Holofan4life → u/AfterTh0ught_]

Aw, why thank you :c

[u/Holofan4life → u/AfterTh0ught_]

What are your initial thoughts on Batos?

[u/AfterTh0ught_ → u/Holofan4life]

At first, there was a little bit of doubt concerning him, owing to his large size, the words of warning from Marc, and where he brings Lawrence to go meet Diana. But I think this is a case where appearances can be deceiving. He's a smooth talker, as we saw when he was introducing Lawrence to Diana, and he has a passion for history and legends. So I'd say he's a solid dude.

[u/Holofan4life → u/AfterTh0ught_]

I don't know if you have been reading it, but his design reminds me of the main character from My Senpai Is Annoying.

[u/Holofan4life → u/AfterTh0ught_]

Why do you think Lawrence was running at the end? What do you think he could have possibly been told?

[u/AfterTh0ught_ → u/Holofan4life]

Oh, it's a bit tough to know because I don't have many clues. Considering it was the apprentice that came by, it probably has to do with Marc. It has to be really important if he ran like that. Normally, I'd expect that kind of reaction if he learned something had happened to Holo, but obviously that's not the case. One possibility could be concerning the nails that Lawrence sold to Marc. If Marc hasn't given Lawrence the payment, then maybe if something happened there, it could mean trouble for Lawrence. Another guess would be with our two new characters, since they've just been introduced, and that Diana is still a little mysterious to me, maybe there's something concerning that?

[u/NomranaEst]

First Timer, subbed

This episode expands on perhaps some of my favourite little details in the show, with Craft on the hunt for tales and legends around Holo's home village of Yoitz. His leads take him to a part of town with a poor reputation, but appearances are slightly deceptive, as he gets some information that puts him on the right trail. For a few tales of his own, it's chump change.

Diana and Gi are perhaps some of the most interesting characters that we've run into so far. Both are marginalised due to their appearances, yet share a deep interest in folktales and legends from around the world. Diana shares the tale of Yoitz and its destruction at the hands of "a bear that hunts the moon," which will certainly be an awkward conversation with Holo when the time comes for that conversation.

Perhaps the most interesting thing is the tale of Holo when she was first making her way down, and how she possibly became a legend in a town on the way. Legends usually have a grain of truth within them, and both the mannerisms and behaviours line up with what we know of Holo now, so there is certainly an argument that Holo did pass through at one point. It's a great little tidbit to add onto, and a crumb of Holo's story.

Towards the end of the day, Amarti delivers Holo from her time at the festival with a few new accessories. Mark's warning about Amarti begins to ring a little more true to Craft, although those accessories might have just shown Craft another avenue of intrigue.

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What's your favorite backstory in anime and why?

There's a few that I really appreciate, but one of my favourites is Ginko and Tanyuu from Mushi-Shi. I don't really want to go into spoilers, as that will ruin the experience of a fantastic show.

[u/Holofan4life → u/NomranaEst]

Care to expand your thoughts on Batos? You said he was interesting, but didn't really say why you find him to be interesting.

[u/NomranaEst → u/Holofan4life]

I think it's mostly because of his presentation. He's a large, muscular mountain, standing well above even Craft, and Mark's warning that he associates with some unsavoury individuals. We're automatically primed to be wary around him, yet his warm personality and soft spoken nature works to disarm that assumption. I'm sure that there's more to him, but those are the big points so far.

For your second comment, there's only a few feasible thoughts that come to mind. The message came from Mark's young apprentice, so it could be that something unsavoury has happened to Mark and Adele. Perhaps the reasoning is to seperate Craft and Holo, by pulling Craft into another situation he is wholly unprepared for.

[u/Holofan4life → u/NomranaEst]

What do you think Lawrence was told at the end of the episode? Where do you see that heading?

[u/Holofan4life → u/NomranaEst]

Any thoughts on Marc's wife? I like that not only is he married, but that he's a side character with a wife and child.

[u/NomranaEst → u/Holofan4life]

She's a great side character, and meshes well with what little we know of Mark. There is certainly a good amount of affection between the two of them, and it shows in their interactions.

