Spice And Wolf: Merchant Meets The Wise Wolf Cast, Director, Trailer, Plot And More Details

The traveling merchant known as Kraft Lawrence and the harvest wolf deity readers recognize as Holo are again back in the spotlight for a brand new adventure followers of the franchise will not want to miss. The unlikely duo that made their big debut in the 2006 Japanese light novel "Spice and Wolf" written by Isuna Hasekura and illustrated by Jyuu Ayakura, are getting a third anime adaptation.

Thanks to Lawrence's clever merchant tactics and Holo's special set of animal-based skills, the effective pair's partnership has earned a notorious reputation for forging a productive path of positivity as they venture across the countryside. The light novel series that follows the intriguing journey consists of over 20 volumes and a 2007 manga adaptation drawn by Keito Koume. There have also been two anime adaptations so far — "Spice and Wolf" in 2008 and "Spice and Wolf II: The Wolf and the Amber Melanchol" in 2009. 

Other entries from the "Spice and Wolf" property include a pair of original video animation (OVA) entries, Nintendo DS visual novels, a spinoff series written by Hasekura, and a virtual reality-based anime. There is no denying that the franchise offers a variety of content and continues to expand with another anime series titled "Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf." As the name suggests, this new installment is reportedly a remake rather than a continuation of the story. Here's everything you need to know about it.

"Spice and Wolf" fans probably wonder when they can expect their favorite traveling peddler and harvest goddess to arrive in the new anime. The show was first announced on February 25, 2022, and in honor of the franchise's 15th anniversary, the official "Spice and Wolf" account released a teaser video along with a poster on Twitter to let people know the duo was getting another animated series. While the exciting news was probably enough to get fans' attention, the big reveal didn't include any information on the release date timetable.

Many probably expected it to be one of the anime titles to watch out for in 2023. But on June 29, followers of the "Spice and Wolf" franchise got some clarity on when the third anime series would arrive. Alongside a new teaser trailer and the reveal of the official title being "Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf," it was announced in a tweet that the episodes will be broadcast sometime in 2024. Crunchyroll has confirmed that it will be streaming the series.

The plot for "Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf" will certainly live up to its name. The rebooted story will follow Kraft Lawrence as he works toward fulfilling his big dream of setting up his shop. As the solo merchant makes his way across the countryside, selling various goods in every place he visits, he meets a beautiful loner with ears and a tail, who is an incarnation of a harvest goddess named Holo. It seems that part of the motivation for starting over is the fact that the previous two seasons skipped over Volume 4 of the light novel, which in hindsight was a bad move — Volume 4 ended up being pivotal later on. The reboot route allows the makers to include everything they now know is essential to the story.

If a fresh start isn't enough to sell people on the new "Spice and Wolf" anime, the creators of the source material released statements regarding their thoughts on the upcoming addition to the franchise. "Fifteen years have passed since the journey of Holo and Lawrence began. We are delighted to be able to share their journey with you again," original works author Isuna Hasekura said, as seen in a Twitter post. Illustrator Jyuu Ayakura also showcased excitement for the project, saying, "We are very, very happy to see Holo, Lawrence, and the others again in the form of animation! I'm really looking forward to seeing what the anime will be like!"

When the third "Spice and Wolf" anime adaptation revealed it would be available in 2024, it was also confirmed the original voice actors from "Spice and Wolf" in 2008 and "Spice and Wolf II: The Wolf and the Amber Melancholy" in 2009 were going to be reprising the roles of the main characters in "Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf."

Jun Fukuyuma will again play the part of the traveling merchant Kraft Lawrence. In addition to the "Spice and Wolf" anime adaptations, the voice actor has over 360 credits, including participating in a robust number of entries for big-name endeavors like "Black Clover," "Code Geass," "Kingdom," and "The Seven Deadly Sins." Ami Koshimizu will again be providing the voice of Holo. She has over 250 credits, including Sailor Jupiter in several Sailor Moon titles like "Sailor Moon Crystals" and "Sailor Moon Eternal."

