Holo

Holo (ホロ Horo/Holo) is a female deity and the female lead of the light novel, manga and anime series Spice & Wolf.

Character Background
Holo is a wolf harvest deity that was bound to the town of Pasloe, ensuring a bountiful harvest for the residents. As the villagers became more self-reliant with time, however, Holo was neglected and, feeling unneeded, skipped town with the traveling merchant, Lawrence, by 'jumping' from the villagers' wheat to Lawrence's wheat in his wagon. She longs to return to Yoitsu, her snowy homeland, and makes a contract with Lawrence to accompany her there.

Appearance
Holo is perhaps best described in her own words:

"At certain times, Holo will appear in the village in the form of a pretty young woman, and she is always seen as a mid-adolescent. A lovely figure, she has long flowing hair as well as wolf ears and a beautiful dark brown tail with a splash of white at the end."

In her human form, Holo appears as a young girl with long red hair and red eyes, although she still retains her wolf ears and tail, which appear remarkably like those of a fox. Due to her trademark ears and tail, Holo often has to wear baggy clothing that hides her unusual features, which she dislikes as she adores her tail. Holo's 'true' form is a giant brownish golden wolf. In her wolf form, her eyes and fur are the same colour as her eyes and hair in human form, and she is much larger than normal wolves. In her wolf form, Holo is still able to talk normally, and is capable of reaching unimaginable speeds.

Holo is only able to change form when given a offering of wheat or fresh blood. (The english vocal script recorded that it was only human blood she could use, but that was not in the subtitle translation.)

Personality
Holo is often considered to be flirtatious and manipulative with Lawrence. Throughout the series, she often mocks Lawrence's manhood by calling him a child, and questioning his negotiating skills. However, Holo is very soft on the inside and has a really deep fear of being alone. She also is a bit of an alchoholic, often drinking when having the chance to and usually getting drunk because of it.

Quotes

 * "I am not so grand, not as a god. I am Holo, and Holo is all that I am." (Season 1, Episode 1)
 * "I am Holo the Wise Wolf, and I am a very proud wolf." (Season 1, Episode 1)
 * “A trip is the most fun before one sets out on it. With dogs, the bark and not the bite is more frightening and women are almost always prettier when they are shrouded in mystery. I can never be as pretty as you imagine and I would never do something like that to you. Would it not be better to imagine?” (to Zheren, Season 1, Episode 2)
 * "Stupid potato!" (Season 1, Episode 2)
 * "Really? One true god did everything, and the humans are merely borrowing it? Nature is not a thing which can be created by someone." (Season 1, Episode 2)
 * “When a person lies, what is important is not the lie itself. No, it is their reason. Their why.” (to Lawrence, Season 1, Episode 2)
 * “If you only get upset when you are tricked, you will not go very far.” (to Lawrence, Season 1, Episode 3)
 * “All men are jealous idiots. And women are stupid too, to feel happy about it. It's true, there are idiots everywhere!” (to Lawrence, Season 1, Episode 3)
 * "I do not want to wake from my dream and discover that I am all alone. I am tired of being alone! I do not want to be cold! I do not want to be lonely!" (to Lawrence, Season 1, Episode 4)
 * “Loneliness is a disease that can lead to death. They might as well be the same thing.” (to Lawrence, Season 1, Episode 4)
 * “I am pretty, so human males have been known to fall for me. So it would be wise to remember I am too strong for a human. I am a wolf you know. I did warn them, 'Touch me and I will tear your thing off!' And can you believe, not one of them did.” (to Lawrence, Season 1, Episode 5)
 * “I am Holo the Wise Wolf so you shut up!” (to Lawrence, Season 1, Episode 6)
 * “I need to have a drink, and I need one soon!” (to Lawrence, Season 1, Episode 6)
 * “I want you to please understand the scales of my heart will always be swaying back and fourth. But there is something you should know. I will never lean to one side or the other due to the weight of gold coins.” (to Witz, Season 1, Episode 6)
 * “Males burned with jealousy are too sweet to eat!” (to Lawrence, Season 1, Episode 6)
 * “I know it's difficult to look past my brilliant tail, brain and looks, but I also have excellent ears and eyes.” (to Lawrence, Season 1, Episode 7)
 * “When you are experienced you can become overly confident and such confidence can prove fatal. I thought you learned this lesson from Chloe.” (to Lawrence, Season 1, Episode 7)
 * “Stop pouting! You learned something valuable. Remember the lesson, not the disappointment.” (to Lawrence, Season 1, Episode 7)
 * “It appears that human males do not mind having several females around.” (to Lawrence, Season 1, Episode 8)
 * “Remember when I spoke of men being kind to women? Men should be measured by their kindness. However I am not your charity, and I have a tendency to consider things from only my perspective. A blink of an eye in my world is a lifetime in yours. A year or two is understandably precious to you. I forgot. I do not wish to waste your time.” Season 2 episode 1
 * “I believe I am drunk. I will put myself to bed before I say anything else I regret.” Season 2 episode 1
 * “Good grief! I believe you to be much cuter when you are panicking.” Season 2 episode 3
 * “Even if you have answers, you cannot always tell them to others. It is the way of the world.” Season 2 episode 3
 * “I am delicate, do not step on my feet!” Season 2 episode 3
 * “Pain makes one wise!' Season 2 episode 6
 * “For your information I am quite aware that you have been put through extraordinary distress after extraordinary distress since we began traveling together. However I do hope you'll remember that none of the trouble we experienced was my fault! The first for example, well I guess that was partially my fault.” Season 2 episode 7
 * “You Sir are desperate for me to tease you. I still believe you to be adorable.” Season 2 episode 7
 * “I am helping you because I believe in you with all my heart” Season 2 episode 10
 * “Men are onions. Many layers and all of them make you cry.” Season 2 episode 10
 * “I have no fear of watching you grow old while I remain young. I'll even watch you on your death bed. I am no stranger to death. But your heart is like that of an innocent child. It has always accepted everything about me, without hesitation. Because of that I am very afraid.”
 * “There is no better time to part, then when we wish for it never to end.” Season 2 episode 11
 * “Once you taste poison, you might as well finish the meal. If it comes to that you would make as fine a dish as any.” Season 2 episode 11
 * “I am going to drink so much that I vomit before I even start to feel drunk.” Season 2 episode 11
 * “I am Holo the Wise Wolf. I know that there are things in this world that I do not know and that makes me wise!” Season 2 episode 0

All quotes are from the English dub of the anime adaptation.

Trivia

 * There has been confusion on whether or not her name is spelled Horo or Holo. Yen Press has said that they were instructed by the Japanese licensor that her name was indeed Holo, and Funimation has also used Holo in the English dub of the anime. Also, in Episode 4 of Season 2, Holo is shown as having signed her name as "Holo."
 * She appeares in the anime Durarara!! Episode one as a cardboard cut out that one of the main characters accidently walks into. She also appeares later in the same series as a toy.