spice and wolf, silent farewell and wolf
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“I want to eat apples.”
Not a lot seems to happen with any urgency in Spicy Wolfgasm 6. The anime doesn’t feel energetic or peppy at all. It’s the opposite mood of Gurren Lagann and Minami-ke. If I told you that this episode consisted of Horo and Lawrence being cornered by Chloe’s group in the sewer, Horo going wolf and kicking their asses, and then Lawrence and Horo reuniting in the last scene, that would have been pretty much it. There’s not a lot more to gleen by actually watching the episode. Whereas, compared to an episode of Gurren Lagann… whoa Kittan kisses Yoko, goes giga drill, and dies… Boota has spiral energy… Darry lets rocked (let me qualify that… by a missile… even my qualifier sounds bad)… Simon gets another outfit change… Chouginga Gurren Lagann is born… I mean… there’s a lot to a single episode. Heck, there’s even more in a typical Lucky Star episode than this episode of Spice and Wolf. This anime adaptation feels very methodical.
I wouldn’t have a problem with this except that it just doesn’t feel right for the show. It almost has no clue what direction does it want to go. Does it want to be Catan the Anime? Does it want to be Yakitate Horo~n? Does it want to be some sappy love story? I don’t know. The trading aspect is weak, and the whole currency subplot is weakly explained. It’s not educational like BECAUSE I’M A CLOWN NANDATTO!?. It is slowly morphing into a sappy love story, so I guess it has that going for it.
(The fact that the last two episodes spent a lot of time underground didn’t help things. I was having generic SNES/PSone era RPG flashbacks.)
Market Report and Wolf
UP ZOMG WOLF ATTACK… maybe a sappy love story wouldn’t be bad. Especially if gym shorts and storage lockers are involved.
(But I loved Chloe’s face when Horo jumped on Lawrence. That was fantastic.)
DOWN IMAGIN… oh man, the animation quality sunk to new lows this episode. Way too many scenes that just panned the camera instead of animating some movement. Horo’s amazing tail deserves to be animated better. And, to be fair, Lawrence’s abs are significantly worse animated than Hosaka’s and Tomoya’s. I’m not talking about from a buff standpoint, but it looks like it only took 8 strokes to draw Lawrence shirtless vs. the many, many man hours required for Hosaka.
(And no belt buckle?!)
DOWN horo~n… he’s about as good as hiding her deredere moments as Kyou. I think it’s pretty obvious that she wasn’t going to abandon Lawrence and that she was going to continue traveling with him when she sent the bill to him. She just wanted him to admit up a bit that he wants to stay with her as well.
(Of course, I really, really hope we don’t get a “If you don’t know why I’m angry, I’m not telling you” scene. Bad times. Very bad times. Especially if your sleeping on the couch.)
UP Deredere Horo… Deredere Horo might not be bad, assuming she doesn’t overshoot into Terrifying Wolf God mode and separate your pie hole from your asshole. Though… mmm… I’d risk it. Nonetheless, Horo doesn’t have a tsuntsun mode (at least not yet), but rather an assemblage of Calculating Trader, Tipsy and Flirty, Terrifying Wolf God, and Deredere Horo.
(But from a risk/reward standpoint, Horo isn’t up there with Kyou, who has a lot of upside and not much of a downside, especially if you burn all the dictionaries in a three state area. Maybe that was why they were burning those books in R.O.D.…)
UP “Even when I visited your village, we didn’t get a chance to be together”… Lawrence’s admission, that, yeah, he would have bedded Chloe if Horo didn’t intervene. The thing is, I can’t say that Chloe is crazy; she’s acting perfectly normal. She wants her man and is willing to burn everything that stands in her way on a stake and pyre. Guys, as women get closer and closer to thirty, they become more and more like this.
UP The funny part is that Chloe was willing to let Lawrence live if he handed over Horo and open a store with him. Uh, I’m pretty sure Lawrence thought about it and went… “If she’s this crazy now…” But if he had taken the offer, he’d be a whore-pimp. He’d pimp out Horo to be able to whore himself.
