Pet Shop of Horrors 6
Posted: October 22, 2010 Filed under: Pet Shop of Horrors Leave a comment »Matsuri Akino – Tokyopop – 2004 – 10 volumes
Oh, D. The first story in this volume is the best, where D and Leo are kidnapped by Peruvian terrorists who are set on finding El Dorado. They’re looking for the money, of course, but they also believe that cutting off western influence to the country of Peru and resurrecting the ancient beliefs of the Incas (the leader of the organization is a descendant of one of the original kings) will help instill feelings of nationalism and help Peru become a stronger country. D leads them to El Dorado with the help of the guardian jaguar that the lead terrorist has. Lots of history and politics are discussed along the way, and the way to find El Dorado, along with its true nature, are not what they seem. It’s a very good story.
The other stories in the volume are much shorter. One is about Leon’s younger brother Chris, how long he can live among D’s animals in the pet shop, and whether living with D and Leon is the best thing for him from the perspective of his aunt and uncle. Another story is about a little girl, her lhasa apso puppy, and the pressures her mother puts on her to be a musician. There’s another short “Flowers and the Detective” story that is both magical and very pretty.
One thing that does bother me is that D has not really been defined yet. He is simply “magic,” and thus anything that he does falls under that explanation. It works, because it makes him a mystery and gives a more ethereal feeling to the series. On the other hand, sometimes his feats of magic are quite ridiculous, such as his rescue of Tina in this volume.
Otherwise, I am still enjoying this immensely. The animal/human hybrid designs are still gorgeous, the stories are still varied enough to be interesting, and I love the love-hate thing going on between Leon and D. It’s funny, has just enough horror elements, very pretty, and always interesting. I’m so happy I picked this up when I did, so that I have all the volumes now. It’s well worth the read, and a real classic.