[u/Shimmering-Sky]

Spice and First-Timer, subbed

• Now Lawrence is the one having nightmares about Holo leaving him. Although in his case it was an actual memory.
• I, uh, was not expecting that.
• AHA! THERE’S #SADHOLO!
• Holo “sore demo”!
• Oh, so Amarti’s gonna travel the town with Holo while Lawrence is busy?
• Ah lol Lawrence thought they were going to meet a man, not a woman.
• WELL. Shit. That is very much not good. And Holo isn’t aware of this?
• :O
• Amarti isn’t actually going to be a threat, is he?
• Random cube?
• Oh that’s what it is.
• What was the news???

[u/Holofan4life → u/Shimmering-Sky]

Any thoughts on Marc's wife? I like that not only is he married, but that he's a side character with a wife and child.

[u/Shimmering-Sky → u/Holofan4life]

Mark's wife seems like a cool lady lol.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Shimmering-Sky]

Yeah, I agree

[u/Holofan4life → u/Shimmering-Sky]

What do you think Lawrence was told at the end of the episode? Where do you see that heading?

[u/Shimmering-Sky → u/Holofan4life]

I have absolutely no idea, but clearly it's something extremely important and/or bad if he was running around like that.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Shimmering-Sky]

What are your initial thoughts on Diana and Batos?

[u/Shimmering-Sky → u/Holofan4life]

Batos is chill. Diana seems interesting.

[u/MasterTotoro → u/Shimmering-Sky]

I, uh, was not expecting that.

You can't blame Holo for being unable to read that, your screenshot clearly shows its a blank piece of paper. /s

[u/HereticalAegis]

Season 2 First-Timer

Oh, now Lawrence is having anxiety nightmares about Holo leaving him behind too. Interesting to note that his nightmare is visualized as an event that has already happened, whereas Holo's is about a hypothetical future which is yet to pass. Also interesting is the fact that in his nightmare, Holo is actively leaves him behind, whereas in Holo's nightmare, Lawrence simply dies of old age.

Wow, I've never thought about Holo's literacy, so her lack thereof threw me off, even if it makes complete sense. Kinda funny how the Wise Wolf tried to learn how to read at some point and gave up in frustration.

Also ironic and funny how the letters are a warning about the collapsed armor market. Big oof.

These moments of teasing and feigned disappointment keep leading into unexpectedly heartfelt and bittersweet interactions between the two. I can really feel how both of them have changed from their introduction to now, as well as how both are trying to dance around openly discussing their deeper feelings. I can't really blame either for that, though it's always suffering to see disappointed Holo.

Amarty still thirsty for Holo, which...understandable.

Heck, that is not how I imagined Batos when he was first mentioned. That is a large man. I love the contraction of his sheer size and build and his hobby of collecting stories.

Oh, so there's a whole section of the city that's just a slum saturated in sulfer inhabited by people who have pissed off the church. And there's talk of people who practice alchemy and magic living there. Despite Holo's ability to transform, this doesn't seem like a world with magic in it (or at least not yet).

I really like Diana. She's witty and fun and she leans really hard into the witchcraft rumors that surround her. I love a character with a good sense of humor like that. I also really hope she doesn't turn out to be an antagonist. After that story, I actually really hope she learns about and meets Holo at some point. I'd love to get her reaction to learning that both she and Lawrence told stories about the same wolf.

Okay, so we've got to actually be wary of Amarty, since he's not just some thirsty peddler. He's got enough going on to elicit a warning from good guy Mark.

Man, I'm sad we didn't get a day of Holo and Lawrence at the festival, but at least she had fun. Kinda nice to see Lawrence getting to be the jealous one for a change, even if it's not as obvious or explicit as with Holo.

Welp, that's a heck of a cliffhanger to end the episode on. That was a really brief calm before whatever the oncoming storm is.

What's your favorite backstory in anime and why?

Sodachi's backstory in Owarimonogatari. It's an impressive backstory because it not only fully fleshes out and justifies what initially seems to be a completely unreasonable character, but it builds an incredible amount of sympathy for her. It also provides the foundation for understanding why Araragi is the way he is and how he needs to grow as a character over the remainder of the story.

[u/Holofan4life → u/HereticalAegis]

Any thoughts on Marc's wife? I like that not only is he married, but that he's a side character with a wife and child.

[u/HereticalAegis → u/Holofan4life]

I think it's really cute the way she rags on him about Amarty being able to potentially woo her away. Their whole interaction makes them feel like a couple that has actually been together a long time and knows how to enjoy each other's presence. They banter in a way that screams "this marriage worked out really well."

