After all, this is what it’s famous for.
Summary:
- Spice and Wolf is known for its interesting portrayal of medieval economics.
- It’s good enough, but somewhat basic.
- The author made another work centered around economics.
Spice and Wolf (Ookami to Koushinryou) has been praised since the 2008 anime aired. Now, the remake series is airing, and fans are comparing it to the old one — and they can’t agree on which one is better.
Still, one thing that both series do well is adapting the light novel. Among the things that make it so famous is not just the romance and the fantasy adventure — it’s the fact that the author provides a detailed description of medieval economics. But how realistic is that depiction exactly?
Spice and Wolf Makes Medieval Economics Interesting
The economics aspect of Spice and Wolf is something that makes the anime much more entertaining. Yes, it may sound like a very boring subject matter — but the anime shows it in a very simple and entertaining way, and it’s very different from the economics of the real world.
Spice and Wolf often focuses on how trade works between individual merchants and guilds — which, in medieval times, was the foundation of the economic system. The protagonist, Lawrence, is a traveling merchant himself, and we see the anime through his eyes, with a lot of additional commentary.
It’s Pretty Basic
Still, the depiction of economics in the anime might be important to the story, but the actual depth is not that impressive. As said above, the anime shows medieval economics in a simple way — and that simplicity misses a lot of key factors that are important to the study of economics.
That, however, is enough to keep an average viewer entertained. Spice and Wolf isn’t supposed to be a historical treatise — it’s more of a fantasy adventure with a slowly developing romance. Economics is a supporting aspect, not the main point of the story.
The Author Wrote More About Economics
Funnily enough, this isn’t the only work by the author that focuses on economics. There’s also World End Economica — a visual novel (and three light novels) — a project developed by the same team that made the Spice and Wolf VR game & anime project.
They have also announced an anime adaptation for it, which is going to be a movie — but right now, only the long trailer exists.
We don’t know when it will come out, but Spice and Wolf fans are very excited for it. It’s very different from Spice and Wolf if we look at the setting, but it’s still very much similar in genres. In it, humanity settles the Moon, which becomes the new unexplored frontier — and the series is a mix of sci-fi and romance.