Global InformationList of Spice and Wolf episodes information
Spice and Wolf is an anime television series adapted from the light novel series of the same name by Isuna Hasekura and Jū Ayakura.[1] The episodes are directed by Takeo Takahashi and animated and produced by Imagin.[2] The story follows a 25-year-old man traveling merchant named Kraft Lawrence who meets Holo, a female wolf deity of wheat. Holo, bound to a nearby town by an old promise to ensure good harvest, escapes with Lawrence when the townspeople stopped believing in her. Lawrence takes her north toward her homeland, Yoitsu, and she helps him with his business transactions in return.
The first season of the anime aired between January 9 and March 26, 2008, on the Chiba TV Japanese television network,[3] and was later released on six DVD compilation volumes, each containing two episodes, though the first compilation contains three episodes.[4] The volumes were released between April 2 and August 29, 2008, by Pony Canyon.[5][6] The third volume, released on May 30, 2008, contains episode six of the television broadcast in addition to the unaired episode seven, which is included as an original video animation (OVA).[4][7] A Blu-ray box set of the series was released on January 30, 2009, in Japan by Pony Canyon.[8] The anime is licensed for release in English by Kadokawa Pictures USA and Funimation,[9][10] and a complete 13-episode Region 1 DVD box set was released on December 22, 2009, in North America.[11]
A second season of the anime titled Spice and Wolf II aired 12 episodes between July 9 and September 24, 2009. These episodes were released on four BD/DVD compilation volumes, each of which contains three episodes,[12][13] between October 7, 2009, and January 6, 2010.[14][15] Most of the staff from the first season returned, though Toshimitsu Kobayashi replaced Kazuya Kuroda as the character designer and chief animation director and Brain's Base managed the animation instead of Imagin.[16] The script for both seasons was written by Naruhisa Arakawa,[2][16] and the voice actors from the first season retained their roles.[17] Another OVA, animated by Brain's Base, was released bundled with a picture book, written and illustrated by the light novel creators, entitled Spice and Wolf: Wolf and Gold Wheat (「狼と香辛料」狼と金の麦穂, Ōkami to Kōshinryō Ōkami to Kin no Mugiho). The bundle was released by ASCII Media Works on April 30, 2009, under their Dengeki Bunko Visual Novel imprint.[18] Funimation licensed Spice and Wolf II and released the series in English on August 2, 2011.[19]
In an interview by Darren Kwok, author Isuna Hasekura laid to rest speculation regarding the release of a third season.[20]
Two pieces of theme music are used for each season: one opening theme and one ending theme. For the first season, the opening theme is "Tabi no Tochū" (旅の途中) by Natsumi Kiyoura, and the ending theme is "Ringo Biyori (The Wolf Whistling Song)" (リンゴ日和 〜The Wolf Whistling Song) by Rocky Chack.[2] For the second season, the opening theme is "Mitsu no Yoake" (蜜の夜明け) by Akino Arai, and the ending theme is "Perfect World" by Rocky Chack.[21] The background music soundtrack for both seasons is written by Yuji Yoshino.[2][16]
- ^ "【原作情報】| 狼と香辛料II Official web site" [(Original Work Information) | Spice and Wolf II Official web site] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ a b c d "スタッフ【TVアニメ情報】| 狼と香辛料 Official web site" [Staff (TV Anime Information) | Spice and Wolf Official web site] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "オンエア情報【TVアニメ情報】| 狼と香辛料 Official web site" [On Air Information | Spice and Wolf Official web site] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Archived from the original on December 29, 2007. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ a b "DVD【DVD/CD】| 狼と香辛料 Official web site" [DVD (DVD/CD) | Spice and Wolf Official web site] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "狼と香辛料1 (DVD)" [Spice and Wolf 1 (DVD)] (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "狼と香辛料6 (DVD)" [Spice and Wolf 6 (DVD)] (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "(DVD) 狼と香辛料 3 (通常版)" [(DVD) Spice and Wolf 3 (Regular Edition)] (in Japanese). Neowing. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "アニメ『狼と香辛料』BD BOX本日発売!! 公式サイトでは発売記念壁紙の配布も" [The BD Box of the Anime Spice and Wolf Goes on Sale Today!! The Official Website Also Has Wallpapers to Commemorate the Release] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. January 30, 2009. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "Kadokawa USA Announces Six New Licenses". Anime News Network. July 6, 2008. Retrieved July 6, 2008.
- ^ "Funimation Acquires Spice and Wolf Fantasy Anime". Anime News Network. May 23, 2009. Retrieved May 23, 2009.
- ^ "Spice and Wolf Season 1 DVD Complete Season 1 (Hyb)". The Right Stuf International. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "Blu-ray Disc【DVD/BD/CD/ゲーム】| 狼と香辛料II Official web site" [Blu-ray Disc (DVD/BD/CD/Game) | Spice and Wolf II Official web site] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "DVD【DVD/BD/CD/ゲーム】| 狼と香辛料II Official web site" [DVD (DVD/BD/CD/Game) | Spice and Wolf II Official web site] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "狼と香辛料II【1】 (DVD)" [Spice and Wolf II (1) (DVD)] (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "狼と香辛料II【4】 (DVD)" [Spice and Wolf II (4) (DVD)] (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ a b c "キャスト&スタッフ【TVアニメ情報】| 狼と香辛料II Official web site" [Cast & Staff (TV Anime Information) | Spice and Wolf II Official web site] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "Spice and Wolf's 2nd TV Anime Season Confirmed". Anime News Network. October 5, 2008. Retrieved October 5, 2008.
- ^ "Spice and Wolf II's Act 0 to Ship on DVD in April". Anime News Network. February 2, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2009.
- ^ "Funimation Adds Chobits, Eden of the East Films". Anime News Network. April 3, 2010. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
- ^ Kwok, Darren. "A "spicey taled" interview with Isuna Hasekura". Green Tea Graffiti. Darren Kwok. Archived from the original on 2015-10-15. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- ^ "CD【DVD/BD/CD/ゲーム】| 狼と香辛料II Official web site" [CD (DVD/BD/CD/Game) | Spice and Wolf II Official web site] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved August 4, 2010.