While Koshimizu has played many beloved characters, she believes there is a special reason why Holo remains so popular with fans. "I think another major reason why the audience loves Holo is the extent to which they can relate to her," Koshimizu said in an interview with Tokyo Otaku Mode News. "The feeling of loneliness is one that always stays with Holo. Although she was able to become friends with a man like Lawrence, she'll still be lonely someday since her lifespan is much longer." The voice actor added, "There are still times when we are lonely even when we have someone close to us. In my opinion, those sudden feelings of loneliness are what makes Holo a character that we can all relate to."

With the approval of the light novel creators and the voice talent back on board, there are several reasons longtime fans should be excited about "Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf," especially when it comes to the directing positions on the 2024 series. Those who were entertained by the previous animated seasons of "Spice and Wolf" will be happy to know that Takeo Takahashi will return for the third anime adaptation, but instead of working in the art department and serving as episodic director, he has been upgraded to the position of chief director.

Takahashi worked on both the 2008 and 2009 anime seasons, and followers of the franchise may recognize the other notable works on his resume, which include "Citrus," "Wasteful Days of High School Girls," and "Rokka No Yuusha." Hijiri Sanpei also lent his talents to those projects in similar capacities and, in addition, will be the individual responsible for directing the third "Spice and Wolf ” anime adaptation. He was also previously an episode director on "Spice and Wolf II: The Wolf and the Amber Melancholy." The creative minds in the driver's seat have proven their skills in a number of different anime genres, and the fact that they are familiar with the source material are both arguably very solid selling points for the upcoming series.

The trailer for the third "Spice and Wolf" anime adaptation from Toho offers fans a glimpse of the animation style utilized for the show and a great look at the design of the two main characters. Without giving too much away, the teaser introduces viewers to people in a village hanging wolf dolls made of straw for the harvest and showcases that same wheat cultivated by a group of workers nearby. Kraft Lawrence acquires some of that product, and he moves on to the next town. But he has an unexpected passenger among what was harvested. 

Holo, the harvest deity and wise wolf, reveals herself to the merchant and joins him on his journey. The preview may be shy on details and offer little information on what source material will be featured in the show's episodes, but what it lacks in reveals, the short promo arguably makes up for by doing a stellar job of showing fans the first encounter between the beloved duo in "Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf."

The first "Spice and Wolf" anime was made by Imagin, the studio behind the recent pâtisserie-themed anime "Sweet Reincarnation." Imagin remained attached in a producer capacity for "Spice and Wolf II," but the animation was done by the studios Brian's Base ("Baccano!") and Marvy Jack ("The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh"). The new "Spice and Wolf" anime will also go with a new studio, one with over a decade of experience in the industry.

"Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf" is being animated by Passione, founded in 2011. Since then, the Tokyo-based studio has adapted the likes of the supernatural harem series "High School DxD," the raunchy comedy "Interspecies Reviewers," and, more recently, "The Demon Sword Master of Excalibur Academy." The project going to Passione probably won't come as a surprise to big fans of the "Spice and Wolf" franchise, who will know that Takeo Takahashi (who worked on the first two anime adaptions and is taking the reins on the remake) is the chief director for the studio.

While there are a number of amazing anime series to enjoy that have been released over the years, it seems the news of "Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf" arriving in 2024 has provided the perfect excuse for people interested to pass on everything else and relive the first two anime adaptations. Fortunately, if newcomers want to see the previous seasons or if longtime fans want to catch up on any episodes they may have missed, there are a few options for viewers to watch the early days of Holo and Lawrence.

The streaming service Hulu has the entire first season and OVA entry "Wolf and a Tail of Happiness" available for subscribers. Crunchyroll also has the complete Season 1 ready to stream for members and features Season 2, but is missing the OVA episode "Wolf and Amber Melancholy." Funimation, however, features every episode of the 2008 and 2009 anime seasons, along with both OVA chapters. Depending on a person's preference, each platform offers the subtitled and the English dubbed version of the episodes, making a trip to any destination worthwhile while waiting for the third "Spice and Wolf" anime to release.