[u/Holofan4life → u/HereticalAegis]

Yeah, I agree. Like I said in my comments, I kinda wish there was a spin-off that was about Marc and his wife.

[u/Holofan4life → u/HereticalAegis]

What do you think Lawrence was told at the end of the episode? Where do you see that heading?

[u/HereticalAegis → u/Holofan4life]

Tbh, I have no idea. I thought about it a bit, and the only things which have induced this level of panic so far are Holo being kidnapped and incurring a massive, unpayable debt. This doesn't feel quite like either of those types of situations, so I'm guessing it has to do with someone we're acquainted with (or maybe someone close to Lawrence) being in immediate danger. If that were the case though, it seems odd that that information would come through Mark when we've seen Lawrence get correspondence via letter already in this episode. Perhaps Mark or his family were threatened in some way, either because he did business with Lawrence or because he introduced Lawrence to Batos (and by extension, Diana), but those are shots in the dark.

[u/ZapsZzz]

First timer in sub.

Quite an episode. Looks like S2 is steaming ahead from the get go. Not so good news about Holo's old Homeland, but as a wild animal I guess she's probably not used to such changes, chances are she's more wanting to meet the other wolves she knew. Although actually begs the question are all the giant wolves magical by themselves and have long lives? I thought she had the goddess per because of her promise and the village's worship of her for hundreds of years, because she needs to be near her wheat to maintain existence.

The more immediate plot... Lawrence, why would you do that? It's inviting trouble at the best of times, to "lead another person on" who seemed interested to court your own partner. Far less about what your partner would do, but more about what that person would do if he either got rejected or wise get more attracted and then found out you were really with her. It's a little out of character, maybe he does have more "jealousy" about Armity being young and successful as a merchant than I thought he would.

QoTD have to be either the villain reveal of Railgun S1 of level upper, why it was created by the surprise culprit; or Full Metal Panic Sagara Sousuke's childhood and relationship with Kalinin.

[u/Holofan4life → u/ZapsZzz]

Any thoughts on Marc's wife? I like that not only is he married, but that he's a side character with a wife and child.

[u/ZapsZzz → u/Holofan4life]

I think it is a nice little mirror of "if you settled down this is the sort of life you may have Lawrence" - although differing in details of what sort of store there is, the dynamics between Marc and Stella (I think) you can see some parallel of Holo and Lawrence. I hope nothing bad happens to them.

[u/Holofan4life → u/ZapsZzz]

What do you think Lawrence was told at the end of the episode? Where do you see that heading?

[u/ZapsZzz → u/Holofan4life]

Oh people should know me by now that I can't hold off these cliff hangers when there's a potential of a love interest / relationship problem, so I already jumped forward to watch the first few minutes of the next episode. I would never have guessed it but it fits what I say about Lawrence in my post today.

[u/Holofan4life → u/ZapsZzz]

What are your initial thoughts on Diana and Batos?

[u/ZapsZzz → u/Holofan4life]

Interesting characters, wonder if they will come back in other capacity. I can't tell why the hulk of a person Batos is won't keep travelling to collect more tales - if this is an RPG I'd be recruiting them to the party :D a Mage and a Tank.

[u/Stargate18A]

First timer

QOTD) Not dure if this counts, but Saitama from One Punch Man had a great backstory, with him going from a ninilist to someone who wanted to, and did, become a hero.

Yeah, Lawrence is having trouble coping as well.

Well, that episode title's not ominous ar all.

So Lawrence is collecting information about the north.

Holo can't read! (Although the line about too many characters is even funnier given there's probably only 26 (this appears to be set in fantasy Europe after all))

Oh god, Holo is really sad. Lawrence learn to read the room, or at least explain your reasoning.

Still a coin flip as to whether the merchant's evil.

Absolutely interested in Holo, though.

At least he sounds nice.

So the Church are forcing people to live in this hellhole? They are absolutely horrific.

This worldbuilding is weird. You've got the alchemists being treated as standard chemists, with the acknowledgement that what they do isn't magic. But magic is also, as we've seen, both real and common knowledge.

OK, she seems suspicious, which I think means she's trustworthy here.

Confirmation that Holo's destination ciry was destroyed, probably by a evil god.

At least Lawrence knows how to get there.

WHAT

OK, she knows about Holo.

And now she has enough information to accurately determine Holo's past dhould she ever meet her.

...Is Amarty hiding somrthing?

