Content Warning: Detailed Animal Injury, Spiders, Insects, Snakes
Synopsis
Kanna, a recently qualified vet, is devastated when he develops an allergy to cats and dogs. Not only can he no longer interact with his favourite animals, he’s been fired from his job as well! Not to be daunted though, he decides to look into vet practices where he’ll never have to worry about bumping into cats or dogs. That brings him to Gekko Animal Hospital—a veterinary practice that specialises in exotic animals, and where the phrase “out of the frying pan and into the fire” has never been more apt. But with the expert guidance from Dr. Gekko and vet tech Hoshi, Kanna will learn to love every animal under the sun…regardless of the number of legs they have.
The Good
Exotic Animal Doctor is a great snapshot of the variety found in exotic veterinary practice. There’s a real dedication to accurately represent everything on show here, with an emphasis early on on how much improvisation is needed when you’re dealing with as many different types of animals as Dr. Gekko is. The animal drawings are realistic and detailed, so they give an idea for how the animals are in real life, rather than looking like caricatures. There’s a really great mix of characters throughout, with each human feeling as distinct and alive as their animal companion. It also seeks to get rid of some stereotypes. For example, vet tech Hoshi first appears to be a typical girly-girl, but we discover how much she adores all things creepy and crawly.
Lesbians will also be pleased to hear that at various points, Dr.Gekko rides a motorbike decked out in leather, lifts weights, and straddles a crocodile.
The Bad
Exotic Animal Doctor fails to engage. Each chapter is so packed with facts and figures that it can be quite slow to get through. Other educational manga such as the Cells at Work manage to keep the balance between plot and education so it never feels like you’re reading a textbook, but Exotic Animal Doctor fails to do so. Whilst it’s interesting to know that Japan is the fourth biggest importer of reptiles in the world, learning about it with three different bar charts on one page doesn’t make for a fun read.
Since the animals are all highly detailed and carefully drawn, they stand in contrast to the humans. Artist and writer Ninomiya has quite a flat style when drawing human characters, giving the manga a vintage feel that doesn’t match with its 2023 release date. There’s a lot to celebrate in terms of body proportions and dynamic poses, but the facial expressions are lacking. The characters feel trapped between just three or four expressions and it’s such a shame when the animals are so beautifully drawn.
The Verdict
It’s always great to get a new educational manga published in English. They’re such a fun subgenre of comics that you don’t really see in the western comics sphere. Exotic Animal Doctor certainly fulfills the remit of providing lots of information on a niche topic, but that is also its downfall. There’s so much focus on the educational aspects and pumping you full of statistics that you lose any sense of narrative.
However, if you’re a lover of stats and figures, or exotic animals of any kind, then you’re sure to have a great time! There’s a great mix of both fluffy and scaly pets, and there’s a fun cast of characters throughout, from cute gothic lolita girls with snakes that bite, to tough gym bros who love their bunnies.
It’s a niche manga that isn’t going to have mass appeal, but to those who happen to sit within its particular Venn diagram of geekdom, it’s a diamond in the rough.
You can buyExotic Animal Doctor from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop
If you liked Exotic Animal Doctor you may also like…
- Yuzu The Pet Vet
- Silver Spoon
- Skullface Bookseller Honda-san
Credits
Story and Art: Kano Ninomiya
Translation: Tristan K. Hill
Lettering: Phil Christie
Cover Design: H. Qi
Copy Editor: Leighanna DeRouen
Proofreader: Blaire Hawthorne
English Edition Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Thank you to Seven Seas Entertainment for providing a review copy. Receiving this copy had no effect on the reviewer’s opinions as expressed here.
Article edited by: Stephanie Liu
The Good
- Educational and informative
- Realistic animal drawings
- Fun mix of characters
The Bad
- Level of detail between human and animal drawings feel out of sync
- Inconsistent design
- Bad plot-to-information ratio
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