I love myself an anthology series as there is always a new surprise around each corner. So when I heard on a manga and anime Facebook group I'm on that there was a horror tetralogy (or quadrilogy in Alien boxset parlance) I was all in as that stuff's my jam.

Petshop of Horrors is a 1999 OVA series that presents tales about an unusual pet shop that deals in rare and exotic creatures within Chinatown. Count D, the enigmatic petshop store owner, has many animals which are precious and unusual but there is usually a monkey's paw price to be paid for these unchecked human desires - each episode serves as a cautionary tale.

Daughters
When a wealthy couple lose their daughter through excessive drug use, they buy a 'rabbit' from the Count which looks exactly likes their daughter. They are given rules to follow but inevitably don't and there are consequences.

This episode is quite powerful as it looks at how spoiling a child will lead to its ruin later down the line. 'Just this once' is a poor excuse that moves the Overton Window ever so slightly each time.

Delicious
When a man, stricken in grief after losing his wife on their wedding night, comes to the pet shop he is given a mermaid. The mermaid looks like his wife and even bears the same wedding ring but has amnesia. Could it really be her?

This episode is chilling as it looks at love, obsession and the consequences of not remaining true to your heart.

Despair
When a young actor, who has not had an success over the past few years, is found dead with a rare lizard nearby, Count D is in the glare of the police inspector. However, as the Count retells the story of what happened what we have is a tale of sadness and, yes, despair.

This is a powerful tale of finding fame at a young age and trying to live in the glare of that success. It can be isolating to have so many fans but not to really feel a connection.

Dual
Whilst a hot young American senator vies for the top spot, his best friend and put-upon secretary supports his anguished wife. After a tragic accident, the two swap places with the help of a Kirin, a wish granting entity, and the ascent to Presidency is clear.

This was a bit of a clever twisty turn episode as it showed the stoic being true of heart and his dreams finally being fulfilled by the end. This was a very clever episode indeed!

I thoroughly enjoyed the series as the episodes all had a different theme about the frailties of the human condition. This consistent thematic thread creates a sense of foreboding that permeates the entire OVA, reinforcing the idea that every desire comes with a price. The vibes were intense and profound with this show and it reminded me mostly of the Vampire Princess Miyu OVA in that each episode was self contained and contemplative.

My favourite of the 4 episodes was Despair as Robin kept his side of the deal, doing everything he was supposed to do. He didn’t break the contract until his hand was forced because he knew he was a product of showbusiness and Medusa was the only one who truly understood him. For Medusa, she finally found happiness with someone who sincerely loved her knew that they could never to be separated. It's a Romeo and Julie situation and oh so tragic.

The character of Count D emerges as a compelling and enigmatic figure, however the limited runtime hinders extensive character development so what we are left with is a cypher without depth - like the crypt keeper without the personality or depth. I would have liked to have seen a more in-depth exploration of the character and their motivations without needing a breakdown as that would destroy the mystery. I don't need the midochlorian explanation for kiddie Darth Vader to know that he's a badass but some thread would have been nice.

Overall, the Pet Shop of Horrors OVA is a worthwhile experience for aficionados of dark fantasy and mystery. Its stylish presentation and atmospheric storytelling create a lasting impression, despite its short length. Sure the soundtracking choices are more bizarre than those in videogame Deadly Premonition but where it matters, the series comes through and is a powerful study of the human condition.

LINK- The Anxious Generation: Book Review (and Some Thoughts)

LINK- Utopia for Realists- Book Review

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

LINK- ‘Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire’ LINK: Elden Ring- Videogames As Art

LINK- Toxic: Women, Fame and the Noughties- Book Review (and Some Thoughts)

LINK- Pure Invention: How Japan's Pop Culture Conquered the World- Book Review (and Personal Reflections)

During the Japanese bubble economy of the 80s, the animation studios released original video animations at a premium price. These films usually featured high quality animation and were released in waves, based on the success of sales.

The Vampire Princess Miyu OVA was released on 2 VHS tapes, each lasting just under an hour and containing 2 episodes. The AIC published films were based on the manga by Narumi Kakinouchi and Toshiki Hirano. I was attracted to the anime as I was going through a horror phase back in the mid to late 90s and, whilst not a metal head or goth, the character design had me intrigued. It stood out against the harem and ultra violent anime available at the time.

The story is quite simple: a mysterious vampire girl seems to be implicated in numerous strange occurances, often involving the victims being drained of blood. Hot on her trail is spiritualist Himiko, who seeks to save people again this scourge but is there more to this figure than meets the eye.

In the first episode, she helps a young couple who worry that their daughter is in a deep coma due to a vampires bite. In the second, a young teenage boy faces pressure from his family to succeed and achieve and the pressure drives him to seek freedom away from them. When a young lady promises to keep him young and carefree how can he resist? In the third episode, Himiko helps Miyu recover Larva from the Lord of the Abyss after he failed to kill Miyu. It's a good look at the relationship between Miyu and her familiar and offers a glimpse into bit of their origins. In the final episode, we see Miyu's origin and also learn of the link between Himiko and Miyu. This is quite an affecting episode and ties a bow on the premise of the follow up TV series.

I have a real affection for this OVA, even after about 30 years after last seeing it. The story is simple but effective but it's the mood and world it creates that appeals. There is a sense of mystery to Miyu's origins and who Larva, her familiar, is to her. The way the evil Shinma feed off the darkness of the human souls is intriguing and each episode is self contained, Kolchak style with a monster of the week format whilst also providing a breadcrumb trail of information about the series namesake protagonist.

The art direction is excellent and the pastel saturated effect makes the characters really pop in the foreground. When you take into account the stunning music by Kenji Kawai and wonderful colour palette of the in between world, you realise that this was a quite unique proposition in the West; a romantic and wistful vampire love story years before Twilight was even a twinkle in Stephanie Meyer's eye.

The standout episode is the second one as the Noh music and art direction are incredibly strong. It has a quick pace but more than that, we see the more human side of Miyu and sense her loneliness.

So Miyu is not as frenetic or action packed as a lot of manga from back then but it does have that certain style and atmosphere that creates an unsettling feeling. The show is relatively free of the clichés and tropes that pepper the manga and anime landscape today and for that it deserved to be commended. The OAV would be surpassed in terms of developing Miyu's character several years later in the 26 part TV series but for a 2 hour collection, the Miyu OAVs are a vibe. So much so that I even have 2 cels from the TV series in my collection which I love.

LINK: Japan- My Journey to the East

LINK- The Last Guardian- Video Games As Art

LINK- The Mysterious Cities of Gold Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- Twin Peaks Retrospective

LINK- The Transportive Nature of Objects (And the Power of Mini Consoles)

LINK- My One True Gaming Constant in Life- Nintendo

LINK- On, and On and Conston (Or, ‘How We Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism in GB’)

LINK- ‘Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire’

LINK: Let’s All Create a ‘New Normal’.