Pet Shop of Horrors: Tokyo Review
by Matsuri Akino
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Quick Take
- Sequel series to the beloved Pet Shop of Horrors — Count D moves his shop to Tokyo
- Maintains the anthology format: each customer's desire leads to supernatural consequences
- Darker than the original with a more cohesive overarching narrative
Who Is This Manga For?
- Fans of the original Pet Shop of Horrors who want more Count D stories
- Horror fans who love the 'be careful what you wish for' story structure
- Readers who appreciate manga that blends dark fantasy with horror
- Anyone who enjoys episodic horror with recurring characters
Content Warnings & Age Rating
Age Rating: M (Mature) Content Warnings: supernatural horror, dark themes, disturbing imagery
Please read the content warnings before diving in.
Yu's Rating
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Story Depth | ★★★★☆ |
| Art Style | ★★★★☆ |
| Character Development | ★★★★☆ |
| Accessibility for Non-Japanese Readers | ★★★☆☆ |
| Reread Value | ★★★★☆ |
Story Overview
Count D has relocated his mysterious pet shop from Chinatown to Tokyo, where he continues selling exotic pets that fulfill the deepest wishes of his customers — always with a contract, always with consequences for those who break the rules. Each volume brings new customers whose desires are fulfilled in disturbing ways, while an overarching storyline involving the Count's true nature and origins slowly develops. Detective Leon Orcot returns, now investigating the Count from Tokyo.
Characters
Count D remains the series' magnetic center — beautiful, inscrutable, apparently human but certainly not, simultaneously benevolent and terrifying. His relationship with Leon Orcot deepens over the series as Leon's obsession with uncovering the Count's secrets becomes mutual. The customer characters are mostly single-story but often memorably drawn.
Art Style
Akino's art has matured from the original series — more confident linework, more sophisticated panel composition. Count D's visual presence is particularly striking. The supernatural elements are rendered with a dark elegance appropriate to the series' fairy-tale-with-teeth aesthetic.
Cultural Context
The shift to Tokyo reflects the original series' move from an American-set Chinatown to Japan — making the setting more immediately culturally specific for Japanese readers while retaining the fish-out-of-water dynamic that drives Leon's character. Japanese folk beliefs about supernatural beings and shapeshifters inform Count D's ambiguous nature.
What I Love About It
The original Pet Shop of Horrors hooked me with its structure — each customer's desire is understandable, even sympathetic, and Count D is genuinely not the villain. He offers what people want. They destroy themselves. The Tokyo sequel deepens this and the evolution of D and Leon's relationship gives the series genuine emotional stakes alongside the horror.
What English-Speaking Fans Say
Readers who loved the original generally embrace the Tokyo sequel as worthy continuation. Some find it darker and more complex than the original — a maturation of the series. The international fandom remained devoted throughout the Tokyopop era and into fan translations when the series was unlicensed.
Memorable Scene ⚠️ Spoiler Warning
Spoiler Warning: The revelation of what Count D truly is — and what his relationship to the shop and its animals means — lands with genuine emotional weight in the later volumes, recontextualizing everything that came before.
Similar Manga
- Pet Shop of Horrors — The original — read it first
- xxxHolic — Another 'be careful what you wish for' supernatural series
- Natsume's Book of Friends — Gentler supernatural, but similar episodic structure
Reading Order / Where to Start
Read the original Pet Shop of Horrors first. Tokyo is a direct sequel.
Official English Translation Status
Status: Complete Publisher: Tokyopop Volumes Available in English: 10 of 10
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Worthy continuation of a beloved series
- Count D and Leon relationship develops beautifully
- Anthology format remains satisfying
- Darker and more complex than original
Cons:
- Requires reading the original first
- Tokyopop edition may be hard to find new
- Some episodic stories are stronger than others
Format Comparison
| Format | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Paperback | Amazon | Tokyopop edition — may require used market |
Where to Buy
You can find Pet Shop of Horrors: Tokyo on Amazon:
👉 Buy Pet Shop of Horrors: Tokyo on Amazon
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*Affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Written by
Yu
Manga Enthusiast from Japan
I grew up in Japan and manga literally saved me during a tough time in elementary school. My English isn't perfect, but my love for manga is real — and I want to share it with you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.