Spice & Wolf: Complete Series

Product Description Lawrence, a traveling merchant searching for profit, finds a naked girl with the ears and tail of a wolf asleep in his cart. Her name is Holo - a harvest goddess with an untamed beast lurking inside who longs to return to her beloved northern home. Armed with his street smarts and her animal instincts, a simple peddler and a forgotten deity begin a journey through the wild countryside. Along their path, the riches of happiness shall be reaped, even as the bankruptcy which dwells in the human heart is exposed. Amazon.com In the fantasy-adventure Spice and Wolf (2008), Craft Lawrence, a young peddler in a realm that suggests Renaissance Europe, finds himself in a pagan ritual come true. For ages, the farmers of one region believed the wheat harvest was ensured by a powerful wolf-spirit who periodically appeared in the form of a beautiful woman. As he leaves the area, Lawrence discovers a naked girl with furry ears and a tail sleeping in his wagon. The girl declares she is Holo, the wise and powerful wolf. People no longer believe in her, so she wants to return to her home village of Yoitz in the far north. It's not clear why Lawrence devotes himself to Holo: she insults him, spends his money, and drinks excessively. But he apparently enjoys the role of doormat. Although he's supposed to be a capable trader who buys low and sells high, Lawrence's fortunes take a decided downturn when Holo joins him. The stories are very talky with only minimal action, and the filmmakers cut corners, reusing backgrounds and animation. The ending suggests a third season may be in the works: Lawrence and Holo are only slightly closer to their goal than they were at the beginning of the first season, and the myth of the "Moonhunting Bear" that destroyed Yoitz could be developed further. The humor runs to drinking and reverse-sexism gags, with Holo repeatedly declaring, "Men are fools!" Her ears and tail give the fan service nudity an unwholesome tone that suggests Spice and Wolf was designed for adolescent furries. (Rated TV 14: nudity, violence, alcohol use, risqué humor, potentially offensive religious imagery) --Charles Solomon (1. A Wolf and One's Best Clothes, 2. A Wolf and a Distant Past, 3. A Wolf and Business Ability, 4. A Wolf and a Helpless Partner, 5. A Wolf and a Lover's Quarrel, 6. A Wolf and a Silent Farewell, 7. Wolf and a Tail of Happiness, 8. A Wolf and a Proper Scale, 9. A Wolf and a Shepherd's Lamb, 10. A Wolf and a Whirling Conspiracy, 11. A Wolf and the Greatest Secret Plan, 12. A Wolf and a Pack of Youngsters, 13. A Wolf and Setting Off on a New Journey, 0. Wolf and Amber Melancholy, 1. Wolf and the Inadvertent Rift, 2. Wolf and the Calm Before the Storm, 3. Wolf and the Gap that Cannot Be Filled, 4. Wolf and the End of Shallow Thinking, 5. Wolf, Hope and Despair, 6. Wolf and Trustworthy God, 7. Wolf and Playful Days, 8. Wolf and an Enchanting Traveler, 9. Wolf and Reckless Negotiation, 10. Wolf and Lonely Smile, 11. Wolf and the Decision to Part, 12. Wolf and Endless Tears)