Welcome to the weekly review of Spice and Wolf (2024). Here, we’ll recap what happened in the latest episode, break down some of the economic talk, and discuss the differences between the anime, manga, and light novel. Here is our review of episode 7.
Episode 7: Scale of God and Sorcerer of the Grasslands
In episode 7 of Spice and Wolf, the duo arrive in the town of Poroson to sell off the pepper Lawrence had received from Milone Trading. All seems normal during the exchange, until Holo feigns dizziness and spills water on the table, revealing a slant in favor of the standardized weights. The man had been trying to swindle more pepper for less money. With that ruse discovered, Lawrence haggles not only a larger profit but also a cache of armaments he expects to sell off at their next destination, the Church capital of Ruvinheigen. On the way, however, they hear rumors of a mercenary band occupying the main road and of a sorcerer who summons wolves on the detour path. Not wanting to waste time, Lawrence opts for a detour. He and Holo don’t come across a sorcerer, but a young shepherdess and her sheep dog.
The purpose of the scales in this episode was to accurately measure how much pepper Lawrence had and to determine its price per unit. Milone Trading had given him 1,000 silver pieces worth, but based on the demand in this new town, the value was higher. That is what Lawrence was banking on when he received it. The pepper was counted out and measured against a standardized weight, but because the table was slightly tilted in favor of the weight and the scales had been altered to disguise that fact, the man could stack more pepper to even out the scales. By making it appear like more pepper was needed to balance the weight, he would be underpaying for the whole stock.
With that knowledge, Lawrence demands the agreed upon price plus the amount the man had stood to gain from the ruse. He also demands to buy from the man double the total value on margin. In this context, buying on margin means the buyer, Lawrence, purchases more goods than he has money to cover. Now he owes the man, and by extension the company, the remaining sum. His plan is to sell the armaments in Ruvinheigen at a higher price, pay back his debt and pocket the difference. If he plays his cards right, he could easily triple his profit.
Review
So far, Spice and Wolf (2024) has stuck pretty close to the story beats and pacing of the 2008 anime. The biggest difference is that episode 7 of Spice and Wolf (2008) was a filler episode where Lawrence and Holo spend a little more time in Pazzio after the silver scheme. This little vignette doesn’t appear in the light novels, as far as I can tell, so it was probably added for world-building or to pad out the season. There’s no evidence yet that the 2024 anime will have similar filler episodes, but it does appear like it will keep using the 2008 anime as a template, with some embellishments here and there. This isn’t strictly a bad thing, but there is a tiny critic inside that wishes it will do something unique to set itself apart. I suspect that will come later.
Spice and Wolf is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
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