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REVIEW: Spice and Wolf DVD


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Bored_Ming



Joined: 17 Jun 2009
Posts: 242
Location: The Edge of ......
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 5:31 am Reply with quote
I really enjoyed this series and hopefully will be getting my dvds soon! The economic backdrop of the series is interesting and fun. However, I think where the show really shines is the relationship between Holo and Lawrence. It's great to see two independant people slowly become a couple. They drift towards each other rather than being rammed together like a magical girlfriend anime. It's interesting to watch a more mature relationship develop rather than the hormonally charged high school teen dramas that are the norm. The second season is a treat if you enjoyed the first. Hopefully sales are good for this season so the second can be a guaranteed release.
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PetrifiedJello



Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 3782
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:54 am Reply with quote
Theron wrote:
English voice actress Brina Palencia had big shoes to fill as Holo...

Having read descriptions on this series, I didn't think this series was for me. I passed on tossing it into my shopping cart, and now wish I had not. I could be watching it today.

I'll have it by year's end now. Who said reviewers don't sell a series. Theron did a great job in covering the elements I found to be missing in descriptions. Thank you for this.

Now we have a series with great character dynamics, a story with a thought plot rather than action, and Brina's talents as the lead. With such great elements, I believe the fault of the series looks to be the number of episodes, rather than the art.

Well, time to hit TRSI and take advantage of my 10% off, so long as this title isn't in any deal listings.
Smile

[EDIT: Well, it's in the Weekly Special listing, so no 10% off. It'll be here next week.]
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njprogfan
Collector Extraordinaire



Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Posts: 1155
Location: A River Named Toms
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 8:52 am Reply with quote
I'm up to episode 5 and loving this series to death. It's a very healthy change of pace after watching a bunch of romantic comedy series, (Lovely Complex, Itazura na Kiss) and flat-out action series, (Black Lagoon, To Aru Majutsu no Index). The characters are interesting and Horo is a God in more ways then one. Even though I'm not done, I second the call for the second series. Come on Funi, do your stuff!
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UltimateSpaceLion



Joined: 08 Jul 2006
Posts: 28
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:18 am Reply with quote
Very nice review. You've made me interested in checking out this series now, whereas any art of Holo had previously turned me off completely. Thanks Smile
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18137
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:50 am Reply with quote
UltimateSpaceLion wrote:
Very nice review. You've made me interested in checking out this series now, whereas any art of Holo had previously turned me off completely. Thanks Smile


Yeah, the cover and advertising art for Holo concerns me a bit, as it makes her look far more cutesy than she ever actually is in execution. I'll be addressing that matter again when I get to the novel review.

I'm happy to hear that this review is getting people interested. This series is a decided change of pace from most other titles out there and well worth it. The only reason I didn't give it a full A rating is to give myself room to rate the second series even higher should Funi license and release it next year. As it is, the first season will be in my top 5 list for the year when Carl and I do our Best of 2009 feature next week. (I think it's going to be on Carl's list, too.)
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walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 12:12 pm Reply with quote
The second seasons slows down a bit, and makes it seem like a third season is desperately required to finish what they're trying to do, but it does ramp up on the drama and dialog.

Also, about the light novels, why were they so intent on that ugly cover to appeal to "WIDE AUDIENCE" when you flip one page and you get six full color pages of anime fun, not to mention the illustrations througout? It's not like they're going to fool anyone; and I only found it in the manga section of Borders, not the Young Adult.

I'm going to wait and see how things develop before committing to the DVD, there is always the possibility of the BluRay being released, and it looks amazing.
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Monster in a box



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Posts: 671
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:11 pm Reply with quote
They actually translated it as Holo? Really? I've never seen this show, and have 0 interest in it, but I've seen Horo mentioned about a million times on the internet, and maybe 5 of those times she was called Holo. Horo just sounds better.
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Karisu



Joined: 18 Apr 2008
Posts: 94
Location: PA
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:17 pm Reply with quote
Thanks for the amazing review! Spice and Wolf is one of my all time favorites and I'm glad it's getting the critical reception I think it deserves. I hope more people check the series out thanks to your review.

The second season definitely steps up the drama and relationship stuff and is truly phenomenal. Really hope Funimation releases it (and hopefully both seasons on Blu-Ray at some point as well).

Lawrence and Holo's conversations/banter is some of the best I've ever heard and truly makes this series stand out above the rest. They (particularly Holo) are amazing and unique characters in a sea of anime cliches. The series is such a fresh breath of air. I'm glad more and more people will get to enjoy it!
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joelgundam00



Joined: 27 Feb 2008
Posts: 153
Location: Western NY
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:18 pm Reply with quote
Monster in a box wrote:
They actually translated it as Holo? Really? I've never seen this show, and have 0 interest in it, but I've seen Horo mentioned about a million times on the internet, and maybe 5 of those times she was called Holo. Horo just sounds better.


