10 Books/Manga Like Spice & Wolf
Spice & Wolf is a fantastic light novel series that delves into political topics while building upon the relationship between its two main protagonists, Holo and Kraft Lawrence. The story’s written by by Hasekura Isuna, with illustrations by Jū Ayakura. It’s a series rich in dialogue, passion, and world-building, and one that leaves a solid impression.
If you’re in the mood for more slice-of-life or fantasy books/manga that offer a similar vibe, fear not! We’ve gathered together 10 books/manga to check out when you’ve caught up with Spice & Wolf. Of course, if you feel we’ve missed any of your favorites, do comment below and let us know!
Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina – Jougi Shiraishi
Similarities – Traveling, Settings, Characters
For those who adored following Holo and Lawrence during their travels, you’ll love observing Elaina during hers. On top of exploring economics and social dynamics, and having characters with wonderful development, you’ll have a wonderful time reading Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina. In Wandering Witch, we follow Elaina, she’s a witch who embarks on a quest through multiple lands.
During her travels, she’ll encounter a variety of different cultures, magical creatures, and people along the way. This mirrors Holo and Lawrence’s journey through rural towns and interact with their world which is built upon medieval trading and economics. That said, both stories give critical insight into the social and economic structures of the lands they visit.
This provides both narratives with splendid depth and intrigue–outside of their fabulous slice-of-like-styled segments. However, if you’re looking to follow a female with a bit more magic under her disposal, definitely read Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina.
World End Economica – Hasekura Isuna
Similarities – Adventure, Economics, Characters
World End Economics is another fascinating light novel series written by Hasekura Isuna. Like Spice & Wolf, this series dabbles into the the economical side of things while also giving you a fabulous male and female protagonist to observe. World End Economica takes place in a world where humans inhabit the moon and follow Yoshiharu.
He’s a novice tradesman who wants to be a member of his world’s elite, but can’t due to his low rank status. After changing his name to Haru and partnering up with a female mathematician, we observe Haru’s rise to the top. As with Holo and Lawrence, Haru and his partner Hagana establish excellent chemistry throughout World End Economica.
You’ll adore seeing them interact with each other on an emotional and business level. The worlds Lawrence and Haru inhabit are lively and complex. Readers will love the amount of detail Hasekura Isuna put into them. If you happen to love Spice & Wolf for its handling of political and adventure elements, you’ll love World End Economica.
Gosick – Kazuki Sakuraba
Similarities – Historical, Drama, Romance
Gosick is an interesting light novel with great historical and romance elements. It’s set in a fictional European country during the early 20th century and incorporates historical events, cultural references, and societal issues of that era. Much like Spice & Wolf, this series skillfully blends historical accuracy with a dash of romance and drama to bring you a world that’s immersive and captivating.
Additionally, both series feature characters with intellectual pursuits. In Gosick, the brilliant protagonist Victorique demonstrates her deductive skills as she solves difficult cases. Similarly, Lawrence uses his financial knowledge and negotiation skills to navigate a world where trading is commonplace. You’ll adore seeing how both characters rely on their established skill sets to accomplish hurdles.
In addition to having fabulously intricate character pairings, Spice & Wolf fans will enjoy what Gosick delivers.
Kino’s Journey: The Beautiful World – Keiichi Shigusawa
Similarities – Fantasy, Adventure, Slice-of-Life
For those looking for another fabulous adventure series with great slice-of-life and fantasy elements, look no further than Kino’s Journey: The Beautiful World. Like Spice & Wolf, this tale features its central character embarking on a quest of self-discovery. In it, the protagonist Kino, travels the world via their motorcycle and explores different countries with interesting cultures.
This mirrors Holo and Lawrence’s journeys in Spice & Wolf. They’ll spend their time visiting new towns and engaging in various economic-related challenges due to Lawrence’s profession. Moreover, both stories feature satisfying character dynamics that readers will latch onto as they read. While Lawrence has the witty and beautiful Holo, Kino establishes a connection with her motorcycle, Hermes, which serves as a gateway to Kino’s thoughts and emotions.
In addition to tackling similar themes of morality and human nature, Kino’s Journey: The Beautiful World will pique Spice & Wolf fans’ interest.
Ascendance of a Bookworm – Miya Kazuki
Similarities – Adventure, Fantasy, Economics
Ascendance of a Bookworm is a well-crafted story about the joys of literature. Like Spice & Wolf, this series dabbles into the realm of economics and trade too, and features rich character relationships fans will cherish. This tale follows Urano, a book-loving female who is reborn as a frail child named Myne in a medieval-like environment devoid of books.
Like Spice & Wolf, Ascendance of a Bookworm presents readers with a well-developed historical environment. Through its fabulous social hierarchal system and lack of available resources, Miya Kazuki creates a unique world that’ll keep fans interested. Furthermore, both tales have complex character dynamics to captivate readers.
