Pet Shop of Horrors, Vol. 1

Pet Shop of Horrors [ペットショップ オブ ホラーズ] #1

by Matsuri Akino, Tomoharu Iwo (Translator)

A smoke-filled alley in Chinatown harbors Count D's Pet Shop. The pets sold here aren's your everyday variety and the Count prides himself on selling Love and Dreams in the form of magical creatures that come with an exclusive contract. But buyers beware. If the contract is broken the Count cannot be held accountable for whatever may happen. A fascinating and macabre look into the very soul of human nature.

Contains the following stories:

DREAM

Young Angelique learns the tragic nature of breeding the rarest of birds in the Strelizia.

DESPAIR

Out-of-luck actor Robin Hendrix has always preferred the company of reptiles, so it's only natural that he would fall in love with a very special and dangerous one.

DAUGHTER

There is no love stronger than a mother's love for her daughter, but one mother is about to learn that love can be quite painful.

DREIZEHN

They say that a dog is a man's best friend but for the recently blinded Karen, the bond with her new seeing eye dog is even closer.

Recommended for older teens, ages 16+.

Genres: Manga, Horror, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Supernatural, Fiction

200 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1995

About the author

Matsuri Akino (秋乃 茉莉 Akino Matsuri), is a Japanese manga artist from Mitaka, Tokyo, now a resident of Yokohama. Her work is a mix of the fantasy, mystery, and horror genres. Her self portrait is usually a kappa, sometimes with braids or an odango hairstyle.

Reviews

[Selena Pigoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those manga you look at and pass over because you think it's nothing special.

Believe me, it is.

Despite being called "Pet Shop of Horrors," it's actually not all that horrific. If anything, it's got a hint of the original fairy tales in which the wolf eats Little Red or the Step-Sisters get their toes and heals chopped off and the eyes pecked out. With a ton of laughs thrown in.

This series is basically the story of Count D who owns a special pet shop. Special as in some of the pets look human. People who come into Count D's pet shop are looking for more than just a pet, and Count D can give them that. But don't break the contract. D can't guarantee the safety of his clients if the contract is broken, and that's when the title earns its "Horrors." Detective Orcott is determined to pin these gruesome deaths, as well as some other things, on D.

The characters are brilliant, all the stories have some kind of moral, whether the story is horrific, sweet, or bittersweet. That's right, not all the stories are horrific.

This is a good story for those who like suspense and some surprises and scares, this is just the book for you.

[☾❀Miriam✩ ⋆｡˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpectedly beautiful... unexpectedly sad... and unexpectedly scary? I love this already 😩

[JoAnna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was sooooo cute!!! But..... I have so many questions. I hope I will learn more reading the next volume!:)

[Christiane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and own the whole 10 volume series. So no, not every story was perfect, wonderful or 5 stars, and I will say I was disappointed by the ending. But...overall, this is one of the best manga series I've read. The characters are real, believable(ish...this is manga) and the stories are convoluted and creepy and filled with sexual tension. Remember in the movie Gremlins, how there were those three rules ("No water; no food after midnight; no bright light.") and how, of course, the rules got broken and bad things happened? Try this series!

[Aravena · Rating 4 out of 5]

(*review untuk vol. 1-10 tamat)

"Kebiasaan buruk manusia... selalu memaksa agar dunia sesuai dengan ideologi mereka. Tak mengakui apa pun yang menyimpang sedikit saja dari kategori itu. Menganggap keberadaan yang melebihi akal sehat sebagai ancaman untuk diri mereka dan memusuhinya. Lalu membantah, menolak, dan memusnahkannya. Walau satu spesies...manusia tetap membedakan warna kulit, ras, serta status, dan saling membenci."

Awalnya, saya kira PSoH ini adalah jenis komik episodik berpremis "mas-mas bishie pemilik toko menjual hewan-hewan terkutuk, yang kemudian mencelakakan manusia pemiliknya". Tidak 100% salah sih: strukturnya memang episodik, tapi ada kontinuitas yang kuat dan tema/warna cerita yang lebih tajam, filosofis, dan variatif ketimbang dugaan saya sebelumnya.



