Pet Shop of Horrors

Pet Shop of Horrors is a Japanese horror manga created by Matsuri Akino. Madhouse produced a 4-episode OVA adaptation of various chapters of the manga. In an unusual move for an OVA series, the anime first aired as a miniseries on the TBS television network.

The series focuses on the eccentric Count D, proprietor of a mysterious pet shop located in the heart of Chinatown, and the numerous patrons who visit his shop. The customer has typically under gone some sort of personnel loss, and Count D attempts to sell them an appropriate pet to fill the void. Each pet purchased from the shop comes with a contract with three major points. These points differ for each animal sold, and breaking this contract usually results in dire (and sometimes disturbing) consequences for the buyer, for which the pet shop claims no liability. Individual chapter usually introducing one or more new characters in each chapter. The detective Leon Orcot is used to tie the chapters together into an ongoing plot, usually in the form of a subplot within each chapter. Initially he suspects Count D of malicious criminal activity and using the pet shop as a front for drug trafficking. As the series progresses, he learns more about the pet shop and Count D himself, entering into a strange friendship of sorts with the Count as he works to uncover the truth.

Episode 1: Daughter

A rich couple has lost their only daughter, Alice. The bereaved couple comes to the shop and Count D offers to sell them a rabbit, a rabbit that looks exactly like their recently deceased daughter Alice. The couple is overjoyed and wants to takes the rabbit home. The Count has them sign a contract, explaining that 1) no one else may see Alice, 2) incense must be burned at all times, and 3) feed Alice only water and vegetables. If these terms are not kept, the shop cannot be held responsible for the consequences. The couple agrees and leave with their new "pet", unaware the vigilant Leon is watching them. The pet brought so much happiness to the couple and entirely forgot that their daughter died. Once then, Alice begs for sweets, and ignoring their contract, the couple gives in. Their love for Alice makes them breach one of the contract's terms. A bat-winged creature (the Count's pet) informs him of the situation. The Count can only shake his head in sorrow. Meanwhile, Alice writhes in agony and to the couple's horror, her stomach explodes. The couple is overrun by bizarre creatures and the mother will have to face up to the real reasons behind her daughter's death. Their daughter (the real Alice) died because of her drug addiction, pushed over the edge by the last bit of cocaine her mother reluctantly gives her. Again, she dies because of her mother's love. A repeated mistake led to the loss of her daughter, again.