Thanks to Myne’s passion for literature, she’ll forge strong connections with various characters throughout the story. They’ll assist her in navigating this unfamiliar and complex setting. Her relationships with them echo the vibes readers receive while examining Holo and Lawrence’s journeys in Spice & Wolf. If you happen to love fascinating leads who are passionate about their hobbies, check this out.
Wolf Children – Mamoru Hosoda
Similarities – Fantasy, Slice-of-Life, Themes
Wolf Children is a great manga with a unique blend of fantasy and slice-of-life elements, much like Spice & Wolf. The story follows Hana, as she flees to the countryside to raise her children. Her children have the ability to transform into wolves, thanks to their inheriting their deceased father’s abilities. It’s up to Hana to keep them safe and lead them down bright paths.
As one can tell, both stories provide readers with settings that are grounded in reality but are infused with magical elements. Where Lawrence has Holo, a wolf deity, accompany him during his economic quests, Hana must care for offspring with wolf DNA. Moreover, both tales emphasize personal growth and self-discovery.
Lawrence undergoes drastic development, learning more about himself and his desires. As for Hana, she’ll learn how to become a better mother while her kids will discover their own identities and find their place in the world. If you love fantasy tales that aren’t far off from reality, Wolf Children is worth getting into.
Snow White with the Red Hair – Sorata Akizuki
Similarities – Characters & Themes
If you like strong female protagonists who establish strong connections with others, Snow White with the Red Hair will interest you. In it, we follow Shirayuki, a determined herbalist who gets entangled in a world of royalty. Like Holo, Shirayuki displays great strength and independence in this tale and will tackle situations head-on.
Moreover, both stories delve into concepts surrounding growth and self-discovery. Shirayuki’s journey is about finding her place in the world and staying true to her dreams and values. She endures various trials and learns valuable lessons. This allows her to learn more about herself, resulting in her discovering her worth.
Lawrence undergoes a similar path in Spice & Wolf. He’ll learn about himself, his desires, and the complexities behind his partnership with Holo. Definitely check this one out if you’re after a tale with great characters and storytelling.
The Ancient Magus’ Bride – Kore Yamazaki
Similarities – Romance, Drama, Characters
The Ancient Magus’ Bride is a popular fantasy manga with great character dynamics, world-building, and slice-of-life elements. In it, we examine the bond between Chise and her magical master Elias. Like Holo and Lawrence, these two run into many difficult hurdles in their world but find a way to spend intimate time with each other.
The Ancient Magus’ Bride’s setting leans more into the magical side of things compared to Spice & Wolf though. Where Spice & Wolf features a setting that’s more grounded in reality, The Ancient Magus’ Bride’s world features more mystical creatures, magic users, and events that teeter toward that fantastical spectrum.
Nonetheless, both tales feature great romantic and dramatic bits that should grasp you. If you adored Isuna’s exploration of Holo and Lawerence’s characters as individuals and a pair, you’ll love Kore Yamazaki’s handling of Chise and Elias’s relationship and individual growth.
To Your Eternity – Yoshitoki Oima
Similarities – Adventure, Themes, Characters
To Your Eternity is an atmospheric tale that evokes a strong sense of adventure. The story follows the immortal entity Fushi as they encounter various individuals and form deep bonds with them, much like Lawrence and Holo’s evolving relationship in Spice & Wolf. These connections shape our protagonists understanding of themselves and their place in the universe.
Furthermore, both series center around themes of discovery and growth. Fushi’s character evolves greatly throughout To Your Eternity’s run, learning more about humanity and its emotional intricacies. Fushi’s evaluation mirrors Lawrence’s growth since he’ll become a better tradesman and learn to confront his weaknesses.
With their shared emphasis on world-building and companionship, To Your Eternity is a great gem worth reading.
Maoyu – Mamare Touno
Similarities – Romance, Fantasy, Light Comedy
Maoyu is a tale of history and companionship. Much like Isuna, Mamare Touno spends time building up her protagonist’s relationship and offers readers a solid blend of romance and comedic elements to keep them hooked. The romance between the pair in Maoyu feels authentic due to the heartfelt scenarios Touno places them in.
Moreover, both tales delve into realistic matters concerning economics. Maoyu has a stronger grasp on the subject than Spice & Wolf since Touno places her characters at the cusp of these societal dilemmas. Regardless, Spice & Wolf fans will find this story’s romantic, economical, and fantasy elements intriguing. Definitely give Maoyu a read if you want a story that’s nearly identical to Spice & Wolf.
So there we have it, our 10 books/manga to read after you’re caught up with Spice & Wolf.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!