Latarnya adalah toko hewan peliharaan Count D, seorang pria misterius dari Tiongkok yang membuka toko di Amerika Serikat. Dalam penceritaannya, sang penulis, Akino Matsuri, sering menggunakan trik visual dengan menggambarkan hewan-hewan dari toko Count D layaknya manusia. Antropomorfisme semacam ini tergolong efektif untuk menumbuhkan empati pembaca (*saya jadi ingat video ini), sekaligus jadi senjata ampuh untuk menghadirkan twist-twist tertentu.

Alur dalam tiap kisah di PSoH seringkali di luar dugaan saya. Yang saya sangka akan tragis, ujungnya malah mengharukan. Yang saya sangka akan berakhir baik-baik saja, ternyata berakhir suram bin sadis. Kadang ada nuansa mencekam tersendiri, dan efek kejadian dari suatu kisah juga bisa mengendap ke cerita selanjutnya.



Sebagai tambahan bumbu humor dan drama, muncul juga karakter detektif ugal-ugalan bernama Leon, yang terobsesi ingin menciduk Count D atas tuduhan perdagangan ilegal. Sialnya bagi Leon, dia malah berujung jadi pasangan brom-com sidekick Count D dalam banyak petualangan yang aneh-aneh. Kadang kasihan juga ngelihat si Leon digoblok-goblokin terus sama Count D....





(.....tapi orang ini......)



(....memang pada dasarnya goblok sih).

Begitulah, asyik sekali melihat kekoplakan Leon dan Count D, sekaligus jurang pemahaman antara mereka yang kian lama kian menyempit. Belakangan, ada juga sosok Chris, adik Leon yang tidak bisa bersuara karena suatu trauma. Misteri tentang jati diri Count D dan latar belakang keluarganya pun pelan-pelan terungkap melalui kepingan-kepingan yang menyelip dalam beberapa cerita...

Semakin ke belakang, akan semakin terasa unsur kritikan terhadap arogansi manusia, khususnya menyangkut hubungan kita dengan lingkungan dan sesama makhluk hidup. Manusia, yang selalu merasa perlu melabeli segala sesuatu dan seenaknya mengotak-ngotakkan hewan ke kategori-kategori seperti 'imut dan layak dipelihara (*sampai sudah terlalu merepotkan)', 'hidup hanya untuk disantap', atau 'patut dibasmi'. Semua itu sudah normatif, dan kita selalu punya 1001 alasan untuk menjustifikasi keegoisan itu...

Ah, tapi walau komiknya kadang suram dan keras, nuansa hangat dan koplaknya juga kuat. Akhir ceritanya pun sangat memuaskan bagi saya. Semua makhluk hidup memang cenderung lebih nyaman dengan golongannya sendiri atau yang 'paling mirip' dengan mereka... tapi ada kalanya rasa takut saat bertemu sesuatu yang berbeda itu harus dienyahkan, karena yang namanya perasaan itu sanggup menjelajah melintasi batasan bahasa, negara, maupun spesies sekalipun....

[Sarai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally read online, now I own a hardcopy I will re-read that.

Also read the two side stories, Night Exile ^_^ (online)

[K.S. Trenten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stories involving a pet shop in Chinatown in San Francisco where four pets find homes provided for them by the mysterious, androgynously beautiful, yet sinister Count D. More than a few strange deaths are connected to his pet shop, which draws the suspicious eyes of Detective Leon Orcot. Orcot is convinced that Count D and his pets are involved in these deaths, but nothing ever happens which violates the contract between the count and his customers, although the latter may meet unpleasant fates if they don’t keep it. Nor is the horror always limited to the customer. Sometimes the pet is the one who meets a tragic fate (or an equally tragic fate) as the owner. A bird with the appearance of a beautiful boy, a lizard who looks like a sensual woman wearing a blindfold, a rabbit that takes on the guise of a little girl, and a doberman who looks and acts like the perfect soldier/body guard are the four chosen for a customer’s need, each taking part in a unique story overseen by Count D. All the while Leon Orcot looks on with growing suspicion, even as he falls under the spell of the alluring count.