(Just for fun, I used the word “whore” in my posts ten times in 2007. Most of them were in reference to the Anchorman quote, “Why don’t you go back to your home on Whore Island?” or just part of “camwhore.” Kabitzin used it twice, both times to call Makoto a “manwhore.” Omni used it three times, maybe more, but at least he called Nemu a “whore.” Hirano used it 16 times to call characters too numerous to keep track of “whores.” Jeff? Zero. My point? I have no point. At least this item isn’t a rant on the runaway federal deficit.)
DOWN Dry undergarments… odds are great that Chloe or Lawrence wet themselves at some point during this episode. Horo in her wolf form brings back memories of Gillian Anderson voicing Moro in Princess Mononoke, only Moro was a more efficient killing machine.
(And, yeah, when Mononoke-hime first came out, it was during the peak/tail end of the X-Files run, so during the whole movie, I kept expecting a “Mulder! Where are you?!” And OTL that maybe a quarter my readers weren’t even born when the X-Files started airing.)
UP Taking a chance… when Lawrence confronted Horo about the destruction of her clothes and how much it would take to replace them… well… he must have had balls larger than Steve Kerr. I still can’t stop ranting over the Shaq trade. Kerr is getting lambasted for the trade, but I watched the Warriors just outrun Phoenix this week, and Phoenix’s time is pretty much past. If Phoenix can’t run and beat a team like the Warriors, they can’t play half-court against the Spurs, and they match up poorly with the Lakers, they gotta make a move. They’ve reached a fatal point where they will only get worse, and their best is still not good enough. I gotta hand it to Kerr, their GM, for pulling off this trade. It may seem bad, but it’s nowhere as bad as the four first rounders or so that they gave up the past three years (including the one that eventually became Loul Deng). At least with Shaq now, his contract will expire pretty much in line with Nash’s. They can rebuild two years from now around Amare, Barbosa, and a crap load of cap space.
UP “I see the world through apple eyes”… wolves are carnivores, dammit. Carnivores! They should be feasting on an assortment of rabbits, elk, and delicious Tsukasas.
UP Carnivore behavior…
UP Euros… the US economy is struggling, and the Japanese economy has been struggling. The solution? Form Gundam 00‘s Union! Between the US, Japan, Mexico, and Canada, that’s over 600 million people, larger than the EU. Between the US and Japan, there’s a lot of high tech knowledge. Mexico has the labor. Canada has oil and natural reserves. Forming Union would create the greatest economic trading block since the Roman Empire. Of course, the EU could retaliate by taking on all the former Soviet countries (for labor) and the Middle East (for natural resources) to create the AEU. Then, of course, China would have to suck it up and… I still can’t believe that Sunrise created a perfectly plausible scenario and then ran roughshod over it. Okay, I can believe it a little bit.
(I should have saved this item for my next Gundam 00 post. Ah screw it.)
DOWN 120 coins… that’s it? That’s not even enough to buy tons of apples, new clothes, a combo, and a robe. I think it’s very bad business to engage in trading over 300,000 coins just to make about a 300 coin profit. Uh, that’s a lot of risk for 0.1% gain! But, then again, this is the same thinking that led to the current mortgage crisis. “Hey, we’ll loan this underqualified person a shitload of money for next to nothing in interest! I’m a genius!”
(But good to have Nakkid Horo back in our lives again. Even if it was only for a grainy, quick, black and white moment.)
UP PQQ…
PQQ: If you want to continue with the remaking of that Miller Lite commercial, you need to think of two other stunned/jealous/flat women to be at the end. Stunned jealous and flat? Shana and Lousie maybe?
Miller Lite paradox? If the fight were between Siesta and Yoshida, then, yes. But between Chloe and Horo~n… I’d probably have to go with Kallen and The Jealous Half-Sister.
Trn: Jason for dictator! …that would be awesome. Still curious though, what would you do about all the money spent on the military?
Since the military is in the $500-700 billion range, I would probably cut $200 billion by scaling back operations in Iraq (or getting out completely) and reduce the troops in Japan, South Korea, and Germany. (I’d also cut programs like the Virginia and the B-2 and replace them with more unmanned drone programs.) Then I’d use half the money to start paying of the national debt. The remainder I would dump into basic scientific research, renewable energy research, scholarships and grants, transportation infrastructure improvements, and a presidential harem.
Xellos-_^: My 2rd Act would be to make MiniSkirts a part of the Female Military Uniform.
Or gym shorts. I’m down with either.
