If I were to describe this manga in a single word, than that would be SAD. It is the saddest manga I have ever read, yet and the same time, it is also the most touching and the most heart-warming. I'm not a person who cries very easily, but this manga brought tears to my eyes more than once. It is labeled as a Tragedy and I truly agree with it. Being the tragic tale of a puppy, named Pao, of course it would tell the hardships that Pao has to face, but they don't seem forced, like there is too much tragedy in it. Instead, they seem very real, being things that can also happen in real life and they make you sympathize with him, as well as the other characters that deserve sympathy.
The story starts with 2 sisters finding a female dog that has a 'cut neck'. They bring it to a vet and then they take it home, promising to look for until the end. After less than a year, the dog gives birth to 3 puppies, the youngest one being Pao.
Unfortunately, the family suddenly goes bankrupt and they have to leave, unable to look for the dogs anymore. They are therefore abandoned, and this is where the tragic story starts.
Not long after that, Pao has to separate form his siblings. He then starts wondering the city, hoping to find some happiness. He encounters hardships as well and sadness in his journey, bu he manages to also find happiness and small bits of hope. He doesn't always find a large bowl of food, instead he finds a family and kind people who care for him.
Unfortunately, this small bits of hope don't last long. Sooner than he expected, he is faced with more pain and sadness, encountering the cruel reality. Yes, that's how it is. Life isn't always sweet, sometimes it's bitter, and poor Pao has to learn that the hard way. Some people are kind, while others are bad people that would hurt you even if you haven't done anything wrong, just to make money, or sometimes out of revenge, or out of pure cruelty. Pao has to survive, but survival isn't always easy. In a world were money makes the law, if you don't have money or, in Pao's case, if you don't have a wealthy owner, life is hard. Not only for you, but also for your master, and the lack of money can make even the kindest ones become cruel.
The characters of this manga are simply great. They portrait both the good people as well as the bad ones from society. Many if the good ones die, but they died bringing a little light of happiness to Pao, like Pao did to them. They die, but they die with thoughts of happiness in their minds. Their heart is filled with the happiness of being able to bring happiness to others, and that's what makes them happy in the last moments of their lives.
Pao, the main character, is a puppy who tries to survive in this harsh world. He wants nothing more than a family and someone who would love him, yet he faces pain and has to suffer because of the human's cruelty. He wants to find love, and instead he finds sorrow. He meets with his lost brother and sister and sees them die, even if they did nothing wrong. He meets with his former masters, but they lose all hope in life and commit suicide.
But after all the suffering he was faced with, Pao still manages to trust humans. He learned to distinguish them by their eyes and he finds in his heart to bring them happiness, to reward then for the hope they have given him.
The other characters are there to bring the little hope and happiness Pao was faced with. They give him new hope, and they teach him that all humans are bad, and that he shouldn't lose his hope. The bad and cruel people Pao was faced with taught him the harshness of this life, the cruelty of humans and the power of money. But they made Pao strong, and without knowing or wanting it, they made him able to survive.
The art, like the characters, was great. It shows very well the feelings the characters have. Since Pao distinguishes a human by their eyes, the art also focuses on them, making them expressive and reflecting their personality and their emotions.
In the end, this manga is a real and touching story about life. It shows it's cruelty, it's harshness, it's corruption. Life isn't perfect, and only the strong ones survive. Humans can be very cruel, and in their way, it doesn't matter if they hurt humans or animals.
It also tells us that animals, like us, humans, have a heart, and they can feel joy or sadness just like we do.
This manga is a story that collect the tragic stories of both humans and animals. It's a heart-warming tale where tragedies and sufferings are put together. It's a tragedy that brings tears to the eyes and sympathy to the heart.
