Spice and Wolf II: The Wolf and the Amber Melancholy

Good old Wolf. That's what I want to say but sadly I can't. It is apple-loving Wolf but somewhat looks slightly different and acts slightly different. That's not the same Wolf you used to play and travel with through fantasy medieval world of economy and politics. It's no longer the same but you're still going to love it. Story for this OVA is pretty simple. Shortly: we got to see Lawrence nursing Horo who got ill of fatigue caused by harsh events from previous season. Of course everything with addition of their usual quarrels, teasing each other, humor and curtness of our Wolf Sage. But thisis not all. In fever Horo is dreaming about her past, her homeland and also about Lawrence and traveling with him. Seeing her dreams gives a short but meaningful glimpse at her feelings. As easily to predict considering studio change animation and also character design is slightly different from the first season. At first glance looks like Brains Base tried to keep this OVA similar to the previous season but of course it's not possible. Differences like "camera work" or characters appearance might not be very significant but still easy to notice. Personally I prefer work done by studio IMAGIN. But there is also a good information. Music remained the same as in first season which helps to maintain its unique climate. As for characters their semblance isn't the only thing which changed. Watching this OVA I've been feeling that sometimes they act out of character. Lawrence wasn't his usual self and Horo was oversensitive. Producing sequel to a successful series with a different studio and staff is a bad idea. It usually results in either inferior series or a total failure with Minami-ke as example. Luckily Ookami to Koshinryou II OVA is only just inferior but still acceptable and enjoyable. As a huge fan of Wolf and Spice I can't help but feel a little bit disappointed with those unnecessary changes but on the other hand relived that it's not as bad as it could be. Overall: Feast for fellow Horotics. I'm sure that even if somebody is highly displeased with different animation and character design it's nothing compared to love for this show and Horo the Wise ;]

A departure from the TV series. This time around, it focuses on Horo's tsundere dere side to Laurence. However, it doesn't mean that it doesn't have the educational theme of the TV series. We all know how much we love the medieval economics knowledge *sarcasm*. Animation quality was almost unchanged from the TV series considering that this is an OVA. It's still Spice and Wolf. It was an enjoyable watch so I gave it a good rating.

Everything that makes Holo a beloved character is condensed into a 23 minute window. Holo gets jealous, wasted, makes lots of cute faces, makes lots of sad faces, and mixes her immense wisdom with charming snark as is true to her personality.This is exactly what you look for in OVA content - a reminder of why we love characters and putting them into more intimate situations than in the regular anime. Even if you've never seen the regular anime, and especially if you have, this is a must watch. The complete collection blu ray contains both seasons and this OVA for ~30 somehow, a price soaffordable you'd think Lawrence bargained for it.

You are supposed to watch this OVA in between seasons. I get it that it's the aftermath of their heist at the end of season 1. To be honest, this seems to be content that can be omitted without losing sight of the plot. But is this OVA worth watching? I say, yes. There's nothing in here worth mentioning plotwise, except possible foreshadowing in Holo's dreams - the details are vague and they can be ignored for the time being. We have Lawrence, Holo, and Norah drinking and celebrating the success of smuggling gold. If you like Norah just like me, watch this because Norah doesn't appearin season 2. And as expected, it's funny to see Holo being jealous of Norah. In other words, watch this for the fun interaction. Animation wise, it leaves a lot to be desired. Some of the complaints of old anime enthusiasts apply here. If you don't mind the bad animation, it's not really a deal breaker.