Spice and Wolf

Spice and Wolf (Japanese: 狼と香辛料, Hepburn: Ōkami to Kōshinryō) is a Japanese light novel series written by Isuna Hasekura and illustrated by Jū Ayakura. ASCII Media Works has published 24 volumes since February 2006 under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. ASCII Media Works has also published thirteen volumes of a spin-off light novel series titled Wolf and Parchment since September 2016. The story follows Kraft Lawrence, a traveling merchant, and Holo, a wolf deity who decides to accompany him north to her hometown as Lawrence seeks his fortune. A manga adaptation illustrated by Keito Koume began serialization in the November 2007 issue of ASCII Media Works' seinen manga magazine Dengeki Maoh. The manga is licensed by Yen Press, which has begun releasing the volumes in English. A 12-episode anime adaptation aired between January and March 2008, and an original video animation (OVA) episode released in May 2008. A second OVA was released in April 2009 as a prequel to the second anime season Spice and Wolf II, which had 12 episodes air between July and September 2009. Both anime seasons were released in English by Kadokawa Pictures USA and Funimation Entertainment. Two visual novels based on the series for the Nintendo DS were released by ASCII Media Works in June 2008 and September 2009. A second anime television series adaptation aired from April to September 2024, with a second season set to premiere in 2027. By October 2020, the light novel had sold over 5 million copies. The series was described as a "unique fantasy" by Mainichi Shimbun due to the plot focusing on economics and trade rather than typical fantasy staples such as swords and magic.