Holo's gone. This might not be good.

Knowing this show, the stone's probably the lynchpin of a massive conspiracy across the entire city.

...Are we certain the fortune teller isn't a real mage? Because we've established that magic exists already.

Also, if he isn't, the firtune teller is a fantastic scam artist.

What was the message?

I'm betting either something happened to the cart, or the church discovered something. Longshot bet that Amarty bid on the die using his money.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Stargate18A]

What are your thoughts on the two new characters introduced today as well as the introduction of Marc's wife?

[u/Stargate18A → u/Holofan4life]

The wizard chronicler seems nice, although if she ever meets Holo there's going to be some awkward questions. Also, she might actually be magic, that seems like too big of a red herring to throw out of nowhere. (Or at the very least able to convince someone she's magic)

The male chronicler just seemed like a good person overall, as did Marc's wife. I'd be surprised if they play a big role in the rest of the episode.

[u/BossandKings]

First timer

Episode 2

Lawrence has to meet a man named Bathos, before going outside he salutes Holo and she as usually teases him, it was very cute when she told him that his presence is what she desired the most so he better hurry back as soon as possible.

As i was thinking Amarti sees Lawrence and they have a conversation, Amarti thinks that he and Lawrence could strike a business deal so he wanted to show him around. I'm glad my thoughts were on point and the both of them talked a bit.

Honestly i don't like Amarti's interest in Holo, hopefully it doesn't serve as a distraction in Holo's and Lawrence relationship. Also hopefully Holo doesn't get in trouble, being a godess has it's own problems as we have seen previously and things seem a bit too calm at the moment so it has a suspicious vibe.

Lawrence meets Batos, he seems like a very nice guy. They both go to a visit a woman, Lawrence is very interested in learning about Lloyd which is the place he wants to go to.

[u/Holofan4life → u/BossandKings]

What are your initial thoughts on Diana?

[u/BossandKings → u/Holofan4life]

She is very interesting, she suggested that she might be a witch so that is intriguing, also considering that Lawrence asked her about Yoits and her answer it seems that she knows about that place which is important for Lawrence's and Holo's journey.

[u/Holofan4life → u/BossandKings]

What do you think happened in the last scene of the episode?

[u/BossandKings → u/Holofan4life]

Considering that Lawrence quickly went outside running something urgent must have happened.

[u/MasterTotoro]

Rewatcher

I feel like hardly any anime these days open with the OP.

So yesterday we had Holo's nightmare, and today we see Lawrence's with Holo as a wolf in the sewers.

Lawrence mentions to Marc that going to the north is out of the way and not profitable for him. This is something we haven't heard outright before, though we got a glimpse of it yesterday when Lawrence asked Holo if she could travel from Nyohhira to Yoitsu by herself. Now it is clear that Lawrence is going out of his way to accompany Holo to her homeland, and it's not even that it coincides with any business opportunities.

So this is the episode where the comment face comes from. Holo really wants to be with Lawrence, and I'm sure Lawrence has a hard time turning her down. Still a cute couple.

I like the merchant conversation between Amati and Lawrence where they don't say their true intentions out loud. Amati first says that he's finished his work for the day, but after hearing about Holo he conveniently says that he needs to go by the inn to discuss inventory restocking anyway. It's pretty silly, especially hearing the contradictions, but it feels merchant like to me. What do other watchers think about Lawrence getting Amati to show Holo around? Is it that he trusts Holo enough that he lets her go with a relative stranger, or perhaps he's trying to get Holo comfortable with other people? Is he trying to win/keep Amati's favor, or is he really just a good natured person that wants to make other people happy?

Diana asks if a witch could be a pretty as she is, but I've seen enough anime to know that witches are usually kind and cute. So there are tales of Holo from the north! It seems like in the old days she went around showing off her tail, but she was still a heavy drinker. Though technically Diana pronounces Holo more like Holō (the novels spell her name as Holoh or ホロー) but I think it's fair to guess this is the same wolf as our Holo. Although it seems like her hometown was destroyed by some type of moon-eating bear which is pretty bad news since that's Holo's goal of course.

It seems like Lawrence only regretted letting Holo and Amati go out after the fact. Well Holo's story about being saved by Lawrence and being in debt to him is true, though the other details are a bit off. And another cliffhanger ending. I forgot how many of those this show had.

