TV-Series
Description
Count D is the enigmatic proprietor of a mysterious pet shop located in Chinatown. He is a young man with a slender, androgynous build, pale skin, and dark hair that often covers part of his face. His most striking feature is his mismatched eyes: one is purple and the other is golden, a physical trait that reflects his unusual lineage as an imperfect duplicate of his ancestors. He typically wears colorful, ornate Chinese clothing and presents a calm, soft-spoken demeanor. He has a notable fondness for tea and a tremendous sweet tooth, a weakness that others, particularly Detective Leon Orcot, frequently exploit.
On the surface, Count D is gentle, kind, and hospitable toward his customers, many of whom are grieving or troubled individuals. He expresses a deep love and affinity for animals, often showing more fondness for them than for human beings. Despite claiming to dislike humans and human children, his actions throughout the story reveal a more complex nature, as he becomes genuinely attached to certain individuals. He is mischievous in his own way, taking quiet amusement in the frustrations of those around him, especially Leon. However, he can also be remarkably cold and unforgiving, showing little compassion for customers who break the strict rules of the contracts he provides, as he believes they must learn the consequences of their actions.
Count D is not human, though the exact nature of his being is left open to interpretation. He is the last of an ancient Chinese civilization that lived in the Kunlun mountains and possessed a unique connection with animals, able to communicate with them and act as priests and messengers. After a prince was rejected by a priestess from this clan, he ordered a genocide, leaving only one survivor who swore revenge on humanity. This survivor perpetuates their kind through a form of cloning or asexual reproduction, which is why Count D, his father, and his grandfather, the "real" Count D, look almost identical. His family’s purpose has become to protect animals and avenge the harm done to them by humans.
In his role as the pet shop owner, Count D does not simply sell ordinary animals. He offers mythical and extraordinary creatures that often appear in humanoid form, at least to him. He claims to sell not pets, but "love, dreams, and hope," always accompanied by a three-term contract with strict rules. When a customer inevitably breaks the contract, the consequences are dire, often resulting in the customer's death. Count D maintains a position of detached responsibility, stating that violating the terms absolves the pet shop of any liability. The pet shop itself is implied to be akin to a vessel like Noah's Ark.
His most significant relationship is with Detective Leon Orcot, a hot-headed police officer who initially suspects D is a criminal responsible for a series of bizarre deaths. Their dynamic is combative and argumentative, but over time, they form a close and complicated bond. Leon frequently visits the shop, often bribing D with sweets for information, and despite his refusal to believe in the supernatural, he becomes a constant presence in D’s life. Count D also develops a protective attachment to Chris, Leon’s younger brother, showing a softer and more caring side that contradicts his stated disdain for human children.
Throughout the narrative, Count D shows subtle development. While he begins with a generalized disdain for humanity, his experiences with Leon, Chris, and other customers slowly challenge his views. Although the story maintains his enigmatic nature, his attitude shifts, revealing a greater internal conflict between his inherited vow of revenge and the genuine, if begrudging, affection he starts to feel for certain humans.
Count D possesses numerous supernatural abilities. He can communicate with all animals, both mundane and mythological, and can see them in their humanoid forms. He heals from injuries at an accelerated rate and possesses physical abilities far exceeding his appearance, including great speed, strength, the ability to jump great heights, and possibly flight. He is polyglot, speaking many languages including English, Japanese, German, and Italian. He is also a strict vegetarian, as consuming meat would awaken wild instincts within him. Accompanying him everywhere is a small, chimera-like creature named Q, who assists in the shop's operations.
On the surface, Count D is gentle, kind, and hospitable toward his customers, many of whom are grieving or troubled individuals. He expresses a deep love and affinity for animals, often showing more fondness for them than for human beings. Despite claiming to dislike humans and human children, his actions throughout the story reveal a more complex nature, as he becomes genuinely attached to certain individuals. He is mischievous in his own way, taking quiet amusement in the frustrations of those around him, especially Leon. However, he can also be remarkably cold and unforgiving, showing little compassion for customers who break the strict rules of the contracts he provides, as he believes they must learn the consequences of their actions.
Count D is not human, though the exact nature of his being is left open to interpretation. He is the last of an ancient Chinese civilization that lived in the Kunlun mountains and possessed a unique connection with animals, able to communicate with them and act as priests and messengers. After a prince was rejected by a priestess from this clan, he ordered a genocide, leaving only one survivor who swore revenge on humanity. This survivor perpetuates their kind through a form of cloning or asexual reproduction, which is why Count D, his father, and his grandfather, the "real" Count D, look almost identical. His family’s purpose has become to protect animals and avenge the harm done to them by humans.
In his role as the pet shop owner, Count D does not simply sell ordinary animals. He offers mythical and extraordinary creatures that often appear in humanoid form, at least to him. He claims to sell not pets, but "love, dreams, and hope," always accompanied by a three-term contract with strict rules. When a customer inevitably breaks the contract, the consequences are dire, often resulting in the customer's death. Count D maintains a position of detached responsibility, stating that violating the terms absolves the pet shop of any liability. The pet shop itself is implied to be akin to a vessel like Noah's Ark.
His most significant relationship is with Detective Leon Orcot, a hot-headed police officer who initially suspects D is a criminal responsible for a series of bizarre deaths. Their dynamic is combative and argumentative, but over time, they form a close and complicated bond. Leon frequently visits the shop, often bribing D with sweets for information, and despite his refusal to believe in the supernatural, he becomes a constant presence in D’s life. Count D also develops a protective attachment to Chris, Leon’s younger brother, showing a softer and more caring side that contradicts his stated disdain for human children.
Throughout the narrative, Count D shows subtle development. While he begins with a generalized disdain for humanity, his experiences with Leon, Chris, and other customers slowly challenge his views. Although the story maintains his enigmatic nature, his attitude shifts, revealing a greater internal conflict between his inherited vow of revenge and the genuine, if begrudging, affection he starts to feel for certain humans.
Count D possesses numerous supernatural abilities. He can communicate with all animals, both mundane and mythological, and can see them in their humanoid forms. He heals from injuries at an accelerated rate and possesses physical abilities far exceeding his appearance, including great speed, strength, the ability to jump great heights, and possibly flight. He is polyglot, speaking many languages including English, Japanese, German, and Italian. He is also a strict vegetarian, as consuming meat would awaken wild instincts within him. Accompanying him everywhere is a small, chimera-like creature named Q, who assists in the shop's operations.