Koushinryou: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf (2024)

Long ago, a citizen from the village of Pasloe made a promise with Holo, the wolf deity, in exchange for a bountiful harvest. Several centuries later, Kraft Lawrence, a merchant, stops through the town of Pasloe with a cart of fur pelts. After leaving, Lawrence discovers that someone decided to catch a ride among the pelts—a wolf-eared girl, Holo, from the legend.¹

Holo seeks to return to her hometown, promising Lawrence that she will pay her keep if he accompanies her. The two set off, Holo using her centuries of knowledge to help Lawrence's business.¹

A Devilish Deity

Firstly, we must realize that Holo was considered a goddess by the people of the village. Though she does not apply this title to herself, she is still a "wolf spirit."² There is no God but Jehovah, and any spirit that may be called a god would be nothing but a devil.

She, being Lawrence's companion in traveling/business, should be considered a familiar spirit of sorts. The Scriptures forbid any form of spirit contact or familiar spirit.

"¶ A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them." (Leviticus 20:27)

Manasseh, one of the wicked kings of Judah, "dealt with a familiar spirit" (2 Chronicles 33:6). The Bible states that this provoked God to anger. The Lord was angry with Manasseh for having contact with a spirit, with a familiar spirit! Even King Saul had contact with the witch at Endor, who said, "I saw gods ascending out of the earth" (1 Samuel 28:13). One of these was Samuel, as God allowed, but the other "gods" were none other than wicked devils.

Now, consider that Holo, called a goddess, is a familiar spirit! Doesn't this fit what we are told not to do?

Immodesty

When Lawrence first meets Holo, she is naked.³ Cruchyroll lists nudity in the anime.⁴ According to Scripture, nakedness is a shame, and immodesty is sin. Paul states that women are to dress in "modest apparel" (1 Timothy 2:9). I can assure you that nakedness is not modest.

I hope no Christian would defend looking at images of people naked, so why is it okay when it's an animated show? It isn't. Your eye affects your heart (Lamentations 3:51), and out of the evil heart comes fornication and adultery (Matthew 15:19-20). When you see these things and consume media with immodesty, it does affect you. The only way to have a pure heart is to keep your heart—to protect it from consuming wickedness.

Drugs and Alcoholism

Holo has been described as wine-obsessed, getting drunk at least twice in the show.³ Alcohol is present in the anime, alongside drugs⁴, which both cause insobriety. The Apostle Peter commands us to be sober three different times in his first epistle. The last time he said:

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (1 Peter 5:8)

He tells us to be sober, the reason being that Satan is looking to devour the believers. He wants to trip us up and cause us to fall. One way he does this, as mentioned in the previous section, is by corrupting our hearts through media.

"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." (Proverbs 20:1)

Satan desires to deceive us, yes, with alcohol. If we want wisdom, to live by the Scriptures, we need to avoid the devil's deception.

Profanity

"Profanity," says Crunchyroll.⁴ Do you care about the things you listen to? Your eyes are the main gateway into your heart, but it is not the only. Your ears are also an entrance that Satan wants to exploit. He exploited the man Lot, not merely in what he saw, but through what he heard as well.

"[7] And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: [8] (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)" (2 Peter 2:7-8)

When we jump all the way back to Genesis chapter 19, we recall that Lot was willing to give his two virgin daughters to the hoard of Sodomites. Why would he ever do such a thing? Didn't he know God? He did, but living in that place, seeing their works, hearing their evil deeds, it vexed his soul, and he became lax in morality.

"Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners." (1 Corinthians 15:33) 

Lot was deceived. He thought he could be in that city, and be around all that filth, and yet remain unaffected. He learned a hard lesson that day when his wife became salt and all but two of his daughters died in the fires of the city. Evil communications corrupt good manners.

Violence

If all of these weren't enough, the anime also has violence.⁴ Violence is not something Christians ought to be involved in. Even in self-defense, there is always a wrong side, thus always a side sinning.

"The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth." (Psalm 11:5)

The LORD says He hates those who love violence. This is what often anime watchers feel. They love to watch fights and battles, but we aren't supposed to love this. Violence was one of the things that God said filled the earth, and that's why He sent the flood (Genesis 6:11)!

Conclusion

When one considers the content found within this anime, they simply cannot come to the conclusion that it pleases God. With the nudity, the portrayal of a false "goddess" turned familiar spirit, and the other issues, it appears clear that biblical morality is not part of this show. Why would any Christian find this to be 1) appealing and 2) morally fine to consume?

Sources:

1. "Ookami to Koushinryou: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf." MyAnimeList, myanimelist.net/anime/51122/Ookami_to_Koushinryou__Merchant_Meets_the_Wise_Wolf. Accessed 13 June 2025.

2. "Holo." Spice and Wolf Wiki, spiceandwolf.fandom.com/wiki/Holo. Accessed 13 June 2025.

3. "Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf: Parents guide." IMDb, imdb.com/title/tt28534254/parentalguide. Accessed 13 June 2025.

4. Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF. Crunchyroll, crunchyroll.com/series/G1XHJV08M/spice-and wolf-merchant-meets-the-wise-wolf. Accessed 13 June 2025.