"Petshop of Horrors" (Anime)

[pkristen]

4 Episode OVA. Originally reviewed February 4, 2002

Summary
Homicide Detective Leon has been following a series of mysterious deaths in New York City that have no connection other than the victims had bought something at a mysterious yet popular petshop in Chinatown.

The male owner of the petshop is even more mysterious, with feminine tastes in Chinese clothes, an extreme sweet tooth and political connections as powerful as the President. The owner claims he is freed of all liability pertaining to the selling of ‘special’ pets due to the fact that he requires the buyer to sign a contract which states special clauses of care which must not be broken…

Review
I originally had no interest in this series because of the cheesy title and bad DVD cover, which was all I knew about it. However, when I stumbled across a generally good web review that also revealed the fact that the owner was a drag queen (and a rather elegant one at that), I decided to give it a chance.

So yes, I liked it. The four stories are all presented with the air of gothic horror with morality lessons underneath. They’re executed in a fashion that keeps you guessing how it will turn out, knowing that the reasons Why something happens is just as important as the reasons for How.

And the refreshingly positive characterization of the effeminate petshop owner was a welcomed sight for someone who has seen more than her fair share of stories where the drag queen is NOT a character of respect and integrity.