This has to be one of most unique and interesting manga series I’ve ever read, where the pets taken on a human likeness, depending on the heart and eye which beholds them. Equally interesting is Leon Orcot’s interest in the pet shop and the count, an adversity that turns into a unique friendship where the Count explains a little of the magic taking place in his shop without giving away too much of the mystery. All of this is depicted in an attractive, distinctive art style which involves some truly spectacular costumes for both the Count and his pets in human guise. The dialogue felt a bit awkward from time to time, but the mystery, allure, and occassionally goofy moments of the Count were well depicted, plus the emotional and dramatical strength of the story came through via the art work. The dialogue would often make a come-back during the more powerful scenes, making up for the awkwardness. For all of these qualities, I give this four stars.

[JR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read entire series years ago, really enjoyed it

[Pedro Plasencia Martínez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Descubrí el anime cuando era muy pequeño y admito que algunos capítulos me impresionaron y me dejaron intrigado, con ganas de más. El manga me ha dado justo eso, expande el número de casos con más animales exóticos y con más desgracias, pero curiosamente, también deja un espacio para el humor, cosa que no pasaba con su adaptación televisiva, donde todo era turbio y donde un final feliz era prácticamente imposible.

En el manga bromean a menudo con la comida (con los dulces y el té, que son la debilidad del Conde) hay bromas sexuales dirigidas tanto a personajes heteros como gays, guiños a Miami Vice, a los Gremlins y a otros productos de la cultura pop del momento y el rol del detective en general es mucho más cómico, ya que está perdiendo los nervios constantemente, es torpe y su imaginación da pie a malentendidos o suposiciones erróneas. El dueño de la tienda, el Conde, sigue siendo misterioso, pero algo menos, porque a través de las páginas conocemos datos de su familia y de las conexiones que tiene con la realeza de varios países o con gente rica y poderosa. También sabemos algo más de sus hobbies y de sus deseos, aunque lo que más le mueve siguen siendo los animales, a los que suele poner por encima de las personas.

Con esta revisión que he hecho de la obra he notado menos crueldad, a pesar de las escenas gore y de las tragedias que se van acumulando. El Conde en el anime era frío con los clientes y hasta parecía disfrutar a la hora de crear problemas, de impartir castigos sangrientos y salir impune. Esto queda algo reducido en el papel, es menos intenso porque se busca más una moraleja o una reflexión, o por lo menos eso me ha parecido, no sé, quizá al ser un adulto me he acostumbrado más a la crueldad, quién sabe.

[Alysse Peery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pet Shop of Horrors is a manga by Matsuri Akino. It is set in the heart of Chinatown. Enter Count D's pet shop, a place where you can find a multitude of pets. These pets can range from cats and dogs to the most exotic, but they often will take a form to match a person's deepest desires. The mysterious man running the shop will be willing to sell you these animals, but under contract. These contracts often have three terms, varying with each individual pet. If any of these circumstances are broken, the pet shop is in no way, shape, or form, responsible for the consequences that would result.

This series is certainly a unique read. Each chapter often focuses on a different customer, so the series has an episode like feel to it. In each of these chapters, however, there is a sub plot that always occurs. This subplot is actually part of the main story, so it's suggested that you pay attention to it. Most of these stories can turn out somewhat messy, but are they happy or sad endings? No one can even tell. This story is about human nature itself, with a good amount of environmentalism hidden in there too.

[Tiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is like a modern idea of Aesop's fables. There is a message behind each chapter and a lesson to be learned.
While it says older teen on the cover most of this manga is suitable for 13 and up. The stories are moving and disturbing by turn. Not everyone has a happy ending and only because they didn't follow the pet shop keeper's advice. The art work is beautiful and can be quite stunning at times.
If you like animals and stories with a bit of a twist, you will want to check this series out.

[Nanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awalnya agak membingungkan, tapi lama-lama jadi ngerti dan jadi seru ^,^ terus komik ini tuh mirip xxxholic, eh kebalik ya haha

Ceritanya unik, dark dan penuh misteri, aku suka cerita kayak gini. Terus si tokoh utama, D, manusia yang cueknya minta ampun. Lebih mentingin keselamatan hewan-hewan langka dibanding manusia, dan jujur saja aku lebih suka tokoh kayak D ini XD.

4,5 dibulatin ke atas ^^

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hey, I mean, if it's adorable AND has gore AND makes you think while serving GORGEOUS artwork, what's not to like?

I almost returned this little manga to Interlibrary Loan immediately without reading it when I saw "Teen" stamped on the back of it, but I'm glad I didn't. Although written in a simplistic style, the stories are definitely about adults being fuck-ups, not teens or children.

Pet Shop of Horrors is about an "exotic animal" shop run by that dude with black hair on the cover, who goes by the initial D. D sells these animals (all of which look human but aren't) to rich people, getting them to sign a contract with specific rules of care for their new charges. If these rules are broken, the contract says, D's business cannot be held liable for any repercussions.

And since this is a horror manga, everyone is going to follow the instructions to a T. (Note the sarcasm.)

This manga basically takes the form of an anthology horror with D's business being the overarching framework. Each chapter is about a new patron with a new need and, thus, a new pet. What is interesting is that the contracts are never broken for the same reason. In a lot of horror geared towards teens, rules tend to be broken out of stupidity, egotism, or a mixture of the two. Pet Shop of Horrors doesn't fall into this trap; it instead uses the contracts as a crossroads for each patron to reveal their true desires or anxieties. It was a cool pattern to follow, one that surprised me with each story. The morals of each chapter are easy to swallow, but they are still thoughtful . . . and arrived at in a few instances with blood splatter and tasteful gore.

Also, D probably stands for Delightful. The pet shop owner is equal parts charming and cryptic. And he loves tea. Did I mention this was cute? Oh, you're right--the word I used was adorable. That, too.

[Madison Lourette]

Takes place in New York City, in Chinatown. It is owned by Count D.. A mysterious man who sells a variety of exotic and *cough* illegal *cough* "animals". When these animals are looked at by people who he is not selling them to or who he didn't sell them to, he looks like the type of animal that he said they were. The birds look like birds, the snakes look like snakes, and the rabbits look like rabbits. But to the owners and potential owners, the look like handsome and beautiful humans, and are very exotic, save the few physical and/or mental quirks of them. And each pet has a few rules to abide by, but the owners usually end up eventually breaking a very important rule, which tends to have horrible consequences. Like having a murderous rabbit infestation. The art style is similar to Demon Diary's art style, in which some of the characters have sharp hair, but they have rounder chins and features in this one. The art style is also very detailed, which is nice and is executed in a good way. This is a slightly creepy manga series, and is what you would expect from something with the title "Pet Shop of Horrors". But I enjoy creepy stuff so I liked the series a lot. It can be confusing at times though, and some things in the first couple of books aren't explained. Like how the birds and snakes look like that to some people, but look like people to other ones. I think the setting of the story does good justice for the setting because it creates a weird sort of atmosphere around Count D., but it works really well in a strange way. The central conflict is the people who buy the pets break the rules that come with them, and then Count D has to find a way to help them solve the problem. I would recommend this book to someone if they are okay with and or like gore, but not if they are squeamish about horror and gore-like stuff.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Count D's pet shop sells exotic pets, but you must, must follow the rules of the contract or you might find yourself regretting it - or dead.

This was an intriguing first volume. Two parents buy a 'rabbit' that looks an awful lot like their dead daughter. A girl buys a rare bird and then a mate for him and ends up with one of them dead. I'm looking forward to reading more of this series.

