Spice and Wolf - Q & A

[tyranuus]

Good to hear (on both accounts Kaguya!)

[poleno]

Glad to hear it from you

[Rajura]

I am most relieved on both accounts!

[The Innocent Mage]

As a random newbie, I have a question regarding the series.

I currently own the only three available Spice and Wolf light novels. Before discovering the books, I watched the anime all the way through.

Onto my question.

The first three novels cover the entirety of season one. However, I see that there are actually thirteen more volumes that haven't been released. Do the novels stretch beyond the end of the anime, or is the plot just stretched out across the remaining thirteen books?

[Kotohono]

Originally Posted by The Innocent Mage

As a random newbie, I have a question regarding the series.

I currently own the only three available Spice and Wolf light novels. Before discovering the books, I watched the anime all the way through.

Onto my question.

The first three novels cover the entirety of season one. However, I see that there are actually thirteen more volumes that haven't been released. Do the novels stretch beyond the end of the anime, or is the plot just stretched out across the remaining thirteen books?

I haven't read the novels personally, but my understanding is that the second season did not cover all of the material currently available in the novels.

[The Innocent Mage]

Ah! I see.

...

...that means I'll have to wait years just to read the full story, since they're releasing a new novel every six months.

DAMMIT!

[BashZeStampeedo]

Season one covered volumes 1 and 2, season two covered 3 and 5 (4 was skipped). The OVAs were chapters from side stories such as in volume 7.

The official English-translated novels are up to volume 3, and I believe volume 4 is due in June (and subsequent volumes every 6 months after that).

Of course we're all hoping for more seasons of the anime

[tyranuus]

Originally Posted by The Innocent Mage

Ah! I see.

...

...that means I'll have to wait years just to read the full story, since they're releasing a new novel every six months.

DAMMIT!

Yep join the club

[AutumnLeaf]

I just watched Spice and Wolf 2 a few days ago and I was rather confused about the the last episode.
I have a few questions in mind:

Spoiler for Spice and Wolf 2 Episode 12:

#1 What does Horo mean when she said to Lawrence he has to take responsibility from now on?
#2 What does Horo mean when she said "It'd be troublesome if I fell in love with you".

So I guess that's it.

[BashZeStampeedo]

Originally Posted by AutumnLeaf

I just watched Spice and Wolf 2 a few days ago and I was rather confused about the the last episode.
I have a few questions in mind:

Spoiler for Spice and Wolf 2 Episode 12:

#1 What does Horo mean when she said to Lawrence he has to take responsibility from now on?
#2 What does Horo mean when she said "It'd be troublesome if I fell in love with you".

So I guess that's it.

Here are my memories of it.

Spoiler:

1. He basically told her that he'd rather chase his dream (that they might one day end up together) then run away from it like she's doing. Since he rejected that idea, she's basically confirming that he's willing to accept whatever fate they share (good or bad).

2. As usual, their conversation is roundabout and can be interpreted in a few ways. Here're my favorites (not mutually exclusive):

She's saying that if she gives up the "reigns of control", then (using him as an example) she'll fall in love.

Her final statement itself can be interpreted, I believe, as "I would be embarrassed if I fell in love with you", and since she turns and blushes at him it implies that she's already embarrassed (and from there on, you can do the math).

[AutumnLeaf]

Originally Posted by BashZeStampeedo

Here are my memories of it.

Spoiler:

1. He basically told her that he'd rather chase his dream (that they might one day end up together) then run away from it like she's doing. Since he rejected that idea, she's basically confirming that he's willing to accept whatever fate they share (good or bad).

2. As usual, their conversation is roundabout and can be interpreted in a few ways. Here're my favorites (not mutually exclusive):

She's saying that if she gives up the "reigns of control", then (using him as an example) she'll fall in love.

Her final statement itself can be interpreted, I believe, as "I would be embarrassed if I fell in love with you", and since she turns and blushes at him it implies that she's already embarrassed (and from there on, you can do the math).

Thanks!
For the first question though, based on what you said,

Spoiler for Spice and Wolf Episode 12:

Lawrence changed his dream to be with Horo right? What do you mean by run away from it like she's doing and rejected that idea. I can understand that they accepted each other and Horo confirmed it by saying Lawrence will take responsibility.

For the second question, can you furthermore explain your first interpration? Although I liked your second theory. (:

Spoiler for Episode 12 Spice and Wolf 2:

Also about the dialogue at the pier, I didn't quite get it. When Horo slaps Lawrence and all.

Sorry, A bit slow here. >_>

[BashZeStampeedo]

You're not being slow. I'm pretty sure I'm getting it wrong, but it's still good fun.

Spoiler:

Lawrence changed his dream to be with Horo right?

He didn't change his dreams, he added a second one. He made it clear to Horo that he wasn't going to let her decide how either dream ended. He would rather perpetually chase the dreams then give one up for the other (like Horo was forcing him to do).

What do you mean by run away from it like she's doing and rejected that idea.

When he embraced her, she asked "what do you know about me?", and he basically said "I don't know anything about you.. but I do know that I'll never catch my dreams if I run away from them".

