Ric: Hello everyone, and welcome to a (Stupidly late) Citrus presentation! Today, for your reading pleasure (Imagine this said with the voice of an obnoxious announcer.) we have the return of Spice and Wolf! Most importantly, HORO IS BACK!

Of course, this lovely little scene is part of a dream sequence in which our lovely Horo is between two sides, the Wolves of Yoitsu and Lawrence (Lucky sod that he is.), Horo runs towards Lawrence (Awww), only to be greeted with this lovely scene.

Unfortunately, this being a dream we’re treated to a metaphoric representation of how the relationship between Lawrence and Horo can’t end well, with her being immortal and him well…not.

This of course makes reality explode, leading us to the sight of our lovely wolf-diety waking up, leaning on Lawrence’s shoulder. (Awwx2<3)

Lawrence, not knowing what the dream was about, assumes that she woke up after having found something nice to eat. Horo corrects him, saying that she was actually dreaming about Yoitsu.

Which leads to this adorable scene between the two, which again, can only get cuter, as Horo says this.

C-Can this be it?! I-is this the time for the big confession scene between Lawrence and Horo we’ve been waiting for?!

N-nevermind.

Anyway, Horo, being her usual self, sits around grooming her tail (Still cute, so many episodes on.), noticing this, Lawrence tells her to put it back under the blanket, just incase anyone comes past them.

Naturally, Horo gets a little annoyed at this, telling him not to treat her tail like a mere hand warmer (Cuuuuute<3), of course, using his magical sweet-talk abilities, Lawrence escapes this in a spectacular fashion. Which leads to…umm…I’m not sure what’s going on, but well, this.

A-anyway, after this, Lawrence says that he’ll give Horo a present in return (W-what did she just do?!), Horo’s eyes light up, clearly expecting something nice, only to be given…wheat for her hair?

In a nicely placed showing of plot, Lawrence tells Horo that they’re going to the town of Kumerson, in a land where religious symbols are banned, where even nuns and monks must party like it’s 1999 again, where…You all stopped believing me after the religion thing, didn’t you?

Of course, Horo cares little of this, simply sulking that Lawrence lied about having a present for her. Granted, both of them knew he was lying, but as Horo said:

As payback, Horo uses her magnificent shoving powers and shoves Lawrence around the front of the cart…ADORABLY!

I mean it, this scene is so cute that I actually want to hug it. Even moreso because it’s followed by this.

YES, Horo yawns like a cat!

Apparently, Horo is bored at how long that it’s taking them to get to Kumerson, not because she’s tired, noooo, because of this, the poor gal. :’[

Horo is made even happier as Lawrence tells her that the town is in the middle of a festival, meaning that there’ll be even MORE food for her to try!

But Horo, being the considerate lil’ Wolf Deity that she is, asks him if his wallet will be able to withstand all of this; Lawrence says that he’ll be able to pay for her food, Horo then replying that then Inn will probably be shabby as a result.

Lawrence says that he somehow has the money to be able to pay for a decent Inn as well, as long as Horo doesn’t ask for something silly.

LAWRENCE YOU AMAZING SNEAKY BASTARD<3

Also, Horo…snores?! (C-cute…)Although she quickly denies it.

Anyway, Lawrence tells Horo that she isn’t his type (Lieeeees), making Horo…speechless, and obviously sad (Her ears are down. ;_; )

Or so we think!

I love how she manages to turn the tables completely on poor Lawrence. (Granted, he deserved it.)

Her ridicule of him is adorable, especially her little Knight-Princess comparison<3

Horo does admit to Lawrence having played a “Knight” role for her, once in the past, during the infamous…exposition. I’m assuming anyone reading this has watched Spice and Wolf series one, if not, you won’t get what’s going on here. (Ok, just watch episode six then.)

Anyway, after a somewhat touching scene where Horo says that was the first time that anyone protected her, she returns to teasing Lawrence, pushing him again with her superior…cuteness until he apologises.

Which leads to this.

As long as she gets two meals, she’s perfectly fine.

And onto the plot.

While looking for some fish for Horo to eat, they come across…A SHOTA! (Angel’s gonna love this.)

Anyway, long story short, he has no fish left to sell, and gives Lawrence some directions to Kumerson. Although he also says that all the Inns are booked up already for the festival (Horo’s reaction to this is also cute<3).

