Voice actress Mai Nakahara will voice the Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meet the Wise Wolf TV anime, taking on the role of Norah Arendt, as revealed in the new character art. The anime is scheduled to open in Japan on April 1, 2024.
Nakahara joins Ami Koshimizu as Holo and Jun Fukuyama as Kraft Lawrence, who will also reprise their roles from the 2008 anime series.
© 2024 IH, K/RTG
Takeo Takahashi (Spice and Wolf Season 1 and 2) is the series’ main director, with Hijiri Sanpei (Yuri is My Job!) serving as series director, and Kevin Penkin (Made in Abyss) composing the music. . Passione is in charge of animation production for the anime.
The anime is based on the fantasy romance light novel, written by Isuna Hasekura and illustrated by Juu Ayakura. It was first published under Kadokawa’s Dengeki Bunko label on February 10, 2006, with a total of 24 volumes released as of January 2023. Yen Press publishes both the light novel and manga adaptation in English .
A spin-off series titled Wolf and Parchment: New Theory Spice & Wolf, focusing on Holo and Lawrence’s daughter Myuri, was published on September 10, 2016. Nine episodes have been released as of September 7, 2023. A manga adaptation of Hidori’s spin-off series was launched in 2019. Yen Press also released both the light novel and manga in English.
Spice and Wolf has also inspired several video games based on the series, with the first two being dating sims on the Nintendo DS in 2008 and 2009. The two most recent games were released on VR in 2020 and 2021 respectively.
© 2024 IH, K/RTG
The anime adaptation previously aired its first season in 2008, followed by a second season in 2009. Funimation previously licensed the series for an English language release.
Crunchyroll has licensed the new anime series and provides a brief description as follows:
Lawrence was a traveling merchant who sold various goods from a horse-drawn carriage. One day, he went to a village and met a beautiful girl with the ears and tail of an animal! Her name is Holo the Wisewolf and she brings bountiful harvests. She wishes to return to her homeland and Lawrence offers to take her. Now the once merchant and the once wise wolf began their journey north.