The implication was that she was stupidly running away (from their relationship) and that it wasn't the happy ending she wanted. She shoved him away for this suggestion, but she couldn't deny it and then she has a good cry about it.

about the dialogue at the pier, I didn't quite get it

The dialogue at the pier was basically Horo sensing that Lawrence wasn't going along with her "plan", and forcing him to admit it.

Her slap seemed to be her trying to get him to let her go, along with being upset that he's making her out to be a villain (marring the "happy ending" she so desperately wants).

[AutumnLeaf]

I got kind of confused at the dialogue but I think it's a little more clear now. I just wanna clarify some things up.

Spoiler for Dialogue at Pier:

As I can see Lawrence assumed that Horo want's to stay with him but no, when Lawrence said to Horo: "But I'm sure you're gonna say "Don't throw it all away just to gamble on a single thread of hope", I only got the "don't throw it all away" [It means that don't throw away the deal just to be with Horo right?] But I don't understand the "single thread of hope" part. What is that single thread of hope they were talking about?

Spoiler for Ending:

And also at the last part I just want to clarify what Horo really fears about.
The line "It'd be troublesome if I fell in love with you", what is really troublesome about that? Is it that she fears what would happen in the future or some kind of stuff, but then she blushes which means that she's either embarrassed or happy.
So far at the ending I think Horo just realized that she best to be optimistic of the future rather than pessimistic because of what Lawrence said.

[AutumnLeaf]

I got kind of confused at the dialogue but I think it's a little more clear now. I just wanna clarify some things up because I didn't really pay attention to the economics stuff and all because I got bored of the dialogues, I gotta re watch the whole season 2 or just the half-end part..

Spoiler for Dialogue at Pier:

As I can see Lawrence assumed that Horo want's to stay with him but no, when Lawrence said to Horo: "But I'm sure you're gonna say "Don't throw it all away just to gamble on a single thread of hope", I only got the "don't throw it all away" [It means that don't throw away the deal just to be with Horo right?] But I don't understand the "single thread of hope" part. What is that single thread of hope they were talking about?

Spoiler for Ending:

Also about your interpretations of the ending what do you mean by her "reigns of control"?
And the line, "It'd be troublesome if I fell in love with you" was basically saying that she loved him back? It kinda boggled my mind a bit. So please give me more insights.
Also what does Abe mean when she whispered something to Lawrence about hoping, but what is she hoping about?

I am sorry if my questions are too confusing to answer, I'm really sleepy right now, so I can't put it in a more understandable format. >_>

[BashZeStampeedo]

I'd suggest waiting for the Funimation dubs if you're patient.. they might clear up just how much of what I'm guessing is nonsense, though I have no idea how long it will be before those are done (we might have the fifth novel by then).

Spoiler:

It means that don't throw away the deal just to be with Horo right?

Yes, that's my impression. The "ray (or thread) of hope" was that if he canceled the deal to sell Horo, she would continue traveling with him.

what do you mean by her "reigns of control"?

"Taking the reigns" is of course just colorful language for "taking the initiative/taking control".

Lawrence is always hoping to gain control of a situation from Horo, because if she starts slipping up in that way it probably implies that she's falling for him and letting him lead her around for a change. You can think of it as the game of love, Spice and Wolf style.

In this last scene she asks how they'll get his profits back (from Abe) and he says they aren't as important as gaining control from Horo. She says she could never let that happen, because it would mean she'd fallen in love with him.

"It'd be troublesome if I fell in love with you" was basically saying that she loved him back?

It can also be interpreted that way, because she turns around blushing and smiling at him, but it's clearly not entirely an act (he blushes because he got a vaguely positive affirmation of her feelings, instead of her usual tough mystery act that he was expecting).

Also, I'm am certain that I'm wrong, but the verb she uses (困る I think) means "being troubled", but in an embarrassed and vexed kind of way. Hence my interpretation.

[AutumnLeaf]

BashZeStampeedo I guess I just need to re watch the half end of season 2, since the dubs aren't available yet, do you have any recommendation with good subs?

Also +rep for you, you really helped. Thanks!

[AutumnLeaf]

RFE: Double post.

[Vexx]

Can't really give recommendations out loud since the series is licensed (see Forum Rules). But there's one group that's been around a long time that does consistently decent work on most of their series without being goofballs.

[Question]

As i understand it, volume 1 with the special dust cover(original japanese artwork) was released to select retailers.

Does anyone have any idea which retailers these are? Amazon does not seem to be one of them.

Are they still printing new issues of volume 1 using the western cover or did they switch back to the japanese one after the first run?

Its really strange how they managed to draw an original artwork for volume 1 that made it look like a trashy sex novel.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Question

As i understand it, volume 1 with the special dust cover(original japanese artwork) was released to select retailers.

Does anyone have any idea which retailers these are? Amazon does not seem to be one of them.

Are they still printing new issues of volume 1 using the western cover or did they switch back to the japanese one after the first run?

Its really strange how they managed to draw an original artwork for volume 1 that made it look like a trashy sex novel.

These questions are answered in the Spice&Wolf subforum threads about merchandise, manga, and light novels. The dust cover of volume 1 is the "trashy sexy" (as are the rest) and the original artwork is on the book itself.