[Brenna Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING

[Gala · Rating 4 out of 5]

El perro!!!!!

[sarah_schmarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly one of a kind.

[Raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Di Chinatown yang misterius, tersembunyi toko hewan milik Count D yang menjual hewan-hewan langka. Tiap pembeli yang menemukan hewan impian mereka harus berjanji untuk memenuhi tiga syarat yang disebutkan. Jika salah satu syarat itu dilanggar, toko tidak akan bertanggung jawab untuk semua akibat yang terjadi. Awalnya sama seperti proses pembelian hewan di toko hewan biasa, penjual memberitahukan apa makanannya dan berharap pembeli mengingatnya agar hewan itu tetap sehat. Bedanya, konsekuensi pelanggaran syarat dari D lebih berbahaya karena hewan-hewan yang dijual bisa memiliki kekuatan magis yang harus dikontrol.

Dalam buku ini ada empat cerita yang semua judulnya diawali dengan huruf D: Dream, Despair, Daughter, dan Dreizehn.

Tiap bab menceritakan orang yang menginginkan hewan peliharaan ajaib karena sebab yang berbeda. Kadang rasa sayang mereka pada hewan itu akan berbalik merugikan diri mereka sendiri.

Komik ini menceritakan salah satu sifat dasar manusia yang merasa kalau peraturan itu ada untuk dilanggar. Mengapa mereka melanggar peraturan yang jelas-jelas diberikan? Mengapa mereka tidak mempercayai kata-kata penjaga toko yang mengenal hewan-hewan itu lebih baik? Manusia memang terkadang memilih untuk mengambil risiko karena mereka lebih takut pada konsekuensi apabila kita tidak mengambil risiko itu. Tapi ada juga mereka yang terlalu angkuh untuk mendengarkan pendapat orang lain. Sulit untuk merasa kasihan pada orang-orang tersebut walaupun mereka menerima akibat yang sangat mengerikan dari tindakannya.

(nah, kepribadian saya juga sedikit terlihat di sini, Ravenclaw sekali :P )

[Mandy Sickle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pet Shop of Horror revolves around a magical pet shop in Chinatown that just happens to sell pet’s that aren’t like your everyday pet. Each volume is divided into a chapters and each chapter tells a single story of an encounter with this pet shop. Some end up happy while others not so much. In this one my favorite is the one about the girl who was attacked lost her sight and purchased a seeing eye dog/bodyguard. While she can’t see he’s actually a human. What happens when she is attacked change everything. I also loved the killer multiplying bunnies.

I couldn’t sleep last night so I thought I would try a new manga Pet Shop of Horrors sounded interesting so I figured might as well give it a shot. It’s this creepy concept of a pet shop that happens to not sell traditional pets. Each of the pets really fits into the owner life giving them exactly what they needed at that point in their life and some may not end happy ever after. I have to admit I enjoyed the concept it’s unique and fascinating I had a hard time putting it down because I wanted to know what would happen next. I’m anxious to read the next book so we can learn more about the pet shop but to see what comes out it’s door next. While it may not be a super popular one it’s worth checking out the chapters are perfect for a quick little way to break up the day or just binge reading.

[Kogiopsis · Rating 2 out of 5]

My friend Ellie brought this back to school after Thanksgiving Break and lent it to me, saying that it was 'like a series of morality tales' and that she'd loved it as a kid. If I may make a horrible pun, I'd say it's more a series of mortality tales than morality tales. I didn't really find anything particularly moral in the stories, except maybe that if the creepy guy in that one suspicious-looking petshop tells you to do something with the bizarrely human-like creature he sells you, you should do it. Not a moral that's widely applicable to most people's lives, to say the least.

I definitely see why people enjoy it, though. The wierd and vaguely horrific nature of the stories may be appealing to some, though not to me. The art, again, is a matter of taste; I happen not to care for it, but I can understand why people would like it. I just... don't. But I suppose I'm glad I tried it - the concept is interesting enough.