Anyway, as it turns out, the new guy is a member of the Rowen Trading Guild, just like Lawrence (They allow shotas now?).

The new guy introduces himself as Fermi Amati, with Lawrence introducing himself and Horo, telling Fermi that she’s a Nun on a pilgrimage; I love how it’s also so obvious that Fermi has an instant crush on Horo, just from looking at her.

Anyway, Fermi organises a room for them, using his business connections.

Again, as Horo comes down the stairs, we get another obvious “FERMI HAS A CRUSH ON HORO” scene.

Of course, Horo is as clever as us and notices his little crush, acting in a worryingly over-polite manner in an attempt to take advantage of this.

She does this a little too well…

Anyway, leaving the poor lil’ guy alone for now, Lawrence and Horo talk about what Lawrence is selling (Nails.), with Horo remarking that he needs to sell more interesting goods.

Lawrence, being the magnificent sweet talker that he is, has this to say:

Although, that may be because the two of them are both drinking up a storm, as of course, in those days, it was perfectly normal to down barrels a night as long as you’re a Wolf gal.

Anyway, Lawrence has ordered a type of wine called “Burning Wine”, which Horo thinks tastes like the wine back in Yoitsu, prompting a saddened look from Lawrence as Horo says that she can’t wait to get back. (Poor Lawrence. :’[)

Anyway, here comes the funniest scene transition in the whole episode.

Anyway, inbetween this hilarity, before Lawrence goes to sleep, we see a flashback of what I assume to be a younger Lawrence, asking who I assume to be his mother about something that happened to Yoitsu Village, which I can only assume will be revealed much later on in this series.

Lawrence leaves behind a bucket and some water for Horo and tells her not to worry about the festival, seeing as the real events don’t start until tomorrow anyway. After this, Lawrence goes to see a business associate of his.

For some reason his associate speaks in…”Bao”?

Bao. Very Bao.

Bao ecomonics bao bao bao.

Bao, easily made deal bao bao. Bao Jun Fukuyama is scary bao bao.

APPRENTICE BAO!

Bao, back to Horo, baoooo~

Horo, having recovered from her hangover, uses this as a reason to drink.

She says that she’s really glad that she met Lawrence (Aww<3), that he can put up with her.

Horo also thinks that it was cute how embarassed Lawrence used to get with her flirting. Lawrence countering with how she drinks twice as much now as she used to do (Lawrence’s wallet is crying.). Horo mentions how it usually would be easier to travel in her Wolf form and also…

Horo can’t get used to being a human, it seems. <3

Although, being her usual playful self, she decides that she likes it and jumps around like a drunken loon…adorably<3 (Yes, I’m fanboying. You should be used to it by now.)

Lawrence asks Horo if she can give him any clues that might help them find Yoitsu, with Horo telling him that it’s somewhere near a town named Niohira (WHICH HAS HOT SPRINGS!), which they can then travel south-west from to get to Yoitsu.

Horo says that it would take her two days to get there in Wolf form, but Lawrence tells her that it may take anything from a month to two years with the cart.

Lawrence, you boob.

Of course, Lawrence realises what he just said and tries to salvage the conversation, saying that he wants to do all that he can to help. Horo replies back, saying that while men are measured by their kindness, she would be troubled if he pampered her too much, again commenting on how she is immortal and how human lifespans are like the blink of an eye to her kind.

Lawrence tries his hardest to say something (Kiss her, you fool!) to Horo, Horo saying that it was her fault for not considering things and that she’s happy to be by his side and that she ended up being dependant on him; Although she dismisses saying this as her being drunk and goes to bed, leaving poor Lawrence speechless as the episode ends.

Okay, my opinion is that well, this episode was…awesome! The OP and ED too (especially the ED<3).

While it isn’t up to the wow factor given by Casshern SINS last year, this is definately one of, if not the best first episode of the season, starting us off with a bang, rather than taking the easy way and going slowly. For this, I’m really looking forward to episode two, as well as the rest of the series.

That, and I’m a giant Horo fanboy. (Can you tell?)

Ric’s Rating for Episode 01: 10/10

Ric’s Anticip-O-meter: 11/10!

-The Lean, Green Tangerine