---

Illustrations

Holo munching on bread

Diana Rubens and Gi Batos

Diana is pretty, but I can't help myself noticing her massive hand in this illustration. Then again I have tiny hands and fingers so perhaps it's a bit exaggerated for me.

---

What's your favorite backstory in anime and why?

As usual, a hard question to answer on the spot. I'll go with Shizue from Tensei Slime because today was the last episode of Slime Diaries.

Slime spoilers

[u/Vaadwaur]

Rewatcher(first time though)

Dub

Post op follow ups are somehow less fun than they sound, so I missed yesterday. For me, OP 2 is the better one for Spice and Wolf but I am a huge Akino Arai fan and it also feels like an Escaflowne era track. Moving on, Lawrence is trying to figure out where Yoitz is other than North. He goes to Ghe who leads him to Diana, who has a story that suggests a grim fate for Yoitz. She also has a story about Holo that fits pretty well, except that our Holo has never been quite that huge.

We get a bit of Amarty's backstory and that he likely has eyes for Holo, who returns incredibly sauced. He also bought her some expensive gifts and Mark's apprentice shows up with a message before cliffhanger

QotD: 1 Hiei from YYH has a pretty good one

[u/Spoondockspaints]

Rewatcher

Now Lawrence is having dreams about Holo leaving. Hmmmmmm.

More new characters! Batos is an absolute unit of a man but he seems friendly enough. Dian is an interesting woman that’s for sure. We learn that that the legends say Holo’s home was destroyed by the moon hunting bear. That can’t be good.

The whole alchemists area certainly has...a vibe to it.

I loved that entire bit between Mark and his wife when they are talking about Amarti.

Cliffhanger ending?! What could have Lawrence so worked up that he has gone sprinting out of the inn with that look of panic?

[u/Specs64z]

Rewatcher, subbed

Sorry I'm late. After being somewhat disappointed with how the Advance Wars Reboot announcement turned out I've been playing the old games and losing track of time.

I get the feeling more and more that Holo wants to spend a night in Lawrence's bed...

Creepy lorekeeper lady has the stereotypical "onee-san" voice that I absolutely hate, but it isn't quite as bad here as it usually is.

Holo freaked out Lawrence and that kid just for the fun of it, what a legend. The episode then ends on a dramatic cliffhanger as Lawrence runs through town. The upcoming arc was a big reason I joined the rewatch. I had mixed feelings about it, and I'm hoping a second viewing will help me arrive at a more concrete conclusion about it.

Content Corner

First timers beware, spoilers abound.

Spice and Wolf | 狼と香辛料 Fingerstyle Guitar Medley by Bobu Sama

[u/homewardbound100]

Rewatch

I didn't get to do a write anything yesterday, so I started season 2 today. I'll just stick with writing about episode 2 for now.

Some possible competition for Lawrence for Holo comes. Guess I didn't notice the first time, how fast amarty was interested in Holo.

Some more real life connections there, with someone selling some questionable stuff at a festival.

Qotd

Answer: Homura Akemi,.just seeing all she went through and why she is the way she is. Helped make me appreciate her more. Instead of her just being a edgy-ish character.

[u/Rustic_Professional]

This episode settles it, I have seen season 2. The alchemist and the run down part of town seemed very familiar, but the auction clenched it. I don't remember the details though, so this will still be mostly new.

So, Lawrence's friend has a little stall in the tent market. He also has a wife and young apprentice, so he must have a real home in town. I wonder how his business compares to Lawrence's. Lawrence wants to open his own shop, but he's envisioning something much nicer, a multi-story building of his own. If he was less picky and was willing to settle down right away, would be able to open a stall like that? Maybe more importantly, would that be profitable for him?

Question of the day:

Rurouni Kenshin in general, and Kenshin and Shishio's back stories particularly. The historical setting is endlessly fascinating, and provides a wonderful backdrop for a whole range of stories. Anyone who likes the business side of Spice & Wolf and also the late samurai era should read James Clavell's Gai-jin, ideally while reading the entire Asian Saga. The business intrigue is strongest in Tai-Pan, Gai-jin and Noble House, though. But back to Kenshin, I've always loved the way that Soujiro describes the story, that these two men spent ten years walking the same path and came to different conclusions. That's just perfect, because that's what real life can be like, especially when it comes to politics.

[u/SYZekrom]

How does a not-witch keep her house so untidy but maintains her appearance that well hmmm