Northernshadows: Also, since I can’t wait for a post with a suitably wide topic, I’ll say it right here: Clannad. Episode. Seventeen. OMG Kuoy OMG!
Kyou has broken your spelling! 17 was one of the greats. And Tomoya definitely looks hawter than Lawrence without a shirt on. Wait. a sec…
Sheba: Oh man, this pic of glasses guy bring me horrible memories of Night Shift Nurses.
Yep… these are my readers.
19 Responses to “spice and wolf, silent farewell and wolf”
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This anime has yet to disappoint me. Horo’s true form was great, though I was surprised how quick Chloe sacrificed Lawrence.
As desirable as it is to withdraw the troops from Iraq, it just isn’t plausible. If the troops left, Iraq would probably fall into anarchy, breed another generation of America hating terrorists and bomb some buildings. That will get another republican elected on a wave of hyper patriotism, and the States would start intervening like CB, again.
And mmm, how much would you spend on a presidential harem? And who’s on your shortlist of that harem? The Nayuki all-stars?
eat your heart out naruto!!! a real fox is in town!!!
Horo > Kyou. Imagin if a competent anime studio was doing Wolf and Spice. I think Kyoto would be perfect actually. Even with Imagin, its decent enough, but falling way too short of it’s potential.
And for the record, Id rock Darry with my missiles and feast on delicious Tsukasa.
>> Kyou has broken your spelling!
Aaah! I hope that doesn’t count as blasphemy. Wait, I think it does, around these parts. Damn.
Chloe’s behaviour was bit odd there. “Hay Lawrence wanna open shop? Then hand over Horo. No deal? Kthxdie!” Neither did she really believe that Horo was the really real deal, apparently. And damn, the animation was really bad at places. With the last two episodes S&W has been losing momentum, which is a pity.
I enjoyed this episode… well maybe I’m just easily entertained. While I do agree this should be animated better and Kyoto would be an awsome choice, I wasn’t at all disappointed. I mean come on, I’ve suffered through D-gray and Gantz… the slowest most boggled up anime i’ve ever seen. While I do like Spice and Wolf for its more dialogue and relationship approach, the lack of in your face action makes me enjoy it for what it is. Something to sit back and enjoy with a little bit of anticipation.
I’m not sure I’d want to see a fast paced Spice and Wolf. I’m kind of used to anime being a bit slower paced anyway. Can’t help but wonder if the economics stuff is getting lost in translation, though, or if it’s that hard for the Japanese to follow too.
PS (the commenter):
While I do think a US troop pullout would result in anarchy in Iraq, I don’t think it would necessarily result in increased terrorism against the US. I think that the insurgency is driven at least in part by anti-colonial sentiments, which are fueled by the actual presence of troops there. Withdrawing troops wouldn’t stop anti-US sentiment overnight, but I think it would curb it a little.
Also, as good as the US is at blowing stuff up, I don’t think it’s ground forces have the manpower or mobility to really win a lot of the insurgencies it’s up against at the moment. This applies to Afghanistan as well: I’m somewhat shocked NATO thinks it can win that conflict with 40K troops when the Soviet Union failed with nine times that number. And to top it off, as far as I’m concerned the current Afghan government only looks good in comparison to what was there before. They may execute less people for silly religious reasons, but they still execute some.
“The remainder I would dump into basic scientific research, renewable energy research, scholarships and grants, transportation infrastructure improvements, and a presidential harem.”
Hmmm… I might have added research on the creation of catgirls to that list, if not for the fact it would probably violate a lot of scientific ethics and probably wouldn’t produce results while I was still young enough to enjoy them. Guess I’d have to settle for making nekomimi a part of school uniforms. And gym shorts and thigh highs for girls with a decent body mass index, of course.
Well Jason, I think your dictatorial priorities are all messed up and reveal a fundamentally naive and superficial world-view.
I mean, come on, the presidential harem comes first.
“Canada has oil and natural reserves.” But you have failed to mention that we will just say “It’s all mine, eh” and keep everything for ourselves. Canadians aren’t actually that nice.
Mein future President while your plans speak immensely of your desire to improve the quality of life for your subjects and der President Harem I must protest that your plans while grand must take into consideration the technological limits of drones, the strategic situation, and our commitment to out allies. I submit to you that instead of unilaterally withdrawing our forces from the 38th Parallel that we achieve lasting peace in Korea first and remain for a while longer to soothe the fears of the Koreans on the issue of having the PRC at their doorstep when they undergo the complicated process of reunification given the gulf of material wealth between the North and the South.
