Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Spice & Wolf: merchant meets the wise wolf
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Daerian
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I have seriously no idea what you mean by that. |
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NeverConvex
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People often complain that hangovers get worse the older you get, and Holo is several thousand (?) years old.
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Daerian
Posts: 243 |
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Considering how story doesn't do anything to negatively comment on Horo's age and how heavy hangovers are something 21+ people have in anime constantly for comedy purposes I don't think it's the case. |
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dm
 Subscriber Posts: 1480 |
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After all these years I've finally started reading the novels for this series, and I'm afraid, as much as we all like both versions of the anime, neither does the books justice. Maybe it's the view of the characters' interiority that does it, but I'm find the novels difficult to put down, and much more entertaining. The economics (which always seems just a bit muddled in the anime), also makes a lot more sense.
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Hiroki not Takuya
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dm
Subscriber Posts: 1480 |
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Episode 15
As soon as they stepped through the gateway between the city and the alchemist’s street I was reminded of the ghetto, and so primed, thought I heard the tiniest Eastern European lilt in Kevin Penkins’ score. |
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Piglet the Grate
 Posts: 799 Location: North America |
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Has Penkin studied klezmer music? |
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Daerian
Posts: 243 |
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I agree  But to be honest and give anime justice, outside of very few cases, written novels will almost always win with their adaptations
As for economics - this is indeed unfortunate, but they only have that much time in episodes to explain it and people already seem to often think that S&W is too slow, so well... they cannot spend enough time to explain it thoroughly. Books have a big advantage here in having more words and all the time in the world for reader to think and understand what was written. I also think the books are better, but I still love adaptations, especially because of Fukujun and Ami Koshimizu voice acting.
It really reminds me of Zlatá Ulička (Golden Lane) in Prague, Czech Republic, except that street was wider there. But it was also a part of the city for alchemists, magicians and goldsmiths. |
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dm
Subscriber Posts: 1480 |
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When I first heard Amati’s challenge/offer of a contract, I thought Holo had quite a scam cooked up: entice a smitten young man with a tale of indebted woe, get him to pay off her “debt”, then leave town with Lawrence and a heavy purse. Mark’s apprentice better watch out.
I suppose it’s natural for the time portrayed, but shouldn’t Holo be party to that contract? Lawrence is quite clear to Amati that Holo’s mind is hers to make up, and that this exchange between Amati and Lawrence is little different than the side bets being made on Holo’s choice. I’m not sure why Lawrence didn’t say to Holo that he didn’t tell her what he’d heard of Yoitsu because he kept hoping he would learn that he was wrong about the fate of the town. Indeed, that’s part of why he visited the chronicler in the first place (well, to also narrow down the location). And finally, part of Holo’s despair is she knows she’ll outlive Lawrence. No matter how devoted he remains to her, he will eventually, inevitably, leave her alone again. |
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Thesarum
Subscriber Posts: 542 |
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Lawrence really had no option but to accept the challenge. Attempting to correct Amati's misconceptions would have lead to even bigger problems as he can't exactly reveal the true situation. And simply walking away and refusing to engage pretty much confirms him as the exploitative bastard Amati is trying to paint him as. And with his merchant brain on, the downside risk seems small. He can brief Holo immediately, and he is confident neither Amati's money nor his declaration of love will have any impact on Holo.
Is Holo right to lash out at Lawrence like she does? Well obviously not... but she's overwhelmed with grief and a sense of betrayal. I'm sure she knows when she says he must have been laughing at her that this isn't remotely true, but the sense of hurt that he didn't trust her enough to reveal his concerns makes it feel true in the moment. I'm sure she also knows that Amati's childish crush and naive notions of romance and heroism aren't any kind of replacement for the genuine care and companionship Lawrence has shown her... but she doesn't want to be alone, and she doesn't want to be here, so that's the option she has for now. The anime sells it all very well. Even as an LN reader where you know its coming its still a painful kick to the gut, made so much worse by how much their delight in each others company in the the build up. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11626 |
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My bank didn't consult me before they sold my mortgage to another lender. This arrangement doesn't seem substantially different, except that my new lender wasn't as generous as Amati in forgiving the debt. 
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Minos_Kurumada
Posts: 1193 |
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When was Lawrence told the town was destroyed?
Reditt says he heard a history when he was young and was looking for info to confirm it, but I never saw that in the anime. |
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MFrontier
Posts: 14254 |
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Honestly I actually feel kind of bad for Amati. From his perspective he probably thinks he's the main character of his own merchant romance anime here to free the pretty and sweet girl stuck in a debt relationship, not knowing he's meddling in a relationship and with a woman he truly doesn't understand.
I guess it also goes to show Lawrence once again that he should never feel absolutely confident because of how much things can turn around for him. Like, at the time he had every reason to believe Holo would choose him no matter what, but things change when you least expect it. It would've been perfectly acceptable for Lawrence to outright refuse the bet on principle (and to appear romantic to Holo), though he always has to think like an "adult" and a merchant. I'm glad the pair got to have a proper festival date and even dance. It was basically all downhill from there. This pyrite is going to grow more and more relevant I imagine, especially if it's how Amati plans to make all the money he needs to pay off Holo's debt. Holo really seems to like getting wasted in this town, though not wasted enough to not notice another womans' scent on a letter for Lawrence. I honestly should have seen it coming that Holo could actually read, but it was used for devastating effect here. Learning that the entire point of their journey, her path home, might be entirely fruitless and there's nothing left waiting for her...and that Lawrence kept it from her (with good reason from his perspective, but still). She's hit an emotional breaking point, to the point where she's doubting the feelings of the man she's in love with and knowing he talked about leaving her behind in Nyohhira comes back to bite bit him. That she would suggest sex just for a child to stave off her loneliness...jeez, Holo is not in a great place here. |
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Daerian
Posts: 243 |
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Reddit is mistaken and it's shown in anime. In episode 7, around 14-15 minute into episode, just after dealing with cheating merchant with crooked table he hears some storyteller/pilgrim talking about it at town square. We get only first half of that story in that episode, but then in episode 15 around 6th minute there is flashback and now we hear final words of that storyteller/pilgrim - how the town of Yoitsu was destroyed by "monstrous bear". And then we get confirmation during discussion with Diana in episode 15. |
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Minos_Kurumada
Posts: 1193 |
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Oooh...I see... But it feels weird since Lawrence never looked like he cared. He even suggested for Holo to go alone, she herself recriminate him that during the discussion. I quite frankly don't understand him. |
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