[Sereneblaze · Rating 2 out of 5]

A smoke-filled alley in Chinatown harbors Count D's Pet Shop. The pets sold here aren't your everyday variety and the Count prides himself on selling Love and Dreams in the form of magical creatures that come with an exclusive contract. But buyers beware. If the contract is broken the Count cannot be held accountable for whatever may happen. A fascinating and macabre look into the very soul of human nature.

A very interesting manga with magic, wonder and a touch of horror. Not for the feint of heart

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the spirit of autumn I started rereading this series and I must say that PSH holds up pretty well for being a manga from the mid 90:ies. The things that didn't age well are maybe the overly exotic view on the Chinese people and Chinese culture and there are some slight issues with sexism (but honestly, I've seen so much worse in contemporary manga). All in all, still as enjoyable as I remember.

[Nancy Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first watched the highly underrated OVA series almost 20 years ago and for a very long time, I felt compelled to read the original manga because I loved the anime so much. I finally found a little free time and have decided to give it a try, and it has definitely been a great read.

Count D is a mysterious Chinese man living in Los Angeles's Chinatown with an even stranger profession: he sells all sorts of exotic and mythical animals to the right customer. Is the beast they see in the maze beneath the pet shop a human being or not? The rules are simple enough: never show the pet to anyone (some cases don't have this restriction), give the pet a specified diet, and keep its enclosure well-tended. The shop will not be held responsible in case the owner breaks any rules.

Of course, human nature entices people to break the rules, and all sorts of different problems could occur.

Dream: A young woman from a rich family feels rejected by her emotionally absent father and asks Count D to sell her a bird of unique beauty who sings to her every night. Will she fall in love with her new pet's beautiful lullaby? Or will she ask D for a change in contract to save the species from extinction?
Despair: This story was used in the OVA series and it replicates the source material very well. Our protagonist is an actor named Robin who played an alien prince in a Sci Fi film almost 10 years ago, but attempts to get any new roles have been a failure. Economically in huge trouble and abandoned by his wife, he purchases a very unique lizard from D who will give him the company he yearns. Detective Leon makes his first appearance in this episode and he tries to uncover the mystery between Robin's mysterious death... and all signs points to Count D's pet shop.
Daughter: Another chapter that was featured in the OVAS, it was selected as episode 1 even though it is technically Chapter 3 of the manga. A beautiful teenager named Alice dies from an overdose, leaving her well-intentioned but crappy parents behind in their despair. Fortunately, Count D has a solution that might give them a second chance for redemption... Or not. Quite personally, I didn't like this chapter that much, but horror fans will surely enjoy it.
Dreizehn: A young woman survives a home invasion/arsonist, but she ends up blind from the trauma of seeing the man murder her parents. Distraught and terrified about her safety because the killer escaped, Count D sells her a most unusual and faithful Doberman with the form of a handsome human in military garb named Dreizehn. Karen has a hard time believing Dreizehn is in reality a dog, and feels frustrated by his overprotective nature. However, for some reason she begins to feel like she has underestimated him and might need his help...

The start of the manga starts quite strong with 4 interesting stories venturing mostly in the realm of horror and adventure; I enjoyed reading it very much and plan to continue reading it.

[Alessandro Parisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Siamo nella chinatown e c'è un negozio di animali in grado di soddisfare qualsiasi cliente.
Da qui iniziano una serie di vicende:
Seguiamo la vicenda di Angelica, che entra per chiedere un uccello piumato dal canto meraviglioso e viene accontentata con uno strelizia. Dopo aver convinto il conte D, commesso del negozio di animali, con delle crostatine a prendere anche un esemplare femmina, scopre che facendoli accoppiare il maschio dello strelizia viene divorato dalla femmina per il loro rituale di accoppiamento.

