What a pleasant surprise. Even though it's pretty much 4 episodes played back to back... they connect perfectly together, are so well written and I'm disappointed that's all we got. So think of it as an anthology, similar to say something like 'Tales from the Darkside' with a minor touch of 'Gremlins'. Very much morality tales, sometimes dark, while other times heartbreaking and always weird with a moody gothic ambiance. Thanks to the wonderfully hallucinogenic animation and chilled lounge music creeping in.
The episodic tales are connected by a Chinatown pet shop of very rare/exotic animals and a determined homicide detective who sees a spade of unexplainable deaths linked to this pet shop. The reason for the deaths usually involves a sales term, which usually consists of 3 rules. If those rules are followed by the owners then they should've have any issues but if the contract is broken, it can have devastating consequences. The interactions between the detective and the polite pet shop owner Count D were just as riveting as the four stories. The first tale 'Daughter' was the strangest of the lot, therefore the one I enjoyed the most. I didn't find it to be as predictable in its outcome. While the third tale 'Despair' was an affective love story... similar to the second tale 'Delicious', yet very different in tone with the second tale going for shock. Both bittersweet though. While the fourth tale 'Dual' was less impactful in its progression, yet holding an air of melancholy at least the interactions and interplay between Count D and Detective Orcot during this last story made up for it. Especially when we learn how far Count D's reach is within the city.
So I enjoyed all the stories to varying degrees. They flow well together, tautly told and it's uniquely its own spin on a familiar exercise with Count D spouting his proverb wisdom to counterbalance Orcot's questioning after every story. And to remind they did sign a contract to follow those rules.
