Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF Ep. 2 “Mischievous Wolf and No Laughing Matter” is pretty much exactly what it says in the title. It’s an entire episode dedicated to having Holo demonstrate her silver tongue even in matters related to actual silver. However, it also shows how her silver tongue can work against her too. Definitely a treat for those fans of the original light novels and 2008 anime.

Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF Ep. 2 “Mischievous Wolf and No Laughing Matter”: Details

Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF NA key visual.
Amazingly, the anime still looks this pretty.

Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF Ep. 2 “Mischievous Wolf and No Laughing Matter” is the second episode (you can read a review of Ep. 1 here) of season 1 of this reboot anime series by studio Passione (Citrus, Mieruko-chan, Yuri Is My Job!). Said anime series is the reboot of the 2008 anime Spice and Wolf by studios Imagin (season 1) and the duo of Brain’s Base and Marvy Jack (season 2). Said original anime series (along with this reboot) are the anime adaptations of the light novel series of the same name by Isuna Hasekura (World End Economica, Magdala de Nemure).

Alas, we don’t know who was responsible for Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF Ep. 2 “Mischievous Wolf and No Laughing Matter” directly. However, we do still know that Hijiri Sanpei is the director of Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF overall. Takeo Takahashi is actually returning from the original 2008 anime series as the chief director. Kevin Penkin (Made in Abyss, Tower of God, Bye Bye, Earth) is the composer for the music you hear in this reboot anime.

Speaking of music: the opening theme music for this reboot anime is “Tabi no Yukue” by Hana Hope. Meanwhile, “Andante” by ClariS is the ending theme music for the same.

Voice Cast

Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF Ep. 2 “Mischievous Wolf and No Laughing Matter” features the voices of Jun Fukuyama as Kraft Lawrence and Ami Koshimizu as Holo the Wise Wolf.

When and Where to Watch

Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF Ep. 2 “Mischievous Wolf and No Laughing Matter” made its streaming debut on April 8, 2024. You can watch this episode only on Crunchyroll. In fact, you can watch this reboot anime as a whole only on Crunchyroll for now. If you want to watch the original 2008 Spice and Wolf anime for comparison, then you can do that on Crunchyroll as well.

Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF Ep. 2 “Mischievous Wolf and No Laughing Matter”: Synopsis

And she’s very proud of that silver tongue too.

Alas, Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF is an ongoing anime series. In fact, Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF Ep. 2 “Mischievous Wolf and No Laughing Matter” only just premiered at the time of this writing. Thus, here’s the official synopsis of this episode from Crunchyroll instead of a spoiler-filled plot summary to catch you all up on the details:

Lawrence and Holo stay overnight in the town where they sell the furs. As Lawrence learns more about Holo, Holo learns about the current state of the Church and shares her own wisdom.

Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF Ep. 2 “Mischievous Wolf and No Laughing Matter”: The Good

Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF Ep. 2 "Mischievous Wolf and No Laughing Matter" visual by Juu Ayakura.
Not good for Holo, but great drama for us.

Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF Ep. 2 “Mischievous Wolf and No Laughing Matter” simply continues with the greatness of this reboot anime. Which in this case is the story. Already, we’re getting quite a bit of economics happening in this story, with discussions of trading goods for an equivalent value of goods, as well as currency speculation. It’s this unique mercantile aspect to the plot that makes the story of this episode great, as well as the anime in general.

It’s not just the story either. Lawrence and Holo have some of the most fun (and funniest) dynamics in all of anime-dom. Their sharp-tongued banter with each other could cut through steel, and yet is slippery enough to butter an elephant’s backside. That’s not even going into Holo’s own antics with everyone around her. That banter alone tells an entire story, and really shows off Isuna Hasekura’s skill as a writer.

Then there’s the animation quality. I cannot state this strongly enough, but Passione have done a marvelous job with that. There’s an incredible amount of detail in the anime that’s almost anime film quality. It’s even better than the original 2008 anime, really.

Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF Ep. 2 “Mischievous Wolf and No Laughing Matter”: The Bad

Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF Ep. 2 "Mischievous Wolf and No Laughing Matter" showing a slightly angry Holo.
You don’t want Holo ticked at you. She’s still the Wise Wolf god, after all.

Honestly, the only thing that’s bad about Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF Ep. 2 “Mischievous Wolf and No Laughing Matter” is if you’re not a fan of slow-paced stories. Or more specifically: slow-paced economic stories with little to no action. This is just that kind of anime. It’s the kind of anime where you sit back, and relax to the slow-paced plotline, watching it slowly but surely build up. If that’s not the kind of story for you, then you might want to look into the more shonen anime like Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba or Spy x Family.

Keep Reading:

Spice And Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF Ep. 1 “The Harvest Festival And The Crowded Driver’s Box”: The Economic Adventure Begins Again [Review]