Si presenta un ispettore di polizia che indaga su alcune morti dei clienti del negozio avvenute in maniera misteriosa. In particolare quella di Robin, morto accanto a una lucertola. Anni prima comprò una ragazza basilisco, di cui si era innamorato.
La loro storia termina con un doppio suicidio, dopo che Robin ha fallito nel mondo dello spettacolo e non aveva più la possibilità di mantenere la sua amata.

Il terzo racconto è su una coppia, che sostituisce la figlia defunta con un coniglio comprato dal conte D, che ha il suo stesso aspetto.
La madre però non rispetta il divieto di dargli da mangiare altri cibi, facendo così moltiplicare il coniglio, fino a riempire la città. Tutti i conigli poi muoiono a causa degli zuccheri presenti nel biscotto che il primo coniglio aveva mangiato.
La coppia aveva cresciuto con amore, ma con troppa permissività la loro figlia Alice, la quale è morta a causa della ennesima dose di droga che la madre ha concesso alla figlia.

Il quarto racconto è su Karen, una bambina che ha perso i genitori ed é divenuta cieca a causa di un incendio appiccato dallo zio, che ha pianificato il tutto per l'eredità. Il conte D gli ha dato un dobermann per proteggerla, che metterà fine alle malefatte dello zio Edward.

Conte D per sbaglio finisce per dare un uovo di Drago.
Alla fine riesce a recuperarlo, con l'aiuto del Detective, che cerca ancora un modo per incastrare il Conte.

L'ultima storia è quella di un uomo che perde tutto ma il Conte D gli regala un gatto portafortuna che gli fa vincere tanti soldi al casinò.
Finisce per perdere poi i soldi, però è contento comunque per il suo gatto.

La storia è affascinante e misteriosa. Il surrealismo presente nel negozio, di cui possiamo solo immaginare la sua dimensione e la quantità di animali presenti, o la maniera in cui vengono presi. La vera identità del Conte D, il suo scopo o la sua vera personalità. Ma la cosa che mi confonde di più è il fatto che tutti gli animali sono in parte umani nel loro aspetto.

[SarahKat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I realized after starting to read this that I actually read it like 12 years ago. I've never been a huge fan of manga but my first husband made me read this and I really liked it. I picked it back up now for the Popsugar prompt "read a book that's not a format you usually read."

I really loved this. 4 different stories where people come purchase pets from Count D. All the stories have a small amount of mystery surrounding either the pet or the customers, or both. There's also an actual detective trying to pin a bunch of gruesome deaths on the Count.

Dream: Girl buys bird. Bird sings for girl. Girl thinks bird is lonely so she buys a female bird. Told to leave them alone for a week and not even feed them. Goes in on day 6 to find the female has killed the male to feed the unborn little bird children

Despair: Probably one of my favorites. Guy's wife leaves him and he loves reptiles so he buys a basilisk (woman-shaped). They sort of fall in love. At dinner one night he just really wants to see her eyes but of course it kills him. The basilisk looks into the mirror to also kill herself because she loved him. Aw

Daughter: This one is fairly disturbing. Couple buys a rabbit who looks just like their dead daughter Alice. They are told not to feed it anything but vegetables and water. What do they do? Feed it a cookie. It goes crazy and like thousands of rabbits are bred from that one instance. Turns out the original daughter died because the mom gave her the drugs she was addicted to. Ugh "a mother's love" bugged me. More like a mother's stupidity. She wanted to BE loved. She wasn't doing what was best for her child. I know mothers like this. They are not good mothers.

Dreizehn: Tied for first place with Despair I think. It helps that this one didn't end in the death of the pet. Girl's parents die in a terrible fire and she goes blind. She's being cared for by her cousin Edward. Very predictable what kind of upstanding dude he is. Dog and girl bond. Edward then disguises himself and tries to kill the girl for the inheritance money. Dog kills Edward. Girl gets her sight back (it was psychosomatic). Dog and girl live happily ever after

[osoi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Граф Ди содержит магазинчик в Чайнатауне, где можно приобрести разнообразные экзотические зоо-вариации. После покупки клиент должен соблюдать несколько условий контракта, а при нарушении условий магазинчик не несет ответственности. Подстава так и витает в воздухе, правда?