Even though it may sound better, Funimation stated at several cons (including in the Funicon 2.0) it was the Japanese decision not theirs.
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doctordoom85



Joined: 12 Jun 2008
Posts: 2091
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:30 pm Reply with quote
joelgundam00 wrote:
Monster in a box wrote:
They actually translated it as Holo? Really? I've never seen this show, and have 0 interest in it, but I've seen Horo mentioned about a million times on the internet, and maybe 5 of those times she was called Holo. Horo just sounds better.


Even though it may sound better, Funimation stated at several cons (including in the Funicon 2.0) it was the Japanese decision not theirs.


Which I'm grateful for, since "Holo" sounds way better IMHO. "Horo" sounds like a muffled "hello" or um..."whore-o". Anime smallmouth + sweatdrop

I've been interested in this show, and plan on picking up the DVD eventually. Also need to order the light novel LE from RightStuf, so I can have the nice dust jacket to cover that lame cover that Yen Press just HAD to use.....
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Yorozuya



Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 332
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:39 pm Reply with quote
doctordoom85 wrote:
joelgundam00 wrote:
Monster in a box wrote:
They actually translated it as Holo? Really? I've never seen this show, and have 0 interest in it, but I've seen Horo mentioned about a million times on the internet, and maybe 5 of those times she was called Holo. Horo just sounds better.


Even though it may sound better, Funimation stated at several cons (including in the Funicon 2.0) it was the Japanese decision not theirs.


Which I'm grateful for, since "Holo" sounds way better IMHO. "Horo" sounds like a muffled "hello" or um..."whore-o". Anime smallmouth + sweatdrop

I've been interested in this show, and plan on picking up the DVD eventually. Also need to order the light novel LE from RightStuf, so I can have the nice dust jacket to cover that lame cover that Yen Press just HAD to use.....


Holo makes me think of bleach -_-

I've tried to get into this anime a couple of times but the pacing does bother me. I think its something that I'm going to have to watch slowly over a long period of time if I'm going to enjoy it.
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jgreen



Joined: 14 Mar 2005
Posts: 1325
Location: St. Louis, MO
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:43 pm Reply with quote
My first impression was that this show sounded terrible, but after hearing Zac and Justin talk about it on ANNCast, curiosity got the better of me. I watched the first ep on Funi's website and was surprised by how much I liked it, and this review drives home that I'll probably like the rest of the show even more. Thanks for the review...now time to go make a purchase. Smile
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Karisu



Joined: 18 Apr 2008
Posts: 94
Location: PA
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:49 pm Reply with quote
Also wanted to say that I don't think the score/OST and particularly the opening song (Tabi no Tochuu) get enough credit. Thanks for highlighting those.

Tabi no Tochuu is one of those songs that I can listen to indefinitely. It has such a beautiful melancholy to it and really brings back certain feelings from the show. And the OST is one that I listen to often in the background. Definitely the perfect thing to listen to while reading the light novel. Very Happy
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walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:51 pm Reply with quote
Monster in a box wrote:
They actually translated it as Holo? Really? I've never seen this show, and have 0 interest in it, but I've seen Horo mentioned about a million times on the internet, and maybe 5 of those times she was called Holo. Horo just sounds better.


Japan makes mistakes with L's and R's continuously and will probably never learn. Despite what they say, it has always been pronounced "Whore-oh", and the using Holo was probably just a choice that the guy had to make. Just because he picked an L doesn't mean it needs to be said with an L, because to him, L's and R's are still quite literally the same exact thing. Maybe Holo, when written, aesthetically looks better than Horo? That can be my only guess. And according to what Justin had said on some previous thread in this matter, Japanese push wrong translations quite often, despite being told.
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Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18137
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:55 pm Reply with quote
joelgundam00 wrote:
Monster in a box wrote:
They actually translated it as Holo? Really? I've never seen this show, and have 0 interest in it, but I've seen Horo mentioned about a million times on the internet, and maybe 5 of those times she was called Holo. Horo just sounds better.


Even though it may sound better, Funimation stated at several cons (including in the Funicon 2.0) it was the Japanese decision not theirs.


Actually, there's one point in the second season where she even writes her name as "Holo" on the screen. I always thought Horo sounded better, too, but it's hard to argue with that. Rolling Eyes

And let's save discussions about the novel's cover art for the appropriate time and place, people. (Which may be sometime next week, but we'll see. I've got a lot to do over the next few days.) This thread is for discussion about the anime version.
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