A new “Abundant Harvest” key visual has been released for the upcoming Spice and Wolf: merchant meets the wise wolf TV anime series, which depicts Holo standing in a glowing field. The anime will premiere in Japan on April 1, 2024, with Crunchyroll and Netflix streaming the new series outside of Japan.
Takeo Takahashi (Spice and Wolf Season 1 and 2 director) is serving as chief director for the anime, with Hijiri Sanpei (Yuri is My Job!) as series director, and Kevin Penkin (Made in Abyss) as music composer. Passione is handling the animation production.
The anime’s voice cast includes Ami Koshimizu as Holo, Jun Fukuyama as Kraft Lawrence, and Mai Nakahara as Norah Arendt, who all reprise their roles from the 2008 anime series.
The anime is based on the fantasy romance light novel series, written by Isuna Hasekura and illustrated by Juu Ayakura. It was published under Kadokawa’s Dengeki Bunko label on February 10, 2006, with 24 volumes released as of January 2023. Yen Press releases both the light novels and manga adaptation in English for North America.
A sequel spinoff light novel series titled Wolf and Parchment: New Theory Spice & Wolf, focusing on Holo and Lawrence’s daughter Myuri, was released on September 10, 2016. Nine volumes were released as of July 2023. A manga adaptation of the spinoff series by Hidori was launched in 2019. Yen Press also releases the sequel spinoff’s light novel and manga in English.
The franchise has inspired several video games, with the first two games being dating simulators on the Nintendo DS in 2008 and 2009. The two most recent VR games were released on VR in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
The previous anime adaptation aired its first season in 2008, with the second season following in 2009. Funimation previously licensed the series for North America.
Crunchyroll has licensed the 2024 Spice and Wolf anime, describing the synopsis as:
Lawrence is a traveling merchant selling various goods from a horse-drawn cart. One day, he arrives at a village and meets a beautiful girl with the ears and tail of an animal! Her name is Holo the Wisewolf and she brings bountiful harvests. She wishes to return to her homeland, and Lawrence offers to take her. Now, the once-lonely merchant and the once-lonely wisewolf begin their journey north.