Фундаментально каждая история содержит в себе одни и те же компоненты: люди выдают желаемое за действительное (с посильной помощью графа) и не соблюдают простые правила. Дорогу в магазинчик находят не столько из праздного любопытства, а в основном благодаря глубокому внутреннему побуждению, которое в некоторых вариациях может граничить с одержимостью. Каждая история о магазинчике и его посетителях – это трагедия, и словно магнит притягиваются к графу Ди несчастные люди, уже находящиеся на верном пути к саморазрушению. Наверное, это является верным не для каждого, но по четырем историям первого тома и просмотренной экранизации у меня сложилось именно такое впечатление.

Первый том сразу окунает в мистику и gore с осязаемой долей крипоты. Причем последний пункт приходятся не на каких-то монстров, а на людей, чьи пороки и изъяны вскрываются по мере продвижения по сюжету. Рассказы имеют отсылки к мифологии, бестиариям, литературным прозведениям (девочка по имени Алиса и белый кролик не могут пройти незамеченными), и содержат определенную мораль. Интересно.

hisashiburi

[Mary Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

UF UF UF UF UF, había visto las OVAS de este manga hace años, y las volví a ver hace unos días y recordé que el manga tiene muchisimos mas capitulos y la historia es mas larga, asi que, decidí leerlo por fin. Puede que algunas personas les resulte... ¿indignante? tal vez, pero para mi es un poco mas sencillo y cómodo leer un manga, manhwa o comic, que un libro pues... normal. Eso es obvio, cualquiera con 3 dedos de frente lo sabría, pero lo recalco porque en mi vida personal algunos se quejan de que por cada libro que leo, al mismo tiempo, leo como 10 tomos de manga o 50 capítulos de manhwa. Eso es por lo que en mis challenge anuales en goodreads es común ver como el 70% de mis lecturas no son libros como tal.

Siguiendo con el manga, me encanta, esta premisa de una tienda de mascotas misteriosa me resulta muy atrayente, sobre todo porque aquí, lo narran genial. Los personajes son geniales aunque se conozca más bien poco de ellos y sobre todo que las historias sean cortas y terminen en el mismo capítulo.

Me emociona saber mas de este manga porque hasta el momento me encanta y quiero ver todo lo que me quiere ofrecer.

[Phantomº · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Parents raise their children by giving them a part of themselves."

Pet Shop of Horrors is a mysterious manga with an even more mysterious main character, the shop owner's grandson, Count D. His pets are unique...very unique and entangled with a number of peculiar incidents, an enigma that has made Detective Leon Orcot fixated on solving it.

Each chapter is a story which has a different moral in it which makes the stories both horrifying and fascinating.

Even the subtle accusation in the final story about cutting dog's ears -as it happens in the Doberman breed- and how horrible would seem to a human but how "ordinary" it is for dogs (thankfully the practice has been forbidden in many countries nowadays). First time I encounter such a message, especially in a manga written two decades ago.
~~~
I wrote that last part of the review before reading the author's final notes of the volume, but now I am even more glad how she discloses a part about the animal rights movement and how both ears and tails get cut for "the Doberman aesthetic".

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been literal years since I've read this series, and I suddenly had a desire to revisit it this weekend. The art remains absolutely gorgeous, yes (this was, of course, one of the selling points to my 20 year old otaku self), but I think what truly strikes me is the stark brutality of the first volume. My memories of the series are tinged with knowledge of the end of the series — a softer, somewhat more caring Count D — but in the first volume, before he's truly introduced to an impetus to go through that personal transformation, he's callous and calculating and cruel. He sells pets, seemingly knowing how it will end. And even in the fluttering moments where you may think that he cares or feels sympathy for the plight the human buyer has found themselves in, he reverses it. His sympathy is always with the animals.

Which, given the state of things and how humanity is, I don't know that I can truly blame him.