Given the current situation regarding Formosa/Taiwan/Republic of China the removal of American Forces would damage our ability to ensure PRC compliance with the status quo of non-intervention in the affairs with the island, that is of course highly dependent on your East Asian Policy assuming that you care enough not to let 22,911,292 formerly free people fall under the mercy, or lack there of, of the Chinese Communist Party that was most willing to run over its people with MBTs in 1989 and continually abuses its rural and urban population with widespread corruption. The US Navy while mighty cannot mobilize quick enough to prevent such an outcome without bases in the Ryukyu Islands and Yokohama, unless of course you also invest enough to realize time travel, then the US Navy would be more than happy to return to our old base at Pearl Harbor.
Our commitment to our NATO allies also means that we are responsible for helping maintain the NATO air pool and as such a unilateral withdrawal of support crews would be most unwelcome for the overall health of the alliance and a snub to our NATO allies. Unless of course like your predecessor of 2000-2008 you also are of the opinion that NATO is a road block to your ambitions. Given your desire for renewable energy forming a joint green energy program with our NATO allies and the EU would be a far more efficient uses of resources, pool the scientific talent of all our scientists, and defray the cost of such a venture.
Regardless of your well intentioned Iraq policy please be advised that we must see to the evacuation of our allies that remain and take measures to mitigate the ensuing refugee crisis. Given your proposed cut backs and withdrawal of forces at the major instillations it will be hard for our forces to perform a rapid air evacuation or maintain supply of forces needed to maintain a safe corridor for a naval evacuation. I seriously doubt that given the prevailing situation post President Jason cut backs that we can even have a Fall of Saigon type operation. That is assuming that the current government in Iraq is not strong enough to maintain order.
Also please keep in mind that most military hard ware is expensive because we don’t order enough quantities to take advantage of economies of scale. In addition please note that current drone technology is not infallible and not impervious to to possible malicious attacks as the current capabilities of the US in fighting the first Cyber War is in doubt because our best and brightest programmers and IT people don’t go into the military. Thus I advise against over relying on non-human pilots. Also note that current AI technology is no where near as good as a well trained pilot in a dogfight.
Whatever your decision mein President I hope that you will be blessed with a talented cabinet and excellent Flag Officers to execute your will.
Also will the Presidential Harem of President elect Jason cover the breadth of anime moe genres or will it be meido only?
“I see the world through apple eyesâ€â€¦ wolves are carnivores, dammit. Carnivores! They should be feasting on an assortment of rabbits, elk, and delicious Tsukasas.
I live in north-eastern Alberta (Canada, right in the middle of the oilsands), and we have a small grove of Haralson and Crab Apples on part of our property. We quite often get Timber Wolves and Coyotes eating the rotten apples on the ground in late September. They’re just like dogs, they’ll eat all kinds of crap.
Xellos-_^: My 2rd Act would be to make MiniSkirts a part of the Female Military Uniform.
Or gym shorts. I’m down with either.
LOL at the ignoring/missing of the FMA reference.
Hum, you are walking the Itsuki path.
Too bad that the next episode is a heartbreaker.I half expected a OH GEASS NO when Lawrence is lying in bed shirtless describing his masculine body being seasoned with spices while Marlhait pulls him closer and says “Well I like my men spicy”…errr…yeah..>_>
LOL, maybe if you searched for “strumpet” or something instead…
Chloe’s “That possessed chick is straddling my man” face was excellent =D.
I did like how they put in the story about the rich man and the demon and weaved it into the line with the show’s title.
>> Too bad that the next episode is a heartbreaker.
No kidding. KyoAni casts the silk gloves off and puts on steel gauntlets instead. A terribly cruel yet skillfully scripted scene that lays it all out without a single word having to be said. You can see them crumble bit by bit, and then the killing blow is delivered. I wonder what the last batch of episodes will be about, seeing “the game” is now over.
And, I blame Jason for not having episode posts to discuss these things in. Widescreen version? Excuses, excuses… you’re just afraid you’d end up writing 3000 word essays if you had to do them in a timely manner. ;)
Blood drinking Horo… hawt.