Copyright © Akino Mari / Polygram - TBS - Mad House

I'm back, sent once again into the PET SHOP OF HORRORS (originally reviewed in EX 5.3.) And, sure enough, in this second (and final) volume the store still sells pets, and it still contains horrors. That nosy young detective is still trying to shut it down, but the mysterious owner continues to sell dreams with strings attached, and people are still dying of unknown causes.
Actually, the gruesome scary horror element is not as prevalent in these two episodes. The first episode on this volume, "Despair," takes a different turn, starting with the death of a famous, one-shot actor who had his day. The detective and pet shop owner discuss the tragic tale of the actor and his pet, Medusa.
The last episode, "Dual," is probably my favorite of all, being the story of a political hopeful, his wife and his campaign manager. The manager reads of a past president owning a rare beast called the Kirin, which is rumored to make a supreme leader out of anyone it considered its master. As such, the manager tries to obtain the Kirin in an effort to help the failing campaign. This episode also hints that the pet shop has a much grander purpose than the detective ever realized.
The series does a good job in keeping a solid theme and style without getting repetitive, drawing favorable similarities to the cult classic VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU. The animation quality remains high, and I even found the English dubbed version to be very watchable. Probably my only complaint, after everything, is that each tape feels a little too short and episodic (although this volume does as good a job as it can in offering some closure). The moral of the story is, if you liked the first volume, by all means finish off PET SHOP OF HORRORS. Or, you could always break your contract...

Released in North America by Urban Vision Entertainment
2 Episodes / 50 Minutes
Dubbed: UV1060 $19.95
Subbed: UV1061 $29.95
Available now in the U.S.
Where to buy